You could spend the next few months lounging around at your parents’, or working hard in a soullessly air-conditioned shop on the high street… or you could get paid to travel, and be basking in the sun as you crush grapes in southern Italy, perhaps immersing yourself in a new culture as an au pair, or living it up at an American summer camp.

This guide offers you a dazzling array of ideas for escaping your hometown for something new, whether you hop on a plane abroad or decide to stick to these shores. Just remember to call home once in a while, so your mum knows you’re okay…

• Summer camp
• Holiday rep
• Winemaking
• Summer Au Pair
• House sitting
• Get paid to travel in a cruise ship

Summer camp

You’ve seen summer camps on American TV shows and in movies, but have you ever longed to join in the fun?

Camp America is an organisation with HQs in the US and London, which runs a scheme to place you in a camp for you to work at all summer. There are several different types of camp, including private, day, Girl Scout, special needs and Christian ones, so if you have a particular interest you can explore it here and get paid to travel.

It’s essentially a cultural exchange programme, and you pay a fee (currently £752) for your visa, police check, interview and event costs etc., while all your food, accommodation and flight costs are met by your camp; you can earn whilst you’re out there., and CA will help you if you seek work in the US afterwards.

The scheme is recognised by employers worldwide, who know you have gained experience as a role model, leader, and team player, so the experience will massively boost your CV while you have an incredible time.

 If a summer jaunt to the USA is a little out of reach for you, or not your thing, why not work at a camp in the UK?

PGL runs several schemes for 7-17-year-olds every year and you could work for the company in housekeeping, catering, retail, admin, maintenance, or as a sports instructor or group leader. PGL have 23 centres across the UK, France, and Spain, and are a leading outdoor activities company, so if this sounds like your high-octane cup of tea, sign up for the 2017 season now.

There are also plenty of other camps, such as Brighton-based Kingswood, Supercamps, and the international Camp Cooper in Scotland.

holiday rep

Holiday reps are responsible for looking after guests on package holidays at resorts, making sure they enjoy their time away and that everything runs smoothly.

It’s a tough job, but if you’re up to the challenge, it’s a great way to be paid for seeing the world, while guiding other people through their getaways. Combine your love for partying with a job working by checking out the jobs board on Career in Travel for a broad range of the latest opportunities.

Thomson and TUI Travel Jobs, among other top companies, recruit directly on their websites, so have a look sharpish!

Winemaking

Winemaking is a global industry which is constantly recruiting new workers to help them during their busiest times. If you’re willing to put he work in, you could be picking grapes anywhere across Europe this summer, get paid to travel while escaping the grey drizzle.

PickingJobs and WineIndustryJobs list work throughout the world, suitable for summer backpackers and anyone willing to travel, while for something closer to home, Wine Jobs England has loads of opportunities at entry-level and up. If you do jet off, save money on the outset by using Student Money Saver’s tool to compare flight costs and pick up the latest deals.

Summer au pair

Summer au pairs typically live with a host family for a short period of a few months during the summer holidays, and provide support in the household, including childcare and light housework in return for food, board and a wage.

You get paid to travel and experience a new country from the perspective of a resident, gain experience in looking after children, and any experience working abroad in such a position of responsibility is really attractive to employers beyond uni.

SeasonWorkers, Au Pair World and Smaller Earth are just a few of the agencies that can help you find a placement. Again, there are plenty of families in the UK crying out for help with their kids during the long summer holidays so if you fancy mixing it up and living with a British family for part or all of your summer, there are plenty of chances to do it – ask around or look on job sites for your next job. Bear in mind that a driving licence is a huge bonus in this kind of work.

House sitting

Love The Holiday? Ever wondered what it would be like to live in someone else’s house for a while?

You could get paid to travel across the world on free accommodation as a house sitter, offering peace of mind to families jetting off on holiday by looking after their house (and often their pets, too).

Trusted Housesitters helps you find a place almost anywhere in the world, while housecarers.com is Australia-based and House Sitters UK is, yes, Brit-specific.

So long as you’re relatively clean, tidy, conscientious and do the job properly, you can spend your whole summer living it up anywhere in the world.

Get paid to travel in a cruise ship

Working on a cruise ship is fun, especially if you love travel, water, making friends and exploring new places.

These ships take you around the world, and you can go to places you haven’t been to, all for free while you also get paid to do it. The best part about working on a cruise ship is you can take up a variety of jobs, including nursing, childcare, steward, cabin crew, among others.

You can search for cruise ship jobs from sites like indeed, voyages to antiquity and The Agency.

Which of these ideas appeals to you? Would you like to get paid to travel? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post Get paid to travel 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.

Game shows are ideal for broadcasters and the people who make TV, because the overall budgets are much smaller than big drama productions. They can be made quickly, and because they usually involve recruiting the public as contestants, there is a much smaller bill for salaries compared to shows that need to pay big-name actors.

If you are the creative type, you can make money by creating a TV game show format.

This is because these programmes are in high demand and really successful ones, like ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’, can make millions for the TV company and, over time, for the person, or team, who came up with the idea.

Be warned, though, a good format is a remarkably difficult concept to come up with. Even professionals can take years to create a good one. But if you’re a game show fanatic, you could be in a good position to come up with an idea.

• What’s involved in coming up with a TV game show format?
• How do you do it?
• Case study: Hugh Rycroft – co-creator of Tipping Point
• Tips from an expert in creating a game show format
• How much can you make?
• Contacts

What’s involved in coming up with a TV game show format?

Basically, you have to think up an idea and sell it – easy money.

Well, unfortunately, it’s not as easy as it sounds to make money by creating a TV show format.

To be honest, this is a very hard industry to break into, but IF you can come up with a good idea and hone it into a killer format, you may not have to work – ever again. To break into this industry, you need a lot of patience, and you must be very persistent.

