Quidco smartphone appsPAYS YOU TO WALK INTO SHOPS
QUICK STATS
- Who's it good for? Patient smartphone owners who are often near shops.
- Typical earnings: £5/month.
- Payment method: Cash via PayPal.
- How much you need to earn before it pays: £1
Cashback site Quidco* has free Android and iPhone apps that let you earn cash on the go. Walk into shops with your mobile and you get 5p-50p a time, without getting your wallet out. It includes nearly 50 retailers.
You have to be patient though, one of the MSE team did 250 check-ins to earn £20.
If you're new to the cashback sites concept, they usually pay you to click through them to buy something (see Top Cashback Sites for a full guide). But this app pays you just to pop into stores.
For example, swing by the Body Shop, and 'check in' on the Quidco app. It then locates you and pays 10p to your account. This is limited to once per store per fortnight. For a full how-to and more tips, see Quidco app help.
Of course, the shops' aim is to tempt you to buy, so resist. Know it's an impulse pusher, and remember the money mantras.
You have to be patient though, one of the MSE team did 250 check-ins to earn £20.
If you're new to the cashback sites concept, they usually pay you to click through them to buy something (see Top Cashback Sites for a full guide). But this app pays you just to pop into stores.
For example, swing by the Body Shop, and 'check in' on the Quidco app. It then locates you and pays 10p to your account. This is limited to once per store per fortnight. For a full how-to and more tips, see Quidco app help.
Of course, the shops' aim is to tempt you to buy, so resist. Know it's an impulse pusher, and remember the money mantras.
22Shop and ScanGET PAID TO SCAN SHOPPING RECEIPTS (INVITE ONLY)
QUICK STATS
- Who's this good for? It's easy money, but you must wait to be selected.
- Typical earnings: £10/month.
- Payment method: Vouchers, incl Next, Debenhams.
- How much you need to earn before it pays: £10.
- Feed back: Shop and Scan
Market research site Shop and Scan is a great way to give your finances a boost. Each time you buy something, you log on and scan the receipt with the specialist barcode scanner it sends you.
Forumites report Shop and Scan pays about £10 a month. You can then cash it in for high street vouchers, including Next, Debenhams and Argos.
Please note Shop and Scan's press office would not confirm any details with us, as market research is a secretive area. So much of the tips here come from forumites.
You must wait for an invite
It's invite-only, but don't let that put you off. There's a way to get on the waiting list - just sign up at Volunteer4Panels.com. While you won't get accepted straight away, tons of MoneySavers have been selected eventually.
Forumite hedgesparrow says: "I would totally recommend Shop and Scan. I get £1.60 a week for scanning my barcodes. I still find it fun blipping the barcodes after six months. Once your total's £10, you get a £10 voucher, which takes about six weeks, but is only an hour and half of my time."
Look out for other invites
Shop and Scan often invites users to take part in other tasks for even more cash. These include filling in a food diary or Screenwise, where it installs some equipment on your TV to track the shows you watch.
This is when money really starts to mount up. Forumite Merlin139 says: "In six years we have had £3,800 of vouchers from these panels. Have not paid for an electrical appliance for five years."
Forumites report Shop and Scan pays about £10 a month. You can then cash it in for high street vouchers, including Next, Debenhams and Argos.
Please note Shop and Scan's press office would not confirm any details with us, as market research is a secretive area. So much of the tips here come from forumites.
You must wait for an invite
It's invite-only, but don't let that put you off. There's a way to get on the waiting list - just sign up at Volunteer4Panels.com. While you won't get accepted straight away, tons of MoneySavers have been selected eventually.
Forumite hedgesparrow says: "I would totally recommend Shop and Scan. I get £1.60 a week for scanning my barcodes. I still find it fun blipping the barcodes after six months. Once your total's £10, you get a £10 voucher, which takes about six weeks, but is only an hour and half of my time."
Look out for other invites
Shop and Scan often invites users to take part in other tasks for even more cash. These include filling in a food diary or Screenwise, where it installs some equipment on your TV to track the shows you watch.
