There are scores of legal and legit ways to add to your income. After-all no matter how hard you try to keep your relationship with money afloat, sometimes you need a bit on the side. This guide to gaining £1,000s of extra cash is specially designed to interact with your suggestions in the Forum.
Up Your Income with other MoneySavers
As well as this article, do use the Up Your Income board in the Forum; where MoneySavers share their ideas and tips to make extra cash.
Make your money work harder
Too many of us let our money languish in accounts or products paying rotten returns. Shake off this laziness to give yourself better returns and hunt down any forgotten funds or concealed cash; you'd be amazed at what you might find.
Give yourself a 25% pay rise.
There's nothing more powerful than sorting out your own finances. By shifting to the best deal on every product you can give yourself as much cash as a 25% pay rise, without needing to cut back. Before doing anything else, this is the most important starting point.
How much? The average UK family should be able to gain £2,500 to £5,000 a year doing this.
How do I do it? Use the step-by-step Money Makeover guide.
Use your credit rating to 'stooze'.
Many credit card companies are willing to lend you money at 0% interest, so why not take this cash and save it yourself earning 6% interest on it. This is known as stoozing, it's legal and very profitable; yet it's only for the really financially savvy.
How much? If you get a 0% card with a £5,000 credit limit you should comfortably be able to earn £250 a year on it. The biggest reported stoozer was making £6,000 profit a year from stoozing.
How do I do it? Use the step-by-step Stoozing: Make free cash from credit card guide.
Get paid every time you spend.
Cashback credit cards pay you back a proportion of what you spend each time you use them. Therefore set up a Direct Debit to pay it off in full each month so there's no interest cost and you can earn. Just use the card for all your normal spending and you'll make money.
How much? The top cashback cards pay up to 4% cashback for a short period and then a standard 1%. So if you spend £10,000 a year you stand to make £200, just by paying with a different piece of plastic.
How do I do it? Use the Top Cashback Cards guide.
Don't accept pitiful rates on your savings.
If you've got savings, ensure they're working well for you. Many people leave their savings in pitiful high street bank accounts where the money is actually shrinking. Even worse, you may have it in a current account earning just 0.1%. Stop this - five minutes work'll let you increase the interest massively.
How much? For every £5,000 you have in a top savings account as a basic rate taxpayer you'd earn £220 a year more than in a poor account.
How do I do it? Use the Best Savings Accounts, Starting Saving, and Best Bank Accounts guides.
Always pay off debts with savings.
Most people who try and save while they're in debt are simply throwing their money away; even if the debt is a mortgage. The amount of interest you pay to borrow is much more than you earn on your savings, so pay the debt off with your savings and you're quids in.
How much? Someone with £5,000 on a credit card and £5,000 saved is likely to be £700 a year better off by paying off the debt with the savings.
Find out more: Read the full Should I pay off my debts?, Should I pay off my student loan? and Should I pay off my mortgage? guides.
Get all benefits / state pension.
There's a plethora of benefits available, the key is working out whether you're entitled to them. A rather sexy little site Entitledto.co.uk does the work for you: it has a regularly updated calculator that works out everything you can get, in one go. Plus it may be possible to get more in your retirement by purchasing extra National Insurance Contributions (NICs).
How much? If you've a family income under £66,350 it's worth checking, as you could get any of Working Tax Credit; Council Tax and Housing Benefit; Pension Credit; Child Benefit; Child Trust Fund and Child Tax Credit. Plus by boosting your state pension you could end up £1,000s better off.
Find out more: Read the full Benefits Check-up, State Pension Boosting and Childcare Costs guides.
Flog what you've got: De-clutter & sell the junk
Clear out the clutter from your life and make money from it too. We can be a wasteful nation, and ditching items and goods could – instead - bring in a second source of income. So whenever you finish using something, whether it's childrens clothes as they grow out of them, or embarrassing old CDs... flog 'em. Plus, ensure you get the most out of your property; even your parking space can be profitable.
Recycle old mobiles.
This is the easiest form of decluttering, as there's a whole industry set up to help. If you have an old mobile phone lying around the house, several companies will happily take the relegated beast off your hands. Not only could this bag you as much as £160 but, by not throwing it out with the rubbish, you'll also be doing your bit for the environment.
