The new austerity measures from the coalition government mean many people will have to tighten their belts over the coming months. While sticking to a budget and finding ways to cut back are advisable, with a little imagination and effort you could find there are ways you can actually make money.
Moneywise has come up with 20 ways to make money during the credit crunch - some are easier than others but all of them could see you make some extra cash.
1. Track down old accounts
According to the British Bankers’ Association, there is more than £15 billion sitting forgotten in bank and savings accounts in the UK, with the average balance estimated to be £600.
The good news is that tracing lost funds has become easier with Mylostaccount.org.uk – a free online service that covers all UK bank and building society accounts. All you need to do is to go to the website and type in your details.
2. Claim tax credits
It’s always worth checking that you are receiving all the tax credits you are eligible for. Research by entitledto.co.uk found that people across the UK are collectively missing out on benefits and tax credits worth more than £8 billion a year. So while you’re tracing lost funds, why not visit the entitledto.co.uk website too and work out how much you could claim.
Take a look at our competition page for the latest prizes and giveaways.
3. Sort your savings
Another easy way to make money is to make sure your savings are working as hard as they can.
If you’ve had the same savings account for a while it might be worth shopping around because new customers tend to get the most competitive rates. Good rates come and go, but if you've had a savings account for more than a year the chances are the interest you are earning is not the best out there.
Buyers' Guide - Savings accounts
If you have a lump sum that you are prepared to lock away for 12 months or longer, then a fixed-rate account might be best. This type of deal will also protect you from interest rate cuts.
If you want to start a savings habit then a regular savings account is a good way to ensure you put a set amount of money away each month. But if you want to make deposits as and when, an instant access deal could be the one for you.
However, if you haven't yet used your ISA allowance for the current tax year then this sort of account should be the first home for any savings. You can save up to £5,100 each tax year as cash in an ISA and this will not be taxed.
Check out this week's best cash ISA rates
4. Mystery shopper
If you're longing for some retail therapy but can’t afford to hit the shops, why not earn a few pounds as a mystery shopper? Websites such as Retaileyes.co.uk employ mystery shoppers to drop in unannounced in shops and restaurants and rate their experience.
After you send in your feedback, you’ll be paid for your time and reimbursed for any purchases you made. You could make up to £20 a day, and get a meal or a night in a nice hotel thrown in for good measure.
5. Use cashback credit cards
If you pay off your credit bill in full each month, a cashback credit card could be the way to go. These offer you moneyback on purchases in certain shops or on goods such as petrol.
“Cashback credit cards are a great way to reward savvy spenders,” says Andrew Hagger, from Moneynet.co.uk, a price comparison website. “You can earn extra cash without even having to change your shopping habits.”
Use Compare Credit Cards to browse all cash-back cards currently available.
6. Cashback sites
You can earn even more money from shopping online. Cashback websites will automatically pay you every time you buy a product or a service from selected retailers, from your weekly groceries to switching your utility provider.
Websites include topcashback.co.uk, quidco.com and quidsinuk.co.uk which offer 100% commission cashback.
7. Take in a lodger
While most of us pay a fortune for our homes, it’s possible to make your home make money for you.
According to Santander, you could make as much as £289 a month from renting out a spare room. Under the government’s ‘rent a room’ scheme, you don’t need to pay tax on the first £4,250 you receive either, which means you could charge up to £354.16 a month without being lumbered with a tax bill.
For more ways to make money in your spare time follow this link:
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