{"id":5825,"date":"2019-05-27T11:40:42","date_gmt":"2019-05-27T15:40:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/?p=5825"},"modified":"2024-06-18T07:34:57","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T11:34:57","slug":"financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get 50% off Airfare With Travel Mystery Shopping"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Want to fly for half price? Or perhaps get a free upgrade to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-84-being-a-first-class-flyer\/\">business class<\/a>? How about staying in a hotel or resort for free? You might even get paid to visit the buffet! Travel mystery shopping is real, and can be a way to subsidize your travel expenses and travel in <em>Style<\/em> (which&#8230;I like to do).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article I will cover the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mystery Shopping Basics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Travel Mystery Shopping Details<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>My Experience as an Airline Mystery Shopper \/ Airline Secret Shopper<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to Qualify and do a Good Job as a Mystery Shopper<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Travel Secret Shopper Downsides<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mystery Shopping Tips<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mystery Shopping Scams<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mystery Shopping for More than Travel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Resources for More Information<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This one&#8217;s another doozy! Sit back, and learn everything you need to know about becoming a mystery shopper.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/50-Off-Airfare-With-Mystery-Shopping-400x600.jpg\" alt=\"With travel mystery shopping, you can subsidize travel with free hotels, discounted flights, and much more. Enjoy these mystery shopping tips from personal experience. #FullTimeTravel #TravelPlanning #BudgetTravel #TravelTips #TravelMoneyAdvice #SaveMoneyTraveling #MakingMoneyWhileTraveling #TravelWebsites #TravelTools #FlightSearch #TravelTip #TravelHacks #MysteryShoppingAirfare #MysteryShopping #DiscountAirfare #MysteryShopper\" class=\"wp-image-12336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/50-Off-Airfare-With-Mystery-Shopping-400x600.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/50-Off-Airfare-With-Mystery-Shopping-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/50-Off-Airfare-With-Mystery-Shopping.jpg 735w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pin this for later!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-base-3-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background-color:#2b3d99\"><strong>Check out my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/category\/travel-lifestyle-guides\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Travel Lifestyle Guides<\/span><\/a> for more ways to earn money remotely, spend it wisely, and balance the two so you can travel as long as you wish, in a financially sustainable way.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mystery Shopping Basics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Companies will use mystery shoppers (also known as secret shoppers, or in \u201cthe biz\u201d they&#8217;re known as \u201cinspectors\u201d) when they want to perform quality control on their daily operations or understand how employees are behaving under normal circumstances (because of course if the boss is watching, the wheels have extra grease and everybody is in peak performance mode).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So they hire mystery shopping sites and companies who conduct studies to aggregate and report data collected by mystery shoppers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><i>Cue in you and me. <\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We go into these places of business on a secret assignment on behalf of the mystery shopping company. Sometimes we need to ask specific questions of employees, or go at a certain time of day, or buy\/order a particular item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We observe everything and fill in a detailed report which we submit to the mystery shopping company. In exchange for our efforts, we receive compensation; compensation can come in the form of a (partial or full) reimbursement, or pay, or both.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Travel Mystery Shopping<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I remember meeting a fellow in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/dear-amsterdam-known-globaltravelernora\/\">Amsterdam<\/a> who was an airline secret shopper for KLM. He flew around the world regularly, in exchange for providing feedback on the experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was mesmerized. I wanted his job! I decided that mystery shopping airlines would be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/how-i-became-the-professional-hobo-part-i-the-dream-the-decision\/\">my next career<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I asked him how to become a mystery flyer. Turns out, of course, it&#8217;s not that simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His gig was special, as he was employed directly by KLM for his expertise, given that he was also a hotelier and his name and status carried some weight. Even so, he wasn&#8217;t making money with this gig; it was just a way to subsidize his flights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though I wouldn&#8217;t be able to follow exactly in his footsteps, as luck would have it the following year, I was contacted by a travel mystery shopping company called <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"http:\/\/www.evaluateitbysqm.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">EvaluateIt by SQM<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> (SQM stands for Sensors Quality Management). They invited me to apply to be a travel mystery shopper for them, and, well&#8230;..keep reading.