Make money online
30+ top paying sites and apps for making extra cash
If you've a computer or smartphone, there are a host of ways to boost your coffers. You could earn £1,000s/year by clicking and swiping, with no special skill needed. This guide lists 30+ (legit) ways to make money online – you can get paid just to watch videos, write, search on Google, sell photos, make your own YouTube clips and much more.
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Quick tips for making money online
Before you start earning money online, there are a few things worth knowing. The main thing to remember is that while some of these sites only pay small amounts, add them all together and you could be looking at an annual bonanza of £1,000s.
Don't store cash in online-earning accounts
Companies that offer you the opportunity to earn online aren't banks. There's no protection if one goes under, taking your cash with it. So withdraw your cash as soon as you reach the payment threshold.
Do set up a dedicated email address
Set up a dedicated email address for online earning. When it comes to powerful free options, Gmail is among the best. Doing this is also a quick way to check when new paid tasks become available.
Don't expect to be instantly rolling in it
With some sites, it can take a while to earn enough to be able to withdraw your money. And if you give up, it means you did the tasks for free.
For this reason, it's important to understand it's not quick cash. But it is nice extra income, provided you're consistent and have a little patience.
Do spend gift vouchers ASAP
If you're given the choice, opt to get paid in cash. If you get paid in gift vouchers, spend them ASAP. Doing so reduces your chances of being left with invalid vouchers should the retailer go bust on you. Plus it means you can't lose them or forget about them until they go out of date. For more info on this, see our Gift Voucher Warning.
Before you start counting the dosh, don't forget to check if some may belong to the taxman
For most people this won't be the case, especially if you're just doing it as a bit of extra cash. But get serious with it, or already have income from self-employment, and you might need to pay tax.
The trading allowance means you don't have to report the first £1,000 you earn from self-employment or selling goods/services 'for profit'. However if you earn more than a grand from the tricks in this guide, or have income over £1,000 from this and other self-employment, you'll need to declare it to HMRC, regardless of whether you're self-employed or PAYE.
HMRC told us everyone must do this by registering for Self Assessment, if not already registered, and filling in a tax return. If PAYE, it says it can collect your tax bill through a change to your tax code, providing you meet specific criteria.
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Get paid to click
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Watch videos, play games and earn
Swagbucks* is a fun site that pays you for completing short online tasks such as watching videos and answering polls. You can then exchange this for gift cards, cash via PayPal or other rewards. The site's huge in the USA, and here in the UK many MSE Forumites are dedicated users.
We've blagged a boosted bonus for newbies. Sign up via our MSE Blagged Swagbucks* link to get bonus points equivalent to £20 in Amazon (or other) gift cards once you've earned 1,300 SB (equivalent to £10) – giving you a total of £30.
You'll need to earn your SB (points) within 30 days of signing up. This offer is ongoing for the time being. See more on how to get your free £20 bonus.
Tasks include filling in polls, watching videos and searching using its page instead of Google. Advertisers pay Swagbucks to publicise their wares or do market research, and the site passes a cut to you. The more dedicated you are, the more you earn, though every task pays a different amount.
For motivation, join other points-chasers in the forum's popular Swagbucking thread. One committed 'swagger' from the forum, cally6008, says:
Swagbucks is one of several online earning sites I use, but it's one of my favourites. I know for a fact that you can earn £25 a month using the site, because I do so nearly every month!
- cally6008Quick summary
- Who's it good for? People who want to grab quick cash for fun tasks
- Typical earnings: £25/month
- Payment method: Cash or Amazon voucher
- Amount you need to earn before it pays: £3ish (depends on reward)
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Swagbucks forum thread
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Online survey sites
Willing to give views on mask-wearing, washing-up liquid or politics? If so, it's possible to earn £100s a year, without any special skill or talent.
It's all about stashing cash by filling in online surveys. For a full rundown of 25 of the top free sites, see the Top Online Survey Sites and Apps guide.
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Get paid to google
It's possible to get paid hard cash just for searching the web with Qmee*. It just involves downloading an add-on that sits on your internet browser. You then search online as you normally would on Google, Chrome, eBay, Safari and more.
Qmee will show extra results or adverts alongside normal search results. Some firms pay Qmee to appear in these ads, and Qmee gives you a cut of the cash. If the Qmee result interests you, click it and you'll earn a few pence, usually 7p-15p.
