Regular paid work can be tricky to maintain alongside studies. But, if you are still in need of some extra cash, there are plenty of ways you can make the most of your spare time when it comes up!

Take a look at these 8 ways that you can make money in your spare time as a student.

• Become a tutor
• Test websites, apps and games
• Sell photos
• Get crafty
• Take up odd jobs
• Use your car
• Write a book
• Become a promoter

Put your student skills to work!

As a student, you’re always acquiring specialist skills on subjects others might want to know about.

Earn back a bit of extra cash with tutoring, or offering your skills to teach online for sites like Coursera or Udemy. If devising a whole course sounds like too much, you can always help school students with particular subjects. Maybe you can help with their maths or English homework. Parents are always looking for extra study help for their children, and it’s a flexible job you can start right away.

Test out websites, app and games

Whenever you’ve got a spare 20 minutes, sites like UserTesting can earn you great money for just trying out a website and reporting back on the user experience. You’ll need to complete a trial run, have a good microphone, and clearly narrate what you do as you do it.

Once you’re approved, sites contact you to arrange assignments. You can take these assignments when you need some extra cash!

If you’re a gamer, you can also get paid to play games. Find out how here. 

Sell stock photography

If you have a camera that can take decent quality images, capitalise on the chance to keep a little income trickling in. Sites like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock are always looking for contributions. Every time someone purchases one of your photos, you receive a small royalty fee.

Take clear, quality photos and submit them. The site itself will often let you know what sorts of themes and content they are requiring. Find out more about selling your photos here.

Get crafty!

If you’ve any talent for handicrafts, Etsy was made for the craft enthusiast at home. It’s easy to get started, and once you have some intriguing trinkets, you can advertise them online and start making sales.

Alternatively, you can flip items at home. Gumtree or eBayare perfect for these kinds of sales, and will allow you to make a tidy profit on unneeded goods.

Or, get into ‘flipping’: purchase items at low cost from car boot sales and sell them on for profit. Show off your newfound treasures online and get the best price. Learn how to be “amazing at selling on Ebay” with this article.

Take up odd jobs

Whether you’re handy around the house or a willing babysitter, whatever odd jobs you can help out with are available to view on sites like Fiverr or TaskRabbit.

If you’d rather not do odd jobs around the house, you might consider other kinds of jobs as a freelancer. Sites like Upwork and PeoplePerHour make it easy to list your skills, find jobs that people from across the globe need doing, and get to work! They do charge fees for every successfully completed job, but you can still find yourself taking on work which is interesting, and pays you a little extra.

Use your driving skills

If you have regular access to a vehicle, why not get paid as you travel round town?

Uber takes a little bit of time to become fully registered with, but if you’re a good driver with a full licence and no issues on your record, you can make extra money from just driving people around. This leaves the earning potential up to you, as you can agree to take passengers whenever it suits you.

Sell a book online

Are you passionate about any particular subject? Is there a large audience for it? Do you have a flair for fiction? Put it to use and write a great eBook!

There are lots of great ways you can get your book out there and sell it. Even for a few quid a pop, these things can add up! If your book becomes popular enough you never know what it could lead to.

Become a Nightclub Promoter

If you love a good party (and as a student, you just might!) then why not make some extra cash from promoting events?

Being sociable and forging strong connections with DJs and nightclubs is crucial to make this work. You will need to convince people that this event is the right one for them, and that starts with your fun personality.

Interested? Read more with our article on how to get paid to party. 

Make the most of your spare time as a student, and use these ideas to get started!

The post 8 ways students can make money in their spare time appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Scrounging free flights and hotel stays is getting increasingly difficult in the post-lockdown, post-‘influencer’ world, and even professional travel writers now struggle to travel the world for free like they used to.

But there are still some ways to recoup the cost of your holiday, from renting out your home and driveway to looking after someone else’s pet while you sightsee.

Cut through the hype and discover what tips do and don’t work now, with our expert guide.

• Continue work while you’re away
• Become a De Facto Courier
• Earn money renting out your home while you’re away
• Rent out your drive
• Make money pet-sitting
• Sign up as a mystery diner for free holiday meals
• Make money selling your holiday pics
• Travel for free by becoming a ‘group leader’
• Earn cashback on your flight and hotel booking

Continue Work on Holiday

OK, OK, so being on holiday means taking annual leave or time away from your freelance job. But if you can negotiate working at least a couple of days a week remotely while you’re away, you won’t eat into your leave days or holiday fund quite so much. With remote work so common in a post-Covid world, it is easier than ever to negotiate a longer holiday overall, if you can arrange to work remotely a few days a week.

Speak to your boss about how you could work while you’re away, and make sure clear boundaries are set about when you are working and when you are on holiday. If you are travelling to a country that has an office for your company or clients, consider offering to spend a day carrying out in-person meetings (and some smooth-tongued employees can even use this to ask for expenses towards air travel and a hotel for a portion of the trip).

Freelancers can usually work from anywhere, which means it’s easy to up sticks for a week or two without dipping into your savings too much. Working a couple of hours a day ensures the income continues to roll in, but you can take advantage of doing it by a beach or in a beautiful historic city!

And remember, if you can tie your travel to work somehow, such as a research trip, some of your expenses can be offset on your Self Assessment.

Become a De Facto Courier

If you travel abroad relatively regularly, you’re probably quite familiar with friends and family members requesting specific items that can either only be purchased in your destination or are significantly cheaper there.

If you’re normally quite willing to oblige, you might as well make a little bit of cash out of it by signing up as a Traveler for Grabr.

This trusted peer-to-peer community marketplace connects shoppers and travelers all around the world, giving shoppers the opportunity to get their hands the products they love, but don’t have access to locally, with a little help from travellers heading their way.

Travellers set the price for the carriage and delivery, which shoppers are normally more than happy to pay. Grabr auto-calculates the traveler fee but you can request more money if an item is difficult to buy or carry.

Find out more about making money as a Traveler on the Grabr website.

Earn Money Renting Out Your Home 

Renting out your house out while you’re away is a simple – and pretty lucrative – way of recouping the cost of your holiday, especially if you live in a tourist hotspot.

Airbnb has obviously cornered the market in casual holiday lets, but there are a whole host of apps and websites out there that you can sign-up to, including Holiday Lettings, Vrbo, and Booking.com, all of which are quite easy to create and manage a listing on.

General rental sites like Spare Room or Monday to Friday are another good way of finding people who might want a full two weeks in a city, where, let’s face it, most Airbnb guests only want to stay for a day or three.

Which site is best?

Spare Room and Monday to Friday tenants are usually young adults or business people looking for a stopgap while they find more long-term accommodation. Sites like Booking.com and Air BnB let you list for short-term lets, which can give you more cash if you’re going away at a peak time.

There are just a few legalities to check before letting out your home, like whether you need to up your insurance. Airbnb, for instance, covers you for up to $1m in insurance, but your own home insurance provider may also need you to pay a small fee to include renters to your policy.

If you have a mortgage, you need to check if it’s okay with them too, as not all lenders allow you to offer your home out for short-term lets.

Home Swap

If you don’t want to rent out your home – or doing so would mean expensive changes to your insurance policy – you could consider a home swap with a friend or vetted person, instead. This is where you switch homes for the period of time: you live in their house, they live in yours. This was made popular with the Christmas film, The Holiday with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz. We can’t guarantee you’ll find the love of your life, but you might discover a cheap way to regularly visit a place that you love!

There are completely free home swap services, but going through an agency like HomeExchange with a small annual fee means you will have additional protection insurance and other support as part of your membership. Home swaps save you so much money on travel, it can be a way to explore the world on a limited budget – so paying an agency fee, where people are vetted to join, can be well worth it.

Rent Out Your Drive 

If your mortgage broker doesn’t allow you to let you rent out your house, or maybe you just don’t fancy having someone else stay in your home while you’re not there, you could always rent out your empty driveway instead.

Having a car on your drive will also do more to keep away would-be burglars than that hall lamp on a time switch ever could! You can also make a fair whack by simply letting someone else park on your property for a week or two. Again, the amount you could earn depends on where you live – if you’re live in a big city or near a major sporting venue, like Wimbledon or Aintree where parking is a major problem during certain weeks of the year, your drive will obviously be more in-demand than if you live on Dartmoor.

There are loads of companies that specialise in driveway rentals, including JustPark.com, ParkOnMyDrive.com, Stashbee.com and YourParkingSpace.co.uk. You’ll also find people listings their driveways on Gumtree, Facebook and other less-specialist sites, so it’s worth checking on those too to see if you could earn more by advertising on one of them.

Setting up an account only takes a minute or so, and the sites then either take a small cut from you, the leaser, or, in the case of JustPark.com, add an extra commission on to bill which the person renting your drive pays.

How much can I charge to rent out my drive?

The three cities most in-demand by space-shy parkers are London, Edinburgh and Brighton, where parking near the centre typically goes from £15 a day (if you exclude the chancers charging £50+). Even in the suburbs, the going-rate starts from £10 a day in Brighton, rising the closer you live to bus routes.

It may not sound a huge amount, but added up over a fortnight, you could (conservatively) look to make between £70 and £135 renting out your parking space – and that’s assuming you list at the very bottom of the market. Most of those drives are not in the most in-demand parts of Brighton, like near the beach or station.

