There are money-making apps all over the place these days, but it’s hard to find one that’s worth the time and effort. For me, the Field Agent app has been well worth the time, and has introduced me to the potential of the mystery shopping side hustle. Though that potential, for me, was mostly unfulfilled.

What are the best apps and websites for side hustling?

When it comes to downloading apps that promise an easy payday, some of them are scams, some of them have unreasonably high payout thresholds, some of them don’t pay enough to justify the time, and a few more of them are scams on top of all that. But not at all of them.

As I’ve learned from Fresh Life Advice, there are some good places to fill out surveys for a few bucks at a time—a decent rate for easy work. Personally, any time I spend filling out surveys inevitably ends with me taking a self-survey that questions everything I’ve done in my life to lead me to that point. I’m missing some easy opportunities for beer money, no doubt, but for whatever reason the survey time almost never feels valuable to me, no matter the pay rate.

The Field Agent app is my favorite mystery shopping app

Despite my low tolerance for surveys, I still felt that I should be taking advantage of some form of side hustle made available by the wonders of the internet. While I’m a firm believer in focusing my efforts on my main hustle (aka my job), there is certainly money to be made. Luckily, I stumbled upon a review of Field Agent and decided to give it a try. It’s turned out to be my favorite side hustle app for its ease of use, simplicity of tasks, and quick payouts.

Through their Buy & Try product reviews, I’ve purchased (and been reimbursed for) beer, hard seltzer, beef jerky and frozen meals, to name a few, and have received decent stipends for providing a brief review of those products. With their Product Audits, I’ve earned a few dollars to take a simple iPhone picture of a display at a store I had already planned on visiting. I’ll let the above-linked review fill you in on the gory details if you’re interested in learning more; I’m not here to provide an extensive review of the app itself. I’m just saying, if that sounds like something you wouldn’t hate, give it a try.  

While I discovered the Field Agent to be a good way to pick up a few extra bucks on a planned grocery store visit, what about getting reimbursed—and even paid—to eat at fancy restaurants? Or to stay in nice hotels? Or take amazing trips around the world?

An eight-year old article, salaciously titled Confessions of a Hotel Mystery shopper, really got me excited about that very potential opportunity.

Is mystery shopping worth your time?

On the surface, it sounds like a great way to enjoy some sweet perks on somebody else’s dime. Following my toe-in-the-water foray into mystery shopping world with Field Agent, I thought it was worth exploring further.

Similar to apps that promise a payday, I found it difficult to sift through the various mystery shopping websites and pull a legitimate company out of the hat. Coyle was mentioned in that ages old article, so Coyle it would be for me. It’s almost certainly not the best option available. Millennial Money Man listed a few likely more relevant companies in his own look into the mystery shopping side hustle that might have served me better.

Even still, with Coyle I was able to score a free to-go dinner at roughly $50 at a fairly high-quality restaurant. I was then tasked with reviewing not only the food, but, as you might imagine, the execution of the COVID-related protocols that the corporate office had in place. For a relatively lazy person like myself, I found the questions to require a little too much attention to detail. Understandable, since I’m being reimbursed by the company for my meal. But my additional stipend was $5, not $50. For what was expected of me, I felt like I was making survey money.

Nevertheless, I completed the extensive questionnaire and took the requisite photos to illustrate how the food was presented to me. With that, I officially secured my first mystery shopping payday. But I’m not exactly in line to review a Shanghai Ritz Carlton or Michelin Star restaurant any time soon.

The verdict on mystery shopping

One underrated element to this side hustle is that it’s a good way to manufacture spend on a credit card if you’re working toward a sign-up bonus, or just collecting points in general. I did indeed receive my payment and reimbursement, so the eight-year-old article did not lead me completely astray. Coyle doesn’t pay until the end of the following month, though, so you could be waiting 50-some days for your reimbursement and whatever small earnings you’re able to attain.

Should you give mystery shopping a try as a side hustle? Since what I wrote above is just about the least helpful information you’ll find on subject, perhaps this more thoughtful guest post from Budgets Are Sexy can help you decide. It is probably a more viable option than my previous attempts at monetizing fantasy football or jury duty.

Personally, I still find mystery shopping an intriguing way to earn a little cash. It has the upside for some really cool experiences if you’re willing to stick with it and further educate yourself—which I wasn’t. I’ve abandoned my visions of mystery shopping grandeur and am perfectly content with the exposure to this side hustle that I receive from Field Agent.