You can also download its app on Google Play or the iTunes Store, which focuses on surveys, usually paying 10p to £1.50. You can also see these on the 'surveys' tab of its desktop site.Forumite scarab2019 says:
I am at £600 total, average £30 a month. Great little earner this is.
- scarab2019Quick summary
- Who's it good for? Folks with the patience to click ads for a few pence
- Typical earnings: £5/month
- Payment method: Cash via PayPal or a range of gift cards
- How much you need to earn before it pays: No minimum
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences in the Qmee forum thread
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Earn hard cash for fun tasks, for example, watching videos
Online earning site Gift Hunter Club doles out points for watching videos, doing polls, entering competitions and completing other easy tasks.
You can convert these into cash through PayPal or buy Amazon vouchers with your points. Just sign up and check the 'earn points' section. It shows the tasks available and what they pay.
MoneySavers reckon the site's fun, payment is quick and they earn a decent amount each week. Forumite mizzame says:
I made £10 in PayPal cash very easily last week, £8 the week before. Mainly from videos and easy tasks. My best earning site at the moment!
- mizzameAim to redeem your points on rewards giving better value
A £10 Amazon gift card costs 1,000 points or a $5 PayPal payment costs 530 points. While Gift Hunter Club lists cash payments in US dollars, PayPal converts the cash into pounds.
Quick summary
- Who's it good for? Those already using Swagbucks who want to join a similar site
- Typical earnings: £7/week
- Payment method: PayPal, Amazon vouchers and more
- How much you need to earn before it pays: £4ish
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Gift Hunter Club forum thread
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Enter contests as a cash-boosting hobby
From cars to £20,000 cash, five-star holidays to £10,000 of Tesco gift cards, MoneySavers have won it all. It's all about 'comping', a potentially profitable online hobby for the lucky.
It's about systematically sourcing and entering hundreds of the right contests. To learn the techniques, see our 40+ Comping Tips guide.
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Grab FREE cashback
Cashback sites work by giving you a cut of the cash they earn for channelling web traffic. Yet you don't have to buy anything to earn cash via these sites – they often pay you just for clicking links on the internet.
For example, Topcashback often pays you to take out free trials of products – its free cashback section lists the top offers. For full info, see Top Cashback Sites.
Get paid for easy online tasks
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Get up to £10 for simple tasks in shops, for example, asking managers about coffee
The BeMyEye app pays you to carry out quick and simple market research via your mobile. Simply download for iPhone or Android and check it regularly for upcoming jobs in your area.
We've seen tasks including browsing shoe shops, interviewing shop managers about coffee consumption and sending photos of how razor blades are displayed in a pharmacy. When we logged on in May 2022, tasks seemed plentiful in the locations we tried.BeMyEye typically pays £3-£10 per task, depending on the difficulty. Tasks can range from a quick photo to a more involved 20-minute interview with a store manager, asking for their opinions.
In some cases you may be asked to buy products and reclaim the cost, so make sure you keep hold of any receipts. Payment can take three to four days.Jobs are snapped up quickly, so consider turning on notifications on your phone so you get alerts as they're issued.
This is definitely one of the better-paying apps we’ve seen, as Forumite Lenore13 found:
I've signed up to several micro-job sites within the last six weeks and the one I've had the best luck with is BeMyEye – I've earned £42.10.
- Lenore13Quick summary
- Who's it good for? People based near shops and restaurants
- Typical earnings: £3-£10 per task
- Payment method: PayPal or bank transfer
- How much you need to earn before it pays: £5 (PayPal payments) or £20 (bank transfer)
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread
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Get paid up to £11 per market research job, including taking photos of shop displays
One of the better-paying small-task apps, EasyShift gives you as much as £11 per job for snapping mouthwash displays and other small errands in high street stores. Download the app on iPhone or Android to sign up.
It will show a map with tasks near you – the green pins are available, grey are taken. To bagsy a task, just select reserve (it's first come, first served). You then have a certain amount of time to complete the job, for example, eight hours.
It can be a nice little earner. Tasks we saw included £8 to snap beer displays and £11 to take photos of beauty products. Most tasks take about 10 minutes. It pays automatically within two working days of a completed 'shift'.
