Much has been said about the benefits of mystery shopping in the current economic downturn. Mystery shoppers have been able to use mystery shopping to make ends meet, from buying the basics like groceries and gas, to helping to purchase clothing and shoes for the whole family. Many families have cut out luxuries from their household budgets during the recession, but you can use mystery shopping to make enjoying some of these luxuries a little more affordable.
Buy Yourself Something Nice. With retail assignments, you may think about buying your niece a birthday present or putting some new shoes on the kids’ feet for the fall. But why not spoil yourself a little bit and get yourself a little something with your next retail assignment? If there’s a new pair of shoes you’ve been eying or a cute little dress in the store shop window, let yourself splurge a little. With your mystery shopping reimbursement, you can get yourself that little something extra at little to no cost to you out of pocket. So whether it’s a fancy new pair of sunglasses or a pair of leather boots, take the plunge and treat yourself nice!
Give Your Family A Fun Day Out. The entertainment industry is hurting right now. Companies from theme parks to movie theaters are feeling the crunch and are doing what they can to get customers to spend some dough there. These same companies are still using mystery shoppers to get the feedback they need to ensure their customers are having a good experience while they are visiting. If you can get your hands on some of these family-friendly attractions, your reimbursements as a mystery shopper coupled with the steep discounts many of these locations are offering right now can make a family fun day an affordable experience.
Date Night. One of the first expenses many families cut back on during the recession is dinners out. And on the fewer occasions when you do go out to eat now, you are likely choosing to go to less expensive restaurants. You can give yourself an affordable night out on the town at a first-class restaurant with a mystery shopping assignment. While you will need to do a little work while you’re at the restaurant, the experience of being out without the stress of worrying about money will make for an enjoyable evening.
Party Time. Whether it’s a birthday party for the kids, a baby shower, an anniversary party, or some other function, you may have thought you couldn’t afford the expensive of a big shindig this year. With a few mystery shopping assignments at party supply stores as well as grocery stores, you can pick up party décor, appetizers, and even a cake with much of your expenses reimbursed.
Whether it’s a little treat for you, a fun day or evening for you and your family, or a party for all of your friends and family, you can add back in some of those luxuries you’ve cut out during the recession with the help of your mystery shopping assignments!