You will spend a lot of time contacting production companies and probably never get a reply. Indies (independent companies) can be impossible to contact, will refuse unsolicited submissions, or sit on your ideas for months.

Even if you get your foot in the door, there is no guarantee that you will ever come up with a winner. It can be a hard business. It could take you years of trying and failing to come up with an idea that is even optioned, let alone bought.

If you’re the creative type though and have a passion for game shows, give it a go – you won’t know if you don’t try.

How do you make money by creating a TV game show format?

Step 1: Brain storm!

This is a great excuse to watch TV in the name of research and making money! Study some popular game shows. Watch them regularly and work out what their basic elements are and what makes them work. The idea should be simple but fun. See if you can find an ‘ideas buddy’ with whom you can brainstorm and come up with formats together.

Putting a bit of reality into the game show, and vice versa, has opened up the game show format to more than the traditional three podium format. There is an endless variety of elements you can include in a game show – you just need to find the right ones that click. Dramatic tension seems to be one thing that makes a great game show, especially at key moments of choice for the contestant.

To really have a chance to make money by creating a TV game show format though, you need to let go of all your pre-conceived ideas of what a TV game show is, let go of traditional ideas and invent new ways of giving audiences entertainment programmes.

Step 2: Target production companies

Once you’ve got your idea, look at the channel’s website, or simply the closing credits of the show to see which production companies have made the most popular game shows. Target these with your idea. You will need to search for companies that produce factual television, not scripted drama. There are two parts of the TV industry – ‘scripted’ and ‘unscripted’ – and game shows come under unscripted.

Experience is the most valuable way to learn about what ideas companies will buy and produce. Regardless of whether your ideas are purchased, each time you pitch to executives in the industry you are building relationships with people who you can contact later and talk about how to make your ideas work.

Step 3: Presentation

Producers are busy people, so to ensure your pitch gets read, format it into a brief synopsis with a highly marketable ‘logline’. You should be able to fit the description of the show format onto no more than one A4 sheet. Hone it down to the simple rules and a few gimmicks and send it to TV production companies.

With your full script, ensure you have these headings:

• Title of the show
• Format of the show – Game Show
• Author Name
• Logline – a few sentences to describe your concept
• Treatment – Synopsis or Outline. This is a detailed description of your show as it would be seen on TV, to interest or provoke the reader make sure you ‘show’ the reader what the audience is watching.

Case study: Hugh Rycroft – co-creator of Tipping point

Hugh Rycroft, one of the creative minds behind the popular ITV game show Tipping Point found inspiration for his game show format whilst visiting a seaside arcade in 2003.

Hugh acknowledges that the game show industry itself is a tiny market and a very hard one to succeed in, “I estimate that fewer than 30 new game shows appear on British TV in any given year, out of the (literally) thousands of ideas that are generated… Having said this, in the specific case of ‘Tipping Point’, the fact that it DID finally end up on TV 9 years after I first had the idea suggests that persistence can pay off!”

So if you really think you have a great idea and you are serious about wanting to make money by creating a TV game show format, you have to be patient and persistent.

Tips from an expert in creating a TV game show format

• For a complete TV ‘outsider’, by far the most important things will be to network with TV people. The best idea in the world will never make it onto TV if it never lands on the right desk! Not all production companies will look at unsolicited material, so write to them first before sending your idea, or check out their website.
• Remember, a single, big slightly whacky or left-field concept, even if it’s not particularly well thought through, is far more likely to get someone’s attention than a show relying on more traditional game show themes, which development teams can think up in their sleep!
• If you do find a production company that likes your idea, be open to them playing around and changing the concept, because on the whole these people do know what they’re talking about.
• Persistence can certainly pay off – TV is littered with examples of things that were turned down dozens of times before they became huge hits. Ideas can be rejected for all sorts of reasons, so keep trying. Likewise, if you keep trying you might succeed and make money by creating a TV show format.
• Finally, for a complete beginner, the best pitch advice is to keep it simple. What you’re trying to sell is the unique and brilliant core concept at the heart of your show. Good luck!

How much can you make?

As we’ve mentioned above, managing to make money by creating a TV game show format is a tricky business, so we wouldn’t advise you to give up your day job yet.

HOWEVER if you come up with a winning idea, the sky’s the limit!

It’s a very difficult industry to crack but if you really do love game shows and have the passion to commit and persist who knows what might happen. Just remember it often takes 40, 50 or even 100 ideas to be pitched before a TV station will consider buying one!

Regardless, once they buy it, you are in to earn big bucks because they pay an upfront fee ranging from $500 to 10,000 based on the show. Likewise, you may get a set-up bonus depending on how well you negotiate. There is also an on-stage credit standard fees and nominal percentage from the fees paid to the production company. The major income for you, however, comes from episodic fees, which is a percentage of the budget per episode. It ranges from 2-5% but is negotiable.

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Loads are doing it too. For a start, according to Kings College London, a huge 32% of business are set up by over 50s, and a huge 23% of the self-employed workforce was over the age of 60 in 2023.

With returns from savings low and cost of living rising, finding ways to supplement income elsewhere has become a necessity for many who have already retired.

For a start, over half generate an extra income from selling on websites. The extra cash generated is used to pay bills, go on holiday or reinvested into savings accounts for day-to-day living. 

We’ve put together a list of the best money-making ideas for the over 60s, so take a look and see what suits you.

• Use your life experience to your advantage
• Make up to £20 an hour by joining a focus group
• House sit with your partner and make money together
• Cash in on your hobby
• How over 60s make money quickly

Use your life experience

Be a doula

Sorry men, this one tends to be for women only. Basically, this involves using your experience as a mother (or grandmother) to help families with a new baby.

You support the mum-to-be during her pregnancy (and often after the birth too). First, you sign up to an agency that will train you and place you with families. On average, Doulas in Britain make about £10–12 per hour for post-birth work and £200–400 for a birth.

