There are many great ways to make money on the side, but where to look and which are the best can be bewildering!
If the idea of Christmas and its costs or going on holiday with enough spending money or simply going out with friends and not having enough money fills you with dread this blog is for YOU.
If you are the kind of person that finds all their bills are paid and they have £23 left for the rest of the month about 3 days after payday then read on.
This guide will give you lots of great options to make money RIGHT AWAY and fit this round your existing job.
This blog has been written by an industry insider who is an expert in second income opportunities.
The most important things to look for in a second income is the following
- can fit easily round your existing job
- requires little or no equipment to get going
- little or no tax
- work when you want as much or as little as you want
- the hourly effort you put in gives you MORE profit than your current hourly rate job ( otherwise you might as well do overtime ? RIGHT ?!)
So lets delve in and look at some genuine opportunities and also highlight how to steer clear of the scams that are out there .
No Risk Matched Betting
This is our favourite for loads of reasons (and yeh of course we are biased!). The principle is simple, you take advantage of the free bets bookmakers offer you online and create a situation where YOU CANT LOSE no matter what the outcome of the sports event.
For those of you that don’t pop into that seedy Coral shop on the high street in the afternoon after work on the way to the pub its easy enough to explain.
There are about 10 to 20 online bookmakers in the UK offering between £5 and £400 in free bets if you sign up and join as a new customer. Now imagine with the help of some simple instructions you selected a fairly evenly matched horse race with 5 runners. You could take 5 of those bets and bet on all 5 horses, one with each free bet, to ensure you have a guaranteed win no matter what the outcome. Easy profit. No Risk !
We’ve oversimplified here, and with some easy to learn skills you can actually make a lot more money than simply blowing all your free bets on one race.
The free bets don’t last forever so we like to combine matched betting with our system Buncejar to DOUBLE your PROFITS by having two systems using the same free bets.
Its certainly easy to bag a TAX FREE £500 to £1000 in your first month for about 20 mins work a day. This nice lady in the video can tell you more.
Matched Betting Verdict
This is a great quickie money spinner to get your bank balance higher in a matter of a week, tax free, without leaving your home. Doing Matched Betting with Buncejar doubles the profitability. This is a good all rounder for second income, you can do as much or as little as you want, the money is tax free and you don’t need any knowledge of betting . Best of all the first few weeks to subscribe are FREE.
Start making money TODAY with NO UPFRONT COST by clicking here
Online Trading
Yeh yeh we know. There are loads and loads of utter scamsters talking about trading Forex this and blah blah blah the market that.
The bulk of the brokers that take your trades are sharks and the people giving you advice hire their Lamborghinis by the hour and post ITV style selfie videos on Facebook to get you to subscribe.
So here is one guy that’s the real deal.
Meet Charlie Burton Hes been on the BBC you know …. twice
Charlie has a great online course and support and in the past has turned £10k into £100k .
You could start with as little as a few hundred pounds and go from there. Be warned the profits you could make MIGHT be taxable and over 70% of people that trade online lose money.
Trading Verdict
If you are disciplined and unemotional you can do really really well with Charlie. Just be aware that the monthly subscription costs eat into your profits. You will need money to make money here, and be wary of unscrupulous brokers that don’t put you in the market and bet against you.
Online Surveys
Yup you’ve read that right. You can register with a few companies like Swagbucks or Mysurvey or Qmee.com and get paid to take online surveys.
I had a go with Qmee and ….actually made some money. You simply click on surveys offered on their webpage and off you go. You get paid anywhere from a few pence to a pound for doing a survey, and Qmee even have the ability to add a widget to your we browser that pays you a little bit when you search for items on online.
Online Paid Surveys Verdict
If you literally don’t have a penny to your name this is a good place to start. Be warned, Its best to complete your profile as much as possible in the survey section first , and expect more rejected surveys that ones you are allowed to do. I reckon you could actually make about £4 per hour doing this. Now, don’t be too disappointed with the earning potential because I reckon most people with a day job could sneak in a few of these per day at their desk at work and thus bag extra money during the normal working day.