As well as cash, the app awards points. The more points you gain, the more tasks you can reserve at a time.
EasyShift jobs are more involved than some other apps', but the pay is still good (typically £5-£6 for around 15 mins work).
- Lenore13Quick summary
- Who's it good for? People based near shops and restaurants
- Typical earnings: £5-£11 per task
- Payment method: PayPal
- How much you need to earn before it pays: No minimum
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread
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Get paid for odd jobs, for example, checking the outside of buildings
Free app Shepper typically pays £4-£11 for quick odd jobs. It works with big brands such as Aviva and Airbnb. Tasks are as varied as spot-checking unoccupied properties, checking billboards for graffiti and checking how much space there is outside buildings for queues.
Shepper says users are fully insured, and it takes precautions to ensure your safety, including reviewing every booking that it receives. It may be worth taking extra steps too, such as telling a friend or family member where you'll be and arranging to contact them after you finish the job.
To sign up, download the Shepper app for iPhone or Android. You'll need to fill out a 10-minute application form and show your passport or driving licence. See full info on becoming a Shepherd.
Quick summary
- Who's it good for? Those based in cities will probably find more jobs – but Shepper says it's worth it even if you live in a small village
- Typical earnings: £4-£11 per task
- Payment method: Bank transfer
- How much you need to earn before it pays: No minimum, but it charges 65p to withdraw amounts below £20.
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread
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Get paid to snap menu cards, count stock & more
Fancy getting paid to buy beer? Free iPhone and Android app Roamler pays for tasks such as counting stock in shops, snapping menu cards in restaurants and even buying a beer to photograph how it's served.
As with similar apps above, when firms need easy market research done, it's sent out via the app. Roamler typically pays £5 per task, but it can vary between £3 and £20. Tasks usually take between five and 20 minutes.
When we checked there were plenty of tasks on offer, including get paid £10 to get a free pint of Corona.The catch is the app is invite-only in certain areas. Roamler's press office says it's pretty easy to get one if you monitor its Facebook page for hints on how (or you might get lucky if you request one).
Quick summary
- Who's it good for? Smartphone users
- Typical earnings: £10/month
- Payment method: Cash via PayPal
- How much you need to earn before it pays: No minimum
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Roamler forum thread
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Earn by checking prices & snapping products
Ever fancied being a secret agent? If you’ve an iPhone or Android phone, a free app called Field Agent could be your chance. When companies need a small market research task done, it's sent out via the app.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to check prices in stores, take photos of products and pen reviews. It typically pays £4.50 per task, but can be between £2 and £10. Jobs take a few minutes to half an hour.
When we checked in May 2022, there were heaps of tasks on offer, including get paid £5 to buy a pint of San Miguel (plus get reimbursed for the pint).
To get started, install the Field Agent app for iPhone or Android. Just search for jobs in your area – it’s worth checking regularly, because tasks go like hot cakes.
Quick summary
- Who's it good for? Smartphone-owners who can nip out for quick tasks
- Typical earnings: £10/month
- Payment method: Cash via PayPal
- How much you need to earn before it pays: No minimum
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Field Agent forum thread
Quick questions
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Earn up to £10 for tasks such as snapping bananas in your home
Free money-making app Mobeye for Android and Apple pays for small tasks such as snapping photos of objects around the house or checking products' availability in shops. It pays up to £10 per 'mission', though these high-paying jobs are rare. Tasks that pay about 50p are more common – on the upside, they are usually super quick.
When we last checked, tasks in the UK were rather thin on the ground, but it's still worth signing up for belt and braces.
To get involved, download the app on Android or iPhone, then complete a quick test task. You can then check the map to see missions near you. Once you book a job, you have two hours to venture out and complete it. You just take the requested pictures and fill out the info.
The jobs seem to involve less effort than other apps. We've heard of tasks such as 50p for taking a photo of any brochure to 10p for taking photos of banana in your house. We've even heard of people getting paid to take photos of the sky!
Quick summary
- Who's it good for? People who prefer quick and easy tasks
- Typical earnings: 50p to £5
- Payment method: PayPal
- How much you need to earn before it pays: £7
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread
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Get cash for iPhone (and other) pics – sell photos to magazines & newspapers
If you're a budding photographer (and take decent quality snaps), you can put them up for sale on 'stock photography' websites – where designers, newspapers and publishers buy pics. For most you need a proper camera, but we've also found an iPhone app that lets you sell snaps you've taken on your mobile.