See if being a doula’s for you by reading more about it here.

Tutoring

Do you play a musical instrument?

Or speak another language?

Perhaps your talent lies in writing or pottery?

Whatever your skill is you can make money from it by tutoring people or groups and charging by the hour.

In fact, if you read our article you’ll find out how to make as much as £80 an hour tutoring.

Run an Ironing Service

If you can iron a basket of crumpled shirts, with your eyes closed (don’t try it!), then providing an ironing service could be the answer to your cash-flow problems.

Best of all, you can do it all from your own home and the set-up costs are minimal.

Find out how to get started here.

Consulting

If you have been in business for a number of years, consulting is a good way to make money from your experience.

There are various ways you can do it: you could contact former employers offering your services on a project basis or for a few hours a month, or you could set yourself up formally as a consultant, go to networking events with your business cards, get in touch with prospective clients through LinkedIn and other online networking platforms and build up your business like that.

Companies need consultants in many different areas from HR to sales (that’s a big one, as everyone needs help with sales), financial management, business strategy, communications and more.

Consultancy is vital across numerous sectors too. For example, if you used to run a hairdressing salon you could consult for other salons. Likewise, if you used to run a cleaning franchise you could consult for other franchise businesses and so on.

Consider writing a business book, getting into corporate speaking to impart your knowledge and being on panels, where your expertise is truly needed. You might be surprised at how much you could make.

Make up to £20 an hour in your own time

Market Research

Market research companies are always looking for people to join focus groups. There are plenty of opportunities, if you look around.

Most will only be asking you to work for an hour and the pay won’t be much (probably £15-25), however it may be quite interesting and could lead to more work. Some groups are more intensive and will pay more, up to £100 for a few hours.

Here are some market research companies you may want to contact. Simply call them up, or send them an email, explaining that you would like to attend any focus groups they have in the future:

• Saros Research
• The Research Box
• Focus4People

Another very useful site is Gumtree, where you can do a job search for ‘focus groups’ or ‘market research’ to get a list of most recent work opportunities in your area.

Have a scan through to see what sounds right for you. Certain lifestyle conditions may be necessary, however if you aren’t suitable for one particular job, try to get the contact details of the company anyway and let them know you’re interested in some part-time focus group work.

Now read our full article on making money doing market research.

House Sitting

One of the best things about house sitting is that over 60s are usually much more in demand as house sitters than younger people. This is because they tend to have more experience running a home, plus the flexibility to sit during holidays and weekends.

House sitting is a job that you can do as a couple, so it’s a fantastic way to spend some time together and make a little extra money.

You can start by joining an agency like Trustedhousesitters, who’ll match you with suitable clients. Working with an agency may be the best option if you’re a little nervous about house sitting for a stranger.

They will often arrange a meeting between client and sitter to make sure you know exactly what’s expected of you. Some agencies also have insurance to cover you should anything go wrong. Click here to apply to Trustedhousesitters.

The other option is to advertise yourself as a house sitter. Post an ad on Gumtree – place it in the ‘work wanted’ section explaining how much you charge and where you want to house sit.

Now, check out our full article on house sitting.

Cash in on your hobby

If you’ve got green fingers, or love to bake, then there are plenty of ways to make money with your talent. For instance, why not sell your baked goods at a car boot sale or even a local shop?

If you’re no longer working, you can use your free time to offer your gardening services during the week when other part-time gardeners may be unable to work. You can do anything from basic upkeep of gardens to pruning and planting flowers.

Likewise, you could grow your own fruit or vegetables and sell them for a profit. You can also make good money by propagating seedlings and selling the plants at car boot sales as you can see here.

Start by gardening for friends and neighbours. If they spread the word, you could end up with more paid work.

You don’t have to be an expert either; if you don’t know where to start there’s loads of help about:

• Buy a good gardening book like the one by Alan Titchmarsh, or the RHS Gardening Month by Month guide
• Get some advice from a local garden centre helpdesk
• Check out the Royal Horticultural Society and Garden Advice websites.

Don’t forget, you can also make your own compost and sell it. Some local councils will even provide a discounted compost bin. Simply, enter your postcode into the search box to see where you can get one from and how much it’ll cost.

Find out 13 ways to make money from your garden here.

How over 60s make money quickly

Dog Walking

If you love the companionship of dogs, but don’t want the responsibility of owning and looking after one full time, dog walking could be the perfect way for you to earn some extra money. First, you need to read our essential article on how to make £60 an hour by dog walking.

Then, register yourself with a dog-walking company or keep it simple and look after the pets of people you already know. Expect to make around £10-15 per dog per walk.

You could also take it a step further and actually look after an animal in your own home, while their owners are away. To do this, join a company, such as Barking Mad, and register as a ‘host family’.

Rent out your…

• Garage/parking area

If you live near a sporting or music venue, university, or hospital there’s a very good chance you could make money renting out your driveway or garage.

Garages can also be rented out for storing equipment. This is particularly useful in big cities where storage is an issue for many people. Also, if you live in a tourist or coastal area you may be able to rent out your parking space during the holiday season.

Register with JustPark and Park Let to let thousands of people know about your spare space. Find out how much you could make renting out your garage.

• Spare room

If you’ve got a spare room that you don’t need, then turn it into a moneyspinner by renting it out. You choose who stays and for how long, so it really is a good way to make money with little hassle.

Before you advertise your room for free on Roomgo or Gumtree, go and read our full article on renting out your room here.

You should also consider taking in foreign students on a short-term basis. Depending on where you live and how nice your place is, you can make between £35 and £150 a week. Read this article on hosting foreign students to find out more.

For a long-term money-making scheme, running a B&B is another option. You could make anything from a few hundred quid a month to a few thousand a month, depending on where you live and how many rooms you have. However, it can be hard work and it’ll take a lot of effort initially to get things going, so do consider it fully before you make any decisions.

