We all want extra cash, don’t we? But with our busy lives, saving and earning even a little bit more can feel like an impossible task. Don’t feel daunted. Getting financially savvy can take as little as 15 minutes a day.
We’ve got a whole host of tricks and reader-tested tips for you to try – and no matter whether you have a spare quarter of an hour or a whole year, you can be saying KER-CHING with our little wins! Keep an eye out for the next tips, tricks and advice in the series!
Start doing surveys
Thousands of savvy savers are already doing this. Surveys are a quick and easy way to earn more cash. There are hundreds of sites to choose from but they don’t all pay the same. Here are our pick of the ones to try..
•Swagbucks
Typically pays: 40p per survey
Highlight: Daily opportunities
Swagbucks shares easy polls that you can take as often as once a day. You earn points which are turned into cash via PayPal or vouchers for retailers including Amazon. 15 minutes’ work now and again will soon add up.
•PineCone Research
Typically pays: £3 plus freebies
Highlight: Products to test and keep
All survey savers want to be part of PineCone. Why? They award the biggest payouts at around £3 per survey, as well as sending you products to review and keep. It’s invite-only but search online and you’ll find links to join up.
•Prolific
Typically pays: £1-£10
Highlight: High earner
Our tried and tested favourite Prolific Academy is one of the biggest payers but you have to give detailed answers. You’re rated on the quality of your participation and sent work according to your score. You must tot up £20 before you can ‘cash out’ your earnings but this shouldn’t take long.
TaB reader Rebecca says: ‘I put the time into online surveys on Qmee, Curious Cat, Panel Base, YouGov and Maximiles. I make around £70 per month plus I earn points for vouchers. I’m a stay-at-home mum so it helps a great deal, especially when things like birthdays and Christmas arrive.’
Spot and earn
App Job Spotter is one of the easiest ways to see the pennies flood in. Keep an eye out for any job signs you see in shop windows. When you spot one, take a photo on your phone, upload it to the easy-to-use app and you’ll be paid in Amazon vouchers. Payments vary from a few pence to as much as almost £2 so it’s always worth the effort.
Take on a task for £6
Apps such as Field Agent, Roamler and Streetspotr need you to take on small tasks in exchange for cash. This can be anything from checking prices of products in stores to a quick mystery shop. You’ll earn an average of £6 per 15-minute job, which can be fitted in around your schedule, for example on your lunch break.
Enter a competition
Spend 15 mins a day entering competitions online and you could win some fab prizes or cash. Of course, you might not win anything but serial compers swear by it.
TaB reader Jayne says: ‘I wanted to decorate my children’s bedroom but needed money so I entered competitions and won vouchers and cash. It all added up and now, I’ve finished the lovely room and it didn’t cost me a penny!’
Do-it-yourself
Hole in your clothes? Button missing? Broken necklace or piece of homeware? Forget buying new, it’s easier and quicker than you think to learn to fix something using an online tutorial, and it can save you pounds in just a few minutes.