This isn't a guaranteed money-spinner – some MoneySavers have reported making hundreds of pounds, others have ended up with peanuts. You'll earn a small amount each time someone buys your pics, but it can add up.
There are some restrictions, for example, when photos include people or logos – see our need-to-knows for more info.
Got an iPhone? Sell your snaps via an app
Download the free Stockimo iPhone app and you can upload photos taken on your handset to sell on Alamy's stock-photography site (Alamy owns the app). There's no Android version currently, though see below for non-iPhone alternatives.
Images sell for anything from £4 (for personal use) to £400 (for ads). You'll get 20% – Stockimo pays via PayPal each month you earn more than $10 (£7). A number of Twitter users have reported success with Stockimo, including Ann from Kent, who sold a photo of her cat for £15ish:
Jamie from London sold his pic to a national newspaper:
Hey Stockimo – lovely to see my National Theatre puddle photo in the Guardian today!
Quick questions
Got a proper camera? Make more selling via a website
There are lots of stock-photo sites out there. Here are some of the biggies:
- Alamy – This is the parent website of the Stockimo app. The average price images sell for is $35 (£28), but selling via the site you'll get 50% of the sale price (students can get 100%). Payout's by BACS or PayPal. You need at least $50 (£36) before you can request payment.
- Adobe Stock – You get 33% of the sale price, with typical payouts of between $0.66 (50p) and $3.30 (£2.50) per photo. Payout's via PayPal. You need at least $25 (£20) in your account before you can request payment.
- Shutterstock – When you start you'll only get about 20p per photo. This goes up to 27p if your 'lifetime earnings' with Shutterstock reach $500 (£360). In some cases, you might get more though – potentially 20-30% of the sale price. Payout's by PayPal. You need at least $35 (£28) in your account to request payment.
Stock photography need-to-knows
However you opt to sell your photos, bear the following in mind:
- Alamy – This is the parent website of the Stockimo app. The average price images sell for is $35 (£28), but selling via the site you'll get 50% of the sale price (students can get 100%). Payout's by BACS or PayPal. You need at least $50 (£36) before you can request payment.
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Earn free Amazon vouchers reporting derelict properties in England
Spot an empty or derelict property in England, and you could earn a £20 Amazon or M&S voucher if you're the first person to report it to YouSpotProperty.com.
What's more, if the development company behind the website goes on to buy the property, it will give you 1% of the purchase price – potentially £1,000s for a house in the capital.
It might sound too good to be true, but there have been big successes reported in the news. One woman earned £3,500 for spotting an empty house in Peckham and another got a whopping £6,500 for reporting an empty home in Hendon.
How does it work?
Once you've spotted a derelict house or flat, you need to fill out a form online at YouSpotProperty.com. It will ask for the address of the property, and any photos you're able to take of it.
If you're the first person to report the property, and it meets YouSpotProperty's criteria (privately owned, not up for sale and no planning permission applied for recently, etc), you get a £20 M&S voucher. It's normally issued within a month of you reporting the property.
If the company goes on to buy the property, you'll receive 1% of the purchase price. It's worth bearing in mind however, that a purchase can take time to negotiate and complete – in the past it's ranged from a few days to three years after the property was spotted.
What is YouSpotProperty?
YouSpotProperty is run by property developers looking for houses they can do up and sell on at a profit. So the site's generosity isn't purely for altruistic reasons. However, it does donate £500 to a local charity in the same area as each property it buys, on top of the 1% cut it offers property spotters.
YouSpotProperty also says it wants to help improve neighbourhoods, as empty properties can be dangerous and bring down the value of houses nearby.
It can be difficult for individuals to get mortgages on derelict properties, meaning they stay empty for years. But the company has enough money in its 'property fund' to buy the houses outright and clean them up ready for people to live in again.
How big is this?
YouSpotProperty was set up in 2014, and as of May 2022 it said about 6,290 vouchers have been awarded to property spotters. It told us 117 people had received the 1% bonus for a spotted property being purchased (the largest payout to date was £10,000 for an empty property in NW2, London).