This is when money really starts to mount up. Forumite Merlin139 says: "In six years we have had £3,800 of vouchers from these panels. Have not paid for an electrical appliance for five years."
23Clicks ResearchGRAB FREEBIES IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR VIEWS
It's possible to earn masses of freebies from Clicks Research. The site doles out free products, in exchange for feedback on whether they work. MoneySavers have blagged everything from anti-ageing creams to chocolate bars.
Respond at speed, as places fill up fast. It also sometimes pays cash for surveys. Clicks Research says products are all safe. It just wants to know how to improve them. Once you've signed up, Clicks Research emails invites. For more tips, see the full Clicks Research forum discussion.
Respond at speed, as places fill up fast. It also sometimes pays cash for surveys. Clicks Research says products are all safe. It just wants to know how to improve them. Once you've signed up, Clicks Research emails invites. For more tips, see the full Clicks Research forum discussion.
24Matched gamblingEXPLOIT ONLINE BOOKMAKERS' FREE GAMBLING OFFERS
This is something we thought hard about before including. Yet as many who know exactly what they're doing make serious risk-free cash, we wanted to include it.
It's all about taking advantage of the offers betting sites run to encourage new players, usually involving free bets (eg, "bet £30 and we give you a free £30 bet"), and the fact different bookmakers offer different odds.
Thus, in some circumstances, by betting on all outcomes you guarantee a profit, whatever the outcome. However, this is complex and dangerous, and most people should run a million miles.
Don't ever contemplate attempting it unless you've done detailed research.
Here are the key points:
- Warning! This is NOT about gambling. Gambling is not MoneySaving; the bookies always win in the long run (see Gamblers Anonymous). This is only about manipulating gambling introductory loopholes.
- How much? With time and care, it's possible to make £1,000 over the year. Please don't go for it if you're desperate for cash. This is only for those with patience and who aren't under money pressure. Otherwise, you'll end up drawn into real gambling - and losing.
- How do I do it? Read the Matched Betting Introduction and FAQs discussion in theGambling Introductory Offer Loopholes board and the other sticky threads at the top. Remember it's an open forum, anyone can post. Just because someone sounds like they know what they're doing, doesn't mean they do.
2563336EARN MONEY ONLINE FROM INTERNET RESEARCH
Internet companies such as 63336 (formerly AQA) are occasionally on the lookout for researchers. It works like this: a customer sends a text to researchers to ask the answer to a random question. The researcher - you - replies with an the answer.
The beauty of this work is that you can generally choose the type of questions you answer, and the hours you work. Check for vacancies on the 63336 site or on its Facebook and Twitter pages. You'll have to pass a test before you get an interview.
There aren't vacancies all the time, but we've included this here so you'll know to check back later.
There aren't vacancies all the time, but we've included this here so you'll know to check back later.
How much?
The site pays roughly 30p per question. Some can take just a few moments to answer, meaning that experienced researchers could rake in up £100s - though of course, it depends how much time you're prepared to put in. Join the 63336 discussion.
The site pays roughly 30p per question. Some can take just a few moments to answer, meaning that experienced researchers could rake in up £100s - though of course, it depends how much time you're prepared to put in. Join the 63336 discussion.
Got a top way to earn cash online that we haven't listed?
Feed back in the Earn cash online discussion.
Feed back in the Earn cash online discussion.
26Reclaim lost assets and inheritencePOTENTIAL PAYBACK OF £1,000S
There is BILLIONS of pounds worth of unclaimed money out there. Whether yours or an unknown inheritance from a deceased relative, it can usually be reclaimed free.
Try the My Lost Account website for bank accounts, savings and premium bonds. An estimated £1 billion's unclaimed in total.
If you've ever changed jobs, it's possible you've built up pension pots which now languish forgotten. The Pensions Service can help you trace and reclaim these. Full info in the Reclaim Lost Assets guide.
Try the My Lost Account website for bank accounts, savings and premium bonds. An estimated £1 billion's unclaimed in total.