Use the funds made here to invest in some of the more effective time v profit methods discussed in this blog, but this is a great place to start if you have no seed money at all.
Get paid to test Websites
You read that right. This nifty little site allows you to register and get paid about £6.50 for 20 mins work clicking round someone elses website.
go to www.usertesing.com to register
You have to speak out loud as you record your experience on the sight and download their special software to do this.
I gave it a go and after submitting a demo video made a cheeky £6.50 into my paypal account for my efforts. I reckon you could do a few of these in a day if you wanted.
Paid Website Testing Verdict
It takes long than you think, but with practice we reckon you might be able to beat minimum wage on an hourly rate with this. Make sure you don’t flunk the first test recording you are asked to do though!
Takeaway Food Delivery Driver or Cyclist
Behave. No one looks good in lycra over the age of 25 and its all just a low paid slave job until you have to deliver a chicken curry to a load of drug dealers with the munchies in an estate in Hackney at 2am, then its downright dangerous.
Move on. There is nothing to discuss here.
Affiliate marketing – blogs with reviews and links
setting up a blog is easy. you can go to www.blogger.com for free and off you go.
There is some great affiliate marketing you can do. The author of this blog has his own blog about running and adventures that he also reviews gear on. By having an account with affiliate link sites such as www.Advantlink.com
You can then set up custom trackable links to your favourite gear reviews to shops that sell that gear and every time someone reads your blog and then clicks through on the link you get about 5% to 10% commission on the sale amount.
The problem is you will need to be able to write blogs that rank highly on google. Which is a skill in itself. We will come back to this blog soon and write a separate review on how to do just that but for now this isnt viable unless you are a master SEO person.
Become a Cryptocurrency Investor
yahura system
John Piper is a very famous online Investor and mentor. Over his career of 3 decades hes written 7 books ( just check amazon!) and is known as many as the grandfather of investing.
Hes currently hosting an online course called the Yahura System. Hes looking to teach people like you how to invest in little know cryptocurrencies and some of the more famous ones, and turn £1k into £1 million.
This isnt just a second income, this is a job killer, BUT you will need money to make money here and for those of you that are ‘patience averse’ youll need to buy and ‘Hodl’ to make your profits here.
You can find out more here
https://yahura.timlowe.com
Digital Currency Investing Verdict
We like the long term potential of this one, the issue is you may be looking to earn money THIS WEEK, and although John has made investments in some coins that doubled in a week this may be more of a get rich slow scheme than an extra short term income.
These first 5 not grab your attention ?! Lets look at some of the other ideas for a second income too .
The BIG LIST of other Second Income Ideas
Give yourself a payrise of 25%
How do you get a payrise of 25% ? I suspect if you simply walk in to your Boss’s office and demand it you might not get the answer you hoped. What we actually mean by a 25% payrise is to look at ALL of your expenditure on household outgoings. Look at every contract you pay monthly on, this would include your internet and phone costs, insurance and life insurance, mortgage rate and credit card APR. If you dedicate one day a year to shopping around online for the best deal on every outgoing you see on your monthly bank statement you will save thousands of pounds a year and boost your income.
Switch Bank Account
Yup . We don’t do it as much as we should , but any banks offer up to £150 for switching. I hear people say ‘its hassle’ and moan but the reality is you could earn £150 for your time. If you add in getting a better return on your savings too this soon adds up to more money in your pocket.
Pay off any debts you have with savings
Let that sink in for a second. You may not have any savings ( hence another reason you are here) but if you do and you earn a useless 1% per annum return on your savings you should use your savings to pay off any debts you have where you pay MORE per year in interest than you get on your savings.
Get paid to declutter the house
Ebay is the way here. We all have piles of junk we don’t need, from the exercise bike we use to dry our clothes on to the set of drums we were ABSOLUTELY going to learn how to play. Get it all listed on Ebay. You will be amazed what people buy as long as you are honest in your description. This declutters your house AND puts some easy money in your pocket within a week. Their new phone app makes listing a doddle as well !
