Mystery Shopping Side Hustle for Moms: A Day in the Life with Three Kids

From "I Want to Be a Mystery Shopper" to Actually Doing It

Back in the day before marriage and children, I worked retail for a children's clothing store. I remember our supervisor calling a quick meeting to go over our results from being mystery shopped. Ever since then, I would wonder how people got that job and think "I want to be a mystery shopper." I remember seeing ads in the newspaper under the career section but was hesitant to follow through.

After retail, I transitioned to social services and worked for a nonprofit agency for about 15 years. Fast forward to 2020 when the pandemic hit, like so many, huge adjustments had to be made since I had 3 young children to care for. Now that all the kids no longer went to school or daycare, I was only able to work very little from home. Not only that, our current lease was coming to an end, and we had to make a decision on whether or not we were going to stay in our current state which was very expensive, or relocate to a neighboring state that would be comfortable financially if we had to live off of one income. Since we were not sure what the future would hold since the world was literally shutting down, we decided to relocate which ended up being the best decision for us. It allowed me to stay home with the kids and accommodate their wacky pandemic schedule. So after we moved, I was still working very little from home for my agency but eventually had to give it up once things started shifting back to normal.

How I Finally Became a Mystery Shopper

In January 2023 I was on Instagram and a reel caught my attention. It was Mercedes Eckert advertising her mystery shopping organization. For some reason, I didn't just bypass the reel and forget about it. I actually started looking deeper into it, because like I mentioned before I always wondered how people got mystery shopping jobs and kept thinking "I want to be a mystery shopper." I'm not going to lie, I debated on trying because I thought it was a scam, some MLM, or a pyramid scheme. I even reached out to Mercedes personally to confirm her company was legit and, of course, she reassured me that it was.

Her organization offered a free webinar that I watched and then from there I took the course and became a member of iShop. After taking the course, I went right to it and completed several mystery shopping jobs. The amount of money that I've earned so far definitely paid for the course and then some. I made hundreds of dollars in a short period of time and was able to pay for those extra expenses that easily add up when you have kids.

I am so thankful that I discovered Mercedes and her mystery shopping company, iShop. The iShop mystery shopping community is so supportive and guides you through your experience no matter where you are on your journey. I will be forever grateful for the opportunities that I have to earn extra money on my own time.

Why Mystery Shopping Makes the Perfect Side Hustle for Moms

The best thing about a mystery shopping side hustle is that you can create your own schedule and pretty much be in control of your time and money. This flexibility is exactly what busy moms need. You can mystery shop for a period of time just to reach certain financial goals, or you can do it as a side hustle to bring in extra income, or you could even do it full-time.

As a wife and busy mother of three, I have greatly enjoyed work that allows me to have the flexibility that I need to accommodate my family. Along with another side hustle that I started in 2019, I added mystery shopping to my life. For any mom thinking "I want to be a mystery shopper but don't know if I can fit it in," I'm here to tell you it's absolutely possible.

A mystery shopping side hustle works so well for moms because:

You choose when you work - No set hours or shifts to worry about. You select shops that fit around your family's schedule, not the other way around.

You choose how much you work - Need extra cash this month for school supplies or holiday gifts? Take on more shops. Have a busy week with kids' activities? Scale back. You're in complete control.

Many shops welcome kids - Grocery stores, retail shops, and even some restaurants allow you to bring children along. You're getting errands done while earning money.

You can work weekends - When your partner is home with the kids, you can knock out a profitable route and come home with both cash and free products.

No childcare costs - Unlike traditional jobs that might require expensive childcare, a mystery shopping side hustle can work around when you have childcare or you can bring kids to appropriate shops.

How I Schedule My Mystery Shopping Side Hustle Around Three Kids

As I mentioned above, with a mystery shopping side hustle you can create your own schedule, and for me that changes all the time. I normally schedule my shops according to my husband's schedule because I have to make sure that he's around for the kids. Until my youngest starts school full time, I only mystery shop on the weekends and the days my husband works from home.

This is the reality of balancing a mystery shopping side hustle with young children—you work when it works for your family. Some weeks I complete 10 shops, other weeks only 3. The beauty of this side hustle is that it accommodates the unpredictability of family life.

A Day in the Life: Mystery Shopping Side Hustle Mom Edition

Here is an example of how my day can look during the weekend when I'm actively working my mystery shopping side hustle:

7:00 am - 9:00 am

Wake up, make the kids breakfast, toss in a load of laundry, and get ready for my day of running errands and mystery shopping. I check my emails for any updates on my scheduled shops and review the requirements one more time to make sure I'm prepared.