• Garden

For those who are 60 and over, a big garden can eventually become a bit too much to look after. If this sounds familiar, then you could divide up your garden and offer people your unwanted space to grow vegetables.

Allotment patches are booked up for years in some areas so you can really cash in by offering someone a patch in your garden for them to use.

Other options

If taking it easy isn’t really your style and you’re full of good ideas, why not set up your own business?

It doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds.

You’re older and probably much wiser than you were 10 years ago, and if you’ve paid off the mortgage already, now could be the perfect time to venture into something new.

We have a whole section for over 50s and loads of helpful articles so take a look!

The post Over 60s make money in ways you wouldn’t believe! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Here, we’ll think about what it might mean to become a doula, discuss how doulas work, and think about some alternative roles if you don’t think that this route is quite right for you. 

What is a doula?

Types of doula 

What doulas don’t do 

How do doulas work? 

How to become a doula 

Help a new mum: alternatives to becoming a doula 

What is a doula? 

Doulas exist to provide support to mothers whilst they are pregnant, during the birth, and sometimes afterwards as they ease into motherhood. They are purely a support function, and might perform different tasks depending on the needs of the family or expectant mother. 

This support might be practical or emotional, and could include some or all of the following tasks: 

• Attending antenatal appointments with the expectant parent or parents 
• Supporting during the birth, including helping with breathing exercises and providing reassurance  
• Discussing any issues that arose during or after the birth, and providing emotional support if needed 
• Help with feeding the newborn, if needed 
• Helping around the house, for example with older children or with the cooking or cleaning 
• Providing support during breastfeeding 

You can find out more about doulas via Doula UK. 

Types of doula 

There is a huge amount of variety with this job, as of course the help a new mum might need will vary between different families and circumstances. Some families will need a doula to provide emotional and practical support up to the birth, but not afterwards. Others might hire a doula specifically to be on call in the days running up to the birth, during it, and immediately afterwards. Others might only need help after their baby is born, as they get used to being parents or start to manage looking after more than one child. 

As a doula, you might decide that your skills are best suited to focusing on just one of these areas. If that’s the case, you should make this clear when you speak to potential clients. 

What doulas don’t do 

It’s important to know that a doula does not need any medical training. This is not a clinical role, but purely a supportive one. Doulas are primarily there to give support to a mother before, after or during the birth. They work alongside health professionals like midwives and doctors, rather than in place of them. They cannot provide clinical advice, but they can help a mother to seek out answers from qualified professionals if needed. 

How do doulas work? 

As we’ve established, the tasks that a doula might be required to carry out and the time that they might be needed for will vary hugely. 

In most cases, though, the doula will have a couple of meetings with the parent/parents or the family before they are hired. This will give the parents-to-be a chance to discuss their needs, and the doula to let them know whether or not they will be able to accommodate them. 

If the doula is hired, the work going forward is likely to be on a relatively informal basis. It is of course up to the doula whether they want to ensure that a contract is put in place to guarantee a certain amount of hours. You should come to a decision on pay, and on what level of support you will be required to give. If this needs to change later, or if the parents feel that they need you for longer than they had originally thought, you can discuss this when the time comes. 

If you are going to be present at the birth, or providing practical support such as looking after older children whilst the new addition is born, you are likely to go “on call” some time before the due date. This might be a couple of days, depending on what the parent or parents decide.  

How to become a doula 

There is no set route to becoming a doula. Some clients might feel that a woman with extensive childcare experience, or with a few children of her own, will be qualified enough. Others might prefer that you have undergone a course so that you can prove your credentials. There is no legal requirement to call yourself a doula, though. 

Doula UK has a list of approved doula courses on its website. Courses tend to cost a few hundred pounds, and are likely to last between three and five days. They take place across the country, so hopefully there will be one close to you. Some are now offering socially distant doula training too, which is likely to come in useful. See the full list here. 

Help a new mum: alternatives to becoming a doula 

If you don’t think that being a doula is right for you, there are lots of other ways that you can help a new mum out. Here are just a few of them: 

Becoming a nanny 

Want to look after babies or older children, becoming part of the family for a few years? Becoming a nanny might be the right thing for you. Your role might also include cooking and cleaning, aside from childcare.  

Becoming a childminder 

Childminders tend to work in their own homes, looking after a few babies or children at once. This might be a role for you if you have childcare experience and are recently retired, so are available for the school run etc. 

Becoming a nursery nurse 

Want to look after babies in a more formal setting? You’ll need a childcare qualification to become a nursery nurse, which you should be able to acquire via your local technical college.

Becoming a midwife 

If you want to take more of an active role in the clinical side of childbirth, you could become a midwife. You’ll need to go to uni to train in midwifery, so this will be a big time commitment – but you’ll end up with one of the most rewarding jobs that there is. 

Have you had experience with a doula, or are you one yourself? We’d love to hear your story. Let us know over on the forums. 

Now read:

CHILD MAINTENANCE AND BENEFITS FOR SINGLE PARENTS

MONEY-SAVING TIPS FOR BUSY PARENTS

MAKE MONEY RUNNING YOUR OWN B&B

The post Become a Doula – Get paid to help a new mum! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

And you’ve found the right place! Here we’ve got loads of free writing contests for you to enter this year, including some for young writers and also a couple for playwrights. We have specifically chosen UK-based contests with either a cash prize or significant other prize (like a writing retreat) rather than just publication, so that you can focus your time writing stories for contests that have a great reward if you win.

Writing Contest Quick Tips

Short Story Contests

Young People Contests

Playwright Contests

Writing Contest Quick Tips

While it can be easy to think that writing contests offer quick and easy money, think again! The free contests will put you against a big talent pool, so you need to be able to hone your story into something that’s gripping and publishable. Here are some quick tips:

1. Don’t rush: take note of the deadlines and leave yourself plenty of time to write and rewrite your story
2. Have other people read and give you feedback
3. When you think it’s ready, put it away for a few weeks before you edit: the space will give you fresh eyes to hone your story
4. Look at free online courses like the Open University offer to learn the basics and building blocks of great short story writing.

