Secret Shopper

[hulagirl87]

I am trying to find work that I can do on my own time, while my kids are in school, working around a school calendar, while also tackling a host of autoimmune conditions which make my health not great from day to day. I'm having a hard time finding anything as a lot of things sound like a scam, and survey's online give you pennies for each survey you take. I signed up for a secret shopper site and they sent me a check for $2500 with instructions to buy gift cards, scratch off the codes, and then give them that info. um, if that's not a red flag! So clearly, not legit. I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck with any real secret shopper sites or anything that might work well for school hour work, flexibility, etc. Thanks!

 

[mjkacmom]

I tried it decades ago, it wasn’t worth it.

 

[kdonnel]

A friend used to work for

https://a-closer-look.com/

When she worked there we often did some secret shops.

 

[Dakota731]

It’s not really a part time job - more like just a little hobby. When I did it a few years ago, I’d get my restaurant meal paid for or $10 to do a retail store. Certainly nothing if you’re looking for extra income. And wouldn’t be worth it now with the price of gas

 

[hulagirl87]

thanks everyone for your input!

 

[unrequited23]

Not secret shopping, but my DH picked up some shifts with doordash/uber eats. It offered him the ability to sign on for a few deliveries and end when he wanted. This was key since it allowed him to be available for off-hours systems upgrades & changes.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I signed up with some secret shopper sites a few years ago but never took an assignment. They advertised that they needed people immediately and shoppers could make like $50 and up per job. After I signed up, I got virtually no responses. There was only one that needed people to shop several locations of a local bakery chain. You were supposed to go in and order one beverage and one bakery item. Then you would fill out a form about the service, cleanliness, etc. and mail it in with the receipt for your food. After your form was reviewed, they would reimburse the cost of your food. Free coffee and a Danish weren't worth the price of the gas and time it would take to do the job. I never received offers for jobs that payed decently.

 

[mjkacmom]

Not secret shopping, but my DH picked up some shifts with doordash/uber eats. It offered him the ability to sign on for a few deliveries and end when he wanted. This was key since it allowed him to be available for off-hours systems upgrades & changes.

My friend does this, she does have a full time job, but needs more $, but her 17 year old son is autistic and non verbal and can’t be left unattended, so she brings him along. She averages more than $20 an hour and only takes deliveries less than 15 minutes away from home.

 

[HeatherC]

Instacart or substitute teaching.

 

[kdonnel]

Instacart or substitute teaching.

Subs are in demand for sure.

You could sub every day with GCPS at $130 a day. $150 a day if you snag a long term, 10 or more days, opening.

 

[RoseColored97]

I started reading the first part of your post and was screaming "NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" internally lol We get so many cases involving scams like that at our department, especially with online payment sites like Zelle, Venmo, etc.

Have you checked into delivery driving for Walmart Spark or Amazon Flex? I used to do both of these while in college and they are super flexible, an easy way to make decent money, and you set your own hours. If you live in an area that is decently sized, I am fairly certain that your Walmart would be participating as they were trying to expand to drop DoorDash and rely more on their own Spark drivers.

 

[ronandannette]

Instacart or substitute teaching.

Subs are in demand for sure.

You could sub every day with GCPS at $130 a day. $150 a day if you snag a long term, 10 or more days, opening.

Question: In your jurisdictions, don't substitute teachers have to be, well, actual teachers? Here they must, with at least a 4-year degree in Education and a current/valid provincial teaching certificate (basically a license that verifies your credentials). They also have to be members-in-good-standing of the provincial teachers union.

 

[fab1976]

Question: In your jurisdictions, don't substitute teachers have to be, well, actual teachers? Here they must, with at least a 4-year degree in Education and a current/valid provincial teaching certificate (basically a license that verifies your credentials). They also have to be members-in-good-standing of the provincial teachers union.

No, in most if not all states they don’t need to be teachers. It can be that way in some provinces too but I’m not sure which. I am a sub here in Ontario, fully certified and compensated as such. A teacher friend in the USA said they would never gets subs if they needed to be certified…..

