How I Never Pay For Oil Changes

Auto Maintenance tends to sneak up on me.

Sometimes, we need one every month, sometimes every other month, and sometimes we don’t need one for 3 months.  I try so hard to figure out our mileage, and if we have an oil change coming up, so I can factor it into our budget, but it never works.

Yep, we do have money in savings that we can pull out to cover oil changes, and it wouldn’t be a big deal.  But you all know me by know, and you know I think that:

Free is always best!

What if I told you that there was a way to never pay for oil changes if you own a Chevy, GMC or Buick vehicle?  

Well, there is!

I haven’t paid for oil changes in our vehicles for nearly two years.

What’s more, I’ve been paid to get oil changes!

It’s all through this little thing called secret shopping!

What is Secret Shopping?

Secret shopping is exactly how it sounds – shopping secretly.  Businesses need feedback about their service, their facilities, and their product, but they  need feedback that is unbiased.  Therefore, they employ secret shoppers to experience their business as a normal (non-secret shopper) customer would, rather than the experience a customer gets when they know an evaluation is coming.

Who Can Be A Secret Shopper?

Anyone!

Seriously, as long as you can read, write, take a basic skills test, and have transportation, you can be a secret shopper!  My favorite company is one called Bestmark.  They have an impeccable reputation, the best pay of any secret shopping company that I’ve used so far, and a wide variety of secret shopping opportunities!

Do you Have to Own the Vehicle You Take To Your Secret Shop?

No!

This part, to me, just sweetens the deals!  My husband’s family drives Chevy or GM vehicles almost exclusively (my grandfather-in-law retired from GM) so not only do we take out vehicles in for secret shop oil changes, we take my in-laws’ as well.  They get free oil changes, and we get paid – how cool is that?

As long as the vehicle meets the specifications that the secret shop assignment is looking for, you can use anyone’s!

How Much Does Secret Shopping Pay?

There are two type of pay involved in secret shopping: reimbursement & pay for the actual job.  While pay can vary by region, but in my area oil change or tire rotation secret shops reimburse up to $45 and pay between $25 – $35. This means that you will have to pay out of pocket for the oil change at the location you’re assigned, but Bestmark will send you a check for the cost of the oil change, up to $45, as long as you complete the shop correctly.

Pay for the actual job is usually $25, but sometimes there are bonuses of $10 or even $20!  So, upon completion of the secret shop, not only are you going to get your oil change completely reimbursed, payment of $25 to $45, and give a business valuable feedback that they can then use to improve their service, facility, or product!

Are There Other Opportunities Besides Oil Changes?

Yes!

While I’ve found that the most lucrative opportunities are in oil changes, Bestmark offers other opportunities such as drugstore shops, restaurant shops, as well as many other opportunities.  Pay & opportunities, again, vary by region, for more information about shops available in your area, check out Bestmark, and apply today!

Have you ever paid for meals, hotel stays, or anything else with a secret shop?  Is this something you would consider doing?

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