And finally – this is a big one – read the rules!! Every contest has different rules of eligibility, so it’s important to make sure your entry won’t be rejected straight away. This might include things like formatting rules (if in doubt, double line spacing with 12 point Times New Roman works well), age or location rules, or whether you’ve published before.

Some contests allow you to enter the same story into other ones, while some insist you can only enter that story to them. The ones which allow simultaneous submission (entering the same story into more than one contest) might say you have to pull your entry out of the running if you win another one with that same story. Read the small print before you enter.

Check out our article on writing short stories for more tips and ideas.

Short Story Contests

From flash fiction to novellas, short stories are the most popular type of writing contest. It’s a skill to tell a tight story in just a few thousand words, so if you want to challenge yourself and be in with a chance of winning cash prizes, take a look at these free UK writing contests!

Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook Short Story Competition

The leading anthology non fiction book, an essential for any budding writer, is the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. Their short story contest is highly regarded, for stories up to 2,000 words on the theme of ‘wonder’. The prize is a free course with Arvon Foundation, a writing retreat course that helps aspiring writers take a break from busy life to focus on writing.

Closes: 14th February

Writing Magazine New Year, New You

Writing Magazine is the UK’s leading magazine for writers of all kinds, and they often run free contests for their subscribers as well as some for everyone. The first free for everyone contest of 2025 is ‘New Year, New You’ themed, with publication and a first prize of £150 and second prize of £50,

Closes: 28th February

BBC National Short Story Award

This one is a massive award, with a top prize of £15,000, and £600 for four shortlisted stories. It’s a huge accolade to win – and anybody can enter. They’re looking for short stories up to 8,000 words on any subject.

Closes: 13th March

Deborah Rogers Foundation Writers Award

This is one of the best type of contest: it’s for the recognition of talent for work in progress of prose writing. Now, technically, this is not a short story award because they want a chunk of a longer piece like a novel. However, because you are submitting a work in progress, your full novel doesn’t need to be finished to enter – they want 15,000-20,000 words. The first prize is £10,000 and two runners up receive £1000 to support them to continue writing their work.

Closes: 31st March

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Another one with a big cash prize for the winner, this is a themed writing contest. For 2025 the theme is ‘Fear’. The first prize is £3,000 while two runners up receive £1000 each. The maximum word count is 1250 words, so it’s a tight challenge – but these words can be in any form (short story, non fiction, poetry etc).

Closes: 1st April

The Oxford University/42MP New Writing Prize

A brand new prize for 2025, this one has created a lot of buzz. Oxford University is teaming up with leading agency and production company, 42MP, to find new writing they love. 42Mp is a talent agency with massive A-list talent from actors to novelists to screenwriters, and they want to find fresh new voices. This is not strictly a short story contest prize, but instead they want a short section. This could be a synopsis and 10,000-15,000 words of a novel OR 30-90 pages of a stage or screenplay. The prize is £1500 and possible representation by 42MP.

Closes 30th April

Creative Future Writers’ Award

A highly respected annual contest for underrepresented writers in the UK, the Creative Futures award also has categories for non-fiction and poetry, with prizes of £75, £50, and £25 for first, second and third place in each category. But what makes this award stand out is the extra stuff with the prize: a whole host of mentoring, meetings with agents, courses from established places like Jericho Writers and Curtis Brown Creative, and work with a writing coach – as well as publication in the anthology. There is no minimum length but you can’t go over 2000 words.

Closes: 18th May

Laurie Lee Writing Prize

Another contest with both poetry and prose prizes, this one is for 1500 words on the theme of ‘Journeys’ this year. This is a region-specific prize, so you’re only eligible if you live or work in Gloucestershire or South Gloucestershire (or were born there). The top prize is £1000 and you can submit non-fiction, poetry, or a short story.

Closes: 31st July

Val Wood Prize

An annual contest with a £100 top prize and a signed copy of a Val Wood book. The theme is released when the contest opens, so keep an eye on the page (theme not revealed at time of writing this!).

Closes: 31st August

Writers’ and Artists’ Working Class Writer’s Prize

The second W&A contest on this list, this one is for writers who identify as working class. Once again, this one doesn’t need to be a complete short story – in fact, they want 2,000 of a work-in-progress. That could be a longer short story, a novella, or novel and that can be either fiction or non-fiction. The prize is £200. Full details for the 2025 contest are yet to be released so keep an eye on the page.

Closes: 4th November

Awa Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award

Open to unpublished writers of fiction, this one isn’t a cash prize – it’s a writing retreat package worth £2,000 at the highly regarded Moniack Mhor creative writing centre in Scotland. Your entry needs to be a work in progress – but unlike similar contests which require it to be a novel, Moniack Mhor accepts collections of short stories as the work in progress, too. Entries open 1st November 2025.

Closes: 30th November

53-Word Short Story Contest

This is an ongoing short fiction contest that runs every month – perfect for testing your creative writing skills and practicing writing to a deadline AND word count! There is a very strict eligibility: your story must be 53 words long. The prize isn’t cash, but it is glory in the form of publication and a free book, and we loved the idea of it so much we snuck it onto this list!

Young People Contests

The definition of ‘young’ varies wildly when it comes to the literary world. Some of these contests are for school children, some for students at university, and even those under the age of 30. Make sure you read the rules of eligibility to see if you can enter!

Young Northern Writers’ Awards

New Writing North is the established writing centre in the North East (they have just won £5m funding to expand their efforts into a new centre for writing and already run loads of fantastic free contests!). Young writers aged 11-18 can enter this particular award, in any format – fiction, non fiction, poetry, even scriptwriting – for a prize of £150.