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"266\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/EvaluateIt-by-SQM-Application.jpg\" alt=\"EvaluateIt by SQM Application to be a mystery shopper\" class=\"wp-image-14297\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/EvaluateIt-by-SQM-Application.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/EvaluateIt-by-SQM-Application-150x67.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">My Experience As an Airline Mystery Shopper \/ Airline Secret Shopper<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2014 I flew return from Toronto to Lima (Peru) for a 50% discount, as an SQM secret shopper. Here is my SQM mystery shopping review and experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I signed up as a mystery shopper with EvaluateIt by SQM, I gained access to view available travel mystery shopping assignments, which included airfare around the world, hotels and resorts, long-distance train and bus fares, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To be honest I was a bit ambivalent about becoming a travel mystery shopper; my particular brand of <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/category\/travel-lifestyle-guides\/\">lifestyle travel<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> at the time wasn&#8217;t a great fit for the sorts of gigs they had available. And to be honest, even after my friend&#8217;s KLM testimony, I still wasn&#8217;t entirely sure that it was legit. It almost seemed too good to be true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>See also: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/classic-travel-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them\/\">Here are the Most Common Travel Scams, and How to Avoid Them<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I received email notifications when new assignments or categories of assignments became available, so I didn\u2019t have to lurk the site all the time. (Although if you are serious about mystery shopper travel, then check the site regularly since they tend to send email blasts only when they have special deals or are having trouble filling all the mystery shopper jobs. Many of their opportunities sell out fast from being in-demand and\/or high-season.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, a flight shopper assignment came up that was perfect for me given my planned <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/category\/peru\/\">trip to Peru<\/a>, so I applied for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once approved, I paid EvaluateIt by SQM directly for the tickets (which is not always the case; in many other instances you book the travel directly with the airline\/hotel\/transportation provider\/etc and get reimbursed).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had to pay full price for the tickets; you receive the 50% reimbursement only after the mystery shopping assignment is complete and the report has been submitted and accepted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>You might also be interested in: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/hidden-travel-costs-airline-fees-hotel-fees\/\">46 Hidden Travel Costs You Can Avoid<\/a><\/em><br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mystery Shopping Airfare: What I Had to Do<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Although not totally onerous, I did earn my airfare reimbursement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prior to flying, I printed out a 5-page detailed questionnaire. I also saved an electronic copy of my boarding pass, which would eventually be submitted with the report\/questionnaire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although the actual report was submitted online after the fact, I found it necessary to work off the printed sheets during the flight due to the level of detailed observation required. (And of course, none of the airline staff can see the questionnaire or know that you\u2019re a mystery shopper, so I had to work as discreetly as possible).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Within three days of taking the flight, I went online and submitted the questionnaire and my boarding pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Had I booked a one-way flight, I\u2019d have received the 50% reimbursement from EvaluateIt by SQM after submitting the report. But because I booked a return flight, I didn&#8217;t receive reimbursement until I had completed the last leg of the trip and submitted the corresponding report.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What&#8217;s Covered in the Mystery Shopping Questionnaire<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The mystery shopping questionnaire required me to evaluate <i>all <\/i>aspects of my flight experience, including boarding and pre-departure, cabin service, duty free service, cabin crew grooming, food and beverage, cabin environment, irregular situations (like delays), pre landing, and after landing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each category had 10-20 yes\/no questions, and space for a (required) overall rating and detailed explanation of notes pertaining to that category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s a pretty serious undertaking to be honest! Though rumour has it that the more you mystery shop, the easier it gets because you know what to look for.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Would I Fly as a Mystery Shopper Again?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. EvaluateIt by SQM has offered lots of long-haul mystery shopping airfares around the world over the years. To get a 50% discount off these flights is huge value, and even the requirements of a detailed report represent great value when you consider the savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While it has been quite a few years since my initial airline mystery shopping experience, I&#8217;ve remained on the lookout for opportunities. Again because of the nature of my travel lifestyle, compatibility has been an issue. But now that I have a <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/my-epic-search-for-a-home-base\/\">home base in Toronto<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>, there are more opportunities for me to jump on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In addition to flights, EvaluateIt by SQM currently has lots of bus rides, train journeys, and some big hotel chains that require mystery shoppers.