These days there are quite a few ways to make a bit of extra money online. If you have some spare time or are saving up for any particular treat, it can be worth giving it a go. As a stay at home mum, I’m always happy to try anything that I can do from home without having to pay for childcare or leave the children. I won’t claim you can necessarily earn loads but every little helps and these websites are quite useful to know about. So: How to make money online…?
- Survey websites – such as SurveyBods. You can earn 50p and £3 per survey and earn around £6 per week just by doing a couple. The maximum length for any survey is 20 minutes. There are lots of survey sites out there (and I have tried quite a few over the years, earning a mixture of cash or vouchers) and these rates are not bad. I did give up on some of the sites where you fill in a very long survey for x amount of points which works out at about 30p.
- If you are a member of a school PTA or organisation looking to raise funds, you could also consider EduVoice a survey website that allows members to share their earnings with a school or organisation – giving an easy way to raise a bit of extra cash.
- Online review websites – such as dooyoo. You get paid around 60p for reviews written on their site (varies by category) and extra pence every time someone reads it. It is quite a social site with a feel of community, so if you do enjoy writing short reviews it is worth giving it a try. I don’t use it at the moment as I’m quite busy with the blog but did use it in the past and found it good. One of my siblings also used this a lot to earn extra money while studying and found it useful. If your reviews are some of the best they will award you with a “crown” which comes with a cash bonus.
- Mystery shopping – This is not strictly earning online as it will require you to go and visit the establishments (Sometimes you can do via phone call but most require you to go in person), however you can sign up and select your assignments online and then fill in your feedback online too. Some websites to try are Gap Buster, who I have worked with in the past, or Market Force. If you are dedicated and willing to go to establishments regularly, you can earn quite a bit of spare cash doing this. It is more work than some other methods, because it does require you to go in person and complete your assignments so obviously the pay reflects that.
- Cashback – If you shop online anyway, then you would be silly not to bother with cashback websites. Topcashback and Quidco are some of the main websites, and personally I’m a Quidco person, although I would say they are equally as good but it is more convenient for me to stick with one. If you are really dedicated you could sign up with both and then check the cash back rates on each shop, using the higher earning site each time.
- Product Testing – I have posted before about various panels that you can join as a non-blogger to test products (see here for my list of some of those product testing schemes) With many of these, the free product is your main incentive but some of them do also reward you in high street vouchers. Givaudan will pay you in capital bonds after you test out their products and provide them with feedback. They are in the fragrance industry so it is either laundry products or shampoo and toiletry type products. These all come in unmarked containers but they have already been tested to make sure they are safe, you are just testing how nice (or not) the fragrances are. There are various others too, I am with a couple of these.
- Focus Groups – You can sign up to various focus groups online and earn around £40 for a focus group session. There is a limit how many you can do in a year but it may be worth joining up and doing a couple. You may need to travel to a certain location, or sometimes they will even do an at home focus group on a one to one basis.
- Ebay – An obvious one, but everyone’s favourite online auction site can be a handy way to make extra cash as well as clearing space in your house as you sell on the things that are no longer needed.
As a blogger I can’t forget to mention that blogging is another way to earn money online. In the future, I might post some tips about effective ways to monetise and how to start and maintain a successful blog if anyone is interested (let me know in the comments if you do want me to!). I haven’t included this above as these are all things that can be done on a casual basis and really easily picked up and put down, and fit into any schedule or any free time you may have. The great thing about some of the above methods is that even if you start them and then leave them for a couple of weeks or even months, you can go back to them at any time – do a bit more and earn a bit more! Blogging is more of a commitment. Obviously there is a certain amount of flexibility though as you are your own boss!! – but you do need to put the hours in. I’ve always loved being part of online communities, and have been making websites since we first got internet when I was about 12 or 13 so it’s a perfect job for me.
If you have any further ideas or recommendations, or any success stories, please do share them with us in the comments.
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Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
I used to do the surveys – I worked out it was around £3 per hour on average, which was low but fair for no childcare and being able to do it from home.
I also do quite a lot of survey they are great.
I’ve tried surveys – though seemingly made no money out of them somehow! I’m obviously doing the wrong ones. I’ve also applied to be a product tester – though I don’t have a blog myself – but got no reply, while I’d wondered about being a mystery shopper but didn’t know if it was just a con again.
The only way I’ve successfully made money up to now, well over £100 in a year, is via the cashback site Quidco.
With surveys what I find helps is sticking to just one or two sites and building up the points with those, otherwise its easy to loose track. I do have points here and there uncollected in various sites as I haven’t stuck with those ones, so that ends up being a waste of time!
I’ve done Dooyoo in the past and found it really good, just too time consuming with blogging and working too. Ciao is also a good one
Great tips thanks! I do surveys online and test products too! I have received loads of Amazon and John Lewis vouchers for completing the Surveys! Pinecone research are great for sending out products to review and they aren’t just mini products – but full sized too! They pay you well for completing their surveys – a great way of making extra cash!
Thanks for the information. I would appreciate a bit more if possible. As I would be interested to know of peoples experiences of these pursuits.
I’ve done surveys in the past but haven’t made much and I use ebay from time to time