Tuesday 18 November 2014
Boost Your Income 60 Ways To Earn Extra Cash
Make your money work harder
Too many of us let cash languish in accounts or in products paying rotten returns. Shake off this laziness and make your money work harder, plus hunt down any forgotten funds or concealed cash. You may be amazed at what you find.
1. Give yourself a 25% pay rise
2. Get paid every time you spend
Cashback credit cards pay you back a proportion of what you spend each time you use them.
Set up a direct debit to pay the card off in full each month, so there's no interest cost, and you can earn £100s/year. Just use the card for all your normal spending.
3. Don't accept pitiful savings rates
Make sure you're getting the most out of your savings. Too many people leave their savings in pitiful high street bank accounts where former best buy rates have dropped massively.
4. Pay off debts with savings
Most people who try to save while they're in debt are simply throwing their money away. The amount you pay in interest to borrow is much more than you earn on your savings, so pay the debt off with savings and you're quids in.5. Get the benefits/state pension you're entitled to
There's a plethora of benefits available - the key is working out whether you're entitled to them.
6. Use your credit rating to stooze
Many credit card companies are willing to lend you money at 0% interest, so why not use this cash for everyday spending, replacing all other credit & debit card spending?
This means you'll now have debts on your 0% card (make sure you make the min repayment each month) and a similar amount in your current account, which you can save in an ISA or high interest savings account.
Flog what you've got: Declutter and sell it!
Whenever you finish using something, whether it's kids' clothes they've grown out of or an embarrassing old CD... flog it!
Remember, if the buyer needs you to send items via registered or special delivery, this is an additional cost to take into account when calculating if it's worth it. Some sites also require a minimum number of items or overall trade-in value, so check these first.
7. Flog on eBay for best prices
If you've got it, and don't need it, flog it. Selling on eBay* usually pays best, yet to really get the eBay cash rolling in, you neeed to know the etiquette and shortcuts.
8. Flog old handsets, iPods, cameras & more
eBay usually pays best, yet if you want speed and ease, there's a whole industry set up to help. If you've unwanted gadgets, such as mobiles, cameras or MP3 players lying around the house, several firms will happily take 'em off your hands.
9. Quicker cash for old CDs, DVDs & more
Several sites let you quickly trade in old CDs, DVDs, computer games and Blu-rays for cash. The sites are easy to use and give instant quotes, so if you've got loads to get rid of, you could speedily make a bit extra.
10. Get max cash for old books
Listing books one-by-one on eBay* may get the most cash, but it'll take some time. One of the best options for selling old books is Amazon* Marketplace, as you need only search for the book and write a short description. Your listing stays up till it sells.
11. Spot & flog from car boot/garage sales
If you've an eye for car booty, buy items cheaply and sell them at a profit on eBay or other auction sites. Be sure to arrive early to beat other bargain hunters.
The big money lies in spotting collectables to sell on, so research online first or (subtly) use your mobile phone's web browser.
12. Flog old gold
“Sell unwanted gold for CASH!” TV, mags and billboard ads pulse with promises, yet rarely seem to live up to them.
13. Sell your story
Journalists are always looking for dramatic stories. If you've been in an extreme situation, come close to death, or have any other gripping or extraordinary tales to tell about your life, why not get paid and have it published? Even amusing photos can earn good cash prizes in some magazines.
14. Recycle old printer cartridges for cash
Printer cartridges are expensive, sometimes even more costly than the printers themselves. So, next time one runs out, offset the cost of a new one by recycling the empty one for cash, or Tesco Clubcard points.
15. Take in a lodger or play guesthouse
16. 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. It's free to register, search and list, but charges 15% of the monthly rent via GoCardless if you find a successful match.
17. Rent out your parking area
If you live in an area where parking is expensive or hard to find, yet have an empty parking space in your driveway, you could rent it out to others looking for a space.
18. Rent out your house as a film location
Film and 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 can be pretty good.
Earn wonga on the web
If you've a computer or smartphone, there's a host of small ways to boost your coffers.
19. Earn via cashback sites
Cashback sites work by giving you a cut of their cash earned for directing you to shops or service providers. When shopping online, click through to a shop via one of these sites and it'll give you a small proportion (usually around 3% but up to 10%) of what you spend back in cash.
20. Get paid to click
You don't have to buy anything to earn cash via cashback sites - you can earn cash just for clicking links on the internet. Cashback websites give you a share or all of their ad-revenue, and sometimes get paid paid just for sending traffic.
21. Get better cashback rates in shops
Cashback site Quidco* has free Android and iPhone apps that let you earn better cashback rates when you shop in certain stores.
22. Profit from photographs
Keen photographers can upload their digital photos to photo bank websites such as iStockphoto and earn royalties for each one sold.
23. 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.
Two of the most popular schemes are Google's Adsense and Amazon Associates. They don't cost a penny to install. Of course, if you want 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 a site featuring color which will appeal to a substantial number of people then give it a try, but generally speaking, it's not worth starting one up just for the purpose of affiliate linking.
24. Listen to music? Get paid to review it
Unsigned music review site SliceThePie pays you for each song you review, but as you build up a reputation you can earn more.
25. Matched gambling
This is something we thought very hard about before including. Yet as many who know exactly what they're doing make serious risk-free cash, we felt it couldn't be excluded from this guide.
26. Matched gambling
This is something we thought very hard about before including. Yet as many who know exactly what they're doing make serious risk-free cash, we felt it couldn't be excluded from this guide.