<\/strong> Within the next year alone I hope to mystery shop some epic train trips and stay in a few swanky hotels \u2013 all heavily discounted (or even free, and sometimes with pay as well).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><i>(For other free or subsidized travel gigs, see: <\/i><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/the-creative-guide-to-free-or-cheap-accommodation\/\"><i>The Creative Guide to Free or Cheap Accommodation<\/i><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><i>)<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"414\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Mystery-Shopping-Airfare.jpg\" alt=\"Flying over downtown Toronto, with Mystery Shopping Airfare\" class=\"wp-image-12365\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Qualify and do a Good Job as a Mystery Shopper<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to be a detail-oriented person for mystery shopping. The report I filled out was quite involved, and required me to observe and evaluate every single aspect of the flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some ways it was a hassle; for example instead of just enjoying my meal, I had to note every aspect of what I was served, the temperature, quality, etc. And I&#8217;m no Instagrammer, but I had to pretend to be one and take pictures of everything too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Although the value received from mystery shopping airfare is huge, there\u2019s no doubt about the fact that mystery shopping is work, and it&#8217;s important to take it seriously. <\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And it all starts with the application process. Not everybody is accepted to be a mystery shopper, and applications are scrutinized. It&#8217;s important to use full sentences, and scour the instructions to ensure you are answering the interview questions exactly as directed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As stated on the SQM website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cSQM seeks mature, reliable, detail-oriented people to take advantage of these opportunities. Successful applicants will have a critical eye for detail, an excellent memory, and a proven ability to follow instructions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if your application is accepted, you may not qualify for some of the mystery shopping jobs, which require a further comprehension test to illustrate that you understand everything about that particular mystery shopping assignment and can complete it to a satisfactory level.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Travel Secret Shopper Downsides<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Every rose has a few thorns, and below are some of the thorny details of travel mystery shopping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mystery Shopping Is Best Done Solo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most mystery shopper airlines only allow one mystery shopper per flight. The same applies to most transportation gigs as well (eg: buses and trains). So if you are traveling with a partner, you can both apply for the mystery shopping assignment and travel on separate days; otherwise one partner will pay full price for their ticket to be on the same flight\/bus\/train as you, and you may or may not be able to sit together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s also worth noting that when you&#8217;re \u201con the clock\u201d, it requires an immense amount of concentration and observation, and traveling with somebody by your side may distract you from doing the best possible job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The same isn&#8217;t necessarily true for hotels or restaurant mystery shopping gigs though; it&#8217;s important to see what is required before applying for the job, so you can determine how best to arrange your travel.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">No Frequent Flyer Miles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As a frequent flyer mile junkie, I take pride in accumulating miles whenever I have to pay for a flight. So it was slightly painful to fly and not be allowed to use my frequent flyer memberships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But of course, my pain was assuaged with the 50% discount, so I can\u2019t complain (too much).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><i>(See also: <\/i><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-84-being-a-first-class-flyer\/\"><i>A Beginner&#8217;s Guide to Frequent Flyer Miles<\/i><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><i>)<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\">\n<figure class=\"size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/woman-wearing-sunglasses-with-assorted-paper-bags-994234\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Mystery-Shopper.jpg\" alt=\"Mystery Shopper, woman wearing sunglasses with shopping bags\" class=\"wp-image-12366\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo Credit: Bruce Mars, Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mystery Shopping Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>From evaluating gigs, to making your job easy, these mystery shopping tips will graduate you from amateur to pro in no time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Only Accept Jobs You&#8217;d Normally Do (Without Pay\/Reimbursement)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember: mystery shopping is work. It&#8217;s not a free ride! So while I&#8217;m all for applying for mystery shopping gigs that perhaps aren&#8217;t <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/how-to-create-a-long-term-travel-budget-financially-sustainable-travel\/\">in the budget<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> if I had to pay full-price, they need to be for experiences or products that I would like to be a legitimate customer for to begin with. Otherwise, in my opinion, it&#8217;s just not worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s take a non-travel-related mystery shopping experience, like eating at a certain restaurant. If you would never <i>want<\/i> to eat there in the first place, why on earth would you waste your time and energy in exchange for $X towards a meal (and maybe an extra few dollars)?