How much? It depends on the phone and demand, but some of the higher-end handsets will easily net more than £100. It only takes five minutes to check out what yours are worth.
How do I do it? Use the MobileValuer tool to quickly find the top payer.
De-junk your house the MoneySaving way.
It's time to rumble through your cupboards to de-junk and make some dosh. The obvious place to sell is online auction house eBay* but there are other options too.
How much? Dedicated sellers make £100s on the side.
Top Tips: Wait for eBay '10p listings' days (which are always included in this site's weekly e-mail. This way, even if a few things don't sell, you won't be out of pocket - and you'll maximise the profit margin. Best of all, you get to enjoy a relaxed, clutter-free home.
Try grouping things together, so if you're selling baby clothes, rather than listing each item one at a time, sell them in bundles of similar sizes and quality. People tend to prefer buying in bulk.
Books & CDs: Amazon is probably the best option for selling old books, (unless they are especially rare or collectable) since you need only type in their ISBN numbers and a short description; Amazon will provide full synopses and reviews of most from its database.
If you're listing a few in one go, this can save you a lot of time. Plus, Amazon marketplace listings last 60 days, and relisting books which don't sell's free, so you needn’t keep spending after the initial fee.
Listing CDs one-by-one on eBay is likely to get you the most cash, but it'll take you some time.
Find out more. Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the De-clutter the MoneySaving way thread and get more hints from the Ebay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales board.
Quicker cash for old CDs & DVDs.
The website Music Magpie* allows you to type in details of your CDs & DVDs, and it’ll give you an instant cash price, though you need to trade in a minimum of 5 at a time (and up to 500!). To do it you just type in the barcode numbers and follow the on-screen instructions. The site also buys computer games, but for the most part you'll do better by trading them in at high st. game shops.
If you accept its offer, it’ll send freepost stickers for posting and you’ll get cash upon receipt. Someone with loads to get rid of could speedily make money this way.
How much? It depends on the CD of course, most CDs will get you 60p-70p though some go for over £1. DVDs go up to £3.
Can’t I do better elsewhere? Yes, for more modern CDs/DVDs you’re far better off selling them individually on eBay* and other auction sites to get much more. Where MusicMagpie wins out is on convenience, not price (see eBay selling guide for how to maximise your price). Discuss and feedback on music magpie in the CD selling discussion thread.
How much? Dedicated sellers make £100s on the side.
Spot & flog from car boot/garage sales.
If you've an eye for car booty, buy items cheaply at car boot sales, and sell them at a profit on eBay or other auction sites. The big money lies in spotting collectibles to sell on, so do some research on the net first. Be sure to arrive early to beat off other bargain hunters.
How much? The earning potential increases with your knowledge of rare items and collectible brands, and a little luck doesn't go amiss either; if you're in the right place at the right time this could net you £100s extra a year.
Find out more. Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Spot & flog on eBay thread and get more hints from the Ebay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales board.
Sell your story.
Journalists are always looking for dramatic stories. If you've been in an extreme situation or come close to death, or have any gripping or extraordinary tales to tell, why not get paid and have it published? Many magazines will also pay a premium for interesting letters and photographs, and many TV channels, including Five, will pay for videos too; and often it's much easier to get on-air than you may think.
How much? A 'star letter' will usually fetch £50, and stories can earn £150+. Even amusing photos can earn good cash prizes in some magazines.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Sell your story thread.
Sell your parking area.
If you live in an area where parking is expensive yet have got an empty parking space in your driveway, you could rent it on a monthly basis. Online parking marketplaces, such as Parkatmyhouse will allow you to list your space in their databases, and set a monthly price for it. You can also set restrictions on use if you're likely to need the space yourself during the weekend or at certain times of year. For full info on this, read the dedicated Parking Rental guide.
One thing to note though is that some more officious local councils may deem renting your parking space out 'a change of use' for the property, from residential to mixed residential/commercial use. It's a grey area, and you're unlikely to be pulled up, but if you are you may have to apply for planning permission to continue doing it.
How much? You should be able to take just slightly less than the going parking price in your area. Spaces in London generally go for around £200 per month, though security is also a factor in determining price.
Find out more: Read the dedicated Parking Rental guide, then join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Selling parking spaces discussion.
Rent out your house as a film location.