It’s a similar story with other touristy cities like York, where city centre parking has just rocketed in April 2025, to a whopping £4.85 an hour in city car parks (up from 80p an hour just a month before!).

Will I earn more in other cities?

If you’re lucky enough to live in central London, Edinburgh, or York, your drive will pay for more than a few Magnums. You can easily make £20+ a day for each parking space. If you’ve a double drive or double garage, you’re looking at £40+ a day – which adds up to £560 in revenue during your two-week trip away. Have space for three cars? You could earn £840 to put towards your spending money.

Obviously, you will need to check with your home insurance provider to ensure that renting out your driveway or garage doesn’t affect your policy, and any extra cash you make over £1000 in a year must be declared to HMRC on your tax return.

Can I Make Money Pet Sitting?

As well as renting out your own house/drive to make some money, you could try getting paid to stay in the place you’re staying – or, at the very least, stay there for free. Most people don’t pay for house sitting anymore – unless you’re required to also look after pets.

The obvious way to do this is by offering your services as a house sitter. Not everyone can get a house swap, such as those who rent their homes rather than own them, but you can still register on a house sitting site to stay in someone’s house for free.

There are a number of reasons why someone would want you to stay in their house rent-free.

An increasing number of people own more than one property or spend long periods of time away on business, and would rather pay someone to look after the place than risk being burgled.

Burglary rates are highest during holiday periods, which, let’s face it, is probably when you are looking for somewhere too. Hiring a house-sitter also makes financial sense for home owners with lots of valuable contents, like priceless art and memorabilia, so having you on-site could actually help lower their insurance premiums.

What does house-sitting involve?

House sitting is typically very easy. Your job is to keep things dust-free and tidy, perhaps keep on top of the garden and water any plants, and, of course, you may be required to look after a pet too.

There’s quite a demand for those who are good with dogs, cats and other animals, given many pet owners don’t want to send their pets to expensive kennels and catteries, so if you enjoy walking and grooming animals, and can be trusted to keep them alive for two weeks, you’ll be ideal.

Not all house-sitting companies pay, but you’ll save hundreds of pounds on hotels and B&B by taking on the roll of unpaid dog-walker/night-watchman when you’re not off exploring the local tourist sites.

How do I register?

Most the main house sitting websites charge would-be sitters a small fee to register on their site. HouseSittersUK, for instance, charges £29 a year for access to its portal, which, as its website points out is ‘a fraction of the price of a night’s hotel accommodation’. Once registered, you can then begin searching for home owners in the area you’re hoping to stay, and chat directly with them to negotiate what they want and need from you. If they pay, they will typically mention this in the advert, but you can always ask about any remunerations or expenses when you message them. If they’re asking you to look after pets or be mindful of particular errands that could cost money, make sure you have in writing that they will cover any expenses incurred (like dog food).

Can I house-sit in another country?

If you’re looking for accommodation abroad, MindMyHouse.com has listings across the US, Canada and Mexico, which account for over a third of all ads, as well as lots in the rest of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.

Again, you have to pay a small yearly membership fee of $29 (roughly £25) but there are lots of nice looking listings in exotic destinations. Of course, the home owners are generally looking for help on specific dates (usually when they themselves are going away), so if you’re looking to visit California, for example, it may make sense to look up who is listed in that destination – and when they are looking for house-sitters – and, organising your trip around that, rather than booking your flights first and then being disappointed when you discover there are no Californians looking for house-sitters the fortnight you’re going to be there.

Can I specify what I will and won’t do? 

The interesting thing about this site is house sitters and home owners sign an agreement detailing exactly what is and isn’t included in the agreement, covering everything from payment (or otherwise) to the situation regarding utility bills, damages, and any chores/responsibilities. The contract also guarantees your stay, although each party can cancel the agreement up to seven days before you are due to arrive, so there’s always a chance you may have to find alternative accommodation if they cancel more than a week out.

Another popular site is Trustedhousesitters, however its joining fee is a lot more expensive, starting from £119 a year for a ‘basic’ membership. If you go down this route, it may not be a bad idea to upgrade to the £129 ‘standard sitter’ membership, which includes accidental and third party liability insurance, in case anything goes wrong during your stay. The premium membership of £249 is ideal for those wanting to house sit more than once a year (it’s still cheaper than a hotel!) as it includes sit cancellation cover.

If you apply for five house sits and aren’t successful with any of them, the standard and premium plan includes a refund on your membership cost.

Can I charge a fee to house sit?

Although payments are not the norm, you may be able to negotiate a small fee if there are pets to look after or any other additional tasks, so definitely give it a try if you feel you deserve a small daily amount.

One lady we know of at MoneyMagpie regularly makes £50 a day as a house-sitter. She only spends the evening and night in the house, before going to work the next day.

The reason for this high rate of pay is the fact that the owner of the house has seven dogs.

It would cost at least £10 per dog per day to put these dogs into kennels. By paying £50 to a house-sitter who knows the dogs, the owner saves £20 a day.

Generally, though, pay is minimal and starts at £10 a day. Some sitters ask for a food allowance of £10 a day, much like an employee can do when having to travel for their company. These sitters will often ask for 45p per mile for fuel, again much like employees get paid for using their private vehicle for work. Both of these payments are non-taxable, unlike any actual remunerations, which should be declared to the taxman if you meet the minimum threshold.

Another example of when a Magpie has been paid to house sit was when the person had a home business that required lots of sending and receiving parcels. They paid £10 a day to cover the trip to the post office, and to make sure the Magpie stayed at home during the set delivery times to take in parcels.

If you are more focused on earning money rather than just finding somewhere free to stay, you’re probably better looking at a specialised pet-sitting site, although you probably ought to be a real animal lover to bother applying to these. Most owners aren’t going to leave their beloved pooch with any Tom, Dick or Harry.

How do I become a pet-sitter?

The pet-sitting platform Rover doesn’t charge you to register and instead takes 15% of any money you make, much like Airbnb does. A lot of the sitters on its site are pros who either own boarding kennels and catteries, or run professional dog walkers services, and they obviously charge big bucks. That said, there are others who offer a more traditional house-sitting service, which is obviously preferred by many pet owners whose animals are too nervous or old to go to a kennel or cattery, so you might be able to undercut the pros, and net yourself a decent fee to help offset some of your other holiday costs. If you have a police DBS check and can get references from other pet owners attesting to your dog-whispering prowess, you’ll also seriously boost your chances of getting selected.

Again you’ll find listings across the UK on Rover, as well as in popular tourist destinations like the US, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden and Norway – where hotels are notoriously expensive.

If you plan to look after someone’s pet, you really ought to look into getting public liability cover, in case the dog bites someone while you’re out walking them, for instance. Many professional house-sitters take out public liability insurance even if they never look after pets. You never know what sort of any blow-back you might get from the home owner if things go wrong, so it’s always better to be safe than sued!

Get Free Meals and Hotel Stays as a Mystery Diner and Visitor

There are lots of agencies out there that employ people as mystery shoppers for hotels and restaurants. Some pay but most offer simply the expenses back of the meal or accommodation. They will often stipulate whether you need to order a particular thing, ask for help (such as ‘may I have an iron brought to my room?’ to test room service), and other such things. You will need to allocate some time to complete the tasks – but it will result in free stays and meals.

What will I have to do?

Typically, mystery diners are given a simple questionnaire to fill-in after their visit, asking them to rate how friendly the staff were, how clean and presentable the restaurant looked, and other perhaps brand-specific questions, like did the meal arrive within a certain time after ordering.

Lots of students and retired people do mystery shopping or mystery dining work as a part-time job, but if you’re really only interested in doing it every so often to cover those dinners away, you could try signing up for a site like MysteryDining.

While most people who use the app review restaurants in their local area, it let’s you update your preferences if you’re travelling, meaning you can select to review restaurants and hotels, for example, while you’re elsewhere in the UK. They even have some international partnerships, meaning you could eat for free while on holiday in parts of Europe, the Middle East and America.

Can I get paid for reviews?

MysteryDining doesn’t pay you for each review, but offers ’capped reimbursements’ – ie. money to pay for the meal or hotel room you’ve been asked to review. It works on a tiered system (with bronze, silver, gold and platinum levels, depending on how many reviews you’ve done). Not surprisingly, the best gigs, like hotel stays, spa visits, meals at high-end restaurants, and afternoon teas, are reserved for people with more experience – which you gain, initially, by reviewing a lot of ‘quick service’ eateries, like Pret A Manger.

If living it up for free isn’t enough, you can find paid gigs here, although they require a bit more commitment and effort, and, are frankly, more of a job than something you can just casually do while enjoying a much-needed break.

Make Money Selling Your Holiday Pics

If you’re travelling somewhere a bit unique or off the beaten track, however, and are a good amateur photographer with a DSLR camera, you might as well give it a go, as it’s surprising how few images the photo agencies have of vast swathes of Africa, for instance.

What sort of images will sell?

Obviously there’s very little demand for new images of Table Mountain or Kruger National Park. But you’d be surprised at just how few images there are of other relatively mainstream African destinations on most picture libraries.

For instance, if you type ‘fisherman + Gabon’, ‘hyenas + Namib-Naukluft National Park’ or the name of a beach in Zanzibar or Mozambique into a photo library search bar (like a picture editor looking to illustrate a story would do), very few images will likely come up.