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>You can&#8217;t make a living with mystery shopping; at best it&#8217;s a side hustle.<\/b> (At best.)<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Join a Mystery Shopping Company that Resonates for You<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/category\/japan\/\">When I was in Japan<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>, I was encouraged by a colleague of mine to sign up as a shopper for a mystery shopping company she worked for. I didn&#8217;t even take the time to see what sorts of gigs they offered, nor was the pre-application information particularly helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once I got into the system, I realized that all of the gigs were for stores I&#8217;d never shop at and to purchase items I&#8217;d never buy if left to my own devices. Even with full reimbursement, it wasn&#8217;t worthwhile for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mystery shopping needs to be for something that interests you. Why? (Hopefully you&#8217;re following the theme I&#8217;m leaning into here)&#8230;.<i>because it&#8217;s work<\/i>.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Once You Do Join, be Patient<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Opportunities come and go with mystery shopping companies. It depends on who their clients are at any given time. So even if you don&#8217;t see something you like right away, don&#8217;t rule them out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In my years with EvaluateIt by SQM, I&#8217;ve seen a variety of travel secret shopper gigs with a few different airline mystery shopper jobs, bus rides, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/travel-tips-resources\/tales-of-trains-journey-destination\/\">train journeys<\/a>, car rental companies, hotel chains, and more. Sometimes they won&#8217;t have any gigs of interest for years, and other times there will be so many compatible opportunities you&#8217;ll have to prioritize among them.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Book in Advance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Only one mystery shopper is allowed per flight, so it pays to book mystery shopping airfare as far in advance as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re so on the ball that the website is not showing opportunities for dates that far out, they may just not have it up on the site yet, but will need shoppers. You can reach out directly to them to see what&#8217;s possible.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get a Discounted Discount, or a Free Upgrade<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When I flew with EvaluateIt by SQM, the particular gig I selected was a flight that offered a 50% discount off the retail cost of the flight. The airline at that time also happened to be offering a seat sale, which meant I got a 50% discount off a sale rate, which added up to a pretty spectacular deal overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, I have noticed that sometimes, EvaluateIt by SQM has offered a free upgrade to business class in addition to or instead of the 50% reimbursement. This is why it&#8217;s important to read the periodic emails they send out; you never know what&#8217;s on offer!<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Calculate the Monetary Value in Relation to the Work Required<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Higher priced items (like business class flights) require a more detailed report, but they also tend to yield a higher financial reward, even if that reward is in the form of reimbursement. For example, saving 50% on an $800 flight is well worth filling in a detailed mystery shopping questionnaire (in my opinion).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to properly evaluate and calculate the value of a mystery shopping assignment, it is important to scour the instructions and information about the assignment. Sometimes, you can find an example report so you can see the scope and detail of questions that will be asked. This will help you decide if it&#8217;s worth your time and energy.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Screenshot\/Save Your Questionnaire<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re filling in your mystery shopping report online from chicken-scratched notes such that the online submission is your only full copy, take a screenshot of each page as you complete it, or better yet, copy and paste each written answer into a separate document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s better to be safe than sorry, <i>trust me<\/i>! Because of a poor internet connection when I arrived in Peru, I lost everything I had painstakingly transcribed and entered into the system and had to redo it from scratch.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use an Online Fax Service<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You may be required to fax your receipts or other documents to the mystery shopping company. I know right? Who even has fax machines any more?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is there are free programs (like <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/faxzero.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fax Zero<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gotfreefax.