Reclaim, reclaim, reclaim
Right across finance, companies have been taking or holding money when they shouldn't. These days it's easy to fight back. This can mean a boost of £1,000s to your finances in just one go.
27. Tax rebate for uniform wearers
If you wash or repair your work uniform, you may be able to reclaim tax.
28. Check if you're due a tax rebate
If during the past four years you've had the wrong tax code, you may be due a tax rebate. HMRC says up to three and a half million employees are due this rebate... BUT around two million may need to pay more.
29. Reclaim phone/broadband credit
If you've switched TV, mobile, broadband or phone providers in the last six years, there's a very real chance you're owed a little cash. You can get it back at speed.
30. PPI reclaiming
If you've got or had a loan, credit or store card with payment protection insurance (PPI), you may be able to reclaim £1,000s, and for FREE. Banks lost in court after years of systemically mis-selling PPI. Now they've put over £18 billion aside to pay back money wrongly taken from their customers.
31. Find lost assets
Billions languish unused in old bank accounts, pensions, life assurance, Premium Bonds 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. This means a lost inheritance could also be reclaimed if you think a relative that's passed away had a bank account they'd forgotten about.
32. Reclaim bank charges
If you've been hit with bank charges in the past few years and are in financial hardship, you can ask for them back.
33. Council tax rebanding
The council tax system in England and Scotland is fundamentally flawed; many people are in the wrong band. It takes 10 minutes to check if you're one of them.
34. Get mortgage exit fees back
If you've moved mortgage to a new company since the late 1990s, you could have been overcharged by your old lender when you left it. Just one phone call usually gets you the money back.
35. Reclaim for flight delays
Whether the flight was last week, or six years ago, EU rules mean if you’re delayed over three hours or your flight is cancelled, you’re often entitled to £100 – £480 per person in compensation.
Get paid for your opinion
Many companies' and public organisations' desperate need to test, talk about and try out their products or ideas on people gives you a great opportunity to cash in.
36. Online survey sites
Better still, because the whole point is surveying different types of people, you don't need to be qualified: you just need to be you. And most of us can manage that.
37. Attend face-to-face focus groups
Traditional market research focus groups pay generously per session, though you're limited to a few a year. All it involves is giving opinions on the chosen subject, usually with free refreshments, and you can walk away with anything from £30 to £160.
38. Become a mystery shopper
High-street retailers are desperate to check 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. If you fancy a bit of 'cloak and dagger' identity, this can be great fun too.
39. Enter contests as a cash boosting hobby
From cars to £20,000 cash, 5-star USA holidays to £10,000 Tesco gift cards or even two years' rent paid, MoneySavers have won it all. It's all about 'comping', a potentially profitable hobby for the lucky.
Comping's about systematically sourcing and entering hundreds of the contests, using web gadgets to fill out forms at speed, answer questions and help with tie-breakers. There are also sneaky ways to enter TV premium phone comps free via the web.
Working from home
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.
40. Earn from internet research
Internet businesses such as 63336 (which used to be known as AQA) occasionally takes on researchers.
It works like this: a customer searches for the answer to any random question by sending a text to researchers - you - who reply with the answer.
41. 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.
42. Take in foreign exchange students
Renting out a room provides a stream of ready money, and a handy tax break means you can keep a decent chunk of it out of the taxman's hands.
Get in touch with local secondary and language schools to enquire about how often they take students, and the vetting process. This can be a tidy little earner and you get the added bonus of honing your own foreign language skills.
43. Solve companies' problems
Several companies put problems online and offer cash to people who can come up with effective solutions.
44. 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.45. Start a 'cottage industry'
If you're a dab hand at arts and crafts, try selling your jewellery and artwork, whether oneBay* or at craft fairs.
Work, work, work
If you're willing to travel, as well as the obvious McJobs there are many ways for second-jobbers to earn extra cash. You also can maximise what you get from your current job.
46. Ask for a pay rise at your current job
People are often scared to do this, yet why not simply ask? After all, the worst that can happen is they 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 you to ask in the first place.
47. Bag a Christmas job
There are more likely to be temporary vacancies around the Christmas period in certain sectors.
48. Babysit
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 friends, family and neighbours first.
49. 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 three months.
50. Be an interviewer
NatCen 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.
51. Work at the supermarket
Work weekend shifts at your local supermarket - some pay up to double on Sundays and bank holidays. Generally, the posher the supermarket, the more you'll earn.
52. Party planning
It's possible to make cash by hosting parties in which items 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.
53. Monitor exams
During exam periods in secondary schools, colleges and universities, there's often a shortage of exam invigilators since the teachers and lecturers still have other work to attend to.
54. 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 have the latter), but some previous teaching experience is a must.
55. Count votes
Register with your council's elections office and get paid to count the votes at polling time. This can be in four-hour shifts, or longer. One MoneySaver reports earning £180 for working from 9pm - 5am.
56. 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's very hard to recruit for this role.
57. Become a mobile market researcher
Download apps to your phone to earn cash when you're out and about by checking prices, snapping a photo of a restaurant menu or seeing how much stock is on the shelves in the shops.
58. 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.
59. 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.
60. Be an Avon lady (or man)
Avon representatives earn commission on make-up, toiletries and other items they sell. You buy batches of catalogues and canvass friends, family, neighbours or colleagues for orders to bring in cash.
Source: http://goo.gl/w2RO0N
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