How to Get Paid as a Mystery Shopper

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    A Home-Based Business Online
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   Issue 129 : April 8, 2017

   Sent to 13,425 Opt-In Subscribers

    Editor: Elena Fawkner
    Publisher: AHBBO Publishing
   AHBBO
Contact By Email

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1.     Welcome and Update from Elena
2.     Home-Based Business Idea of the Week - Mystery
Shopper
3.     Feature Article - Are YOU Leaving Money On The Table?
4.     Surveys and Trends
5.     Success Quotes of the Week
7.     Subscription Management
9.     Contact Information

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1.     Welcome and Update from Elena
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Hello again and a warm welcome to all the new subscribers
who have joined us since the last issue.

This week's article is tax-related good news for those of
you dabbling with the idea of starting an online home-based
business. Just because you haven't started making money
yet doesn't mean you can't start taking the benefit of business
tax deductions. If you're spending money hand over fist on
ISP fees and information products so you can learn how to
start your own online business, you MAY be able to benefit
from some pretty handy tax laws.

And to help you on your way to your own online business,
I've created a new, free e-book based on the information
contained at my new site, Web Work From Home. Now,
instead of having to go online and visit WWFH (which, of
course, you can always do at
the entire site in one handy ebook that can sit on your desktop
to be read at your convenience. Download your free copy
now at This book may be
distributed freely. Give it away as a freebie to your website
visitors or ezine subscribers with my compliments!

As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this
week's issue.

Remember, AHBBO is for YOU! If you have comments or
suggestions for topics you would like to see addressed, or
would just like to share your experiences with other
subscribers, I want to hear from you.

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2.     Home-Based Business Idea of the Week - Mystery Shopper
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Be a Mystery Shopper? Who me?

Mystery shoppers are not all that mysterious, but they do
have a cool name. They aren't detectives trying to solve a
crime, and they don't wear obscure clothing and dark glasses.
They don't carry spy equipment and they don't sneak around,
like someone on the prowl. Instead, they walk around like any
other "ordinary" shopper and shop.

Their goal is to shop without being so conspicuous that they
are observed observing the store employees or store itself.
They have a set criteria that must be followed, whether it be
checking out the merchandise, observing the store clerks,
tasting the quality of the food, or experiencing the dreaded
"return of an item."

Mystery Shoppers are often on a deadline. Their job is to
enter a store, restaurant, of other facility, follow their list of
criteria and be out of the store without anyone becoming
suspicious of their purpose. Sometimes they have to arrive at
exactly 4 p.m. Other times, they have a window frame of
5 p.m. to 6 p.m. And other times, they are given a week in
which to complete their assignment.

Mystery Shoppers must fill out questionnaires such as:

"How long did it take you to get seated?"
"How long did you wait for your food?"
"Was your food hot when it arrived?"
"When you walked into the store, how were you greeted?"
"Did you find everything easily and if not, when you asked for
help, how were you helped?"
"Give a detailed account of what followed when you asked for
the out of stock item."
"How many customers were in the stores and how were they
being helped?"
"What did the bathrooms look like? Were they properly stocked
and clean?"
"After handing the money to the clerk, what did he or she do
with the money?"
"Were the advertised specials displayed according to the
following standards?"

With so many questions, it can often be difficult to remember
everything. Some Mystery Shoppers have come up with a little
system to help them along the way:

* Make extra copies of the questionnaires, so that after you
have driven a few blocks away, you can fill in the information
and not forget anything.

* Take a friend or spouse along, they can observe what the
clerk looks like while you concentrate on the purchase and
return policy. This is a great way to take a friend out to lunch,
free.

* Bring a tape recorder with you, once you leave the store,
hit the record button (hidden away in your purse) and
commence talking: you can act like you are on the phone, or
talking to your friend or child.

For the rest of this report, visit
http://www.ahbbo.com/mystery.html .

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There are many more ideas like this at the AHBBO Home Business
Ideas page at free home based business ideas with more being
added regularly.

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Highly Recommended. How To Cash-In On the Booming
Demand for Information Products.
Yes you can develop your own information product in hours,
using knowledge you already have. You don't need to be a
writer, speaker, trainer or communication expert, and best of
all, you get to keep 100% of the profits.
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3.     Feature Article: Are YOU Leaving Money on the Table?
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© 2017 Elena Fawkner

For those of us in the U.S., tax time is here again. For those
of you elsewhere, tax time is always around the corner. Oh
joy, I hear you say. Well, if you're contemplating an online
home-based business, it may be just that. Really. Here's
how.

Are you ready to start making money with, say, affiliate
programs or by creating your own information product, but
haven't really got off the ground yet because you're stuck
in the stage of thinking you have to learn everything there
is to learn about internet marketing before you can start?
(Which you don't, but that's a whole other article.) How
much money have you spent on e-books and other
information products in your quest for the holy grail? How
much money are you spending on your ISP every month?
How much money have you spent on what appeared to
be promising online business programs only to see them bite
the dust? And what about ALL that software you've bought
but never used?