Even if there are a few relevant images on the site, there’s a good chance those that those photos will already have been used by the picture editors at specialist publications (or even mainstream media houses), meaning your snap could be exactly what they’re looking for next time they search one of those terms.

If you’re going even further off the tourist trail to visit relatives in Nigeria, for example, then you could really clean up. You’d be shocked at how few good images there are of a country of 200 million people!

Where do I sign up?

There are lots of online agencies. Some popular sites include:

• Alamy
• Shutterstock
• Getty Images
• Adobe Stock

When you register your details, the site will usually ask you to send between five to 10 photos so it can test the quality and type of photos you send them. If your photos don’t conform to the site’s requirements, they will be rejected.

If this happens, don’t worry – just try again, taking their comments into consideration. Sometimes it may just be because they already have too many of the sort of photo you’re sending.

After your pictures have been checked and cleared you’ll be notified when they go live on the website, usually after about 24 hours.

Then there’s nothing to do after that except wait until people buy your photos. Once your account reaches a certain limit you can get your hands on the cash.

Legal issues to consider

There are a few legal issues to consider before you upload any pics on to a photo library. For instance, pictures of identifiable houses or models (any person who is in the photo) will in most cases need a release form. This is signed by the model or house owner to cite that their permission has been given for you to profit from their personal belongings. Each website has a release form for you to download if you need it.

You should also avoid taking pictures of car registration plates, company logos (these might be Registered Trade Marks) and anything that could be considered inflammatory (racist graffiti, for example). You need to check the laws of the country you are in to ascertain what you can and can’t take photos of in a public space, too.

Travel for Free by Being a ‘Group Leader’

A lot of travel companies offer a discount if a large group is booking together. These include major brands like Virgin Holidays and Eurostar, which will give large groups of 10 or more a 10% discount. The practice is also common among specialist tour ops that arrange skiing trips, walking holidays, biking tours, golf breaks and safaris. These specialists often allow the tour ‘leader’ or person who arranged the group booking to travel for free, as a thank you/incentive for organising the trip and to encourage them to arrange more in the future.

If you set up a group holiday for friends or family you could be rewarded for your effort by pocketing that discount yourself (agree it with your friends first of course).

Not only will the travelling be cheaper, you might then be eligible for cheaper entry into attractions, too. These may be museums, amusement parks etc. It’s essentially just another way of buying in bulk.

Earn Cashback on Flight and Hotel Bookings

The other easy way to make free money on your holiday is by paying for as much of your trip on a credit or debit card that pays you money back every time you spend. Even better if you can also purchase via a cashback site like Quidco or Topcashback, to stack the rewards.

A lot of bank cards are now de facto ‘reward cards’ that pay you every time you use your card to buy goods and services. Often this reward cash is a flat percentage rate, which you earn each time you use your card. Other banks may team up with specific companies, which often change on a monthly basis, and offer money back or extra money back each time you buy something with one of their partners that month.

Obviously, if you’re travelling abroad, the small fee you earn each time you spend will (usually) be offset by foreign transaction fees, but you could make a fair chunk of cheddar if you use a reward card to book flights, pay for a package holiday, or if you book hotels and other holiday essentials through a UK website before your trip begins.

Earn Avios points when you spend

An alternative to using cashback is to earn Avois or Virgin Reward points on your daily spending to save throughout the year, for discounted flight, airport lounge, and hotel costs. The British Airways credit card and Virgin Reward card offer these – but check out others like Amex Rewards as they may also be part of a points scheme.

You can often get extra bonuses too, such as a free companion voucher once you’ve earned a certain level of points – meaning you can take a friend or partner on your trip for free, too.

The post How to make money while you’re on holiday appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

If you’re the sort of person who likes to take some reading material into the bathroom with you, then why not try to make money on the toilet instead?

Here are 10 things you can try:

1. Do an online survey – or three
2. Check Free Postcode Lottery for a chance to win money every day
3. Slogan competitions
4. Save money by switching your gas and electricity
5. Earn while you surf
6. Save money by switching your car insurance
7. Save money by your home insurance
8. Come up with a killer business idea
9. Come up with a new TV game show format
10. Sell your toilet roll tubes
11. Play Games

Do an online survey – or three

Online surveys are a quick and easy way to make money on the toilet. They can be quick or long, depending on which one you do.

We like Inbox Pounds. It’s easy to sign up simple to use wherever you are. Including the bathroom.

In fact they give you £1 just for signing up, so you’ll be making money even If it’s a very quick visit.

Take a look at our article on how to make money with online surveys to see even more survey sites that will can be used to make money on the toilet!

Check the Postcode Lottery for a chance to win money every day

Now this really is a quick and easy one.

Check the Free Postcode Lottery for an opportunity to win money every day. On some days they have over two thousand pounds to give away if it’s been a roll-over.

All you need to do is sign up with your email address and postcode. Then you check the site each day to see if your postcode is the winning one. It’s that easy. Read our article about it here.

They also have other ways to win such as an Emoji Lottery and a Video Lottery. So if you happen to be someone who takes a little while on the toilet, then this may be worth a try.

Check it out and sign up for free here.

Come up with slogans for competitions

We love competitions at MoneyMagpie. In fact, we often tell you about upcoming contests in our newsletter (sign up here to get them sent to your inbox).

As you can see in our article on how to get money and freebies through competitions, some companies run slogan competitions, here you have to come up with a clever little phrase about their product to win the prize.

Save money switching gas and electricity

If you’re reading this on your smartphone right now, you could be saving yourself a tidy sum just by switching your gas and electricity provider. You don’t even need your bills to see how much you could save. Just put your postcode into the box here and see which companies are offering you a cheaper deal.

It’s likely that it will be one of the smaller suppliers. They are doing their best to get into the market and compete with the larger providers who dominating it.

Check it out now and make some money!

Earn while you surf

You could win up to £250 a month just for surfing the net with this competition site called Neilsen.

They have been known to give up to £30,000 away every year.

 Save money switching your car insurance

Again, while you have your mobile phone on you consider switching your car insurance. Your car insurance premium may have gone up since you last checked, but you can save yourself money by switching to a cheaper deal than you have now.

Take this time do explore the different options that are available.

Switch to a better car insurance deal here.

 Save Money switching your home insurance

According to Which? Magazine you should be able to save money by switching your home insurance. While sitting on the throne you may have some time to kill. Why not try this?

Do it here. Switch to a better home insurance deal.

Come up with a killer business idea

Is visiting the loo the only time you get some peace and quiet and time to think? It is for some people, if so then spend a bit of extra time to ponder a killer business idea.

You probably already have one rattling around your mind. Use this time to work out how to do it, what you will need to start and how to make a profit.

We have plenty of ideas for you, as well as lots of help and advice to hey you started here on our small business section. For example, take a look at this article with twenty tips for setting up your own business.

Come up with a new TV game show format

Feeling creative? Being on the toilet can be a good time to come up with story ideas for a novel or other creative pursuit.

But have you ever considered creating a TV game show idea?

Game shows can be hugely lucrative if you can come up with an original concept it right. People make hundreds of thousands from a successful idea they came up with which was then sold to production companies all over the world.

See our article here on how to come up with a winning TV game show format.

Sell your toilet roll tubes

It’s possible to sell the cardboard insides of your toilet rolls on eBay. There really are people who need them for craft projects and will buy them off you. Sell them for about £7 per 50. If you have a family you will probably get through a lot and will be able to gather 50 rather quickly.

It’s not a major income by any means, but it’s simple enough to do.

Play Games

For all the gamers, help to improve game development by getting paid for testing games. Find out how here.

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The post Ten ways to make money, while on the toilet! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Thankfully, there are plenty of summer jobs available around the UK, from the relatively easy to the more challenging, but all will get you out of the office, away from the shops and into a new adventure. So here’s our roundup of ways you can gain employment this summer – start looking now to make sure you have something good lined up for your summer months!

• Earn money fruit picking
• Take up gardening
• Work a festival
• Air BNB your house or garage
• Have fun as a child minder
• Be a pet walker
• Sell your photos
• Become a lifeguard
• Remote admin work

Earn Money Fruit Picking 

Over the last few years, there’s been a shortage of willing fruit pickers offering their services to British farms. As a result there are usually plenty of fruit-picking jobs available throughout the summer. 

What you’ll be picking will depend of course on the farm but also on the month. For example, strawberries and gooseberries are often picked from early June to mid July, plums and apples are picked in late August, and apples and pears are picked in September. 

Your best bet would be to travel to your local farm and speak to the owners directly. Also look out for adverts in local shop windows and village halls. Find a farmers’ market near you and ask about any jobs going. 

Picking Jobs is a useful website where you can put in a search for fruit picking in Europe and see what’s available. Anywork Anywhere has a similar set-up and can be used to search for all kinds of other seasonal jobs both here and abroad. When you see a job that interests you, email the employer directly giving a few basic details about yourself and the dates you can do. 

You’ll be working outside so wear old casual clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. You may be standing in fields for hours on end so comfortable shoes are a must. You’ll also need a hat and sun cream so you don’t get burnt. Insect repellent is a good idea, and make sure you drink plenty of water. 

Earnings are often cash in hand and if you earn enough you will be expected to take care of all your own taxes. It’s unlikely you’ll make a lot of money, so you may not exceed your personal income allowance. For this year, the personal allowance is £12,750.