Film & TV production teams are always on the lookout for homes and areas they can shoot in. Your home needn't be palatial to qualify either; all shapes and sizes can be desired, and the rates of pay are good. There are a number of online agencies that'll list your property for free (taking comission once your property is chosen for a shoot); never use any that charge a large upfront fee.
How much? If your property is chosen, you can expect up to £800 for a photographic shoot, and £1,500 for a film shoot. And you get to brag about it. However, don't bank on being selected; there are many more properties than film crews.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Rent out your house as a film location thread.
Earn Tesco Clubcard Points on your recycling.
Save up your cans, plastics, bottles and more and instead of leaving them for the dustmen to carry away, take them to one of Tesco's automated recycling centres and you'll receive points for your recycling. Check the list of Tesco stores with automated centres to see if you have one near you. Clubcard points are worth 1p instore but four times as much if you redeem on goodies from the Tesco Clubcard deals brochure such as breakdown cover, days out and holidays away.
Read more about Tesco Clubcard: For more info on supermarket loyalty schemes read the Loyalty Schemes article.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Earn Tesco Clubcard points on your recycling thread.
Earn wonga on the web
Either harness the internet’s power to reach a massive audience for your specialised services, or take advantage of companies’ need to market themselves by clicking onto countless web links and earning cash. You’ll need dedication – and patience - to make the most of these tips, but the rewards should be more than worth it.
Cashback shopping.
When shopping online, click through to a shop via a ‘cashback’ site and it'll give you a small proportion (usually around 2% but up to 10%) of what you spend back in cash. These are advertising sites, paid for by providing leads to retailers; to encourage traffic, they split some of their revenue with you in the form of cashback.
How much? Up to £1,000 a year if you’re a serious online buyer.
How do I do it? Use the Top Cashback Sites article.
Get paid to click.
It's possible to get paid just for clicking links on the internet. This is a by-product of the fact that many advertisers pay websites for sending them traffic (ie. for visitors clicking through to their sites). As noted above, cashback websites give you a share of their ad-revenue; and therefore on the occasions where they’re paid just for sending traffic, you can be paid just for clicking.
How much? It's not too difficult to rack up £20 a month just by clicking paid links, as long as you're consistent with the routine; set passwords on screen to make it easier.
How do I do it? Full info in the Make Free Cash section of the Top Cashback Sites article.
PS: You can also click and give to charity… See The Hungersite article for more.
Get paid to review your holiday.
If you love jetting off to foreign lands, it’s possible to regale people with your holiday tales – and get paid for doing it! Travel review site, SimonSeeks.com, promises to reward users by passing on half of the net revenue it’s paid by advertisers.
Simply write a destination guide and post it on the site. The SimonSeeks editorial team will then check it over, and other users will rate it. After people start clicking through to advertising links on your page, the site will pay you by Paypal, as and when the cash comes in.
As a rule, the more up-market the accommodation and longer the stay, the bigger the advertising earnings.
How to write a winning guide
Guides must be between 400 and 1000 words. They can cover everything from romance and family fun to long-haul adventures. But the more informative and easy-to-read the guide, the higher rating it will get, and the more cash it will bring in.
What should you write about? Rather just picking country, choose a specific angle, eg, not just ‘France’ but ‘The five best budget hotels in Paris’. Favourite destinations, such as Italy, will be well-covered, so think of a particular aspect that nobody else has covered. Are you a bird geek or a train nerd? Choose about something you’re passionate about, and can add knowledge to.
When writing, be specific – mention particular places, name hotels and explain why they are a good place to stay, describe the food and ambience in the restaurants you recommend. In fact, think about what you’d want to read if you were going. SimonSeek’s research shows that guides with photos are more popular, so include some snaps from your jaunt.
How much? The site launched on 18 June 2009, but has big financial backing and if it takes off, guides with a high rating could earn 5p-20p a view, so popular guides could earn £100s. By being an early adopter, your guide is likely to be in better place to build up status.
How do I do it? Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the SimonSeeks thread.
Profit from photographs.
Budding photographers can upload their digital photos to photo bank websites and earn royalties for each one sold. Ten per cent of the sale price will go to the website, and you'll probably need to advertise elsewhere to drum up demand. However, if you have an interest in niche photography subjects, or take particularly beautiful shots, you could make good money.
