Folks, sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do. In this economy, the unemployment rate is going up, the savings rate is going up, and your paycheck isn’t going up. The government is doing what it can to get people to spend (sorry if you missed out on “Cash for Clunkers”) by stimulating and restimulating. If you are a first time home buyer there is a tax credit of $8,000. You were even subsidized for watching the boob tube by the coupons that were doled out for digital. I don’t think the government is helping out this recession/depression, and the banks are crying foul over people actually holding some of their money back instead of spending it all and more. What is wrong with frugality and paying down some debt? It’s good for you, but bad for the creditor who wants to enslave you indefinitely. They don’t want you to see the light at the end of the tunnel, preferring that you continue being a debtor indefinitely and lining their rich pockets.

So it may be hard for you to even want to consider gathering a full year’s food storage supply. Especially when money is tight, and you worry about job security. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, hold your horses. Remember, this is one of the most secure assets you can have. What happened to your 401(k) in the downturn? You probably lost nearly 50%, and you’ll need to gain 100% to recover your losses. You buy food and store it, it is real and not paper, and you can eat it to stay alive. You needn’t worry about volatile food prices like the oncoming wave of inflation that will hit after this hiccup of disinflation that we’ve had. The prices of gold and silver are giving you an early indication of what will eventually happen to food prices. If seeing gold recently (in the last few days) exceed the $1,000 price per ounce doesn’t give you a swift kick in the pants to wake up, than you may be eternally sleeping.

I’m going to relate to you a simple and straightforward way of taking on some extra “work” so that you will be able to afford building up your food storage supply slowly (or quickly, you decide) over time. I am not just talking out my rear end here. I have participated in what I am about to outline for you in the following paragraphs. It’s fun, it will help you to reach your honorable objective of putting away food in your food storage, and about anyone can do it if they really want to.

I have been a Mystery Shopper now for nearly a year. I consider myself experienced because of the good reputation I have built with the companies I contract to work for. It’s a serious business that if you should decide to participate in, you should give it your all and do your best. You will be helping the economy by reporting on the goings-on of the various establishments you will evaluate, thus allowing for their improvement in their service and product delivery. This is an independent contractual relationship that I have entered into with the various mystery shopping companies I have signed up with. I am Silver certified with the (MSPA) Mystery Shopping Providers Association. It is quite simple to get started. You don’t have to be certified to begin as a Mystery Shopper. But by becoming certified, you add to your credibility and get more of the premium jobs. I have eaten out at various restaurants, stayed overnight in hotels, and gone to amusement parks. I was even involved in a forensics assignment that made me feel like I was a secret agent—and got paid $300 dollars for a few hours work! Once I got paid $150 to pose as a credible buyer of a Ferrari! I’m not exaggerating here, but I have put in time and dedication. It’s not all fun and games. I am providing a much needed service. In this down economy mystery shopping has actually picked up. And there is a real need to recruit more mystery shoppers. Businesses need to know from the mystery shopper what it is that needs to be modified in order that they may thrive and bring in new customers while retaining old ones.

When I started mystery shopping, I fell head over heels taking all of the jobs that flooded my email inbox, after I got obsessive compulsive and signed up with over 40 different companies. This helped me to establish myself, and show I was willing to do the work and do it well. I am now more selective in the shops I take, which is always at your discretion. You accept or decline any of the jobs. You are not obligated in any way until you sign up for a job. Then you must follow through.

Earning a bit of extra cash every month is a rush, especially if you can earmark it for something that you weren’t quite able to “afford” before, like food storage. Discipline yourself to save and spend this money only for food storage and nothing else. You will feel good about yourself by sticking to your objective, and you will feel more secure in your emergency preparedness efforts. Having a year’s supply of food storage is a real asset in uncertain times like these.

Only take on those mystery shopping jobs you have time for. Chip away at it, and you will find it is fun and worthwhile, because while you are helping the merchants learn what they need to from your reports, you are sometimes getting free stuff and being compensated for your time and quality work, furthering yourself to that goal of a year’s supply of food storage. You never know when you will need to draw upon food storage, and rotating it out as you go along will keep its freshness.

If you just did 5 mystery shops a month that paid an average of $10 per shop, and worked it into your normal, everyday routine by going to establishments that were on your route anyway, you would be $50 closer to a year’s supply of food storage! Once you get momentum on your side, and you feel this gig fits you, you can really get the ball rolling. Food storage, baby, here you come! Oh, and don’t forget to spice things up and reward yourself along the way by taking a few of the “reimbursement only” shops like some restaurants are. Let me say that I have never once had an issue of not being paid for my work or receiving reimbursement.

The caution is this: don’t sign up for a mystery shopping outfit that charges you money! You are the one that is supposed to be making the money, not them sucking it out of you, leaving you with only promises. Any reputable mystery shopping company will not charge you for being a mystery shopper. You are an independent contractor, not someone investing in some hyped sham. An easy way to avoid any problems is to check and make sure they are part of the MSPA. I will say that some of them require you make a purchase and reimburse you later. I have a separate credit card for my work as a mystery shopper. Again, I have never had any problems receiving payment from the companies aligned with the MSPA.

It is very easy to get a start in the mystery shopping world. Businesses that you pass by every day are using the services of mystery shoppers and you didn’t even know it. You’ll be excited once you become a mystery shopper and discover some of the exciting projects in your locale.

Ultimately, make a year’s supply of food storage your goal. As you mystery shop your heart out (and there are tons of available shops if you live near an urban area, believe me), watch as you apply your earnings to an ample food storage how it grows and grows like Jack’s been stalk. How can you lose in a worthy venture like this?

According to the comments I receive on this post, I will gauge what additional elements I will fill readers in on about the mystery shopping experience. Ask questions if you have them, any suggestions about specific mystery shopping topics will be entertained for application in future posts. What do you want to know? Would you like to know the best companies to work for? Generally which types of shops are reimbursement only, and which are cash payment? Ask away!

Related Posts:

Might You Possibly Perish Without Enough of These in Your Emergency Survival Supplies?
L.D.S. Food Storage: M&M’s (Myths and Misconceptions)
Emergency Food Storage Essentials
Adding to Your Emergency Food Storage- Building Without Burdening (That’s a Promise!)