Top Tips To Turn Spare Time Into Spending Money
Looking back on 2010, I feel a small sense of relief and entered the New Year with a strong sense of positivity. It doesn’t take long though for that good old shadow to re-emerge over social morale. With an increase in VAT and the constant reminders of the thousands of people seeking free debt advice every day, the desperate state of our economy is obvious, and it’s difficult to remain positive about the year ahead.
So, as much as I hope the New Year will bring new hope for the state of the British Economy, I also hope the New Year will make me a millionaire too. Ok, perhaps that’s just wishful thinking, but when it comes to personal finance, I’m always looking for quick and easy ways to earn some quick cash; and that’s never been as important to me as now, when my balance has taken one huge hit by the festive season, and I need to cover those looming credit card debts.
Maximising your income is perhaps one of the most underestimated ways of tackling debt or financial strains. So many individuals automatically switch to panic mode at the slightest sign of financial difficulty and jump on the first personal loan they can find. However, this should not be your first point of call. Instead you should first think about ways in which you can maximise your income.
Maximising your earnings does not have to mean the usual drag of over time. You would not believe how many people feel that this is their only option. There are so many other ways in which you can supplement your income though, many of which can actually be done from home. And you never know you could actually find it a little bit enjoyable!
Most businesses depend on public input in order to grow as a successful company. Therefore, many companies offer to pay for you to complete market research. This doesn’t need to be intrusive or heavily time consuming either, most now operate their research online, so you have total flexibility as to when you complete them. Similarly, supermarkets depend on passing their regular mystery shopper quota, so mystery shopper work can also prove to be extremely profitable.
A second option to earn an extra bit of money is to consider if home delivery could provide you with an additional income. You could enquire at your local takeaway or at a larger chain such as Pizza Hut. Or if that isn’t quite your cup of tea, perhaps becoming an agent for businesses such as the Home Delivery Network could be a better option for you?
Are you happy to get your hands dirty? Do you consider yourself a dab hand at odd jobs around the house? Whether you enjoy a bit of gardening, decorating, cleaning or general DIY, you could offer your services to those in the community that are less able. Place an ad in your local shop window or in the newspaper and I’m sure you’ll be surprised at the response. Plus, if you do a good job for someone, it’s highly likely that they will ask for your services time and time again.
Following on from the theme of odd jobs around the house, you would not believe how many people will pay to have their house cleaned or their ironing or laundry done by someone else. If you enjoy a bit of housework and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, then consider offering your services around the local community. Although the pay is renowned to be low, it will nonetheless contribute to maximising your monthly income.
If none of the above examples are quite your kettle of fish, then, be a little creative. What hobbies do you have? Or how do you usually fill your spare time? It could well be that you can earn money simply from doing something you love. If you never leave the house without a camera, or you love to write down your thoughts (maybe you keep a diary or a record of your dreams) then you should certainly consider entering the freelancing fields. Companies will pay surprisingly high amounts to have you freelance for them.
The idea is to be a little bit creative and innovative in ways in which you can tackle your debts. If you have specific skills in a certain area then do some research to see if you can financially benefit from it. Everyone’s different, what you love to do, someone else will most likely despise and be happy to pay someone else to do it for them.
Bette writes for Just Clear My Debts, one of the UK’s top websites dedicated to providing free debt advice, IVA information, and resources to help with credit card debts.