How much? You decide the retail price of your photos at Photobox, giving you the freedom to adjust the profit margin in line with different print sizes.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Sell photos online thread.
Affiliate your website.
If you run any kind of website – commercial or personal – you can add affiliate link packages to it and get paid each time somebody clicks from your page. The most popular schemes are Google’s 'Adsense' and Amazon's 'Associates' – and don’t cost a penny to install. Of course, if you're to generate a substantial income through these schemes you'll need a high level of site traffic, and this can be difficult to achieve.
If you're sure you can provide site content which will appeal to a substantial number of people then give it a try, but generally it's not worth starting one up just for the purpose of affiliate linking.
How much? A niche website with loyal usage could earn £1,000s a year from these links.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Making money from websites thread.
Listen to music? Get paid to review it.
There's a website which pays you to review unsigned music. SliceThePie pays you 5p for each song you rate, but as you build up a reputation you can command up to 25p a time. You'll need a pretty open mind, as you can't choose specific genres, but once you've found a band you like you can vote for them and even buy stock in them to trade.
The system could also be profitable if you're a musician, as if your songs get voted for you could be financed for an album. The system's too complex to describe fully here, so read the site's tutorials before you start.
How much? A dedicated fan putting in a couple of hours a night could expect around £30/month. Not much, but not bad for a hobby. For a band, the sky's the limit if you're good enough.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Earn cash for rating new music thread. Also check out the Slicethepie FAQ thread.
Matched Gambling.
This is something I thought very hard about before including; but as many who know exactly what they’re doing make serious risk-free cash, it can’t be excluded. It's all about taking advantage of the offers betting sites have to encourage new players, usually involving free bets (e.g. bet £30 and we give you a free £30 bet), and the fact different bookmakers offer different odds. Thus, in some circumstances by betting on all outcomes you guarantee a profit, whatever the outcome. However, this is incredibly complex and dangerous; and most people should run a million miles from it. Don’t ever contemplate attempting it unless you have done detailed research.
Warning! This is not about gambling. Gambling is not MoneySaving; the bookies always win in the long run (see Gamblers Anonymous). This is only about manipulating gambling introductory loopholes.
How much? With time and care it’s possible to make a few thousands over the year. Yet if you’re desperate for cash, don’t see the pound signs and go for it, this is only for those with patience and not under money pressures; otherwise you’ll end up drawn into real gambling and losing.
How do I do it? Read the Matched Betting Introduction and FAQ thread in the Gambling Introductory Offer Loopholes board and the other sticky threads at the top. Yet remember it's an open forum, anyone can post, and just because someone sounds like they know what they’re doing, it doesn’t mean they do.
Grab £1,000s of Grants.
There are grants galore available if you know where to look; from doing up your home to education and helping your business. There are a number of grant search engines where you can find out exactly what money you’re eligible for.
How much? Grants in the £1,000s are available in the right circumstances.
How do I do it? Read the full Grant Grabbing article which lists all the available grant sources and websites.
Reclaim, reclaim, reclaim
Right across finance, companies have been taking or holding your money when they shouldn’t, and these days it's easy to fight back. This can mean a boost of £1,000s to your finances in just one go.
Lost assets.
A staggering £400 million languishes unused in old bank accounts, pensions, life assurance and investments, whether forgotten in a house move; lost through a work change; or simply overlooked in the hurly-burly of modern life. Yet it's usually easy and, in many cases, free to reclaim cash that belongs to you or your family.
How much? Depends on how much you’ve forgotten you had…anything from just a few pounds in an old junior savings account to thousands of pounds in a forgotten pension account.
How do I do it? Use the Reclaim Lost Assets guide.
Bank charges.
If, during the past six years, you've been hit with bank penalty charges, you can claim them back. I believe these charges are unlawful and you can force your bank to give you £100s or £1000s back.
How much? It all depends on whether you've had charges in the last six years; say you incurred charges of £35 four times a year on average; that all adds up to a huge £840 pay back.
How do I do it? Use the Bank Charges: Reclaim Them guide. Read about other MoneySavers' experiences on the Success reports thread.
Credit Card Charges.