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GotFreeFax<\/a>) that allow you to send faxes from an email address. Alternately, you may be able to find an app that does the same thing. <br \/><br \/><i>(See also: <\/i><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/best-travel-apps\/\"><i>Best Travel Apps<\/i><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span><i>)<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Fancy-Hotel-Bathroom.jpg\" alt=\"Fancy Hotel Bathroom, which you can get for free with mystery shopping\" class=\"wp-image-12367\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mystery Shopping Scams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If a mystery shopping assignment or company seems too good to be true, that&#8217;s because sometimes, it is. Mystery shopping scams exist. Here&#8217;s what you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>See also: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/classic-travel-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them\/\">24 Classic Travel Scams<\/a><\/em><br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mystery Shopping Fee Scams<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There should <i>never <\/i>be a fee to join a mystery shopping company, or apply for a specific assignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In many cases, you may have to purchase your item\/tickets up front, since you may be evaluating all aspects of the customer experience, starting with the purchase. That&#8217;s (usually) legit. And yes, it can be a leap of faith that you&#8217;ll be reimbursed you when the time comes. That&#8217;s another reason why it&#8217;s important to only do mystery shopping gigs that you would normally do anyway (as explained above in the mystery shopping tips).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other cases, you may be purchasing the tickets directly from the mystery shopping company. This is what happened when I was an airline mystery shopper for EvaluateIt by SQM; I paid them directly for my flights, and I paid full price. But if that makes you nervous, consider that <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/travel-money-guide\/\">when you pay with a credit card<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>, you are protected by the credit card issuer and if it turns out to be a scam (which it won&#8217;t with EvaluateIt by SQM), you will have recourse.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cheque Cashing Scam<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There has recently been a mystery shopping scam going around for cheque cashing. The \u201cmystery shopping company\u201d sends you a cheque (for example $800) that you deposit to your account using a service like Western Union. Then you are instructed to wire only a portion of those funds (eg.: $500) back to the mystery shopping company; you are allowed to keep the rest as your \u201cmystery shopping fee\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trouble is, you have to wire them the funds immediately, before the initial cheque clears. And of course, the cheque is bogus so it never clears. You&#8217;ve just been scammed for all that money.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Email Scam<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Email scams are everywhere. Whether an email looks like it is coming from your bank, or your mystery shopping company, or any other institution, if you have to click on something within the email and provide any personal information, treat it with great suspicion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Better to open up your browser and log directly into your profile and find out the scoop. In general, don&#8217;t click on (unsolicited) email links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The MSPA (Mystery Shopper Provider&#8217;s Association keeps a running tally of scams that have been reported to them. <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/mspa-americas.org\/scam\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Check it out here<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Mystery-Shoppers-with-Shopping-Bags-in-Quebec-Chateau-Frontenac-boardwalk-600x450.jpg\" alt=\"Mystery Shoppers with Shopping Bags in Quebec Chateau Frontenac boardwalk\" class=\"wp-image-12632\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Mystery-Shoppers-with-Shopping-Bags-in-Quebec-Chateau-Frontenac-boardwalk-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Mystery-Shoppers-with-Shopping-Bags-in-Quebec-Chateau-Frontenac-boardwalk-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Mystery-Shoppers-with-Shopping-Bags-in-Quebec-Chateau-Frontenac-boardwalk-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Mystery-Shoppers-with-Shopping-Bags-in-Quebec-Chateau-Frontenac-boardwalk.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mystery Shopping for More than Travel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>EvaluateIt by SQM offers solely travel-related mystery shopping opportunities such as flights, transportation, hotels, and resorts. And all their gigs are solely discount opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But EvaluateIt is a subsidiary of a larger parent company: <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sqm.ca\/index.php\/en\/become-a-shopper.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SQM<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>, which has a much broader selection of mystery shopping opportunities, including everything EvaluateIt offers, plus restaurants, oil changes, massages, haircuts, gym memberships, banking, clothing, attractions, parking, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of these opportunities work on a reimbursement basis (like EvaluateIt) and\/or might include a shopper fee \u2013 which means you\u2019re actually paid (anything from $5-$100) for performing the mystery shopping assignment in addition to being reimbursed for your related purchases\/expenses. The more complicated the assignment, the more you\u2019re paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SQM also has a couple of travel-related mystery shopping hotel gigs that provide a free stay plus a shopper fee. Because there is pay involved, you won&#8217;t find them on the EvaluateIt site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, if you are only interested in travel mystery shopping, sign up for <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"http:\/\/www.evaluateitbysqm.