I have a confession: I have not cooked any meals for more than two weeks. I didn’t actually buy groceries for almost two weeks, but I didn’t spend any dollars (I actually earned money by eating!). I have received more than $ 1000 in food delivery over the past two weeks free instead of.
I am generally not someone who often goes out to eat. It is expensive and correct. So instead of blowing up my budget about eating out, thumping or uber eats, actually Was paid for To order delivery.
Sounds too good to be true, right? But that is the beauty of shopping of mystery.
Veldpip: If you do not have a high efficiency savings account, you lose money for free every month. Click here To open one with 3.8% Apy and a bonus of $ 325!
Remark: I treat sides like this and more in my newsletter. If you have not yet subscribed to my newsletter, you can subscribe here!
What is Mystery Shopping?
Mystery Shopping is when companies ordinary people like you and I pay to behave as customers and to report back about the experience. You are essentially shopper under cover.
The company wants to know if the process works smoothly from start to finish. Some questions could vary, the app was easy to use, the food arrived on time, was everything correct and how was the packaging? They can evaluate the packaging and you ask those closer photos. It all depends on the store!
As a shopper, your task is simple: order, take a few photos and enter a short report. In exchange, you will be reimbursed for your order and often paid extra money for your time.
The platform I used to deliver food: Ipsos
There are a few mysterious shopping platforms that are available, but one of my favorites for food delivery is now Ipsos. They work together with an app to deliver food (cannot mention it here, but you will find out which when you sign up!)
Here is how a typical assignment works:
- You get a budget (it has recently been done $ 250 in food))
- You place an order as you would normally do on the app to deliver food.
- When the food arrives, take photos of the packaging and items
- You upload the photos and fill in a short questionnaire on the Ipsos platform. Currently this is all multiple choice or photos.
- Ipsos reimburses your order and you pay one $ 10-30 bonus for the assignment (subject to change). This specific store with food delivery is with shopmetrics (not Sassie)!
In the beginning it feels almost unreal – because you are literally paid to show food in front of the door. I also love Ipsos because the reimbursement time is super fast that I was paid for all my stores in less than 2 weeks after I did them.
My experience: $ 1000+ free food
Two weeks ago I decided to test this and see it myself. I started with a Mexican Food Delivery store and filled in the requirements. It was approved within three days and I was happy to sign up for my next one.
Towards the end of two weeks I had persuaded myself $ 1000 in food. Sushi, Thai food, halal eating, sandwiches, you name it. Each meal was reimbursed and moreover I placed cash for completing the stores.
My favorite part? The people I love to feed around me. My parents love sushi, but are pretty economical and rarely eat out, so it was my favorite thing to let them know with food and to let them know that it was free.
Every store probably costs me about an hour. Taking a few photos before digging in dinner is probably the simplest side part I have ever done.
Why companies pay for this
You may be wondering: why would a company spend hundreds of dollars to feed people for free?
The reason is quality control. Restaurants and delivery apps must be sure:
- Orders are accurate
- Drivers follow delivery instructions
- Food is in good condition
- Customers have a consistent experience
- Food is packaged in the right type of containers
Because they cannot follow every order, they trust mysterious shoppers to be their eyes and ears. It is cheaper for them to pay a few people to test the system than to risk unhappy customers who leave permanently.
How to start
If this sounds like something you would like to try, here is how:
- Register for a free account on the Ipsos Mystery Shopping Portal.
- Search for available assignments in your region.
- Claim one that looks good – the food stores go fast, so be quick.
- Order your meal, take the required photos and send your report.
- Wait a few days for approval, reimbursement and payment.
A few pro -tips
By doing this several times, here are a few things that helped me maximize my income:
- Trade quickly: There are a lot of these opportunities at the moment, but you never know when they are gone!
- Follow the instructions exactly: If you forget a photo or skip a question, you can return your report to Redo. If it is a mistake with serious enough (that means that you have not taken photos), you will not be reimbursed.
- Plan around meals: Instead of cooking or lunch, see if a store is available first. It saves money and time.
Last thoughts
Mystery shopping will not replace your full -time income, but it can be a surprisingly nice side. For me it was one of the nicest ways to save money on meals and at the same time earn extra money.
For two weeks alone I received more than $ 1000 in food, without spending a cent of my own money. That is a victory in my book. Now I take a small break to have some fun at home haha.
So if you are looking for a creative way to save food costs, try Ipsos Mystery Shops. You may notice that you will never want to cook again.
Enjoy this article? Subscribe to the latest updates about my side busy and money hacks! Or follow me up Instagram For updates. 🙂
Hello, I am Chloe! I am the primary author of Off Hour Hustle. I am currently working as a software engineer, they sell products via eBay, Etsy and offer, I have 26+ credit cards and always work to diversify my income flows. In my spare time I enjoy climbing, walking and other outdoor activities.
Sharing is caring!
#received #food #delivery #weeks