The OFT said credit card charges were unfairly high and providers reduced them. This opened the door to reclaiming; thus if you've had late payment fines or been charged for going over your limit in the last 6 years, you can get it back.
How much? Again it all depends entirely on the charges you've had over the last few years; some have reclaimed over £1,000.How do I do it? Read the step-by-step guide to Credit Card Reclaiming, which includes template letters. Read about other MoneySavers' experiences on the Success reports thread.
Council tax.
The council tax system in England & Scotland is fundamentally flawed. Many people are in the wrong band. It only takes 10 minutes to check if you're one of them.
How much? Dropping a band can result in a saving of £200 a year, and a back-dated payout from when you moved in is often £1,000s.
How do I do it? Use my step-by-step Council Tax Rebanding guide.
Mortgage exit fees.
If you've moved mortgage to a new company within the last six years; it's very likely you were overcharged by your old lender when you left it. Just one phone call usually gets you the money back.
How much? A refund of the difference between the fee as stated when you took out your loan; and its level today. This could be between £50 and £200, depending on the lender.
How do I do it? Use the full step-by-step guide to Mortgage Fees: Reclaim £100's.
Endowments.
Mis-selling of endowments has been rife. So if you've ever been sold an endowment which underperformed leaving you out of pocket, and you weren't told this was a possibility, you can get compensation. A massive amount of money is available to claim, but move fast, because the deadline for complaints is looming.
How much? The rewards for doing this can be huge; the biggest compensation payout I've heard about so far is £27,000.
How do I do it? Use the full Mis-sold Endowments guide.
Get paid for your opinion
The desperate need for many companies and public organisations to test, talk about and try out their products or plans on the British public gives you a great opportunity to cash in.
Online market research.
Willing to give your view on the Labour Party, answer questions about your sex life, or test out the latest moisturiser? If so, it’s possible to earn £100s a year, without any special skill or talent. You can get paid cash to take part in online surveys, which are often short enough to fill in during breaks at work.
How much? Some surveys can pay £1 to £3 for just a couple of minutes of your time.
Find out more: There’s a full how to, including the top paying sites in the Survey Sites guide.
Traditional market research.
Focus-group based market research can pay between £30 and £50 for a couple of hours of talking. To get started in it, look up local agencies in the Yellow Pages, or try Saros Research online.
How much? Usually between £30 and £50 per session.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Traditional market research thread.
Become a mystery shopper.
High-street retailers are desperate to check that their in-store customer service is up to scratch, and contract mystery shopping agencies to do so. These will employ you to visit a specific shop or pub, to rate service quality or the quality of their goods. Some of the most popular sites are RetailEyes, TNS Global, Grassroots, Gapbuster, BAI, Frontline Focus and Retail Maxim. Others, including those that you need to phone to apply can be found in the forum. If you fancy a bit of ‘cloak and dagger’ identity, this can be great fun too.
How much? Payment for this type of work varies hugely between agencies. Some pay in gift vouchers, others simply give you free items. Some will pay you cash too but not usually more than £30 a day.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Mystery shopping thread.
Win some competitions!
Okay, so it's not quite using your opinion (though tiebreaker-based comps can test your noodle), and it's not guaranteed cash, but get committed to 'comping' - systematically entering 100s of competitions each week, and your chances of winning will grow considerably.
Often entering simply means filling in an online form or sending a postcard, sometimes answering a question or tiebreaker. If you win, the promoter will may call up, or the postman could just knock with a parcel.
As an added bonus, competitions are tax-free, so unlike other ways to boost your income, the taxman won’t get any.
How much? Of course it varies massively, but one lucky MoneySaver scooped a £20k prize, and many have made thousands.
Find out more: Read the full Comping for Cash guide, which includes insider time-saving and security tips.
Home working
If you’re housebound, whether due to childcare commitments or disability, or you just like being at home, working from your kitchen or spare room can leave you quids in too. Working on your own isn’t for everyone though, so make sure you’re OK with a spot of solitude.
Earn from internet research.
Any Question Answered (AQA), and Ask118 are internet businesses often on the lookout for researchers. All the companies work the same way: a customer searching for the answer to any random question sends a text to researchers - you - who replies with the answer.
The beauty of this work is that you can choose the type of questions that you answer, and hence the hours you work. See Issuebits (AQA), and 118 for vacancies - you'll likely have to pass a test before you get an interview. Vacancies aren't open all the time, so you'll need to be on the ball and checking the sites regularly.