Closes: 6th February

 Hive Young Writers’ Competition 2025

Hive is a creative writing hub for young writers in the North and Midlands, catering to people aged 14-30.There are three age categories (14-16, 17-19, 20-30) and they accept short fiction, flash fiction, and poetry. Prizes include a Kindle Fire, professional feedback, vouchers and publication,

Closes: 23rd February

The Orwell Youth Prize

There’s no cash prize for this one, but we’ve included it because it’s an established award with a prize of mentoring and publication. This year, entries should be on the theme of “Freedom is…” and it’s open to anyone who is a student at secondary school or college.

Closes: 5th March

Playwriting Prizes

If you love live theatre and think you could write a play that’s worthy of the stage, there are a few free playwriting contests that offer huge opportunities.

The Women’s Prize for Playwriting

To redress the balance of women playwrights (in 2018 only 26% of new main-stage plays were by women), Ellie Keel and Paines Plough created the Women’s Prize for Playwriting. The winner receives £20,000, their play is produced with Sheffield Theatre, and the play is published. The prize opened for entries on 13th January 2025 but it can take a long time to hear – longlisted plays are announced in October.

Closes: 22nd April

Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting

This is a MASSIVE prize and prestigious contest – but it’s free to enter so you might as well take your shot. The first prize is £16,000, with a judge’s award of £10,000 to another entry. At the moment (Feb 2025) the website is still focused on the 2024/5 prize which is now closed – but that means you’ve got a long time to work on your play to polish it before entries open again! Entries are usually open around September and close in January.

Closes: January 2026 TBC

PapaTango Writing Prize

Papatango is an Olivier-award-winning theatre company and this is an established award for new playwright. Like the Bruntwood, at time of writing the 2025 contest has just closed, which means you have a year to polish your script before it reopens. And the £6,000 prize with performance is worth the wait if you win!

Closes: January 2026 TBC

The post Enter Writing Contests to Win 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.

What’s the Catch?

How do the Free Courses Work?

The Free Courses We Love

More Discounted Courses to Choose From

Free Courses? What’s the Catch?

There isn’t one! Really, honestly, no catch. The eligibility criteria is simple: you must be over the age of 19 and resident in England (sorry, there aren’t any free courses in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland at the moment because the funding to cover the courses is from an English body.)

It’s a helpful way to test the waters or learn the basics of a new skill before diving in to spend money on a more advanced course. Reed Courses want to give people the chance to find new careers or advance in their current ones, without the hefty price that comes with a lot of training courses in the market.

Even the paid courses are incredibly affordable, with up to 75% off the usual retail price. Reed Courses is dedicated to helping people find their perfect career, which is why the courses are free or at an affordable price.

How Do The Free Courses Work?

These are online free courses, which means you can take them in your own time and at your own pace. What’s fantastic about the free courses being run like this is you can learn a new skill in your spare time, instead of taking unpaid time out of work to do the same thing.

Free Courses We Love

We’ve picked out the best free courses we think could help kickstart your career, either as a step up to promotion or a total sidestep into a new industry.

Level 2 Counselling Skills Certificate

This course is for anyone who wants to help people improve their personal wellbeing. You’ll develop core counselling skills, gain knowledge of approaches and the language used in counselling, and learn about the ethical framework around counselling.

It could open doors to various career pathways, such as becoming a counsellor, youth worker, or even psychotherapist in the long-term.

Digital Marketing Skills Bootcamp

If you want to work in digital marketing this could be the perfect free course for you. This is a 12-week part-time course that covers all the essential digital marketing skills you need to get started.

As this is a bootcamp course, it will cover a LOT of information in a short time, so you’ll need around ten hours a week to commit to it. It’s a particularly good course for those on a low income or unemployed seeking to enter a highly competitive field that usually comes with financial barriers to entry.

Cyber Security Skills Bootcamp

This 12-week part-time cyber security course is a mix of distance learning online and live classes. It’s designed to give you the skills you need to help organisations protect themselves from cyber threats. In an increasingly online world, these threats pose a serious risk to business’ data, making cyber security an in-demand (and highly paid) career.

It covers topics such as understanding vulnerabilities, threats, and cyber security basics; managing vulnerabilities; and how to find a cyber security job.

Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Nutrition and Health

This is a 6-week nutrition course that’s self-paced, so you can complete it in your own time around your other commitments. If you want to work in the fitness and health industry, this online course will teach the fundamentals of nutrition to get you started.

You’ll discover the principles of healthy eating, the various nutritional needs of individuals and tailoring advice, principles of weight management – and also a module about understanding eating disorders. It’s an ideal course for anyone who wants to improve their understanding of nutrition.

Level 2 Certificate in Creating a Business Start-up

If you want to start your own business but you’re not sure where to begin, this is a fantastic foundational course to try. The 7-week business start-up training course is self-paced and also a regulated qualification awarded by the Northern Council for Further Education.

It’s perfect for learning the steps you need to take to launch your business. Not only will you learn about the business planning stage and marketing strategies, you’ll also gain insights into  the legal and financial considerations of starting a business.

Level 2 Certificate in Principles of Business Administration

A fantastic course for anyone with a business mind, this business administration course will give you the knowledge to work in a range of different environments in an administrative role. Learn about core administrative tasks, organisation strategies, document management and more.

If you like being organised, are good at communication, and have great people skills, business administration could be a rewarding career for you. This course, with 7 self-paced units across 12 weeks, is a regulated course awarded by Training Qualifications UK Ltd, making it a great addition to your CV.

More Discounted Courses

Alongside the free courses, which is a great way to start building your skillset, Reed Courses also offers huge discounts on paid courses, with both online and classroom based options.

Below are some examples of the hugely discounted courses available for just £12:

• Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care
• Microsoft Office Skills
• Teaching Assistant Diploma Level 2 & 3
• Payroll: Sage 50, Accountancy, Tax Accounting and Finance Administration
• Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care Certificate

Taking a course, either free or paid, online or in person, is one of the best ways to further your professional development and take the next step in your career. Finding a course in a new skill that you’ve never considered before could change your life – so go ahead, try it!