Quick summary
- Who's it good for? People living or working in England
- Payment method: Amazon or M&S voucher
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the YouSpotProperty.com forum thread
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Get paid for easy market research tasks such as snapping Burger King menus
Billed as a 'grown-up treasure hunt', Streetspotr is another app (for both iPhone and Android) that connects market research clients with users who carry out small tasks, such as snapping Burger King menu boards. Some MoneySavers have pocketed £15 for buying a hot drink at a muffin shop, though most tasks pay about a fiver.
Other jobs could include photographing supermarket product displays or checking restaurant menus.
Streetspotr is a German company but it pays UK users in pounds. As with most other location-based apps, the closer you are to a high street, the more jobs are likely up for grabs.
Quick summary
- Who's it good for? Town-dwelling smartphone users
- Typical earnings: £10/month
- Payment method: Cash via PayPal
- How much you need to earn before it pays: No minimum
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread
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Get paid for small tasks in shops, for example, checking prices
Another free app that pays you to complete small tasks in shops, Clic and Walk is available via the App Store and Google Play. You'll get paid to check prices and promo signs.
It's one of the lower-paying apps. While it's a French company you get paid in pounds – the amount for shop-based tasks is normally five euros so you'll typically get around £4.
Quick summary
- Who's it good for? Retail enthusiasts
- Typical earnings: £4/month if you're lucky
- Payment method: Cash via PayPal
- How much you need to earn before it pays: £4
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread
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Technically-minded? Get paid to find bugs
Companies are desperate to make their websites and apps better to use, so user testing is big business.
Sign up to Utest for a range of user-testing opportunities. Examples we've seen include £20/hour to test a mobile provider's app and £40 per job for testing your home internet speeds. The firm also looks for folks with a certain smart TV or even car to test software.
You don't officially have to be a techie to join, but it definitely helps to be technically-minded. This is a lot more involved than scanning receipts or taking photos, but on the upside, we've heard of people earning £100s/month. We're talking a few hours' work per project, but you're paid accordingly.
Check out its projects board to see the kind of jobs on offer. Then register for the short Utest Academy course. Depending on how well you do, you'll then be invited to take part in paid tests. See its full Q&A for more info.
The more bugs you find on tasks you're accepted for, the more likely you are to get picked again.
Quick summary
- Who's it good for? Techies
- Typical earnings: £50/month
- Payment method: Cash via PayPal
- How much you need to earn before it pays: No minimum
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread
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A serious remote-working job
One work-from-home job MoneySavers have had luck with is Lionbridge. You usually need a degree to apply, but heaps of MoneySavers have been accepted.
It says it usually has 150 jobs on offer at any one time, though occasionally there are no jobs advertised for the UK. It's well worth checking back though, as new jobs are posted each month.
What's the work like?
The web firm offers several part-time posts, most aimed at helping companies improve their search engine results. Tasks can include checking search results, gathering data and testing mobile apps.
You choose your hours and don't have to travel from A to B. You must usually work a minimum of 10 and maximum of 20 hours per week.
Forumite Ghost_2005 says:
It's a genuine work-from-home opportunity that pays real money. There are precious few of them, so if that's what you're looking for, it's a good opportunity. In the grand scheme of employment, there are better and more fulfilling jobs. In the grand scheme of home-working opportunities, it's a decent job.
- Ghost_2005On the downside, others say it's about as exciting as a hangover on a rainy Sunday.
I can honestly say when I had the job I had never felt so bored. An hour's work felt like three hours. Be aware of what you're actually applying for – it demands concentration!
- daz501Stay motivated with other Forumites in the Lionbridge forum thread.
Quick summary
- Who's it good for? Those with a degree and a high boredom threshold, who want to earn cash from home
- Typical earnings: £140-£200/month (depending on hours)
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Lionbridge forum thread
Quick questions
Got a top way to earn cash online that we haven't listed? Feed back in the Earn cash online discussion.
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Turn your old receipts into cash
Stop! Don't chuck out those old receipts – those scraps of paper could be worth hard cash. Available on iPhone and Android, the free Shoppix app gives tokens for every receipt you snap.
Unfortunately, due to "unprecedented demand", there's currently a waiting list to join Shoppix. To get yourself on the list, download the app and enter your email address. (You can join straightaway if you get a referral code from a mate.)