You’ll typically be paid minimum wage: 

• £12.21 per hour for workers aged over 21
• A rate of £10 per hour for workers aged 18–20 inclusive 
• £7.55 per hour for all workers under the age of 18 (hours may be restricted due to employment laws)

Depending on the farm you’re working for, you might be paid hourly or daily, but sometimes you’re paid according to the amount you pick (e.g. you get x amount per kg or pound). This system is called ‘piecework’ and it’s fruitful (sorry) for those who work particularly hard.  

Take Up Gardening 

If you’re green-fingered then gardening for cash is an ideal way to make some extra money. Lots of people start thinking about the state of their garden in the weeks leading up to summer so it’s the ideal time to pounce on their insecurities! 

Offer your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours your services as an expert lawn mower, weed eradicator and plant potter and you’ll be a renowned small-time gardener in no time at all. 

Start attracting business by handing out cards and flyers (you can get free business cards printed from Banana Print) and by knocking on doors. Once you’re up and running, word of mouth should spread and work should roll in on a regular basis. 

Ideally, you’ll need your own lawnmower, garden tools and transportation to get from place to place. 

In terms of tools, get yourself a sharp pair of secateurs, a pair of tough gloves and a long, thin trowel.  A spade, fork, and rake are also versatile and useful. There are plenty of different tools out there to help make your job in the garden a bit easier. Here are a couple of useful websites: 

•  Robert Dyas 
•  Gardening Direct 

Don’t think too big to begin with – offer basic services that people generally don’t have time to do themselves for a reasonable price. Professional gardening companies charge around £15 for simple tasks, so long as you can beat their quotes you should have plenty of business. 

Work a Festival 

Are you interested in getting FREE festival tickets? Fun in the sun at Reading Festival might seem a world away at the moment, but if you want to get some free festival tickets, you need to start planning now. Being a charity volunteer will get you into the festival for nothing and you’ll only have to work a few shifts – then you can enjoy the music with everyone else! 

You’ll need to join an events recruitment company. Here are a few we tracked down for you: 

• Festaff supplies casual staff for over a dozen music festivals in the UK, including Bestival, Creamfields, Wickerman, Camp Bestival, Isle of Wight Festival, Sonispshere, Rockness and Beachdown. Some of these are currently recruiting, so if you’re interested, fill out their application for summer positions. 
• Delaware North Companies Ltd (DNC) runs a food and catering service at both Wembley Stadium and Emirates Stadium. They provide full training for all the roles, and job vacancies range from bar staff to sous chefs. See the Hospitality Staff website for full details on DNC job profiles and how to apply. 
• Jam Staffing employs people for events all over the UK. They’re looking for waiters/waitresses, security staff, models and much more. You can apply through their website. 
• For something a bit different, how about mobile catering with MJR Tom? This involves walking around events at stadiums, football clubs and racecourses. You will then sell whatever it is you’re told to. 

Air BnB Your House

Your part of the world could very well attract people to your very own B&B, run from your house. Think about what makes it special and what would encourage people to visit. Do you live in a picturesque village by the seaside, or in a busy and bustling city? How close are you to transport links and tourist attractions? Could you offer weekday stays for commuting professionals? Is your area the sort of place that people will want (or need) to come to and stay in?

Having a big house with lots of rooms is only half the battle won. Think about your unique selling point. 

You might also consider doing a survey to find out what people want from a B&B. Send it to friends, family and colleagues to get a good range of responses. Use that to inform your plans. Once you get going, ask guests for feedback. Also ask them to review your place on TripAdvisor and Google – both of those are useful ways to get business in for free. 

If you want a more regular income across the year, and a good spare room, consider the Rent a Room scheme which allows homeowners to earn £7500 tax free as they take in a lodger.

Have Fun as a Nanny or Babysitter

Are you great with kids? Looking after someone else’s offspring every now and then can be a fun summer money maker. A spot of good weather (hopefully) will mean that you can take the children for fun days out and not be stuck indoors too often. 

If you need some inspiration when it comes to entertaining children, Day Out With The Kids is a brilliant website full of places to visit for both indoor and outdoor activities in your region.

Childminding is different from babysitting or nannying. If you are babysitting for a few hours, you don’t need any qualifications. Nannies who work from their client’s home (and only look after the same family) don’t, either. But a childminder needs to register with Ofstead if they’re working from their own home or looking after children under the age of 8. Regardless of which you do, it would be good to take a child-specific first aid course.

You could charge around £12 an hour. The long summer holidays can be a real pain for working parents so there should be plenty of work. Whilst looking after children, be prepared for every eventuality. Keep phone numbers for parents and emergency contacts if for some reason you can’t get hold of them. Ask about allergies, medication or anything else you might need to know. 

Want to make it make it a more regular gig? Professional childminding and babysitting is a different story. If you’d like to look after the children of strangers on a regular basis, you’ll need to be a registered childminder and have the proper checks to be able to work without fear of a lawsuit. 

You can register with agency websites such as Sitters and Childcare.co.uk where you can advertise as a babysitter for free. The agency then makes all the arrangements for you. Also, drop a note through your neighbours’ doors to let them know you’re available to look after their children. You could even send out a group email to friends or work colleagues informing them of your new babysitting venture. Make sure you include a price list to establish the fact that it isn’t a free service from the start. 

Having a DBS check (formerly CRB) will make it easier for you to get work. If you don’t have one, you need to be willing to get one when an agency hires you.

Written references from people for whom you have already worked with make a big difference. However, even if you haven’t given babysitting a go before you can get character references from a teacher, your bank manager or another professional who knows you well. 

If you do find that you’re struggling to get work, initially keeping your rates down to a minimum will do your reputation a lot of good – then you can always increase your fee later on once you’ve established some regular clients. Don’t go below minimum wage, though!

Be a Dog Walker 

If you’re fit, active and enjoy spending time with animals then walking people’s dogs can be a really enjoyable and easy way to make some quick cash. 

You can find your first customers just by asking around. Start by asking neighbours and others you know if they require your services. If your workload seems a little feeble, you could try advertising with a poster or notice at your local veterinary clinic, pet shops and at rescue centres, if they’ll let you.  

After that, if you’re good and reliable, you’ll get publicity through word of mouth. Many dog walkers get clients when they meet them in the park. 

You can also join a local dog-walking agency such as PetPals or register yourself as a dog-walking company at NarpsUK. Narps members can access discounted rates for insurance and it can also help you find more work through its pet owner postcode search facility. You’ll earn less per hour but the work would be more regular. Just put ‘dog walking’ into your search engine with your local area and see what comes up. There are lots of little, local agencies all over the country. 

The biggest expense will be insurance. Pet Business Insurance offers a number of packages including: 

• Public liability – if the dog runs out into the road and causes a pile up, or bites someone 
• Care, custody and control – looks after the pet itself if it gets injured while under your care 
• Loss of key – if you lose your employer’s keys they’ll pay to change the locks 

You’ll also need a ready supply of pooper-scoopers and bags. Perhaps some doggy toys, too, but owners will usually supply their own.  Make sure you check with owners before feeding their dog any treats – and stick to those specifically made for dogs, no human food.

Sell Your Photos

If you’re a dab hand with a camera, try selling your summer holiday snaps to photo agencies and libraries. Each time one of your photos is sold you can earn a commission. Most sites will ask for a selection of photos to test the quality and there’s a chance they’ll be rejected. But if you don’t try you’ll never know! Also, there are lots of photo sites to choose from and there’s nothing to stop you from signing up with all of them. 

Even if you’re not going away, why not get out and about with your camera and start taking some pictures? For an idea of what stock libraries are looking for visit the websites themselves. They usually need images of people’s hometown, street, groups of people, and people in business and work shots. 

Sites such as Adobe often have a travel section for professional-quality photographs of interesting things and places. Others such as 123RF operate in a similar way. 

You can also try contacting smaller travel magazines – send an email to their pictures editor and find out their rates. 

If you want to submit a photo to sell, it has to be an RGB JPEG saved at a high setting (such as Photoshop level 10 setting or 48 MB in size). They must not be compressed file sizes. Usually the higher the image resolution, the more you’ll be paid, so keep files large. 

Do be careful about the pictures you submit – such as pictures of identifiable houses or models. Any person who’s in the photo will, in most cases, need a release form. This is signed by the model or house owner to cite that their permission has been given. This is because you will profit from their personal belongings. Also, some properties and logos are trademarked and therefore will not be accepted. 

What you charge is completely up to you, but it’s advisable to only charge what you think people can afford.  

Become a Lifeguard

If you’re a strong swimmer why not become a lifeguard for the perfect summer job? It’s a great way to meet people and although it’s a serious job (your role is to look after and possibly save someone’s life) it can be lots of fun too. 

There are two types of lifeguard: 

• Swimming pool lifeguards – employed by a leisure centre, private club, local authority, hotel or holiday centre 
• Beach lifeguards – employed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) 

Once you’re qualified try sites like Leisurejobs, Gapyear.com and Gumtree to find work. Also, contact your local pool and ask about vacancies. 

To be a pool lifeguard you’ll need one of the following qualifications: 

• The National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) 
• The National Aquatic Rescue Standard (NaRS): Pool Lifeguard 
• NPLQ and NaRS courses are based at local swimming pools or leisure centres. They are run through approved centres, such as colleges and swimming clubs. 

