SAINT PETERS, Mo. — As prices at the checkout remain stubbornly high, some St. Louis families are turning to more unlikely ways to save money — and social media is helping fuel the trend. From buying unclaimed mail to snagging liquidation pallets, mystery shopping has become entertainment and side hustle rolled into one. As more shoppers chase bulk bargains and surprise finds, a once-niche market seems to be going more mainstream.
If you’re scrolling on social media, you’ve likely come across a growing number of accounts making mystery shopping look like so much fun.
One of the most recognizable creators in the space is Jodi Lytle, known online as the “Palette Princess” on TikTok. Lytle, a social worker by day, has more than a million followers between Instagram and TikTok and earned her massive following by opening up undelivered mail from her home in Michigan…