Follow our steps in this ultimate guide to making money and you could boost your finances by an extra £1,000+ in 2019. Whether it’s making your existing money work a bit harder, earning some extra cash online or starting a side hustle , there are all sorts of opportunities if you’re willing to put in a little bit of effort.
Get paid to browse the web
If you’re a regular online surfer, you could get paid to click on adverts, visit websites, and open emails using websites such as Qmee and Inboxpounds.
Qmee, for example, pays you when you search online. It works through a browser extension that pops up with a set of results each time you use an engine like Google or Amazon. If clicked, you bank the money until you want to cash out.
Test products for cash
If you’re interested in testing new products before they are launched – from food to the latest technology – you can get paid for giving your opinion on them.
Rewards come in the form of either a cash payment or gift vouchers, and you should be told in advance how much you’ll receive.
There are a number of websites online that you can sign up to, including Paid Product Testing.
Get paid to switch bank account
The introduction of the Current Account Switching Service has made it easier than ever to change bank accounts, which has made providers keen to tempt switchers.
Some banks will pay you cash or vouchers worth between £75 and £150 to switch your current account.
Try your luck with premium bonds
Premium bonds don’t pay any interest, but each bond is entered into a monthly prize draw in which holders can win up to £1m.
Since August 2014, the number of £1m jackpots doubled from one to two. There’s no guarantee that your returns will be as high as those offered by traditional savings methods, but the opportunity to become a millionaire overnight can be tempting.
Sell your stuff on Ebay
Unless you’ve been hiding under a desktop computer for the past 20 years, you will have heard of Ebay, the most popular auction site on the web, which you can use to boost your income by selling virtually anything.
It’s a good idea to set up a PayPal account, as this is the preferred method of payment and offers buyers peace of mind.
Just watch out for Ebay and PayPal’s fees, which can eat into any profits you make.
Share opinions in surveys
There’s a fair number of research agencies that pay a small amount to people who complete surveys online.
All you have to do is answer the questions. Panelbase, Valued Opinions and Toluna are among the bigger agencies. You can expect to earn anywhere from 50p to £5 a survey.
Turn on debit card cashback
Most major banks and building societies now offer tailored cashback schemes that pay up to 15% when you spend with your debit card in-store and online.
Santander’s is called Retailer Offers, Halifax offers Cashback Extras, Lloyds Bank has Everyday Offers, Nationwide has Simply Rewards, while HSBC and First Direct have Visa Offers.
The cashback opportunities are tailored to your spending habits, but you will need to activate them. You can do this through your online banking or mobile banking app.
Once you’ve selected the offers you want, you just need to spend on your linked card to earn money.
Advertise on your car
If you don’t mind driving around with a logo on your bonnet, you can make money by advertising on your car. You could make hundreds of pounds a month through websites such as Carquids.
Share your skills
Lots of online sites can help you make money from your skills in your spare time.
If you’re a dab hand at DIY, for example, you could become a ‘tasker’ using Taskrabbit. The site connects people who need a hand with odd jobs, and people who have some time and know-how.
You can also use Fiverr or Fivesquids to offer a service such as graphic design skills that you can provide online.
Make money from your driveway
Listing your driveway or garage on sites such as JustPark and YourParkingSpace could earn you cash from motorists searching for a cheaper or guaranteed spot.
You decide what to charge, with the going rate depending on location, demand and facilities, such as lighting and security.
Register your space free of charge and you could earn anything from £50 to £300 a month.
Recycle your old clothes
H&M will give you a £5 voucher – which you can use on purchases over £25 in store and online – for unwanted clothing or textiles you hand in at its stores through its garment collecting initiative.
The clothes you bring in can be any brand. It doesn’t matter what condition they’re in, but the donation should fill a supermarket carrier bag.
Marks & Spencer runs a similar scheme called ‘Shwopping’ and there are two ways you can benefit. You can fill up a bag with any old clothes and textiles, drop it off at an M&S store, and pick up 50 points on your Sparks loyalty card.
Sell what you make online
If you have a creative streak and enjoy making things like soaps, cards, jewellery or other crafts, specialist sites such as Etsy can help you sell them worldwide.
It’s US-based but operates internationally, and has a category for just about everything homemade. You can also sell things on Ebay of course, or on Gumtree or Preloved.
