In this uncertain economy, more and more of us are opening our eyes to save money anywhere we can.  Recently while waiting for the car to be serviced at my local Jiffy Lube, I noticed plaques in the waiting area commending the staff on their superior performance observed by secret shoppers.  Interesting…someone has to be doing the mystery shopping. Why can’t that be me?

There are also secret shopping jobs available at Auto Zone.  While Jiffy Lube can help you with your car servicing, Auto Zone shops are perfect opportunities for you to handle any needed car repair needs.  In addition, they have general accessories and even some items not limited to automotive use.  For instance, I purchased a small outside power generator to power the outside patio lights that are along way from a power outlet.

Some of the service jobs offer little or not pay but can help out the household budget by saving you money on a service you would otherwise take money out of your pocket.  Whether it is money coming in or reimbursement coming in, it is always great to get paid to shop.

Auto sales shops are also available and these shops usually pay large amounts.  They also may take more of your time.  These automotive dealer shops evaluate customer service provided by salespeople at the dealers.  In some, but not all cases, these secret shopping jobs will require a test drive.

With any secret shopping job, you should be very observant and try to remember details.  The companies appreciate the feedback you give so they can modify training programs to address any problems identified in your report.  Just remember, getting paid to shop is the goal, don’t be sold on purchasing a new car unless you really need one.  If you are, in fact, in the market for a new car, you might be able to negotiate a discount or rebate with the secret shopping company.