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">EvaluateIt by SQM<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to see the above gigs, plus other non-travel-related opportunities (and the odd paid travel assignment), then sign up for SQM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But just to be clear, you will never get rich with mystery shopping alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out the resources below to find other providers.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mystery Shopping Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.coylehospitality.com\/evaluators\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Coyle Hospitality<\/b><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> \u2013 While there are many mystery shopping companies, I mention Coyle specifically because they offer some great hotel gigs, as well as cruises, some airlines, and upscale restaurants. All assignments pay a fee plus reimbursable expenses as directed by the client. I don&#8217;t know what is required of the mystery shopper to understand how good a deal it is (or isn&#8217;t).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/mspa-americas.org\/search\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Mystery Shopper Providers Association<\/b><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> \u2013 You can search for mystery shopper companies in your area (though not all will be listed, because the association requires a fee for listing). They also aggregate some specific mystery shopping listings on their job board, keep a tally of scams, and provide some tools and tips.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/How-to-get-Free-Discounted-Travel-with-Mystery-Shopping-400x600.jpg\" alt=\"Here's how to get free and discounted travel with mystery shopping! #freetravel #cheaptravel #mysteryshopping #freeflights #freehotels #TheProfessionalHobo #traveltips #travelhacks \" class=\"wp-image-13353\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/How-to-get-Free-Discounted-Travel-with-Mystery-Shopping-400x600.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/How-to-get-Free-Discounted-Travel-with-Mystery-Shopping.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Please PIN this post! <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With travel mystery shopping, you&#8217;ll subsidize travel with free hotels, discount flights, and more. Read my mystery shopping tips from personal experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12363,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[604,1337,379],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-financial-travel-tips","category-travel-lifestyle-guides","category-travel-planning","resize-featured-image"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How I Got 50% off Airfare With Travel Mystery Shopping<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With travel mystery shopping, you subsidize travel with free hotels, discount flights, etc. Read my mystery shopping tips from experience.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How I Got 50% off Airfare With Travel Mystery Shopping\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With travel mystery shopping, you subsidize travel with free hotels, discount flights, etc. Read my mystery shopping tips from experience.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Professional Hobo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/TheProfessionalHobo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/TheProfessionalHobo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-05-27T15:40:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-06-18T11:34:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/TRAVEL-MYSTERY-SHOPPING.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"315\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Nora\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@hobonora\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@hobonora\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Nora\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"17 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Nora\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3612a97b585d5fe7ee0d08ec78f05232\"},\"headline\":\"How to Get 50% off Airfare With Travel Mystery Shopping\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-05-27T15:40:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-06-18T11:34:57+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":3406,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/04\\\/TRAVEL-MYSTERY-SHOPPING.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Financial Travel Tips\",\"Travel Lifestyle Guides\",\"travel planning\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/\",\"name\":\"How I Got 50% off Airfare With Travel Mystery Shopping\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/04\\\/TRAVEL-MYSTERY-SHOPPING.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-05-27T15:40:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-06-18T11:34:57+00:00\",\"description\":\"With travel mystery shopping, you subsidize travel with free hotels, discount flights, etc. Read my mystery shopping tips from experience.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/04\\\/TRAVEL-MYSTERY-SHOPPING.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/04\\\/TRAVEL-MYSTERY-SHOPPING.jpg\",\"width\":560,\"height\":315,\"caption\":\"Get 50% off Airfare With TRAVEL MYSTERY SHOPPING\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Get 50% off Airfare With Travel Mystery Shopping\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Professional Hobo\",\"description\":\"Traveling full-time in a financially sustainable way\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Professional Hobo\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/Hobo-Lady-Avatar.