Can you really get PAID for doing this everyday activity?
Today’s Adventure in the Biz Opp Jungle:
‘In which Charlie gets feedback about his views on the government and its money-making speed traps.... plus he asks, can you REALLY get paid for doing this everyday activity?’
Dear
The other week I was talking (well, ranting really) about this book:
It shows you how to avoid speed traps, wriggle out of fines and all sorts of sneaky manoeuvres. As Victor Lewis Smith wrote in The Daily Mirror:
"The rich have accountants to bend the rules on tax so why shouldn't the rest of us be able to buy The Driver's Survival Handbook to learn how to bend the rules on motoring, especially when the main reason for prosecuting drivers is to raise revenue for the government?"
Indeed.
Anyway, I didn’t realise that cars were such an emotive issue. Lots of people wrote into agree with my rant. One reader believed I was challenging the New World Order conspiracy.
(And maybe I am, but if I told you the truth about my secret plans I’d have to kill you).
Another Biz Opp Jungler said:
“I'm just amused that you, and most of the country, it seems, would rather risk being splattered flat in the middle of a road than suffer the risk of a speeding ticket.”
Hmmm.... put that way, my views do seem a little absurd.
But I’ve always been one of those guys who puts the right to free speech, privacy, liberty and wealth above the possibility of 23 stitches and a massive headache.
I guess whether you’ll love or HATE The Driver’s Survival Handbook depends a lot on your political point of view. (That, and how many times you’ve been busted for speeding).
Anyway, it’s all here if you want to know more
Talking of cars, my email prompted a couple of queries about this little opportunity.
Can you really get paid to drive?
One of my readers wanted me to find out if these ‘get paid to drive’ offers are genuine.
You may have seen these websites?
The idea is that an advertising company gives you a free car. In some cases, they say they’ll even pay you to drive around in it.
Of course, the car will be plastered with a massive advertising message. The sort you’ll see on some London taxis, or on cars used by radio or commercial television stations.
The upshot is, in return for a new free car and a regular fee, you choose to drive around in a billboard. You become a very un-cool automobile sandwich board.
But hey, it’s a free car and extra cash right?
Well, I’d be very wary. I’ve investigated these offers. And I’ve found that they’re eerily similar to the dodgy “work from home” opportunities I’ve slammed in previous issues of The Biz Opp Jungle.
In all cases I’ve seen, the website that gushes so excitedly about getting paid to drive will NEVER directly offer you the car and the money.
Instead, you have to pay for a directory, and give up your email address, telephone number and home address.
After you’ve paid, many of these websites will cut and run with your cash. Or bombard you with junk mail. Others will send you a worse-than-useless directory of leads you can’t follow up.
What an industry insider says....
I found an online article by someone who was in the vehicle wrap industry. (Vehicle wrapping is the term given for this type of advertising).
He said:
“As a person involved in the business of vehicle wraps, the majority of my clientele come from marketing, advertising, as well as small and major brands directly. I haven't once received a project involving a private vehicle being sponsored by a third party.”
So while you’ll occasionally see cars driving about with adverts on them, these are usually corporate vehicles, taxis, hire cars and so on.... NOT individuals who’ve done a deal by themselves.
And when I think about it more deeply, these questions pop into my head.
· Why would a company pay you to drive around in their advertisement?
· What if you only drove a few hours a week? They’d be paying for an ad nobody would see! Doesn’t sound like the sort of risk a genuine advertiser would take.
· What if you lived in the countryside? Or some remote area of Britain? They’d be paying for an advert in the wrong location.
· What if you were a bad driver? They’d be paying for an ad that could damage their reputation.
· And how could they track your movements without you reporting back to them? They wouldn’t be able to tell how effective their ad was.
It doesn’t add up for me.
So if someone directly offers you a deal to drive around in an advert, great. Let them send you the car by all means.
But don’t pay any money upfront. And don’t pay for one of these directories. That’s my advice.
If you happen to be laughing at me right now, thinking:
“Charlie, you’re an IDIOT, I happen to be driving around in a brand new Mondeo with an advert for Lynx on it, and earning enough money to drink champagne every night when I get home from a long day’s drive”.
Then please let me know.
And finally
I’ve received some more emails praising Matthew Thole. Here’s one:
“Just thought I would let you know that I too have been with Matthew for several years. Yes there have been losses, but also a good number of winners. Also if there is going to be a long period of no horse selections he will advise you of the fact and then in some cases he will extend membership time.
On the whole i think he is a very fair tipster, in what can be a minefield of so called experts.”
Keep your feedback and thoughts coming. I’ll write again on Wednesday.
Later alligator,
Charlie Wright
The Biz Opp Jungle