To be a beach lifeguard you’ll need one of the following qualifications: 

• RLSS National Beach Lifeguard Qualification 
• National Aquatic Rescue Standard (NaRS): Beach Lifeguard, run by the Surf Life Saving Association of Great Britain (SLSA GB) 

These qualifications can be gained by training with a commercial training organisation like Harlyn Surf School in Cornwal. Or, you can join a local RLSS Lifeguard club or SLSA GB life-saving club as a volunteer. 

You can get information on all lifeguard courses in your area through the Learndirect careers advice website. Expect to pay between £100 and £150, although if you receive benefits you may be entitled to discounts. Because you’ll be working with or around children, you’ll need to undergo a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service check). 

Remote Admin Work

If you want to earn some extra cash on the side in the summer without going anywhere special, consider finding remote admin work. You can pick up jobs on sites like Fiverr, or ask around friends and family. If you’re a dab hand with spreadsheets and Word shortcuts, there are plenty of people who would like some extra help with the boring-but-necessary business tasks they have.

Target other freelancers or small businesses. They are the ones most likely to need extra assistance as a remote PA, admin worker, or even stuffing envelopes! The work is often flexible and can be charged by the hour – try to get at least £15 an hour for most tasks. Target local events companies too, as they may have lots of upcoming event that require bag stuffers and leafleters.

The post Top Summer Jobs 2025 Edition appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Want to make quick cash right now? Check out our ten top ways to make money fast, with the least amount of effort possible.

Perhaps you’re looking for easy ways to make money online from the comfort of your sofa, or perhaps you want to make sure your credit report is accurate and up to date so you can get the best deals.

Here are our 10 easy ways to make quick cash, and don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter for weekly quick-cash-making and money-saving ideas.

• Earn with Pawns.app
• Join inCompass
• Make Money with Toluna
• Claim Your Free Money-Making eBook
• Save on Your Energy Bills
• Get Paid for Your Opinion
• Get Paid to Use the Internet
• Have a Free Financial MOT
• Make £400 a Month Mystery Shopping

Earn an average $12 a day with Pawns.app

You might have heard of apps like Swagbucks and Toluna, well, Pawns.app is in the same vein of money making apps. However, it adds an extra competitive advantage: there’s a leaderboard where, each week, top users could win an extra $300, as well as other unique earning opportunities.

Pawns.app is available in 190 countries, including (of course) the UK, and in 2023, it paid out $3.8million to users with an average daily earning for each user of $12. You can pay out as soon as you’ve earned $5.

Pawns.app works on desktop for Windows and MacOS, as well as Android and iPhones. You can claim an additional $3 dollar bonus just for signing up via this page! 

Join inCompass and earn £20 for your first month

Make Money with Toluna

Toluna is a great site to join. You not only earn points which you can later redeem for fantastic prizes, but you also have the opportunity to get free goodies.

Click the appropriate device to complete the survey! iPhone, Android, Desktop

Claim Your FREE Money-Making Email & eBook

Sign up for FREE to our Make Money Newsletter and every Tuesday we’ll send you the inside tips YOU need to succeed.

Grab hold of our expert cash advice and run with it – it’s been created with the sole purpose of making you quick cash. What’s more, each issue also contains a lot of special bargains designed to save you cash.

You could also hop over to our eBooks section and grab a FREE copy of our ‘Make £1000 Before Christmas’ eBook.

Win £850!

Want to win a nice wad of cash?

If you’re still not sure what it’s all about, you can read our article all about it here, which tells you everything you need to know so you can start winning.

Save Money on Your Energy Bills

Now is a perfect time to fix your deal as energy prices continue to rise or fluctuate dramatically. And check out lots more ways to save on your energy bill.

If you want to find the very best deal before you fix, shop around!

Click here to use our comparison tool and find a better deal for you.

Be Paid for Your Opinion

This is a sporadic way to make quick cash and it brings in a relatively small income, but it’s low effort and you’ve nothing to lose. It’s a great way to make quick cash from the comfort of your computer but make sure you NEVER pay to join an online survey site or reveal your credit card details.

Earn money for testing apps, games and surveys – find out how here

Inside tip! Here are our favourite online survey sites. They’re completely free and have received a big thumbs-up from many of you. For maximum earnings set up a separate email account (so your personal one doesn’t get flooded with survey-related emails) and then register for free with all of them:

• Branded Surveys
• Swagbucks
• InboxPounds
• Toluna
• LifePoints

If you like the sound of making quick cash through filling out online surveys make sure you check out our full article right here on the safe way to earn money by taking paid surveys.

Earn for Using the Internet

Get a Free Financial Health Check

Sense check your finances with a free financial health check – a 30-60 minute call or meeting with a local, well-rated IFA.With more than 4,500 independent financial advisers and over 60,000 reviews, VouchedFor is home to the UK’s top advisers.Simply leave your details and VouchedFor will find the best adviser to conduct your free financial health check.Get your free financial health check here.

Make Up to £400 a Month Mystery Shopping

Fancy getting paid to eat out, shop and even go on holiday? Try mystery shopping!

Our editor Jasmine has been a mystery shopper for over five years now, earning decent money on the side while bagging brilliant freebies left, right and centre.

Now you can too! Read all about it here.

The post Easy ways to make quick cash appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

We’ve come up with lots of ways to make money on the side in easy and unexpected ways, even if you’re not very mobile. (Keep an eye out for a new series coming soon that will cover other types of invisible disabilities and mental health conditions.)

Here’s a list of just some of the many ways people with physical disabilities can make extra money, without loads of hassle.

Many of them are not only handy for bringing in the cash, they’re also fun to do!

• • How to make money if you’re not mobile
  • Make money if you’re semi-mobile
  • How to make money if you’re mobile with other disabilities
  • Top 5 tips for disabled people looking to find work 

How to make money if you’re not mobile

If you you’re not mobile or have a fluctuating condition that impacts your daily mobility, you might be tempted to think there are no money-making opportunities for you. But you’d be wrong!

There are loads of ways you can make some money from home – from online surveys to setting up a blog.

Here are some great money makers especially for you:

Make money with online surveys

Online surveys are great ways to make some extra cash, with very little effort required. Simply sign up to a safe, secure online survey site and you’ll be paid cash for filling out their surveys.

They don’t require a special commitment – you can fill them in during the ads of your favourite TV shows or whenever you have a spare half an hour.

Online surveys can make you up to an additional £50 a month.

At MoneyMagpie we like Nielsen Computer Panel UK. It’s great: all you have to do is download their app onto your computer and mobile devices and you’re automatically entered into prize draws.

Nielsen researches internet users’ behaviour and randomly selects users for monthly prize draws, as well as larger yearly draws. As long as you’re comfortable with the setup, Nielsen doesn’t require any active participation on your part. All you need to do is register, answer a few questions about your internet use and then you get rewarded for using them!

Check out the following of top survey sites:

• Swagbucks
• Nielsen Online Panel
  
• InboxPounds
• Toluna
• LifePoints

See our article on MoneyMagpie-approved survey sites and start making money today.

Some sites let you swap your earned points for cash or great vouchers such as Amazon gift cards.

Just remember, never pay to sign up to an online survey site.

Make money writing to magazines

Magazines are often looking for true life stories from ordinary people – you can make a lot of money from telling yours.

Very few people actually write in to magazines with their true life stories, so there’s plenty of opportunity to contact features teams and sell yours.

You can make up to around £2,000 depending on how sensational or interesting the story is – in fact one MoneyMagpie reader earned £2,200 for her life story.

Stories can vary and you can talk about anything – magazines look for stories of tragedy, hope, inspiration or humour.

How to sell your story to magazines

The process is simple. Phone up or email a journalist (or contact the features team via email) and briefly outline the story you’re interested in selling. You can get your money in as little as two weeks!

Take a Break magazine offers up to £2,000 for true stories, and other magazines and newspapers offer between £200 and £2,000 depending on how good the story is.

You can make even more by including a relevant photo, which helps make your story more interesting!

If you have a life story you’d like to sell, target the magazines you know your story will be relevant to.

For example, a story of dramatic weight loss would be ideal for a magazine like Woman’s Weekly, but may not be great for Total Film!

Keep an eye out for magazine competitions too. You could win big prizes for doing very little.

Some magazines even reward cash for tips, recipes and star letters too. Check your favourites and see what they offer.

Have a sharp eye for detail? Make money reading…

If you can spot grammatical errors from a mile off then proofreading is the perfect career for you.

To be a proofreader you must have an excellent standard of English and strong attention to detail, so you can spot all the errors in documents and manuscripts.

There are no set entry requirements for becoming a proofreader, but relevant experience is a bonus (and if you’ve got a degree in English, that won’t hurt either!). Proofreaders spot mistakes in texts and make changes.

Proof reading pays surprisingly well, with the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) reporting that the minimum hourly rate for experienced and qualified proofreaders is £29.85.

For those with less experience, don’t fret. A talented newbie proofreader can still earn up to £15-20 per hour. Not bad for a flexible job.

Another great thing about freelance proofreading is that you usually work flexible hours. You can plan your working day around deadlines and how long the manuscripts will take.

Once you’ve finished your work, you’re done for the day. So, if you’re a fast and diligent worker, you could be earning a decent wage that fits around your social life.

Make a name for yourself online and make extra cash – or freebies!

Do you have something you want to share with the world?

Have you got opinions people need to hear?

Consider setting up a blog.

Blogs can be about absolutely anything. They can be personal, like a kind of diary blog, or you could simply write about a subject you find interesting.