9:30 am - 11:00 am

Grab a cup of coffee from a local coffee shop (sometimes this is actually a mystery shop!), head to the grocery store and get food for my family for the week, drop off or put away the groceries (depending on time), put a load of clothes in the dryer, and toss another load in the washing machine. I've learned to multitask my regular mom duties with my mystery shopping side hustle activities.

11:30 am - 2:30 pm

Complete the mystery shopping route that I created. Normally some shops consist of food shops so I can bring back lunch or dinner for my family! Free food always tastes good, and my kids love when mom comes home with restaurant meals that were completely reimbursed through mystery shopping.

During this time block, I might hit 4-6 different locations depending on how they're spread out. I've gotten really efficient at planning routes that make sense geographically so I'm not wasting time or gas driving all over town.

3:00 pm

I would go home with any free food that I got during my mystery shopping route and take a small break! This is when I reconnect with my husband and kids, tell them about my day, and let them enjoy the free food I brought home. Sometimes the kids think it's the coolest thing that mom gets paid to shop.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

I'll complete a few more scheduled shops, usually retail. These are often quick in-and-out shops that don't take long. By this point in the day, the kids are usually occupied with their dad or doing their own activities, so I can focus on getting quality observations for my reports.

5:00 pm - 11:00 pm

At this point, I would complete the required questionnaire for any shop that I didn't already complete. I've learned that some shops I can complete the reports immediately after while sitting in my car, but others with longer questionnaires I save for after the kids go to bed. I'll typically do these reports in the evening while watching TV or just relaxing. My husband and I will sometimes sit together while he watches sports and I complete my mystery shopping reports.

What I've Learned About Running a Mystery Shopping Side Hustle as a Mom

After over a year of running this mystery shopping side hustle while raising three young children, I've learned several important lessons:

Start small - Don't overwhelm yourself. When I first started, I only took on 2-3 shops per week. As I got more comfortable and efficient, I increased to 8-10 shops on my shopping days.

Plan strategically - I always plan my routes to minimize drive time and group shops geographically. This efficiency means more money per hour spent.

Choose kid-friendly shops when needed - On days when I have to bring the kids, I stick to grocery stores, retail shops, or fast-casual restaurants where kids are expected and won't draw attention.

Communicate with your partner - My mystery shopping side hustle works because my husband supports it. We plan together so he knows when I need him home with the kids.

Track your earnings - Seeing the money add up is motivating! I keep a simple spreadsheet showing my monthly mystery shopping income, and it's exciting to watch it grow.

Be flexible - Some weeks are busier with family obligations, and that's okay. The mystery shopping side hustle will be there when things calm down.

The Financial Impact of My Mystery Shopping Side Hustle

When people ask if a mystery shopping side hustle is worth it for busy moms, I can confidently say yes. In my first year, I earned several thousand dollars that went directly to helping my family. We've used this income for:

• Kids' extracurricular activities and sports fees
• School supplies and clothing
• Holiday and birthday gifts
• Date nights with my husband (often mystery shops themselves!)
• Small emergencies that pop up
• Building our savings account

Beyond just the money I'm paid for completing shops, I also receive reimbursement for purchases and free products or services. My family has enjoyed countless free meals, I've received free oil changes for our cars, free household products, and even free entertainment experiences—all while getting paid to evaluate these businesses.

My Advice for Moms Thinking "I Want to Be a Mystery Shopper"

If you're a mom thinking "I want to be a mystery shopper" but aren't sure if you can make it work with your family responsibilities, here's my advice:

Just start - Don't wait for the perfect time because it will never come. Take the free webinar, get the training, and try your first shop. You'll learn as you go.

Give yourself grace - You're juggling a lot. Some weeks you'll crush your mystery shopping goals, other weeks you'll barely complete any shops. Both are okay.

Involve your family - My kids think it's cool that mom is a mystery shopper. They help me remember details about our experiences, and it's become a fun family thing.

Connect with the community - Other mystery shopping moms in groups like iShop have been invaluable for advice, encouragement, and shop recommendations.

Remember why you're doing it - On tough days, remember that this mystery shopping side hustle is giving you financial flexibility while allowing you to be present for your family.

Join Me on This Mystery Shopping Journey

I'm excited to continue this journey with my mystery shopping side hustle. I enjoy everything it has to offer from the flexibility, extra cash, free food, free products, and free services. Being part of iShop makes this experience so much better!

To all the moms out there thinking "I want to be a mystery shopper"—you absolutely can! It's one of the most flexible side hustles I've found that truly works around family life rather than forcing family life to work around it. If I can do it with three young kids, you can too.

Happy shopping! Get started at www.ishopagp.com

Meet Maria!

She's a wife and mother of 3 young children. She enjoys thrifting, park trips with the family, nature walks, and coffee! She wants to share mystery shopping with friends and family so they can reap the benefits, and have the opportunity to increase their cash flow.