View all discounted courses on Reed Courses

The post These Free Courses Could Change Your Life appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

That got us thinking – could some of our readers have a small fortune stashed away in an old bag or purse? Since the move to ‘new money’ over 51 years ago, there have been a whopping 70 variations of the 50p coin. There have also been plenty of rare and unique designs, with collectors desperate to get their hands on them. 

What is so special about the 50p coin? Well, it has become the most values and collected coin in the UK. Because it is the largest British coin in circulation, it has the most space for special designs and artwork, with many pieces being used to celebrate historical moments over the years. 

50p coins are commonly used to commemorate important events. These include designs for events such as the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings, the 50th anniversary of the National Health Service and the 2012 Olympic Games. 

• What makes a coin valuable?
• The rarest 50p coins in the UK
• Other valuable 50p coins
• Are new coins worth anything?
• How to value your coin

What makes a coin valuable?

As mentioned, the rarer the coin, the higher the value is likely to be. This is the case with many collectibles. The mintage is the number of coins made in each design. The lower the mintage, the higher the value. A low mintage is hugely attractive to collectors and is often the greatest selling point. 

As with collectibles such as watches, gemstones and even handbags, the condition is fundamental when wanting to sell a coin. Misprints or errors in design can also make a coin more desirable to buyers. 

Of course, the design on the coin contributes greatly to how sought after a coin is.  

Interestingly, the value also depends on who you ask. If you get a valuation from a coin dealer and sell through them, you may get a more robust, fixed fee for your coin. However, selling at an auction house or on an online marketplace such as eBay could reduce the limits on the amount people will pay for a particular coin. Thus, you could get more money, as many coin collectors will bid highly during auctions. 

The rarest 50p coins in the UK

The Atlantic Salmon (2023)

As of 7^th October 2024: His Majesty King Charles III’s 50p coin has been officially crowned as the rarest 50p in active circulation, following the latest mintage figures published by The Royal Mint.

The coin depicting the Atlantic Salmon has knocked the highly collectable 2009 Kew Gardens 50p off the top spot for the first time, with just 200,000 released to UK banks and post offices at the end of last year. A total of 210,000 2009 Kew Gardens coins were released into circulation 15 years ago.

As the nation’s most collectable coin, the 50p has seen over 100 different designs appear on its reverse (tails) since its introduction. These include special designs for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games and milestone Royal occasions such as His Majesty King Charles III coronation.

Kew Gardens (2009)

The Kew Gardens 50p was originally released in 2009, and is the most sought-after 50 pence piece. Just 210,000 were put into circulation, with most of them falling into private hands. Kew Gardens is the most famous royal botanical garden in the nation, with the design featuring the famous Chinese Pagoda at Kew. 

The chances of getting your hands on one of these is slim. This is due to the low mintage due to the lack of demand for the 50p denomination in the UK at time of its release. 

Another version of the Kew Gardens 50p was released in 2019 to celebrate 50 years of the 50 pence piece. Released 10 years after the original design, the 2019 bears a slightly different effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and of course, a different date. 

This is the 50p piece that often sparks the interest of novice coin collectors. In the past, this coin has sold for as much as £895 on eBay previously. There are currently listings on eBay such as this ‘2009 Royal Mint Kew Gardens 50p Coin Presentation Pack’ for £375.  

Football (2011)

The Olympic Football coin was yet another coin designed in order to celebrate the prestigious 2012 Olympic Games. Just 1,125,500 of these coins were minted. This is the first of many Olympic Games 50 pence pieces to grace this list. 

Not only were the 2012 London games a huge event, with the country coming together for the historical occasion to celebrate sport. But football itself is an extremely popular sport in general, standing the test of time. Because of this, a coin collector, who is also a keen football fan, may be even more eager to get their hands on this piece. 

This coin was originally available to purchase from the Royal Mint in July 2010 for £2.99. According to Coin Hunter, over 12 years later, a circulated version of this coin could currently get you £13. A brand new, uncirculated coin in the original packaging could earn you a nice £26. This is nothing to be sniffed at – this is a price increase of 770%!  

Wrestling (2011)

The Olympic Wrestling 50p was made to commemorate the London 2012 Olympic games. This often attracts a lot of interest from collectors due to its rarity and subsequent value. Although this is just one of the 29 designs minted for the games, it is one of the rarest in circulation.  

Created over a decade ago, this coin has had plenty of time to filter through various hands and wallets through the years. Just 1,129,500 were put into circulation, with many spenders not realising this significance and worth of this coin. To put this number in context, there are approximately 200 million regular 50p coins in circulation, making this design highly valuable. 

This coin previously sold for £52.88 online, meaning your 50p could be worth over 100 times more than the face value. 

Judo (2011)

Judo may be a sport involving holding down your opponent, but these 50p pieces aren’t so easy to get your hands on. The coin was designed by a David Cornell, who won a competition which saw his design printed on just over one million 50p coins. 

There were 1,161,500 of these coins put into general circulation. These coins are selling from £11 on average, a value increase of 2,100% in the 11 years since they were first minted. If you have one of these coins in packaging with a cover, you could get £37. A nice bit of pocket money! 

Triathlon (2011)

In total, 1,163,500 of these coins were made in 2011. The triathlon is a popular part of the Olympic games. A coin seems the perfect way to celebrate the sport.  

Bids on online marketplace on eBay have reached £34 previously. However, Coin Hunter suggests uncirculated Triathlon 50p pieces in their original packaging could fetch approximately £79. 

Other valuable 50p coins

There are other 50p coins which could fetch you some cash. You may not even realise you have them lying around! Here are five more valuable and rare 50p pieces, including the year they were minted and their mintage – the number of them in circulation. 