Once you've built up £5 worth of tokens, you can exchange them for a £5 PayPal payment or vouchers including Amazon and Love2Shop. It typically gives 30 tokens per receipt, so that's just over 100 receipts to earn £5. You can collect tokens for up to 30 receipts each week.
While it's a slow-burner, it's popular with Forumites and is ideal if, for example, you like to keep busy on your commute.
I use Shoppix and I've cashed out £20 in six months.
- Homegrown0Quick summary
- Who's this good for? Folks with time on their hands
- Typical earnings: 5p per receipt
- Payment method: PayPal or Amazon and other vouchers
- How much you need to earn before it pays: £5 (3,200 tokens)
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread
Quick questions
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Grab freebies in exchange for your views
It's possible to earn masses of freebies from Clicks Research. The site doles out free products in exchange for feedback on whether they work. MoneySavers have blagged everything from anti-ageing creams to chocolate bars.
Respond at speed, as places fill up fast. Clicks Research says products are all safe. It just wants to know how to improve them. Once you've signed up, Clicks Research sends you invites via email.
Even if not selected, each time you take part in a survey it pays Clicks points (1-200 per survey). Once you've earned 2,500, you can exchange them for £25.
Quick summary
- Who's this good for? If you've got time on your hands to give feedback on freebies
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Clicks Research forum thread
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Earn money online from internet research
Internet companies such as AQA ('Any Question Answered', formerly 63336) are occasionally on the lookout for researchers. It works like this: a customer sends a text to researchers to ask the answer to a random question. The researcher – you – replies with an answer.
The beauty of this work is that you can generally choose the type of questions you answer, and the hours you work. Check for vacancies on the AQA site or on its Facebook and Twitter pages. You'll have to pass a test before you get an interview.
The site pays roughly 25p per question. Some can take just a few moments to answer, meaning that experienced researchers could rake in up to £100s – though of course, it depends how much time you're prepared to put in. Join the AQA discussion.
Got a top way to earn cash online that we haven't listed? Feed back in the Earn cash online discussion.
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Reclaim lost assets and inheritance
There's BILLIONS of pounds' worth of unclaimed money out there. Whether it's yours or an unknown inheritance from a deceased relative, it can usually be reclaimed free.
Our Reclaim Lost Assets guide shows how to quickly check if you're in line for an unexpected windfall.
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Flog what you've got
Do you have unused assets worth £100s or £1,000s? Stop hoarding, and declutter for cash. Here's some inspiration:
40+ eBay tricks 'n' tools. Our 40+ eBay Selling Tricks guide offers a crash course, from cutting eBay fees by tweaking start prices and using no-charge listing weekends, to adding extra pics with special tools. Plus there are tools to create multiple listings in advance and bulk-upload them.
Sell for free on Facebook. Local Facebook selling groups are fast rivalling eBay as the place to earn cash by flogging unwanted stuff. The best bit is there are NO fees. Our Facebook Selling guide shows how to find the right local groups and get the best price, plus make sure you stay safe.
Safely sell old gold for max cash. TV ads yell "sell old gold for cash". Yet many are kicked in the crown jewels as they get a fraction of the promised price. Amid the scrap, though, are shining examples. Our Top Gold Selling Sites takes you through it.
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60+ more ways to boost your income
If you're looking to rake in a little more, our 60+ Tricks To Boost Your Income guide can add to the coffers. Here's a taster:
Become a mystery shopper. High street retailers are desperate to check their customer service is up to scratch, so mystery shopping agencies pay you to visit specific shops or restaurants to rate quality.
Send pics to mags. For example, Sainsbury's magazine pays £50 for your photos.
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Rent it – spare rooms, storage, parking spaces
The Rent It Out For Cash guide lists easy ways to earn extra from your property and possessions. Here's a taster:
Rent your driveway for up to £200/mth. Live near a city centre, airport, train station or football ground? It's possible to earn up to £200/mth or more renting out your drive. See Rent Your Parking Space for a full how-to and the top free-to-list online marketplaces.
Get cash for spare storage space. If you've unused space in a loft, garage or spare room, website Storemates lets you rent it out to others looking for cheap storage. See Rent Your Storage.