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/04\\\/Hobo-Lady-Avatar.jpg\",\"width\":250,\"height\":250,\"caption\":\"The Professional Hobo\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/facebook.com\\\/TheProfessionalHobo\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/hobonora\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/theprofessionalhobo\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/youtube.com\\\/norablueskies\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3612a97b585d5fe7ee0d08ec78f05232\",\"name\":\"Nora\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5eb6f0fc0b90a6b5c305e6bee8d8dd5126edc7b6ee125c72785ef2782ea20207?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5eb6f0fc0b90a6b5c305e6bee8d8dd5126edc7b6ee125c72785ef2782ea20207?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5eb6f0fc0b90a6b5c305e6bee8d8dd5126edc7b6ee125c72785ef2782ea20207?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Nora\"},\"description\":\"About the Author: As a former CFP (Certified Financial Planner), Nora Dunn has been a digital nomad since 2006. She is an expert in remote work, long-term travel, financially sustainable lifestyle travel, and much more. She is a celebrated author, speaker, writer, coach, and YouTuber.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\",\"https:\\\/\\\/facebook.com\\\/TheProfessionalHobo\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/theprofessionalhobo\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/hobonora\",\"https:\\\/\\\/youtube.com\\\/norablueskies\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\\\/author\\\/theprofessionalhobo\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How I Got 50% off Airfare With Travel Mystery Shopping","description":"With travel mystery shopping, you subsidize travel with free hotels, discount flights, etc. Read my mystery shopping tips from experience.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How I Got 50% off Airfare With Travel Mystery Shopping","og_description":"With travel mystery shopping, you subsidize travel with free hotels, discount flights, etc. Read my mystery shopping tips from experience.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/","og_site_name":"The Professional Hobo","article_publisher":"https:\/\/facebook.com\/TheProfessionalHobo","article_author":"https:\/\/facebook.com\/TheProfessionalHobo","article_published_time":"2019-05-27T15:40:42+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-06-18T11:34:57+00:00","og_image":[{"width":560,"height":315,"url":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/TRAVEL-MYSTERY-SHOPPING.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Nora","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@hobonora","twitter_site":"@hobonora","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Nora","Est. reading time":"17 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/"},"author":{"name":"Nora","@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/#\/schema\/person\/3612a97b585d5fe7ee0d08ec78f05232"},"headline":"How to Get 50% off Airfare With Travel Mystery Shopping","datePublished":"2019-05-27T15:40:42+00:00","dateModified":"2024-06-18T11:34:57+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/"},"wordCount":3406,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/TRAVEL-MYSTERY-SHOPPING.jpg","articleSection":["Financial Travel Tips","Travel Lifestyle Guides","travel planning"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/","url":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/","name":"How I Got 50% off Airfare With Travel Mystery Shopping","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/TRAVEL-MYSTERY-SHOPPING.jpg","datePublished":"2019-05-27T15:40:42+00:00","dateModified":"2024-06-18T11:34:57+00:00","description":"With travel mystery shopping, you subsidize travel with free hotels, discount flights, etc. Read my mystery shopping tips from experience.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/TRAVEL-MYSTERY-SHOPPING.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/TRAVEL-MYSTERY-SHOPPING.jpg","width":560,"height":315,"caption":"Get 50% off Airfare With TRAVEL MYSTERY SHOPPING"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/financial-travel-tip-112-50-airfare-mystery-shopping\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Get 50% off Airfare With Travel Mystery Shopping"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/","name":"The Professional Hobo","description":"Traveling full-time in a financially sustainable way","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/#organization","name":"The Professional Hobo","url":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Hobo-Lady-Avatar.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Hobo-Lady-Avatar.jpg","width":250,"height":250,"caption":"The Professional Hobo"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/facebook.com\/TheProfessionalHobo","https:\/\/x.com\/hobonora","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/theprofessionalhobo\/","https:\/\/youtube.com\/norablueskies"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/#\/schema\/person\/3612a97b585d5fe7ee0d08ec78f05232","name":"Nora","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5eb6f0fc0b90a6b5c305e6bee8d8dd5126edc7b6ee125c72785ef2782ea20207?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5eb6f0fc0b90a6b5c305e6bee8d8dd5126edc7b6ee125c72785ef2782ea20207?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5eb6f0fc0b90a6b5c305e6bee8d8dd5126edc7b6ee125c72785ef2782ea20207?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"Nora"},"description":"About the Author: As a former CFP (Certified Financial Planner), Nora Dunn has been a digital nomad since 2006. She is an expert in remote work, long-term travel, financially sustainable lifestyle travel, and much more. She is a celebrated author, speaker, writer, coach, and YouTuber.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com","https:\/\/facebook.com\/TheProfessionalHobo","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/theprofessionalhobo\/","https:\/\/x.com\/hobonora","https:\/\/youtube.com\/norablueskies"],"url":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/author\/theprofessionalhobo\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5825"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5825\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}