Monetise your blog
Huh ? I know most people don’t have a blog or website, but if you do ( and there are hundreds of thousands of UK bloggers) you could get paid for doing what you already do. You can use google ads to easily have adverts put on your blog and earn money when people click on them, or if you review things on your blog you can set up special links on your site called affiliate links so you get paid when people come from your blog to an online store to buy. You can start making money TODAY on your blog with companies like www.avantlink.com
Get Cash Quick for Old Phones , CDs and Games
We all have a drawer at home full of old mobile phones. There are loads of websites that allow you to quickly scan the barcode or model number and get paid for all your old CDs games and phones. They even send you a paid envelope you just drop in the post . Instant payment into your paypal account or similar.
take a look at https://www.musicmagpie.co.uk/sell-mobile-phones/ as a good example.
You can even sell old LEGO by the kilo to this site !
Sell your old controllers, chargers instructions and even phone boxes !
With the pace technology moves at these days, most of us have old boxes, cables, remote controls and so on stuffed in drawers or packed away in lofts, despite it being unlikely they’ll ever be of use again. Yet you can earn money as well as declutter your home by selling these ‘tech leftovers’ online, via sites such as eBay, Facebook or Gumtree.
Who’d want them? Well, some buy replacement accessories for older gadgets, some buy boxes and manuals for devices they want to sell so they can raise the asking price and some buy cables and remotes for electronics they bought second-hand.
Bear in mind that what you can earn for these kind of items will depend on their condition, demand, how common or scarce they are, the fees on the sites where you sell them and if there’s any sort of bidding war over your item.
Sell Old Books You’ve read and don’t want anymore
Listing books one-by-one on eBay* may get the most cash, but it’ll take some time. One of the best options for selling old books is Amazon Marketplace*, as you need only search for the book and write a short description. Your listing stays up till it sells.
Amazon provides full reviews of most from its database – if you’re listing a few in one go, this saves time. Check your sale price covers postage if it’s a heavy book you’re listing.
You can list up to 35 books a month for free, but Amazon will charge 75p per book plus 15% of the total price paid (including postage). Alternatively, to list more than 35 books a month, you pay a flat subscription of £25/mth and then 50p per book plus 15% of the total price paid.
Sell your old Wedding Dress
If you’ve an old bridal gown boxed up in the loft, dig it out and turn it into cash. You could get £500+ for a sought-after dress by a well-known designer.
A host of wedding dress selling sites promise help. Here, you upload a description and some photos. The buyer usually comes round in person to try it on.
As you set the price, first find your frock’s true worth. Check eBay to see how much similar dresses have sold for – search for dresses like yours, then tick ‘completed listings’ under ‘Show only’ in the grey bar on the left.
Don’t just post items to strangers though – it’s far better to get paid cash in hand. Even if you accept a cheque, it can take a week for it to clear. The exception’s eBay, which tends to have better protection.
Become a Car Boot Sale Savvy
If you’ve an eye for car booty, buy items cheaply and sell them at a profit on eBay or other auction sites. Be sure to arrive early to beat other bargain hunters. You can use Car Boot Junction or Carbootsales.org to find your nearest car boot sale.
The big money lies in spotting collectables to sell on, so research online first or (subtly) use your mobile phone’s web browser.There’s a quick way to glean a product’s market value on eBay*. Once you’ve searched for a particular product, tick ‘completed listings’ under ‘Show only’ in the grey bar on the left. It’ll come up with a list of prices similar auctions have already fetched. Then sort by “Price: lowest first”.
How much? The earning potential increases with your knowledge of rare items and collectable brands, and a little luck doesn’t go amiss either. If you’re in the right place at the right time, this could net you £100s extra a year.
Find out more: For more hints, ask on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales forum board.
Sell your old Jewelry or Gold for cash
“Sell unwanted gold for CASH!” TV, mags and billboard ads pulse with promises, yet rarely seem to live up to them.
However, amid the scrap are shining examples – meaning £14 per 9ct stud earrings and £55 per 18ct gold ring is possible. Full tips on avoiding rip-offs and maximising your earnings in Sell Gold for Max Cash.