How much? You'll be paid roughly 30p per question, and some can take just a few moments to answer, meaning that experienced researchers get up to £2,000 a month.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the AQA & 82ask discussion.
Work over the phone and net.
TeleTech is an American telephone support company, which is currently recruiting in the UK. Its major advantage over other phone work is it expects you to work from your own PC at home, using its special software to field calls. Generally, you'll be offering customer service and technical support; full training will be given. Find out more and apply at the TeleTech website.
How much? It depends on which of the company's contracts you're involved with, but you should get no less than £6/hour.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the TeleTech thread.
Do some freelance work.
If you've skills in a specific area, you may be able to do a little freelance work on the side. Getafreelancer & PeoplePerHour are project recruitment sites; companies list projects they want completed, and freelancers 'bid' on them, both by saying why they'll be the most suitable candidate, and literally entering their price for the work. It's free to join and bid on work, but a fee is taken out of your pay for each job.
How much? It depends on the job, the duration and skills involved, and how many freelancers are competing for it. The only drawback is that you might find yourself competing against workers from countries with a much lower cost of living, who can undercut you.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Getafreelancer thread.
Take in a lodger or play guesthouse - tax free.
The ‘rent a room’ scheme means you can take in a lodger to live in a furnished room in your home, and it has a special exemption meaning you won’t have to pay tax on the first £4,250 you make each year. This is a huge tax break for most people and really ups the gain. Better still, as a landlord you’ll be expected to ask for a deposit and a month in advance, which means ready cash comes in quickly.
If you don't want to do it full time, there's a good halfway house too, you can also just play guesthouse. Website Crashpadder allows you to list your spare room online, and take in travellers looking for a cheap place to stay. You can set the nightly cost, undercutting the local hotels, and you might just get to work on your language skills to boot.
How much? With a full-time lodger, you can take home £4, 250 without paying a penny of tax; if you've a desirable property and don't mind paying income tax on anything above this, you could easily add another £1,000.
Find out more: Read the Govt info on rent a room and then read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Take in a lodger thread
Take in foreign exchange students.
Renting out a room provides a stream of ready money, and a handy government tax break means you can keep most of it out of the taxman's hands. Get in touch with local secondary and language schools to enquire about the frequency and vetting process. This can be a tidy little earner and you get the added bonus of honing your own foreign language skills.
How much? Rates of pay vary depending on the level of accommodation you provide, but you can expect to earn upwards of £80 p/w per student.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Take in foreign exchange students discussion.
Solve companies' problems for pay.
Many companies put problems online and offer cash to people who can come up with effective solutions. While not a guaranteed way to grab cash, these can be an interesting, fun, and lucrative way to spend your spare time if you’re a business or science boff.
At InnoCentive.com, companies post dozens of challenges every month, offering big money for the best solutions. A typical example is £20,000 for a way to reduce the sugar content of baked goods, while keeping them tasty. Also worth a look is Idea Connection; register and it sends you email invites to help solve firms’ problems for cash.
Travelodge is offering up to £150,000 if you can find it a site for a new hotel (you get £500 per bedroom). Or, for science nerds, silver mining company Barrick is having problems extracting silver from ore at its mines in Argentina. It’s putting up $10 million (£5 million), to whoever can find a cost-effective way to boost production.
How much? Up to £150,000 if you come up with a brilliant idea.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Solve companies' problems for pay thread.
Iron out your finances.
Set up a professional ironing service, advertising in local shops and newspapers. A good tip is to advertise in the poshest part of town; that way you can charge more.
How much? Ironing businesses generally charge by the item, with 20 items costing around £10. This varies depending on location though, so check what other local services are charging.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Start an ironing service thread.
Start a 'cottage industry'.
If you're a dab hand at arts and crafts, try selling your jewellery and artwork, whether on eBay or at craft fairs. US websites Etsy and Redbubble are designed exclusively for buying and selling homemade goods. All prices are currently in dollars, but they offer live currency conversion. Some talented MoneySavers make big profits.
How much? Potentially £100s, depending on your spare time, artistic ability, and ability to sell yourself.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Starting a cottage industry thread.