If you have something unique to say, write it. It’s very therapeutic and you can make good money on the side from blogging if it becomes successful.

Here are some useful tips on how to make your blog more popular:

Firstly, write about something you’re passionate about. It’s important you find it fun to do or you won’t be motivated, and people will find it less interesting to read. You have to ooze enthusiasm.

Publish your blog on a popular site like WordPress. The free version comes with lots of tutorials to help you learn more about running your website.

Remember to focus on promoting your blog in various ways. Word of mouth, telling your friends and family, and using social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) are great ways to get your content noticed!

Finally, you could use your blog to sell things or advertise your own services.

See our article on how to make money blogging.

(Keep an eye out for a new article April 2025: Making money writing with subscriptions – how to use Substack and Patreon to make money!)

Make £15-£25 an hour as a Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistant positions are a great opportunity to make money if you’re skilled on the computer but not very mobile.

To be a virtual assistant you must be computer literate and confident with major software packages. You can adapt your workstation with things like speech-to-text software if you have limited mobility in your hands, too.

There’s high demand for virtual assistants from small businesses who can’t afford full-time admin support. Some larger companies also employ virtual assistants to work from home: much secretarial work can be completely remote.

As a virtual assistant you’ll answer calls in a professional manner, reply to emails, and manage diary bookings. You’ll have to be proactive and work to meet deadlines, and you may be tested to see if you’re performing to a high standard.

While some businesses use chatbots to handle basic administrative queries, they often struggle with emotional intelligence, complex problem solving, and personalised communication. These are areas where human virtual assistants truly excel. This makes VAs especially valuable for companies needing flexibility and empathy in client interactions. That’s why many still choose people over automation when chatbots fail to meet real-world business demands.

You can find work as a virtual assistant by signing up to a decent free agency, and can earn up to £27 per hour.  Try Virtual Office Temps or the Society of Virtual Assistants has more information and lots of tips on how to get started.

How exciting would it be to work with clients across the globe and liaise with people from different countries?

Read more about becoming a virtual assistant here.

Make money calling companies

If you’re not mobile, there are loads of phone-based mystery shopper jobs. You call a given company and ask a list of questions. All you have to do is report their response.

Mystery shoppers are also needed in the online world. Your role will be to contact and send specific enquiries to websites. You’ll monitor the speed and contact of the response. Again, you’ll probably provide your feedback through a straightforward and simple questionnaire.

You’ll then be paid when you’ve reported your findings. Once you’ve done your bit, you will sometimes be paid within 24 hours of your assignment.

Pay rates differ for different agencies and companies. You can expect to earn £5-£25 per task plus expenses. However, for phone calling mystery shopper jobs the pay is much lower – £1-£5 for phone work.

This obviously won’t pay the bills, but it’s a fun way to earn a bit of extra cash. If you’re interested in taking part in mystery shopping, see our article for the best and safest mystery shopper agencies.

Never pay to join a mystery shopping agency. You are being paid for your service.

Make money chatting to people

If you have a friendly, customer-focused attitude and excellent, professional telephone manner, working as a phone agent could be the ideal job for you.

There’s loads of home based call centre work for individuals who aren’t mobile. All you need is a computer, the internet and a phone, and your job is to simply answer customer service calls and deliver excellent service.

Customer service is increasingly branching out. Clients are contacting companies and making their queries via email, social media and online chats, so there’s more technical support work for those who aren’t very mobile.

Additionally, social media is all around us and dominating the internet. Many companies recruit individuals to be responsible for the social media of their company. It’s now crucial for promoting products or companies.

Keep an eye out for virtual social media roles on job sites as you can gain some excellent transferable skills.

Find out how you can make money from answering the phone here.

How to make money if you’re semi mobile

If you’re okay getting around, but can only put so much strain on yourself, try one of these ways to make extra cash…

Make money tasting food and watching adverts

Focus groups are a particularly fun and interesting way to make money on the side.

Register with companies such as Take Part in Research and you can earn up to £250 for sharing your opinion.

Focus groups vary from filling out paid surveys for a couple of weeks to going in and reviewing and assessing various products and even TV ads before their release!

It’s an exciting opportunity to make some good cash and meet people from all walks of life. It’s great for individuals who love testing products and talking to people. You’ll also get to share your thoughts on innovative products and services.

Sometimes, you’ll hit the jackpot and test foods. To find out more about how you can become a grub tester, read our article on getting paid to test food…yes, even chocolate.

If you aren’t able to get to a focus group then you can take part in online focus groups or even do an interview over the phone.

Make money with a punchy pun

Feeling creative?

Write messages for greeting cards for a bit of extra cash!

Although this is a very competitive market, a lot of money can be made from writing witty lines, and it’s an exciting industry to work in. A punchy pun could earn you up to £150!

The most popular cards are funny, likeable and witty puns. Who doesn’t like a clever joke that puts a smile on our faces?

However, other greeting card types include sentimental messages and traditional cards that use rhyming poetry.

The first step to getting your message published is research galore. Decide which type of message you’d like to write in greeting cards, and find out who publishes these types of messages.

It’s worth visiting a high street card shop such as Clintons. Spend time viewing the cards and note the relevant publishers that you want to contact. You can find the publisher on the back of each card.

Keep an eye out for niche shops that sell greeting cards, e.g. book stores, garden centres, craft shops and gift shops.

Also, visit greeting card trade fairs where you can gain publisher contacts and do some networking. You could even pitch to them and show them your example greeting card messages.

Golden Rules:

• NEVER submit your work without reading the submission guidelines. Find them on the publisher’s website.
• If you submit work and haven’t followed these guidelines, your work won’t get read.
• If you can’t find their guidelines, write to the publisher to request them.
• When you receive a response regarding your greeting card message, keep track of your contacts.

It may take a while to get going, but many people make good careers from greeting card writing, and it’s a very creative, interesting industry to work in. Check out the Greeting Card Association site for freelance work.

If you’re interested in making money on the side from fun greeting card writing see our more detailed article.

Make money selling your old stuff

Have you got piles of used books, DVDs, games, CDs, and clothes cluttering up your room?

Sell them and make extra cash!

As they say: tidy house, tidy mind and you’ll be a good bit richer.

Sell on sites like Ziffit, Amazon and eBay. On Ziffit you can simply type in the barcode and find out how much cash you can get.

Visit our Clear Your Clutter section to find out more about getting paid for your old stuff. 

Make money if you’re mobile but have other disabilities

If mobility isn’t a problem but you have other health issues which may hinder your ability to find employment, here are some great money makers to try.

Earn £60 an hour dog walking

If you’re mobile and enjoy being out and about in the fresh air, dog walking could be for you.

Dog walking is an enjoyable, lively job that pays surprisingly well. You can make up to £50 an hour if you’re brave enough to walk four dogs at the same time. Some people can take even more, so it can be a lucrative business idea.

If you want a slightly easier dog walking experience, you can earn up to £10-12.50 an hour walking one furry friend at a time. This is the perfect job for animal lovers.

You can go about dog walking by joining an agency such as Tailster for immediate work. Tailster is free to join and advertises you to hundreds of people in need of a dog walker.

Of course, the advantage of working with an agency is that they do the hard work of getting the jobs in. The disadvantage is that they take a cut of the money.

As an alternative, register with Petpals as a dog walking company and apply for jobs on there. You can also simply put an ad out in your local area – on noticeboards, through people’s doors, on local websites – advertising your services. Quite often you can also find new clients while you’re out walking the dogs. Make sure you take a stack of business cards while you’re out.

For more details on how you can get work as a dog walker see our article.

Top 5 tips for disabled people looking to find work

• Look for the Disability Confident symbol, which can be found on job descriptions online. It indicates that the employer is committed to employing disabled people.
• If you’re a young disabled person looking for work after school look at the apprenticeship scheme run by the Government.
• Go to your local job centre and find your disability employment advisor. They will assist you in your job search and tell you about relevant courses you can do to improve your experience and skills. They can also teach you interview skills.
• The Work and Health Programme is another fantastic government-funded scheme that helps disabled people find employment and stay in work through free courses.
• Access to Work offers grants for current workers and those about to enter employment. They can pay for specialised equipment and even offer help travelling to and from work. Both employees and self-employed people with disabilities can apply to the scheme.

Sign Up – Newsletter

The post Make money if you have a physical disability appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Best Platforms to Sell Cassette Tapes

1. eBay

Best For: Rare, collectible, and vintage tapes

eBay remains one of the top platforms for selling second-hand tapes due to its global reach. Listings can be auction-style or “Buy It Now,” giving sellers flexibility in pricing.

Case Study: A seller listed a rare Metallica cassette from the ’80s and started bidding at £10. Due to its limited edition status, the price soared to £300 in a week!

Tips:

• Take high-quality photos from multiple angles.
• Mention the condition (sealed, used, etc.).
• Offer international shipping to attract collectors worldwide.

More selling tips on MoneyMagpie

2. Discogs

Best For: Music enthusiasts and collectors

Discogs is a music marketplace where collectors and audiophiles search for specific releases. Unlike eBay, it is tailored specifically for music sales, making it an ideal platform for selling tapes.

Example: A seller listed a rare Nirvana “Bleach” cassette and sold it for £150 within days due to Discogs’ active music collector community.