Turn Empty Printer Cartridges into CASH
Printer cartridges are expensive, sometimes even more costly than the printers themselves. So, next time one runs out, offset the cost of a new one by recycling the empty one for cash. If you work in a big office they may throw out a lot of these too !
There are lots of recycling sites out there, so do a bit of research to find out which are the best payers for your cartridges – some cartridges earn 50p, though it’s usually much less. Try Cash For Cartridges, Recycle Ink Cartridges and Infotone.
Though some recycling sites will take your empty cartridges, they may only pay for certain ones, so check feedback and compare prices.
Lost Luggage Pot Luck
When airlines are unable to reunite lost bags with their rightful owners, they often sell them off via specialist auction houses, usually costing £10-£75. For a full guide, including which auction houses do this, see Lost Luggage Auctions.
It’s also worth checking out Police Auctions, where forces across the UK sell lost property or goods seized from criminals when they can’t find the rightful owner. It’s cracking for bicycles, among other things.
Get Cash for Space
If you’ve unused space in a loft, garage or spare room, Storemates puts you in touch with folk who need space. It’s free to register and list, but it charges 17% of the monthly rent if you find a match.
How much can you get? Storemates recommends charging 50% of commercial price. It automatically suggests a price, but you can charge what you like. For example, a 20 sq ft loft space in south London could net £600/year.
Turn Tarmac into Gold
Is your driveway paved with gold? If you live near a city centre, airport, train station or footie ground, it might be. You can earn cold hard cash each month by renting out your drive. Read the Rent Your Parking Space guide for more.
Your Opinions Matter
You can make regular cash by signing up to do online surveys. You can get paid a few pounds to up to £20 a time.
take a look at www.swagbucks.com to find out more.
Get PAID to go Shopping !
High-street retailers are desperate to check their in-store customer service is up to scratch, and contract mystery shopping agencies to do so.
They employ you to visit a specific shop or pub, to rate service quality or the quality of their goods. If you fancy a bit of ‘cloak and dagger’ identity, this can be great fun too.
Three of the most popular sites are Grass Roots, GBW (formerly Gapbuster) and Retail Maxim.
Be your own Merchandising Brand !
US-based website Teespring lets you design T-shirts, socks, mugs, iPhone cases and more for people to buy online. It’s open to designers all over the world and only takes a cut when your designs sell.
How does it work? You submit designs for items, but Teespring does all the legwork – eg, sourcing blank mugs, printing designs, processing payments and dispatching items to buyers.
You set the price (in dollars initially, but you can change the currency), though there’s a standard base price for every item to ensure Teespring covers costs and makes a profit. You can increase your cut of the sale by raising prices, though be aware setting them too high could put off buyers.
How much can I make? Using Teespring’s recommended prices, you can make about £6-£9 for selling a T-shirt, £8-£18 for a zip-up hoodie, £3-£5 for a tote bag and £2.50-£5 for a mug.
How do I do it? You’ll need to create your design outside of Teespring (eg, in Paint, Photoshop, Adobe InDesign), then select the product you’d like to sell and upload your design. See Teespring’s design tips and best practices for more help and info.
Go Freelance !
If you’ve skills in a specific area, you may be able to do a little freelancing on the side.
International project recruitment site PeoplePerHour allows companies to list projects they want completed. Freelancers ‘bid’ on projects, saying why they’ll be the most suitable candidate and entering their price for the work. The site’s free to join and bid on work, but a fee is taken out of your pay for each job.
How much? It depends on the job, the duration and skills involved, and how many freelancers are competing for it. The only drawback is you might find yourself competing against workers from countries with a much lower cost of living, who can undercut you.
Ways to Make Money on the Side – Conclusion and Roundup
make money on the side
So weve taken you through some great ways to boost that income. Overall we think all of the methods weve mentioned are great , some require some seed money, some require patience and some may require some skill.
Of all of them we like Buncejar the best as your opportunity to bag some tax free profit in the next 24 hrs with only a few minutes work online.