Rent out your designer clothes. Clothing rental apps let you rent out your designer garments for cash. Depending on what brands you have, you could net £100s a month for togs that are just languishing on the rails. See Rent out your wardrobe.
Rent your spare room. The 'rent a room' scheme means you can take in a lodger to live in a furnished room in your home. It has a special exemption meaning you won't have to pay tax on the first £7,500 each year. See 20+ Airbnb Renting tips.
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Give yourself a money makeover
Taking a day to sort your finances leaves many a grand a year better off.
Always think in terms of annual savings – £15 a month doesn’t sound much but it’s £180 a year. Here are some tips to get you going:
- Slash car insurance costs. You might be able to halve costs by combining the results of comparison sites. See Cheap Car Insurance for a full step-by-step guide.
Can you cut your mortgage cost? If you’ve decent equity in your house and aren’t locked into a deal, speak to a mortgage broker. See the MSE Remortgage Guide.
Save £100s with a water meter. If your home has more or the same number of bedrooms as people, check our Water Meter guide. Helen Bevington tweeted:"Thanks to MSE, we've water-metered. Monthly DD down from £80 to £25." That's £660/year less.
Those are just the start. For a detailed checklist of over 30 quick ways to cut bills, see the Money Makeover guide.
Get paid to write and create content
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Get paid to write
Always wanted to have a crack at the old writing game? Now's your chance. Textbroker pays for content for adverts, websites and newsletters. The company acts as a middleman between clients and writers, taking a cut from each piece sold.
Typical payments are £5 to £30 per article, and Forumites have written about everything from sport and wildlife to finance and casinos. Some MoneySavers have suggested that article approvals can be patchy and it's often slow to accept new writers – a couple of things to watch out for. Others have reported that work is not as plentiful as it used to be.
Some Forumites, such as Sinkorswim, are turning over a grand a year:
I've been with Textbroker for nine months, and have made over £1,000. It's a godsend, as I had to give up my part-time job due to a back problem. I got another job, but am reluctant to stop writing, as I really enjoy it.
- SinkorswimForumite Farmers-wife says:
I have recently started with Textbroker as a writer. Six articles down and I'm hooked. As a stay-at-home mum and farmer's wife it's lovely to be doing something for myself. Getting praise for writing is doing wonders for my confidence.
- Farmers-wifeQuick summary
- Who's it good for? People who enjoy writing and have high grammatical standards
- Typical earnings: £50/month (if you're committed)
- Payment method: Cash via PayPal
- How much you need to earn before it pays out: £9ish (pays in euros)
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Textbroker forum thread
Quick questions
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Get paid to write, enter data & more
As well as paying for written content, Clickworker offers other jobs, including data entry, web research, product reviews and data tagging.
MoneySavers report there's heaps of work on offer. They've penned Groupon adverts, travel destination descriptions, flight adverts and fashion articles, to name a few.
You must complete a test before you can work, and most jobs require a score of at least 90%. You can earn between £2 for shorter jobs and £5 for longer ones.
Quick summary
- Who's this good for? People who can write winning adverts
- Typical earnings: £20/month (note, it pays in euros)
- Payment method: PayPal
- How much you need to earn before it pays: €5 (£4.50)
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Clickworker forum thread
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Earn cash from homemade videos
We can't promise you'll earn £100,000 like the dad who uploaded "Charlie bit my finger – again!", the clip of two cheeky young brothers which racked up 870 million views. Yet even if your YouTube videos don't become global phenomena, it's possible to earn a little extra each month through the video-sharing site.
Bear in mind that, if you're starting from scratch, it'll be at least 12 months before you see any money, and there's no guarantee you'll earn anything at all, so it isn't quick or certain cash by any means. That said, for some inspiration before we get started, here's Forumite sophie.christie's story:
About two years ago I started a YouTube account. One of my videos started to do quite well and the site asked me to become a partner.
I started to receive a very low income from this. However, over the last year I've been posting new videos on birthday party tips. I now have 80, and a daily income of more than £20. It's rising by about 10% each month.
- sophie.christieHow YouTube's partner programme works
YouTube's partner programme lets users take a cut of the cash from the adverts that run alongside their videos. You must apply to become a partner, and to be eligible you need to have a minimum of 1,000 subscribers to your channel and your videos need to have been watched for 4,000 hours minimum in the last 12 months. For more on eligibility, see the YouTube Help site.