Work, work, work
If you're willing to travel, as well as the obvious McJobs there are many things available for second-jobbers to earn extra cash; and of course maximise your current work too.
Ask for a pay rise at your current job.
People are often scared to do this, yet why not simply ask, the worst that can happen is they can say no. Simply ask for an appointment, prepare your points which should be more about your job role than 'I need the money' and see what happens. It's just as difficult for an employer to say no when you ask, as it is for your to ask in the first place.
How much? Always remember if your pay rise isn't as high as inflation (the rate at which prices rise) then your pay is actually decreasing. So why not ask for an 'inflation plus x%' rise, explaining a payrise at inflation will just keep you level and the x% is because you're now more experienced/better.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the How to ask for a pay rise thread.
Babysitting.
Watching somebody else's TV and eating their food while the kids lie fast asleep upstairs doesn't sound so hard – and it often isn’t – but you must be prepared to deal with the odd stroppy child and his or her tantrums. You'll need a proven track record with little'uns, so work for your friends, family and neighbours first.
How much? Adult babysitters charge up to £8 per hour, but you'll first need to build a reputation to command this.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Babysitting thread.
Pet or plant-sitting.
Also known as ‘house-sitting’, this job sounds – and is – fairly simple: maintain a house and look after any animals and plants for anything up to 3 months. Obviously, you need to have no other commitments to worry about. It’ll be easiest to sign up with an agency, so be prepared to provide references and expect a thorough check of your background, including any criminal records. After all, would you be happy to leave your home in the hands of a stranger?
The terms & conditions vary from company to company; some will expect you to be available all the time whilst some offer work on a more casual basis. Some of those suggested in the forum include Safehanddsitters, Ninasnanniesforpets, and Platinumpetcare.
How much? Safehandssitters pays £150 a week plus travel expenses. If there are lots of pets to look after, the actual rate could go up.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Pet or plant-sitting thread.
Be an interviewer.
The National Centre for Social Research is usually on the lookout for freelance interviewers. The job involves interviewing selected people about all kinds of topics in their own homes, then sending the answers to your set questions back to base. Vacancies for telephone interviewers are also often available, and full training for each role is provided. Go to NatCen's website for full details.
How much? Once trained, you'll receive just under £15 for a 35-minute interview, and £5.50 per hour spent travelling as well as petrol costs.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Doing social research discussion.
Work at the supermarket.
Work weekend shifts at your local supermarket - some pay double on Sundays and Bank holidays, and the general rule is the posher the supermarket, the more you'll earn.
How much? Around the £5.50 / £6 mark per hour, and most - if not all - will offer a discount card (usually 10 per cent) on groceries once you’ve been there for a while.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the At the supermarket discussion.
Head for the library.
Why not work in a library for a few hours a week? Many find working in this relaxed environment the perfect break from day-to-day stresses regardless of the extra cash. Enquire with your local library, universities or colleges.
How much? Usually minimum wage... but it's so peaceful.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the At the library thread.
Party planning.
It's possible to make cash by hosting parties, in which of course things are demonstrated and sold. Since you'll effectively be self-employed, you can make your own hours and work as often or as little as you want. Before starting though, be sure to check whether there's already a popular representative of the company in your area. If so, it's probably best to sell something else. Typical examples include Ann Summers, The Body Shop at home, Virgin Vie at home, PartyLite & FM Fragrances
How much? It's commision based, so what you earn depends on your selling ability, and the products you sell. You'll usually have to cover set-up costs with your first parties, but
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Party Planning thread.
Monitor exams.
During exam periods in secondary schools, colleges and universities, there's a shortage for exam invigilators since the teachers and lecturers still have other work to attend to. Enquire with local institutions and temp agencies and you can earn a fair bit of cash for a couple of hours of (blissfully silent) work.
How much? Temp rates are normal, so expect roughly £6.50 - £8 per hour.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Temp At Schools thread.
Spend three weeks in the classroom.
If you're at a higher education institution in England, you can get £600, and a great experience, by completing a three week teaching placement in an English primary or secondary school during university summer and Easter holidays. This is via the Student Associates Scheme, which is run by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) who receives funding from the Government. And, as the money's a bursary, the cash is tax-free.
