I signed up for a few Rita's Italian Ice mystery shops to do this weekend and early next week.

Also, I haven't eaten out for lunch at work any day this week. Yeah!! Usually, I end up going out about once a week. I'm trying not to let my co-workers influence me. Some people go out daily for lunch. I would rather buy food and bring it for lunch. It is generally less expensive that way!

Have a great Friday!

Yesterday I got 2 checks in the mail:

$15.72-Rite Aid Single Check Rebate
4.00-American Consumer Opinion
------
$19.72

I will add this to my CC #1 savings account.

Thankfully, the CC payment that I was fretting about in yesterday's post has been posted to my account with the current payment date. I am sooo relieved!

Got a $5 survey check in the mail from My 2 Cents. I will add that to my savings account.

Have a great Friday!

Today I received a check for the reimbursement of a Rita's Italian Ice mystery shop I did last month. It was for $2.22...hardly worth the bother, but nonetheless I got a *free* treat after I entered the report online. I don't go out of my way to do "reimbursement only" mystery shops. If the mystery shop assignment is on my way to another destination or errand, then I will consider doing it. Actually I prefer to do assignments that offer a shopper's fee and reimbursement for a service or item.

I will add this to my savings account.

As a member of PineCone, I got an email yesterday stating that PineCone wants to increase its membership base. I know many people wanted to become members, but weren't able to because of the difficulty finding referral links. So here it is if anyone is interested.

http://www1.pineconeresearch.com/signup/RR523DS1.asp

I received a survey check from Pinecone today for $3. I will add that to my savings account. Several weeks ago I signed up for paypal with them to receive the compensation that way. I guess maybe it will take a little bit of time for that to go into effect. Nonetheless, I am pleased with the speedy payment as I just did the survey at the beginning of this week!

Last night, DD and I went to Texas Roadhouse for a mystery shop. Once I enter the shop details online I will be reimbursed $35 for the meal. On this particular assignment, there is a bonus rate paid of $4. Both of our meals totaled $35.58 including the tip, so I will make $3.42 on this mystery shop.

It was a tasty meal and best of all it was a free outing!!

DD and I really enjoy McDonald's Vanilla Iced Coffee, but it is just getting to be too much of a habit and more importantly too expensive. With the smallest size cup costing $1.99, I've decided I need to come up with a made-from-scratch alternative. I found a recipe for vanilla syrup in a cookbook.

Vanilla Syrup

1 1/2 c water
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp vanilla extract

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water, sugar, and salt to a boil. Stir frequently until sugar is dissolved. Boil until mixture is thick and syrupy, approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and cool.

I make fairly strong coffee, then add some half & half or light cream plus some of the vanilla syrup over ice. The problem is I don't know the proportions that McD's uses, but I just estimate and it turns out very yummy!! I know it will save me money in the long run!

I received a $50 check from Global Test Market from doing surveys. It took less than 4 weeks to receive the check once I requested it. I will add that to my savings account. I already accumulated another 240 points towards the next $50 once I reach 1000 points. I think I like this company better than Pinecone. I get at least 10 survey invites each week. I rarely get any from Pinecone.

Have a great evening everyone!!

Yesterday, I had another NSD. I also requested a $10 check from doing surveys with Global Test Market since I earned 1000 points.

Have a great day everyone!

Last night, I went to Texas Roadhouse to do a mystery shop. I will get $35 reimbursement for the meal, which was $41.50. So $6.50 cost for a meal for 2 people.

Today, I had another NSD.

Have a great evening!

I received 2 checks in the mail today totaling $9 from American Consumer Opinion Panel. I will add that to my savings account.

Have a great day everyone!

Today, I got three checks in the mail. One was a mystery shopping reimbursement + shopper's fee for a breakfast assignment at a local restaurant-$10.89. Another was an A & H Plus Oxiclean Guarantee-$8.24, plus April Walgreen's Easy Saver-$4.99. I will add a total of $24.12 to my savings account.

Today, I had a NSD. I received a $5 gift certificate from Baker St Solutions Panel for doing an online survey. Now I have accumulated $15 of these Amazon gcs.

I've been thinking about purchasing a carpet shampooer...maybe from Amazon with the gcs. I was researching different brands and reading reviews a few days ago. It looks like the Bissell 9200 Proheat model would be a good one. Just wondering if anyone has any ideas on which brand would be best.

Have a great night everyone!

I went to Rite Aid today and got A & H Laundry Detergent 100 oz., which was B1G1F. The regular price is $5.99 each. Each bottle also had a $2 coupon on it. So I got 2 bottles for $3.99. I also purchased Samy i style hair styler for $4.49 which will be FAR.

After that, I did a Rita's Italian Ice mystery shop. Next week, I have a Texas Roadhouse mystery shop to complete.

I ran these errands after I ate lunch that I brought to work. Some days I can't stand to sit in the lunch room and listen to all the co-workers issues for a whole hour. It overwhelms me!!

I got two refund checks in the mail from Rite Aid Single Check Rebates ($47.11) and Sambucol Black Elderberry Immune Support Tablets TMF offer ($8.99). I will add those to my savings account.

I also am scheduled to do a Staples mystery shop today and will run some errands in town while I am there in the area.

Have a great holiday weekend everyone!!

Yesterday, I received a $100 check which was refunded from the total professional license application fee of $375 that I applied for last month. I will add that to my savings account.

Also, I completed two online surveys today.

Have a great weekend everyone!

I received a $3 check today from Pinecone for a survey that I completed the middle of last week. Now I know firsthand just how efficient they are with their payments!!

I received February's Single Check Rebate check in the mail from Rite Aid today for $36.93. Also I got a survey check from Your2Cents for $6.

I got a $25 Paypal deposit for a mystery shop I did in January for a restaurant. I just got reimbursed for the meal, no additional shoppers' fees for doing that mystery shop. Still it was well worth it!

I got a $3 check from ithink surveys in the mail today.

Also, I had a mystery shopping assignment to do at a local, casual restaurant last night. I have been a mystery shopper for years. I really enjoy doing it because it helps businesses by giving feedback on their employees, service, and quality of products. Of course the plus is that I receive either free products/services, and in some cases a shopper's fee for doing the assignment. A few years ago, I was an avid mystery shopper. I would schedule many different assignments within a certain few miles radius of one another because I wanted to be frugal with gas consumption. In the past, I would do as many as 8 assignments a day, but not every day. Since gas prices have risen and shoppers' fees have decreased a bit over the years, I do only mystery shops that are worth my time. It seems I don't have the time it takes either to actually do the physical shop, plus enter the details on the on-line reports.