Tips:

• Provide detailed metadata (year, edition, label).
• Grade your cassette and case condition accurately.
• Engage with buyers through messages for better conversions.

3. Facebook Marketplace & Groups

selling old casettes

Best For: Local sales and bulk deals

Selling on Facebook Marketplace is a great way to offload common or bulk cassette collections quickly without shipping hassles.

Case Study: A collector in Manchester sold a box of 100 second-hand tapes for £250 by targeting local vinyl and cassette collector groups.

Tips:

• Join niche groups like “Cassette Tape Collectors” or “80s & 90s Music Fans.”
• Use high-quality images and be transparent about tape conditions.
• Offer bundle deals for faster sales.

4. Etsy

Best For: Vintage and artistic collections

Etsy is a hotspot for vintage and handmade items, making it ideal for selling cassette tapes with unique appeal.

Example: A seller packaged 80s rock mixtapes in retro-designed cases and successfully sold them as gifts, making £1,000 in a month.

Tips:

• Add creative descriptions and artistic images.
• Offer custom-made cassette bundles for niche buyers.

5. Reddit’s r/cassetteculture & Other Forums

Best For: Engaging with serious collectors

Reddit has a thriving cassette collector community. Posting tapes for sale on r/cassetteculture can yield fast sales without marketplace fees.

Example: A user posted a rare punk rock tape and received multiple offers within hours, selling it for £75 directly via PayPal.

Tips:

• Follow forum rules before posting.
• Be active in discussions to build credibility.

6. Local Record Shops & Car Boot Sales

Best For: Quick cash sales

Many independent record shops buy used tapes, especially in urban areas where vintage music culture is strong.

Case Study: A seller in London visited a local vinyl shop and sold 30 used tapes for £5 each, making a quick £150.

Tips:

• Call shops ahead to check if they buy cassettes.
• Bring rare or niche genres for better offers.

7. Gumtree & Preloved

Best For: No-fee, local sales

Gumtree and Preloved allow you to sell directly to local buyers without fees or commissions.

Example: A user in Birmingham sold a collection of 50 classic rock tapes for £200 within a week by meeting buyers in person.

Tips:

• Be clear about pickup locations.
• Accept cash only to avoid scams.

Explore more selling options on MoneyMagpie

How to Maximise Profits When Selling Cassette Tapes

1. Identify Valuable Tapes

Not all tapes are equal. Limited editions, first pressings, and sealed tapes can fetch high prices. Research on platforms like Discogs to check market value.

2. Bundle Sales

Selling tapes in themed bundles (e.g., “80s Rock Collection”) attracts more buyers and increases profits.

3. Clean and Test Tapes

Clean your tapes and test playback quality before listing. A working tape commands a higher price.

4. Optimise Your Listings

Use targeted keywords like “sell cassette,” “selling tapes,” and “second-hand tapes” in your descriptions to attract more buyers via search engines.

5. Engage with Buyers

Prompt responses and good customer service can lead to repeat sales and positive reviews.

Conclusion

Selling cassette tapes can be a lucrative venture if you use the right platforms and strategies. Whether you choose eBay for rare finds, Discogs for music collectors, or local shops for quick cash, there’s a market for your tapes. Follow the best practices outlined above, and you’ll turn your old cassettes into profit in no time!

Looking to sell your cassette tapes? Start listing today on these platforms and tap into the growing retro music market!

Find more money-making ideas on MoneyMagpie

The post Where to Sell Cassette Tapes: Best Platforms and Strategies for Maximum Profit appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

All you do is sign up (again, for free) here with just your postcode and your email address. Then you check back every day to see if your postcode has been picked on that particular day.

If it has been picked, you can then claim your winnings. It’s honestly that easy!

They add about £800+ to the prize fund periodically, and at the time of writing, the prize fund sits at £1900 due to multiple rollovers on their Main Draw. They also give away lots of smaller £5, £10, and a few £100 prizes for smaller draws.

But that’s not all. The site has all sorts of other ways you can win. See how below!

• What is Pick My Postcode?
• How do they make their money?
• What are the rules?
• So what could I win with Pick My Postcode?

What is Pick My Postcode?

Originally, Pick My Postcode was set up by Chris Holbrook, who started giving people the chance to win just £10 if they signed up to the site for free.

They checked it each day to see if their postcode had won. In fact, MoneyMagpie knew about this site in its early stages and mentioned it in our competitions article here.

After a while the site got more popular and the prizes started to get a bit bigger until they got up to £800+ a day.

Not only that Chris has since added even more competitions to the site.

Now there are six ways you can win on the site:

1. Main competition – This is the main pot that we described above. They will send you a daily email reminder to get you to check the site, but you can unsubscribe from that anytime you want to.
2. Survey Draw – This one allows users to log on and answer the daily question. Once done the website will reveal the winning postcode.
3. Video Draw – This allows you to watch videos (that they are paid to advertise) as a winning postcode is flashed on the screen as you watch. You have to watch the full video in order to see if your postcode has won.
4. Free Emoji Lottery – With this competition, the user picks a combination of five emojis and check back to the site each day to see if your particular combination has been chosen.
5. £5 Flash Draw – The £5 Flash Draw appears in the existing ad slots around the site. If you see a particular image (it shows you on the site which one it is) you click on it and you’ll be sent £5 via PayPal.
6. Stackpot – Go to the Stackpot page after the “Next refresh” time and click on your postcode (if you see it) for a £10. Missed claims make the stack grow even higher.

Find out how you can make money from easy online surveys here

How do they make their money?

The revenue generated from adverts, offers and surveys on the site pay for the prizes.

It’s like a free local newspaper. It’s free to us because advertisers are the ones who fund the website and produce a profit at the same time.

As with a free paper, the more people who pick it up and read it, the more they can charge for advertising etc. This is how it works with Pick My Postcode. The more people who use the site, the higher the traffic and the more they can charge for advertising and affiliate links. And the more they can offer for prizes!

What are the rules?

They’re pretty simple really.

You have to sign up with your postcode and email address. You also need to check the site once a day to see if you have won.

If you have won something, you will see a ‘Collect’ option. Once your identity has been verified, the money is sent to you via PayPal.

There are strict rules which you can see here.

Sign up to our free, weekly newsletter here to enter our free, exclusive competitions each week.

So what could I win with Pick My Postcode?

As you can see above, you could win anything from a fiver up to thousands.

The most someone has won so far has been £2,500. With different ways to earn every day, it’s worth checking the site daily to see what you could win.

Sign up for free here.

The post Make £850 or more with Pick My Postcode appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

You can make up to £7,500 a year in tax free cash if you rent out a spare room. But apart from the tax-free cash incentive, how else could it benefit you?

Let’s examine it in depth:

• Want to rent a room for tax-free cash? Who would be interested?
• Furnishing a room to rent
• Contents insurance
• Advertising your space
• References
• Drafting a contract
• How much can you make?
• Is it for you?

What is the Rent a Room Scheme?

The Rent a Room Scheme is an incentive by the Government to allow homeowners to take in a lodger and earn up to £7500 a year tax free (which works out at £625 a month for a regular annual lodger agreement). You can earn more than this, but only the first £7500 is tax free, and you’ll need to complete a tax return if you earn more than the allowance. The allowance is per property not per person, so if you’re a couple who owns the property, you each have a £3250 allowance totalling £7500.

It’s worth noting that this allowance is for the entire year – but you don’t have to let for the whole year. So, for example, if you want to rent a room out for six months instead of twelve, you could charge a higher rent than across the year. This might suit people who have a spare room during term-time to let to students, for example.

What are the Rules?

While an extra person at home will increase bills by a small amount, the overall benefit is a large chunk of cash every month that you can use to pay your mortgage. You could use it to reduce your own contribution each month, or to overpay your mortgage and pay it off faster (check that your loan agreement doesn’t charge for overpayments, if this is what you would like to do).

There are a few simple rules to qualify for the scheme. You must be a resident in the home as well – it can’t be a separate annexe, garden building, or self-contained flat (a good rule of thumb is if you share a front door with the lodger, your home qualifies). If you share communal spaces like a kitchen, the renter will be an excluded occupier with few rights – including ‘reasonable notice’ for eviction and no court processes required. If they don’t share communal spaces, they are an occupier with basic protection, which includes a court process for eviction.

Who Would Be Interested?

So who to rent your room out to? Your first port of call of course should be your friends and family. Renting to them may be more ideal than a stranger, providing you can live with them. But at least you don’t need to worry about not knowing someone.

But if you must rent to someone you don’t know, the location you live should give you a good idea who may be interested in renting your room. Such as:

• Are you close to a university or college? You could provide accommodation for students.
• Or do you live close to an airport? Cabin crew are frequent lodgers as they often move away from home to do their dream job and need somewhere close by to rest their head when they are not travelling.
• If you live in a city or within close proximity to train stations and other good transport links, your property is likely to attract interest from commuters who need a weekday place to stay.
• Do you live in an area that is popular with tourists or has a lot of people visiting for work or study? You could list it for very short amounts of time on Airbnb or a similar site.
• If you live somewhere where there are a lot of English language colleges, you could rent for a few weeks at a time to foreign students, as you can see here.

Furnishing a Room to Rent

Depending on what your room is currently, or was previously used for, you may want to think about furnishing it for ‘rent a room’ use and perhaps re-decorating. You do need to let the room furnished for it to qualify for the scheme.