Well, even if you haven't made a dime yet, if you have a
"genuine profit motive", start thinking outside the paradigm
of the *would-be* online business owner and start thinking
from the perspective of one who is *already* in business.

What does that have to do with tax? Everything.

If you have a *genuine* profit motive for what you're doing,
then you're in business. If you're in business, you can
deduct business-related expenses against business and (if
you're a sole proprietor), personal, income. Including ISP
fees, including information products, including "secret marketing
site" membership fees. All of it.

See where I'm going with this?

Even fees for what turn out to be bogus programs can be
deducted if you incurred them in pursuit of business profit.
And while we're on the subject of being hoodwinked, let's
just get that one out of the way right here. We're ALL
suckered into falling for at *least* one - it's called the
school of hard knocks - so don't dud yourself out of a
righteous deduction just because you're feeling ever so
slightly foolish for having been suckered, against your
usually MUCH better judgment, into believing that what
sounded too good to be true wasn't. Even though it was.
Repeat after me - a deduction is a deduction is a deduction.
All that's required is that you incurred the expense with the
motivation to make a profit.

Now, a word of caution here. You can't deduct expenses
incurred in pursuit of illegal activities so I wouldn't try and
claim an investment in a pyramid or ponzi scheme on your
tax return. But if all you did was fall for a sales pitch for a
program that, if successful, would not have been illegal,
and it was a business-related expense, go for it. So long as
you had a genuine profit motive when you handed over the
dough.

It gets even better. (By the way, this is all U.S. stuff we're
talking here. Check your local tax laws. Many countries will
have something similar to what I'm about to talk about.)

Here's where it gets interesting. If you work your business
out of your home, in a room or a part of a room that you use
*exclusively* and *regularly* for your business AND that area
is also your principal place of business, you may qualify for the
home office deduction. Even if you also work at a job outside
the home.

And when I say "exclusively" I MEAN exclusively - no children
using your computer for their homework or to play computer
games, no personal papers in your work desk, no late-night
chatrooms (or less savory online pursuits if you get my drift),
no online affairs, no television in the room.

You may not be able to apply the home-office deduction
against *this* year's income (as we'll see in a minute) but you
will be able to apply it against profits generated in future
years.

So, why all the emphasis on "genuine profit motive"? The
movement towards easily-started online businesses has
sprouted an industry of so-called tax experts who would
have you believe that anyone can reap the benefits of home
business tax breaks simply by starting a "home based
business". They basically try and convince you that
anyone can pretend to be running a home-based business
and thus qualify. Not so. You need to be running a real
business, not engaging in a hobby or a sham. What
distinguishes a real business from a mere hobby? You
guessed it - a profit motive.

Believe me when I tell you, if you're planning on taking
business deductions, you'd better be able to prove to the
IRS that you have a genuine profit motive. How do you do
that? By keeping proper books and records. By keeping
business and personal expenses separate. By keeping business
and personal income separate. By running a genuine business,
in other words.

Here's how it works.

Let's say you have a spare room in your house that you
use exclusively as a home office. Over the past 12 months,
you've bought a computer, desk, chair, printer and fax
machine. You've decided that you want to start a home-
based online business on the side while you continue to work
in your job. You spend several hours a day researching
ideas for your new business and you spend a small fortune
on your high-speed internet connection, and various
information products relevant to your area of interest.

Because you're running a business, one of the first things
you're going to want to do is get a system for your business
records set up.

Keep a record of all expenses as they're incurred so that
when tax time comes around, everything is at your
fingertips. I use Excel spreadsheets for this - one
spreadsheet for every expense category. Here are the
categories I use (use whatever categories make sense for
your business though):

Advertising and promotion
Software*
Web Hosting and Domain Name Registration Fees
ISP/Cable Modem Fees
Office Expenses
Content Subscription Fees
Telephone***
Bank Charges
Books and Magazines
Equipment**
Furniture**
Bad Debts
Home Office Deduction

* Usually has to be depreciated over several years unless
it's software that needs to be updated frequently such as
anti-virus software.

** You can either depreciate these items over time or you
can write off 100% during the year of acquisition up to a
maximum of around $20,000.

*** If you only have one phone, you'll need to apportion
expenses between personal and business. On the other
hand, if you have a second line exclusively for you business,
you can write off 100% of expenses for the second line.

Every time I pay a business expense, I enter the details
in the appropriate spreadsheet. Very easy.

Then, when the time comes to file your tax return, you
just need to prepare a Schedule C (for individual taxpayers).
If your business makes a loss (i.e., the expenses you
pay out are more than the revenue you bring in from your
business), that loss is deducted from your income from all
sources, thereby reducing your taxes.