Earnings vary dramatically, depending on how many views you manage to rack up and how much revenue the ads generate.
Quick summary
- Who's this good for? People who enjoy making funny clips or have a knack for presenting and sharing specialist knowledge, and know the basics of shooting and editing video
- Typical earnings: £60
- Payment method: Bank transfer or cheque from Google AdSense
- How much you need to earn before it pays: £60
- Have you tried it? Let us know on the Earn cash from homemade videos forum thread
Quick questions
Finally, ITV still pays £250 for funny videos selected to appear on You've Been Framed. No need to post a VHS tape – you can upload clips to its site.
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Earn cash from your blog or website
If you've a blog or website, set up a free account with Amazon Associates, a scheme where you earn Amazon vouchers for linking to the site.
Just follow the steps to add links and banners to your website. When someone clicks on Amazon from your site and makes a transaction, it's recorded and you're paid 1-20% commission, which you get in the form of cash or an Amazon discount.
What you earn depends on how much you sell and what category it's in – for example, you get 3% commission from cameras and smartphones, and 10% from watches and jewellery. (See a full list of payments and a payments Q&A.)
Though don't just fill your site to the brim with Amazon links. What works best is ensuring you've quality editorial content, then adding the links after.
Products bought by you personally won't count towards your commission, nor will anything ordered for delivery to your home address or paid for on your credit card.
Quick summary
- Who's this good for? Those with a blog or site that they'd like to earn cash from
- Typical earnings: £25/month (depending on your site's popularity)
- Payment method: Amazon credit and cash
- Amount you need to earn before it pays out: £25 for Amazon credit or bank transfers, £50 for cheques
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Amazon Associates forum thread
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Write a Kindle e-book
EL James's Fifty Shades of Grey started as a self-published e-book – now's your chance to emulate her success. Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing tool lets you upload your own e-books instantly, for free. Every time the book sells, Amazon gives you up to 70% of the list price (excludes VAT).
While not a guaranteed money-spinner, e-books don't have to be Booker Prize contenders. If you're a specialist in a niche subject, from worm composting to roller-coaster riding, you could pocket a little extra each month.
If you need inspiration, why not try the NaNoWriMo campaign to write a novel in a month, which runs every November.
Quick summary
- Who's this good for? Folks who want a bash at a bestseller, though money's not guaranteed
- Payment method: Electronic bank transfer (see full payment details)
- How much you need to earn before it pays: No min
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Kindle Direct forum thread
Quick questions
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Get paid to review music and more
Review site Slicethepie pays you for each song, fashion item, accessory or advert you rate. As you build up a reputation, you can earn more. Read the site's tutorials before you start.
Typically, a member willing to put in a couple of hours each night could expect to earn about £30/month, though Forumites report this can vary. The amount you earn from each review differs depending on your 'Star Rating' – an overall a measure of the quality of your reviews – and the quality of that particular review.
Quick summary
- Who's it good for? You'll need a pretty open mind. MoneySavers have reported earnings slowing recently
- Typical earnings: You earn in dollars and get between $0.10 and $0.20 per review – Forumites report monthly earnings of up to £30/month
- Payment method: Cash via PayPal
- How much you need to earn before it pays: $10 (about £8)
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Slicethepie forum thread
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Get paid to type up audio
Nostalgic for the days of Mad Men-era typing pools? Transcription company Take Note pays typists about £9/hour to type up audio.
You need Microsoft Word, at least a C/grade 4 in GCSE English and must be able bash out at least 65 words per minute. It pays per minute of audio, and not minute of your time, so it's only worth it for superfast typists (take a speed test to see how you measure up).
To apply, you take tests in typing speed, formatting and English language. You must sign up for at least two shifts per week, roughly six hours each (evenings and weekends are available).
I'm one of their freelance transcribers and so far, so good – payment's been on time every month and it works out at £7-£9 an hour.
- cazmanian_minxQuick summary
- Who's it good for? Fast typists with a C in GCSE English
- Typical earnings: Take Note says a typical transcriber earns from £300/month
- Payment method: Cash into your bank account or PayPal
- How much you need to earn before it pays: No min (it pays once a month)
- Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Take Note forum thread
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