There's no age limit for applicants, nor does it matter what year of study you're in. Criminal record checks will be made, but the TDA meets this expense. Applications are taken all year around so to find a school local to you, visit the TDA's school search database and contact the school directly. Summer placements must be completed by the end of July.
How much? £600 for a three week placement that must be completed in full to get payment.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Spend Three Weeks In The Classroom thread.
Use your head. Tutor.
To tutor up to GCSE you don't necessarily need a degree or PGCE teaching qualification, (although you can command much higher rates if you do have the latter) but some previous teaching experience is a must. You'll need a CRB check if you're to work with kids, so start out by asking some local teaching agencies about getting one, and about getting started.
How much? Without qualification, you can charge up to £10/hour depending on your experience and ability. If you get a PGCE (which can be achieved on a part-time or flexible basis) you can charge as much as £40/hour in some areas.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Private Tutoring Help thread.
Advertise on your car.
If you don't mind having your car turned into a billboard, some agencies will pay you to advertise on it, or you can get given a car to drive for free. It costs nothing to enrol and there are hidden advantages; cars with large adverts on them are unlikely to be stolen, and the ads protect paintwork.
How much? How much you'll earn will depend on what type of car you drive, where, and even (possibly and quite horribly) what you look like. Newcomer Money4Space promises up to £125/month for your trouble. On the downside, reports of successful applicants for this kind of thing are scarce. If you apply, do please let us know how you got on in the forum discussion.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Vehicle advertising discussion.
Count Votes.
Register with your council's elections office and get paid to count the votes at election; you can earn roughly £40 for work between 9am and 1pm or other four-hour shifts. Be warned though - you're usually contracted until the job is finished, so if it runs over you won't be paid extra (the flipside being that if you finish quicker you'll still earn the same).
How much? Around £40.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Temporary council work thread.
Be a model.
If you have the confidence to go nude (or semi-nude in some cases), life modelling is a fun way of earning extra cash. For a few hours work, you can usually get a very good rate of pay because it is very hard to recruit for this role. All you have to do is make sure you are able to hold a pose. All shapes and sizes are desired, so do not be put off if you’re not ‘model’ size. Make enquiries at local colleges.
How much? The average wage of a life model in London is £10.50 p/h. Of course, wages vary depending where you work and some models are paid on a 'per job' basis, usually earning more.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Life modelling discussion.
Be a TV extra.
It can be a little more boring than Ricky Gervais makes it out to be, but the fun of seeing yourself in the background of shows can more than make up for it. There are plenty of legit online extras agencies, and none charge you for signing up although they'll generally take an 'administration fee' out of your first pay packet. If you're serious about it, you'll need to sign up for quite a few agencies to guarantee work; and travel expenses may not be paid for. Filmextras, 2020 casting, extras, and supportingartists are good starting places.
How much? Most extras earn between £60 and £80 per day, with overtime paid at £10 per hour. It’s a good idea, though, to have to some professional (or at least professional-looking) photos taken in order to start off getting work.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the TV extra work thread.
Be a Guinea pig.
If you're fit and healthy – and prepared to accept the risk of tests - you could earn up to £150 a day by taking part in medical trials. Website gpgp.net offers a whole load of information on what to expect (go to the UK section), and where to apply. Note though that it's sponsored by BioTrax; one of the biggest medical trial recruiters in the world.
How much? Depending on what it is you’re being tested for, you can earn between £70 and £150 per day.
Find out more: Join the discussion and read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Medical trials discussion.
A tip on tax
Extra income is all very well but don’t forget that the taxman will want his share of it. Any sources of extra income need to be declared, so make sure you’re upfront with HM Revenue and Customs. If you've got self employed income, you must register with the HMRC Helpline for the Newly Self Employed on 08459 15 45 15 by the end of the third calendar month after you started, or you face an automatic £100 penalty. You'll also get a £100 penalty if you fail to meet the deadline for self-assesment; 31 October for paper forms, and 31 Jan for electronic submissions.
For full information, read the HMRC's self-employment leaflet. Also, don’t forget to make full use of your personal allowances: depending on what your other job status is and your age, the first £6,035 of any income is tax-free in the 2008 – 09 financial year. If you spend money on things for your business, be sure to keep the receipts; they're tax deductable. See the HMRC website for a full breakdown of what you’re entitled to.
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