Mirror
January can seem to go on forever if you’re feeling skint after Christmas.
But if you’re struggling to make ends meet, there are plenty of easy ways to earn some extra money – some without even leaving the comfort of your home.
We round up all the ways to make cash – including having a clear out of unwanted goods and renting out stuff you no longer use.
You can also be paid just to Google and for giving your opinions about the latest TV shows and films.
Having a little bit extra in your wallet may go a long way for millions of households who are battling against a cost of living crisis.
For most people, earning a bit of extra money – especially if you only do it now and again – means you won’t pay tax on anything you earn.
But you may have to start paying tax if you do it regularly and are reselling for a profit, or if you already have income from self-employment.
You don’t have to report the first £1,000 you earn from self-employment or selling goods for profit.
See the Gov.uk website for more information.
1. Fill in surveys online
There are plenty of survey websites out there that will pay you for simply giving your opinion on a whole range of topics, from sport to TV shows and even food.
Sometimes you’ll be paid just a few pence for one answer surveys, going up to a few pounds for longer questionnaires.
Most of the time, you’ll often need to build up points that you can then convert into money via PayPal or even vouchers.
Here are some of the most popular survey sites:
- Swagbucks – typically pays between 50p per survey, pays money via PayPal or vouchers
- OnePoll – typically pays 20p per survey, pays money via PayPal
- Newvistalive – typically pays £1 per survey, pays in vouchers
- YouGov – typically pays 50p per survey, pays money via bank transfer
2. Watch videos online
Swagbucks will also pay you to watch videos – be it short adverts, news content or even viral videos.
You’ll be paid in Swagbucks points (shortened to SBs) which can then be redeemed for gift cards or cash.
The gift cards they offer come from over 1,500 retailers, including Amazon, iTunes and Tesco.
MoneySavingExpert says typical earnings for someone using Swagbucks each month is around £25.
3. Get paid to Google
Qmee is an add-on to your browser that works in the background as you Google and brings up extra search results.
You get paid if you click on one of these results, usually between 4p and 15p – and sometimes as much as £1.
Of course, as you’re only making a few pence each time, it can take a while for your earnings to add up – but it’s not bad considering you’re literally being paid to browse the internet.
Any cash made is paid to you via Paypal, with can be transferred into your main current account.
4. Get paid to watch TV
Telly addicts can take part in research panels through The Viewers, which is where programme makers ask for your feedback on certain shows.
You can attend face-to-face research groups, fill in surveys online from home – or do both.
You’ll get at least £40 for face-to-face group discussions, while online surveys typically pay £1 to £3 depending on how long they are.
You can get paid via a bank transfer, PayPal or gift vouchers.
5. Use cashback sites
Cashback sites do exactly as the name suggests.
You’ll get money back for a qualifying shop when you provide proof of a receipt, and as long as you click a link from a cashback website.
Some of the most popular ones in the UK are Topcashback and Quidco.
Once you’ve built up your earnings – which can take a few weeks to clear in your cashback account – you can then transfer the money to your bank.
6. Have a clear out
If you’ve got unwanted Christmas presents, or anything in the attic that is gathering dust, then you could make easy money by selling it.
There are free ways to list your goods for sale online.
You don’t pay any fees to sell on Facebook Marketplace and it is free to list items on Gumtree.
eBay charges a final value fee of 12.8%, including postage, plus 30p per order – this is deducted automatically from your sales.