If you've ever changed jobs, it's possible you've built up pension pots which now languish forgotten. The Pensions Service can help you trace and reclaim these. Full info in the Reclaim Lost Assets guide.
27Flog what you've got
Do you have unused assets worth £100s or £1,000s? Stop hoarding, and declutter for cash. Here's some inspiration:
- Get max cash for old mobiles. An easy way to start is our Mobile Phone Selling Comparison tool for old handsets, iPods, cameras, etc. Eg, HTC Desire - best £63, worst £15. Or iPhone 4 16GB, best £133, worst £90.
- 40+ eBay tricks 'n' tools. Our 40+ eBay Selling Tricks guide is a crash course, from cutting eBay fees by tweaking start prices and using no-charge listing weekends, to adding extra pics with special tools. Plus there are tools to create multiple listings in advance and bulk upload them.
- Safely sell old gold for max cash. TV ads yell "sell old gold for cash." Yet many are kicked in the crown jewels as they get a fraction of the promised price. Amid the scrap, though, are shining examples. Our Top Gold Selling Sites takes you through it.
2860 more ways to boost your income
If you're looking to rake in a little more, our 60 Tricks To Boost Your Income guide can add to the coffers. Here's a taster:
- Get paid to enter shops. Cashback site Quidco* has free apps that let you earn cash on the go. Walk into shops with your mobile and you get 5p-20p a time - without getting your wallet out. See Free cashback.
- Send pics to mags. For example, Love It! magazine pays £15 for cute pet pics or even £50 for readers' shirtless fellas (Mrs MSE's been banned from sending 'em in). See Paid pics.
- Earn cash as an Avon lady (or man). We've been surprised by the popularity of the dedicated Avon Rep Hints & Tips forum thread.
29Give yourself a money makeoverPUT THOUSANDS BACK IN YOUR POCKET
While most people earn a max £200 a day, taking a day to sort your finances leaves many a grand a year better off.
Always think in terms of annual savings - £15 a month doesn’t sound much but it’s £180 a year. Here’s some OOMPH! to get you going.
- Owed £10,000s in PPI? If you've had a loan or credit card in the past 10 years, check if you were mis-sold PPI. Don't worry if you don't have paperwork, see the FAQs in Reclaim PPI for Free.
Proof from Steverandall1965: "You inspired me to claim. Put it off for ages, then downloaded the template, sent it off and got £12,225, no fuss or bother." - Slash car insurance costs. Prices are rocketing, especially if you just auto-renew. Some can halve costs by combining the results of comparison sites. See Cheap Car Insurance for a full step-by-step guide.
- Can you cut your mortgage cost? If you’ve decent equity in your house and aren’t locked into a deal, speak to a mortgage broker. See the MSE Remortgage Booklet:Instant PDF | Printed
- Credit card interest costs. Those with decent credit histories can now ‘balance transfer’ debts to new cards at 0%. Full info in Best Balance Transfers.
- Save £100s with a water meter. If your home has more or the same number of bedrooms as people, check our Water Meter guide. Helen Bevington tweeted:"Thanks to MSE, we've water-metered. Monthly DD down from £80 to £25." That's £660/year less.
Those are just the start. For a detailed checklist of over 30 quick ways to cut bills, see the Money Makeover guide.
30Rent it - spare rooms, storage, parking spaces
The Rent it out for cash section of our Boost Your Income lists easy ways to earn extra from your property. Here's a taster:
- Rent your driveway for up to £200/mth. Live near a city centre, airport, train station or footie ground? It's possible to earn up to £200/mth or more renting out your drive. See Rent Your Parking Space for a full how-to and top free-to-list online marketplaces.
- Get cash for spare storage space. If you've unused space in a loft, garage or spare room, website Storemates lets you rent out it to others looking for cheap storage. See rent your storage.
- Rent your spare room. The 'rent a room' scheme means you can take in a lodger to live in a furnished room in your home. It has a special exemption meaning you won't have to pay tax on the first £4,250 you make each year (this is halved if you share the income with your partner or someone else). See Take a lodger.
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