Which means you don’t have to go overboard, but if the room is neutral in decor and contains the necessary amenities then it is likely to appeal to a greater amount of potential lodgers.

Cheap and cheerful furnishing

If your spare room is currently unsuitable for lodgers to move into, furnishing it can be easy and cheap. You may even be able to get things for free, but make sure they are in good condition before you buy them.

Sites like:

• Gumtree
• Snaffleup
• Freecycle
• Freegle
• NextDoor

All these offer free stuff, you just need to be able to pick the items up and take them home.

You’re unlikely to be able to furnish the whole room from such sites, and even if you do, it won’t match. But even if you manage to get a bed, some drawers or a desk, at least this will help towards the cost.

For items that you don’t want or can’t get secondhand, you can pick up simple, co-ordinating furniture relatively cheaply from places like Ikea,

• Amazon
• Furniture Outlet Village
• Ebay
• Argos.

Don’t forget that any expense you have when it comes to furnishing the room will eventually get covered by the rent paid by tenants. You can also put some of it against your income reduce your tax too.

Think about what you’d like if you were renting a room somewhere. Include basics such as:

• Wardrobe
• Chest of drawers
• Bedside cabinet or shelf
• Desk and chair
• Kettle
• Mini fridge

This will help people feel at home and make the most of their space.

Contents Insurance

If you are providing a ready furnished room, you will want the contents protected under the house insurance should anything happen to them through theft or fire, for example.

• The first thing you need to do to ensure your belongings are covered, is to give an accurate estimation of what they are actually worth. Don’t underestimate the value of your belongings just to get a lower premium. If you do this and make a claim, insurers may only pay out a fraction of what your damaged possessions were actually worth. It’s you who’ll lose out in this scenario, so always be honest.
• There are ways in which you can lower the cost of your premiums, for example by installing fire alarms. To compare policies check out this home insurance comparison page.
• The valuation of the contents of the room may include the furniture you have provided with the room. But it may also include the belongings of the tenant. In this case, you will need to wait until you have a tenant before you can fully estimate the value of the room’s contents.
• You will, however, be able to discuss with your tenant whether they would rather add their belongings onto your existing insurance policy or create one of their own. If their items are added to yours, don’t forget to add the cost onto their weekly or monthly rent. This makes sure you don’t have to pay for their belongings on your premium. It’s often easier for them to make one of their own.
• There is a guide for homeowners on the Association of British Insurers website which outlines what you need to include in your estimation. As well as what most insurers will generally cover.
• Make sure you update this list every year when the policy is renewed.

Keep your insurer informed

The second thing you need to do is make sure your insurers are aware of your lodger. Having someone live in your house that you didn’t previously know, and your insurers are not aware of, can invalidate your cover.

This is because should you make a claim for theft, your insurers could challenge it with the fact that you have a stranger living with you.

Advertising your space

This is fairly simple to do:

• First, if you live near to a university, college, ask if you can put some notices around campus.
• Secondly, use sites like
  • Gumtree, 
  • Spareroom
  • NextDoor

To advertise for free.

• Also, don’t forget your own social media pages. Facebook Groups are particularly good for this.
• Failing these, you could advertise in your local newspaper or put an ad in your newsagent’s window, although both of these will cost you a small fee.

References

Unless you manage to rent your room out to a friend or acquaintance, you are ultimately inviting a stranger into your home to live with you. Ask potential tenants for some references before you give them the keys. Ask for at least two.

These will ideally be previous landlords and workplace references.

Take the time to call them up by phone instead of sending them an email. You’ll be able to get an idea of their authenticity a lot easier if you actually hear their voice.

For previous landlords, you may want to ask some of the following questions:

• What was their address? Use this to check that the reference is actually who they say they are.
• Did they pay their rent on time?
• Did you receive any complaints from neighbours?
• Were you happy with the way they looked after the house?
• Would you rent to this lodger again?

For workplace references, you may want to ask some of the below questions:

• When did they start working for you?
• What is their position?
• What sort of hours do they work?
• Are they full or part time?
• Do they get paid on a weekly or monthly basis?

This will ensure that the lodger is telling you the truth and ensure that their rent will be paid.

Drafting a Contract

It’s important to have a contract in place so that there is a written agreement between the two of you. And you can refer to this in the event that anything goes wrong.

• You will need to state the rent amount per week or month, when it is to be paid, whether it is to be paid in cash or by direct debit.
• Which bills are included and how non-included bills will be paid (do they pay 25% of the electricity bill? for example)
• How much notice each side needs to give for the lodger to leave. The legal minimum is one pay period or 28 days, whichever is longer.
• It is reasonable to ask for about a month’s rent in advance. This can also act as a deposit in case of damages. If the lodger decides to move out, and there are no damages, then the deposit can be given back.
• It is a good idea to lay down some house rules in the contract. If you work shifts or have young children, your lodger can’t expect to be up all night watching TV loudly or stumbling in from a night out.
• As silly as it seems, you may want to make it clear that you expect them to tidy up after themselves, it is your house after all.
• If they have any pets, but it’s always a good idea to set some rules on this.
• The same goes for smoking, you may be happy for them to smoke, confine it to their room, or go outside.
• If you have difficulty with them, such as the lodger being continuously late with their rent or they disrespect your home, you can offer a warning. But if trouble continues, they need to leave.
• It will also be a good idea to get next of kin details from your lodger. Just in case.

There’s more info on the rights of both sides when you are renting a room to a lodger on the Gov.uk website here.

You can create your own lodger agreement, or there are a few on the Net that you can use. Here is one, for example, that is useful to copy.

How Much Can You Make?

How to get paid

Cons

If you like your privacy and can’t bear the idea of sharing your bathroom and kitchen with a stranger, then renting out a room is probably not for you.

Lodgers do have a right to occupy the other rooms in the house and also to invite guests over, at least not without your approval. So if you’re not a people person this might be difficult.

But bear in mind that you could gain a lodger who simply likes to keep themselves to themselves and spends most of their time in their room. Screen potential lodgers properly and everything should be OK.

The post Rent a Room for Tax-Free Cash appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

• Collecting Video Games
• Selling Video Games
• Big Players

Collecting Video Games

Most people nowadays tend to have some form of games console – anything from a Nintendo switch to a vintage N64. There’s a big range of consoles and games that appeal to most people across the globe. With the Video Gaming Industry estimated to be worth around $178.73 Billion in 2021, it is clear to see that people are putting their money into it. It grew by 14.4% from 2020 and it is predicted to be worth $268 Billion by 2025 so it seems to be the perfect time to get investing.

Like with most things, nostalgia plays a part in the popularity of gaming but there is always interest from younger audiences – so what should you be investing in? Well, that’s up to you – you could go for vintage games or maybe just start collecting what you like to play. The market is unpredictable, something you deem to be a popular game might have fewer cartridges purchased so it may be worth more in the long run.

Selling Video Games

There are a lot of choices when it comes to selling video games so we’re going to give you the run-down on your best options.

eBay

eBay is a good choice when it comes to selling anything on the internet – it’s easy to join, easy to sell, easy to make money. You have the option to sell your games individually or as a collection, the choice is up to you.

Music Magpie

Music Magpie allows you to type in the barcode of your game to find out how much they’ll pay you for it. All you have to do then is post it off to them and wait for the money to appear in your bank account. This is easier than selling on eBay, but you might not make as much money. People often get us confused with Music Magpie, but we’re not affiliated in any way!

Car boot sales

Maybe your games aren’t worth loads – but don’t despair. You can still get some of that cash back by selling at car boot sales. You can sell job lots or individual games – either way, you’ll recuperate some losses.

CEX

Most towns and cities have a CEX but even if yours doesn’t, you can send your stuff by post to sell to them, too. You might get a few quid for older games or more for recent ones – and can choose between cash or vouchers. Cash is a lower amount, so if you plan to buy more games or technology it is often worth opting for vouchers for the best trade in value.

Big Players

We’ve put together a list of the top 5 most expensive games sold at auction just in case you have any lurking in your attic.

Nintendo Campus Challenge

Made for Nintendo systems, this game was designed to be played on college campuses. With three games in one, it works as a triathlon. It was designed to be a marketing tool to sell more consoles and encourage competitive gaming. It sold in 2009, at an American auction for $20,100.

PowerFest ‘94

Again, this game was designed for a gaming competition. 4 teams competed to get the highest score possible on three Nintendo games. Originally 35 cartridges were produced but only 2 remain. Whilst they are yet to be sold, one seller is asking for $25,000.

Air Raid

Made for Atari 2600, this unique T-Shaped cartridge game was released on January 1^st, 1982. Similar to space invaders, users fight in the skies to defend the earth from invaders. In 2012, a copy of the game sold for a whopping $33,433.30 – worth checking your attic for.

1990 Nintendo World Championships

Another competition game, this game was produced in 1990, with a limited run of 116 cartridges. 26 of the 116 were encased in gold with the remaining in the traditional grey. In 2014, a gold cased game sold for $100,088 on eBay.

Sealed Super Mario Bros

Made for the original Nintendo, this sealed copy of Super Mario Bros, from 1985 is the most expensive video game ever sold. You can get your hands on it for an eyewatering $2,000,000! This copy has its extreme price tag due to it still being brand-new and a “limited print run”.

Why not have a look through your loft now you know how to make money from old video games!

The post Make Money From Old Video Games appeared first on MoneyMagpie.