But, best of all, if you qualify for the home office deduction,
you can take a proportionate share of your mortgage or rent
payments and your utilities and apply them as a deduction
against your business profits, but only to the point where the
profit from your business equals zero. In other words, the
home office deduction cannot be used to create a loss
situation. But even if you can't deduct it this year (because
your business has already made a loss), it's not lost. You
can carry it forward to future years to be applied against
future profits.

So, as you can see, even if you're only in the information-
gathering/learning stage of your business, if you have a
profit motive you're nonetheless in business and you can
and should be writing off your business expenses even if
you're yet to start generating revenues.

Make sure you keep proper records and substantiate all
expenses though. The IRS is, of course, well aware of the
potential for abuse of home business tax deductions and
will be paying close attention. That's fine though. If you
have a profit motive, you ARE running a business and
you're *entitled* to take any legitimate deductions that
are available to you. To do anything less is to leave money
on the table.

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include the following resource box; and (2) you only mail to
a

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practical business ideas, opportunities and solutions for the
work-from-home entrepreneur.
AHBBO Home Based Business Online
Also, visit Elena's newest site, Web Work From Home
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4.     Surveys and Trends
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© 2017 Ryanna's Hope

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ADVERTISING REALITIES
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"BRANDING" - SHORT OR LONG TERM?

The objective of "branding" is to cause your product to be
the one most customers think of when they have a need
for it.

According to master ad wizard, Roy Williams however,
branding must be accomplished in "long term memory." You
might add, "well, repetition, right?" Williams has researched
brain activity with advertising and his advice is that the brain
will not transfer to long term memory any data that is
obviously recognized as "soon to expire." Instead, "irrelevant"
messages are transferred to "short term memory," and are
erased with simple sleep.

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ADVERTISING TIME LINE. . .
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1880s - Illustrated trade cards reach the height of their
popularity, not only with advertisers but also with the
American public, which becomes remarkably interested in
collecting them.

1892 -Sears, Roebuck & Co. mails out 8,000 post cards with
imitation handwriting across the country. 2,000 orders are
received directly from this promotional campaign.

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THE AGING OF AMERICA - WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?
FOR CAREGIVERS ...WHICH WAY THE TREND?
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According to America Research, the number of Americans
age 85 or older is skyrocketing. The total jumped 51% from
1980 to 1996 and is expected to climb an additional 32% by
2005. This swelling of the "old age" group means more aging
parents relying on their families for care. The 65 and older
population is expected to reach 39 million, a 15% increase,
by 2017!

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BETWEEN MOM, DAD OR THE KIDS?
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The Conference Board revealed in a 1998 survey that by the
year 2005, 37% of US workers will be more concerned with
caring for a parent than for a child. The Health Insurance
Industry Association reported that more workers are buying
long term care insurance through employers.

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"SANDWICHED" GENERATIONS?
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In 1997, America Research revealed that 1 in 5 of the labor
force was part of the "sandwich generation," that is, taking
care of both children and elderly relatives. The figure will
increase over the next 5 years.

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HOW ARE "CAREGIVERS" CUTTING BACK?
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Research along the above lines reveals that 19% have less
money to spend on the immediate family.

36% pay some of their parent's bills.
24% eat out less with their family.
46% have become more saving conscious.
26% are spending less, not knowing how long care for mom/
dad will last.
51% are shopping for only the lowest price.
38% say buying for themselves is not important - parents
come first.

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THE AGING TREND AND BUSINESS IN GENERAL
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Companies that cater to both senior citizens and caregivers
will profit the most. "Caregivers" and members of the
"Sandwiched Generation" are extremely hard pressed for time.

Here's what's expected to come down the line in the immediate
future:

* The number of "health nuts" will increase. Companies selling
vitamins etc. will prosper.

* Consumer related services will need to improve service.
"Caregivers" are demanding.

* Many stores will need to revive "home delivery" to the
elderly and the caregivers.

* House calls from clothing people will not be uncommon.

* As technology becomes less expensive, and more accessible,
seniors will want to access the Net for products, entertainment,
family contact and more!

* Shopping from home will be the continued "call" for caregivers
and seniors who have little time, poor health, and limited
finances (looking for best buys).

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Access to a computer?
Work at home online and earn up to $1,500 - $5,000+ per
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5.     Success Quotes of the Week
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To dream anything that you want to dream. That is the
beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want
to do. That is the strength of the human will. To trust
yourself to test your limits. That is the courage to succeed.
-- Bernard Edmonds

Whether we like it or not, each of us is constrained by limits
on what we can do and feel. To ignore these limits leads to
denial and eventually to failure. To achieve excellence, we
must first understand the reality of the everyday, with all its
demands and potential frustrations.
-- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Five minutes, just before going to sleep, given to a bit of
directed imagination regarding achievement possibilities of the
morrow, will steadily and increasingly bear fruit, particularly if
all ideas of difficulty, worry or fear are resolutely ruled out and
replaced by those of accomplishment and smiling courage.
-- Frederick Pierce

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9.     Contact Information
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Elena Fawkner, Editor
A Home-Based Business Online
Contact By Email
Online Business Opportunities

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