You may have started January dry. Your liver might be gradually unpickling itself and your thoughts brim with extra clarity as each new day passes. Unfortunately, none of that abstinence will have fended off the dreaded ‘January Money Hangover’ (is that the best name they could come up with?). It’s the most miserly time of the year, with most young people battening down the hatches and hibernating at evenings and weekends until the relative frivolity of February creeps into view. Any extra cash then, is welcome. Every little helps and in January, every little actually feels rather large. Not to be sniffed at then, are our 5 IDEAL ways to earn a little extra pocket money today.
AUCTION OFF THE UNNECESSARY
You’re more than likely to have a whole host of items you’ve long since deemed surplus to requirements, and thanks to auction sites such as Ebay, there’s plenty of scope to sell them on. Things can get even more prompt too, if you wish. You don’t need to wait for bids and an auction to sell electronics quickly, there are websites which offer to do the deal fast, but be wary of the low price they offer; the ease of use and speed is the incentive. Consider going old school with a carboot sale; in doing so, you can have real, face-to-face contact and negotiate a deal which feels more fair and wholesome.
TAKE A PAID SURVEY
If you want more guaranteed, incremental earnings, then consider taking a paid online survey (or ten). It’s important to read the small print, as sometimes it’s prizes and vouchers on offer as opposed to cold hard cash. Swagbucks is considered one of the more reputable places for this sort of thing.
SWITCH YOUR BANK ACCOUNT
Is there a word for that feeling of utter dread prior to checking your bank balance? There should be. Anyway, while on the subject, switching your bank account or opening a second could bring in a little sunshine to this otherwise bleak and blustery month. Banks are trying to challenge the notion that customers are way too loyal (see lazy) to ever switch by offering some pretty serious incentives to up sticks. It’s not immediate, with the old switcheroo usually taking 7 days, but the rewards are decent, make no mistake.
SHRAPNEL FOR SURFING
Most of us spend an inordinate, unproductive amount of time doing it anyway, so why not get paid to surf the internet? Companies like Wonder and Clickworker will pay you to partake in research led internet browsing or proof reading of documents, respectively. The pay off isn’t huge, but if you’ve got a discerning eye and busy fingers, you could earn a pint or two from the gig.
LEND A HAND LOCALLY
Apps such as Task Rabbit and Odd Job Nation help connect people in need of a hand locally with those willing to give one; for a fee, of course. This could take the form of helping with some heavy lifting, lending a hand at a local event or simply assembling an IKEA flatpack for someone bamboozled by the instructions. The list goes on and with it, the opportunities broaden. So, get out there and get involved.