• Peter Rabbit (2018) – 1,400,000 
• Flopsy Bunny (2018) – 1,400,000 
• Tennis (2011) – 1,454,000 
• Goalball (2011) – 1,615,000 
• Shooting (2011) – 1,656,500 

Are new coins worth anything?

It isn’t just old coins which catch the eye of collectors. New coins can collect a nice sum of cash too. In fact, just a few years ago in 2019, the Royal Mint re-released some of the rarest 50p coins. Five of the most popular coins were released to celebrate half a decade of the 50p coin, all surrounding British Culture. 

These new coins were made with old designs. However some of them featured a slightly different effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth than the original releases. One of these re-releases was the Kew Gardens piece, as discussed earlier. The other four re-releases in the set include 100 years of Girl Guiding, 100 years of Scouting for boys, the first sub-four-minute mile and a newly minted version of the old ‘New Pence’, featuring Britannia. 

In 2021, a new 50p piece came out to celebrate the achievements of Team GB. Bought new, they ranged from £11 to £102.50, depending on whether they came in a set, their colour and the rarity of them. The gold proof version was extremely rare, with only 250 minted, sold by the Royal Mint for £1,095 a piece. 

How to value your coin

Do you have a few coins lying around which you think could be worth a little something? If you are lucky enough to have picked up a rare coin or have had one in a penny pot for a few years, why not see if you could get more than face value for the piece?  

There are a few ways in which you can find out the value of your coin. Firstly, of course, you could check out online marketplaces such as eBay. Searching the full name of the coin and filtering the results to show ‘sold’ items will give you an idea of how much they have sold for previously. Similarly, you could refine your search to show the results from highest to lowest, so you can see the higher end of the price you could pocket. 

There are also useful online tools which can help you estimate the value of your 50p. Coin Hunter is a brilliant site which gives you estimations for your coin. This is based on the average of the most recent sales. It also gives you an estimate of the different prices circulated and uncirculated versions can sell for. Plus, how much the price has increased since it was first minted. 

Some websites, such as Change Checker have a scale which shows you just how rare a coin could be. The Scarcity Index gives you an idea of where your coin ranks. 

If you believe your coin is worth a decent sum of money, you could always visit an independent coin dealer. A pawn shop could also give a rough estimate. You may even wish to sell any very rare coins at auction.  

The post Could your 50p coin make you £50? appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Good news! There are actually quite a few job options out there. Plus, your talent for snoozing may actually benefit your insomniac counterparts.

Here are a few ideas:

• Bed/mattress tester
• Scientific research
• Sleep coach
• Set up sleeping pods
• Create sleep songs

Become a bed/mattress tester

The fact that bed testing is a hugely popular job, hardly comes as a surprise.

When luxury bed specialists Simon Horn, makers of the Savior Beds for the Savoy Hotel, asked for participants for their month-long “sleep survey” in 2009, they received 600 applications within 48 hours.

Roslin Madigan was chosen for this specific job, as her application stood out because of the quality of her writing. Besides sleeping on top of designer mattresses, the winner needed to be articulate and interested in writing about their experience. She got paid £1,000 to sleep in luxury beds every day for a month.

Read this article to find out more about being a bed/mattress tester.

Scientific research

Similarly, when Drew Iwanicki answered NASA’s 2013 advertisement looking for participants to lie in bed for an uninterrupted 70 days, he was one of 25,000 applicants.

Whereas Madigan was chosen for her writing ability, Iwanicki was chosen on the grounds of his physical health, making him a suitable candidate for the kind of data NASA was looking to collect. He received a whopping $18,000 for his time in bed.

Now, it’s also not every day you will stumble upon a NASA job spec of this order. There are, however, other opportunities to sleep for the sake of scientific advancement.

These jobs won’t always be advertised as such, so the best way to find out about them would be to make yourself available for clinical trials. Of course, this may include a wide range of experimental treatments, so you seriously have to be up for some… interesting challenges.

Depending on what kind of trial you take part in, how invasive the trials are and how long they take, you can earn anything from £100 to about £4,000.

Read more about signing up for paid clinical trials.

Become a sleep coach

If you have mastered the art of sleeping, you may be able to help other exhausted people do the same by becoming a sleep coach.

Now, the term ‘sleep coaching’ is most often associated with babies and toddlers whose overwrought parents need an extra pair of hands to help them sail off to la-la land at night.

However, an increasing number of adults are turning to this form of therapy to combat their own insomnia too.

Of course, to be able to help others, you will need to know exactly what it is that helps you fall asleep at night and articulate it effectively.

Once you’ve mastered this, you have a couple of options:

• Compile an eBook for people to download at a suitable price
• Present a workshop and sell tickets for people to attend
• Do a paid online seminar
• Start your own consultancy

The Sleep Works is a UK-based sleep coaching agency that charges between £200 and £300 for their adult packages.

Set up sleeping pods

As more and more companies are following the lead of Google and the likes in embracing the power of the nap, sleeping pods are becoming an increasingly important office feature.

If you’re into innovations, this is a great emerging industry to invest in.

UK-based Podtime offers their services to various corporate clients and charge between £1,395 and £2,895 per pod. The price depends on the size and complexity of the design.

Create songs for sleeping

If you’re a musician, you could always put your abilities to good use by creating soothing songs that will help people fall asleep.

There are various sites that help you distribute your music to all the major online platforms, such as iTunes, Spotify and Google Music. CD Baby is probably the most popular and well-known. If you opt for the Pro distribution package, you will be paid 91% of all download sales on cdbaby.com.  If you opt for ‘CD Baby Free,’ you will earn 85% of every download sale. You will also have to pay a one-time distribution fee ($9.95 for a single. $49 for an album).

Also read:

• 10 easy ways for students to make extra money
• 14 fun ways to make money with your mobile phone
• 12 unusual creative ways to make money

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