 

[RoseColored97]

Question: In your jurisdictions, don't substitute teachers have to be, well, actual teachers? Here they must, with at least a 4-year degree in Education and a current/valid provincial teaching certificate (basically a license that verifies your credentials). They also have to be members-in-good-standing of the provincial teachers union.

Not the person you quoted, but when I was in middle school we had a substitute teacher that was a radiologic technician at our local hospital, he just enjoyed substituting on his days off. So, they definitely don't need to be teachers but I think need some sort of certificate.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

Not secret shopping, but my DH picked up some shifts with doordash/uber eats. It offered him the ability to sign on for a few deliveries and end when he wanted. This was key since it allowed him to be available for off-hours systems upgrades & changes.

I've been super grateful for the flexibility and earning opportunities Doordash offers, especially during the pandemic. I speak from experience though to tell you to have a thick skin because there are a few posters around here who really look down on delivery drivers and have no issues about being pretty rude about it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

A teacher friend in the USA said they would never gets subs if they needed to be certified…..

This varies greatly by states and one thing to note if saying what the qualifications are right now this very moment it could be more lax than normal due to the pandemic-created shortage in teachers. Indeed your friend unfortunately is overgeneralizing here.

Normal rules for my state are 60 credit hours from an accredited college. However, due to extreme teacher shortages brought on by the pandemic this has been removed on a law temporarily (started January of this year and has been extended through December of this year).

The 60 credit hours is for "emergency substitute". What is called standard substitute qualification for my state requires a full completion of a teacher education program not just the 60 hours.

We are under what is considered the worst shortage of the history of our state and thus they have really loosened it (not without controversy) so right now you have to be 18, have a high school diploma, a verified commitment from a district or employer and pass a background check.

These are not normal times sadly (which I feel is a broken record). So if the OP is looking at that route they would for sure want to check their own state's rules and if of interest to them if they have been relaxed and they qualify.

 

[kdonnel]

Question: In your jurisdictions, don't substitute teachers have to be, well, actual teachers? Here they must, with at least a 4-year degree in Education and a current/valid provincial teaching certificate (basically a license that verifies your credentials). They also have to be members-in-good-standing of the provincial teachers union.

The following are GaPSC’s requirements for being a substitute teacher in the state of Georgia:

Minimum of a high school diploma (or GED equivalent) and four hours of initial substitute training, provided by a local school system that is hiring.

Teacher absence/classroom vacancy for 46 or more consecutive days within one school year must be filled by a licensed teacher with proper field certification.

Substitute teachers with a minimum of a high school diploma or GED equivalent cannot work in a classroom for more than 10 consecutive days within one school year.


You can also get a provisional teaching certificate easily which gives you three years to complete a training program while teaching.

Just need a bachelor’s or better in anything and pass the GACE for the content you want to teach.

 

[mjkacmom]

Instacart or substitute teaching.

I was also going to suggest subbing if the OP has the educational requirements.

 

[BrianL]

No, in most if not all states they don’t need to be teachers. It can be that way in some provinces too but I’m not sure which. I am a sub here in Ontario, fully certified and compensated as such. A teacher friend in the USA said they would never gets subs if they needed to be certified…..

Man, when I was in school I feel like hte requirement for substitute teachers was basically "an adult with a heartbeat." Basically if they could sit there and watch children, and by watch I mean be in teh same room with and not fall asleep (but almost fall asleep is cool), then they were fine. They never did much of anything except maybe run a movie of questionable educational value.

In 6th grade, we once had a sub and the class was determined to act a fool for him. Some of the usual class clowns were really taking advantage and they made the guy so mad that he made one of them stand in a box in the corner and put the garbage can over his head! That was of course wildly inapporporate and the school principal came in and saw it. He removed the sub and dismissed him immediately, then took over the class for the rest of the day. The Principal was generally well-liked and respected, so it went far better.

 

[Kennywood]

Would shoplifters then be considered to be "secret buyers"?