FROM getting paid to browse the internet, to selling unwanted presents, here are 11 easy ways to make money from home if Christmas has left you feeling a bit skint.
A new year brings new resolutions and if yours is to be better with money, we have a few ways to help boost your cash flow.
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And the best part of all is that most of these tips don’t even require leaving the comfort of your home.
Before you dive in though, it’s worth nothing any extra cash you make may be taxable depending on how you earn it – so check with HMRC if you’re unsure what you need to declare.
Most people get a £1,000 tax-free allowance for money earned from small jobs or Airbnb – you can find out more about this on the Gov website.
We spoke to Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, to get his top tips for make some quick cash.
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1. Sell unwanted Christmas presents
This may sound like being a bit of a Scrooge, but leaving unwanted gifts to gather dust doesn’t benefit anyone.
Instead, sell them online to make a bit of extra cash.
There are four main websites you can try to sell unwanted goods, where you’ll find everything from clothes to cars.
They are: Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Shpock and Depop.
Depending on what you’ve got to sell, you could be looking at a quick hundred pounds or more.
Just bear in mind that some of these sites may charge listing fees or take a percentage of any sale, so check first.
Anything you can’t sell, give to the charity shop or try taking to a car boot.
2. Get paid to Google
Yes, there are actually companies out there that will pay you simply to browse the internet.
One of these is Qmee, which involves installing an add-on to your browser that works in the background as you Google.
If you click on a result that interests you then you’ll earn cash.
This is usually 7p to 15p per search but sometimes as much as £1.
The cash is then paid to you via Paypal.
There are lots of sites you can use, but these are the easiest to navigate: YouGov.co.uk, Prolific.ac and PineconeResearch.co.uk.
3. Upcycle other people’s junk and sell it on
A nice way to make money from the comfort of your own home is with a bit of DIY.
Pippa Selby, 31 of Bromley, is a member of LatestDeals.co.uk and saves £3,000 a year buying furniture second hand and doing it up.
But she also sells a lot of it on at car boot sales and online.
Look for free furniture in your local area on Gumtree and Freecycle, pick it up and upcycle it using tutorials on YouTube.
You can quickly turn a boring plain MDF table into something quirky and vintage – then sell it online for profit.
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4. Fill out online surveys for money
If you have some spare time, filling out online surveys can be a great way to earn extra cash.
There are lots of sites you can use, but these are the easiest to navigate: YouGov.co.uk, Prolific.ac and PineconeResearch.co.uk.
We’ve previously reported how you can make up to £6 per survey.
5. Earn free Amazon vouchers with online surveys
Marketing and research companies give you Amazon vouchers for your opinions, time, or data.
For example, one company called Swagbucks gives you up to £5 per hour.
Another called OnePoll gives you £1 per survey you complete.
If you put the time in you can earn a steady side income which comes in handy throughout the year.
Read more about how to earn free Amazon vouchers.
6. Make money on Instagram
Build your Instagram following and you may be able to make money by advertising products to your audience.
Once you have about 1,000 followers, try reaching out to a marketing agency such as Takumi which connects you with brands.
You could be making £50 to £500 for just one photo.
Home renovation is a hugely popular topic on the photo-sharing app with big audiences.
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7. Find a new job where you can work from home
This one is a big change, but if you’re considering a new job, why not find one where you can work from home.
It’s called “remote working” and basically means the job can be done from wherever you like – plus it saves on commuting.
From being an online English teacher to a customer support assistant, there are plenty of options available.
How much you can earn really depends on what you do, but take a look at job site Indeed to find the latest vacancies.
8. Turn your rubbish into cash
From empty toilet rolls tubes to used wine corks, there are plenty of ways to turn your rubbish into money.
A quick search on eBay shows discarded toilet rolls selling for £1.99 for a pack of 24 – roughly 8p per toilet roll.
Naomi Willis of money-saving website Skint Dad, previously told The Sun: “We first noticed it back in 2015 after randomly browsing on eBay.
“I’d have never believed it otherwise!”
See our article here for more ways to sell your rubbish.
9. Earn cashback on your shopping
Cashback websites such as Quidco or TopCashback are easy ways to earn money while shopping either online.
Quidco claims you could earn up to £280 a year from cashback, from anything from your food shop to swapping your utility bills.
They are free to use but there are plus memberships which cost £5 a year which can give you a higher rate of cashback.
10. Rent out stuff you don’t use
Got a drive way you don’t use? Or camera equipment you haven’t touched in years?
You could be missing out on hundreds of pounds of extra cash by not renting out the stuff you don’t need.
Sites such as Fat Lama let you set your own prices, but the company will take a 15 per cent cut if someone accepts your offer.
It also has an insurance policy to protect your items against loss, theft or damage.
While apps and sites such as JustPark connect drivers with a nearby free driveways.
11. Enter competitions
While no means a guarantee, you have to be in it, to win it.
Some websites will find free competitions where you can win treats, cash or huge prizes, including Magic Freebies.
The Sun spoke to one competition addict who enters 100 a day and has won £20,000 in prizes over the past two-and-a-half years.
Try and stick to free competitions, as you don’t want to end up spending loads on entrance fees.
Thrifty parents have also been coming up with ways to save money during pregnancy, including DIY maternity jeans.
Meanwhile we’ve found tricks to get thousands of pounds towards your first mortgage.
On a smaller scale, we’ve also found great tips to save money and get freebies at places such as McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King and Nando’s.
