34 Ways To Earn More Money

We could all use a little more money in our pockets. Whether you're a student trying to cover your expenses, a professional looking to level up your income, or just someone who wants to make the most of your opportunities, learning how to earn more money is an invaluable skill.

Here, you’ll find 35 top tips for boosting your income so you can reach your financial goals, whether you want to earn more in your day job or make a little extra on the side.

How to earn more money at work

Learn how to earn more from your day job or side hustle.

1. Ask for a payrise

This is perhaps the fastest way to boost your regular income by a substantial amount — provided your boss says yes, of course. So it’s best to come prepared with reasons you deserve a payrise.

Before asking, prepare some notes on:

• How you’ve helped the business over the last few months (if you can find statistics to back up your claims, that’s even better).
• Ways you’ve taken the initiative to improve work processes and productivity within your team.
• How you’ve proven yourself to be a reliable, productive employee.
• Any training you’ve had over the past few months that has improved your performance and experience.
• The industry average salary for your position, and how your current salary measures up.

It’s also a good idea to schedule a meeting with your line manager at an appropriate time. Practise what you’re going to say in advance so you don’t get flustered in the moment.

Be prepared for them to go away and consider your offer; they may need to get approval from other staff before they can accept your request.

2. Ask for overtime

If you don’t feel comfortable asking for a payrise just yet, you could always see if there are more hours available. Overtime is sometimes paid at a higher rate than your standard wage, especially at weekends or overnight.

3. Upgrade your skills

Additional training can give you extra skills that enhance your work performance, potentially leading to promotion and increased pay.

Many companies set aside a training budget, so if you’re interested in doing a course or training programme, discuss it with your manager.

4. Get seasonal work

There are often more UK job vacancies in the months leading up to Christmas. So if you want to earn some extra money, consider getting a weekend retail job in a supermarket or shop.

Other seasonal jobs in the UK include:

• Harvesting fruit and veg in summer and autumn.
• Working as a tourist guide or resort rep in spring and summer.
• Working in a bar or restaurant in summer.

5. Offer freelance services

Work outside the 9-5 by offering your skills as a freelancer. For example, if you work in marketing, law, or finance, you could become a consultant for other businesses and charge for your time and expertise.

6. Become a delivery driver

As online shopping becomes more popular, reliable delivery drivers are in high demand around the UK. If you have a car, motorbike, or regular bike, you may be able to make some extra money working as a courier or food delivery driver.

7. Become a translator

If you speak more than one language, you could earn money working as a translator for other people in your community. Translation services are often needed in medical settings, banks, and citizens' advice bureaus.

How to earn more money at home

See how you could make more money from the comfort of your bedroom.

8. Reduce your outgoings

Limiting the amount you spend will make your money go further. See if you can reduce your outgoings by:

• Checking your council tax band.
• Getting a smart meter fitted for your utilities.
• Switching to a cheaper broadband provider.
• Riding a bike instead of driving or taking public transport.

You could also try a popular savings challenge, such as:

• Saving £1 a day, giving you £365 at the end of the year.
• Starting with 1p on the first day, add 1p to the amount you save each day, giving you £667.95 at the end of the year.
• No spend challenge — avoid spending any money on non-essential items for 30 days.

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9. Switch your savings account

You can earn more interest on your savings by switching to a high-interest savings account. Check out the ethical savings accounts at some of the UK’s most ethical banks and credit unions to find higher interest rates.

10. Earn cashback

Certain credit cards will give you cashback every time you make a purchase. But using a UK credit card can have an impact on your UK credit score and get you into debt if you don’t pay it off on time, so make sure you understand how credit cards work.

Some websites also offer cashback if you create an account or make a purchase via their website.

11. Switch your bank account

Some banks offer a cash incentive if you switch your current account. You can switch more than once to take advantage of multiple offers.

12. Get a lodger

If you have a spare room and don’t mind being a live-in landlord, renting out your spare room is another good way to earn more money.

Bear in mind you’ll probably need to get additional insurance for your home if you get a lodger, so take this into account when weighing up your decision to rent out your spare room.

For a less permanent arrangement, consider advertising your room on AirBnB.

13. Rent out your parking space

Parking spaces can be valuable, especially if you have a private parking space in an area with limited public parking. Lots of websites allow you to advertise your driveway or other parking spot for hire.

14. Grow your own food

Starting a herb garden or vegetable patch isn’t a quick money maker, but it can be a great way to save a little money on groceries. You can even sell some of your produce to neighbours (or give it away if you’re feeling generous).

How to make more money quickly

Need a quick cash top-up? Here’s what you can do to earn money quickly.

15. Avoid payday loans

Payday loans may seem like an enticing way to make a quick buck, but the repercussions can be serious if you don’t pay it back in time. Find out more about the risks of payday loans.

16. Go to a car boot sale

Get rid of your old bric-a-brac at a car boot sale. You’ll need to pay a licence fee (usually around £5-£10 per car) but everything you sell is instant profit.

Car boot sales are good for selling old things you don’t want or need any more, but it’s not the best place to sell big ticket items. Most items are sold for around 10-15% of the retail price.

Top tip: make sure you have change on hand, as car boot sales deal almost exclusively in cash.

17. Trade in video games

Trade in old video games, CDs, and DVDs to online or high street trade-in shops like CeX or Music Magpie. If you take your items to a shop, you can get paid for them instantly.

How to earn more money online

Find out how to make money online from your hobbies and interests.

18. Sell homemade items online

Feeling crafty? Make your own products and sell them online. You can set up your own online store, or sell your products through sites like Etsy and Instagram.

19. Earn money through social media

If you have a sizable social media following, you could monetise your social media accounts with ads, promotions, and influencer marketing.

You’ll need to post regularly and consistently to keep up momentum. Choose a niche you’re interested in (food, gaming, and fashion are all popular choices) and build your audience around this.

20. Test apps and games

Love playing games? Get paid to test app features, games, and websites. You’ll spend a few hours testing out the features, then tell the developer about your experience.

You don’t usually need any experience or technical knowledge — just the right device and a willingness to give your opinion.

21. Sell your old clothes and tech

If you have lots of old clothes clogging up your wardrobe, or old consoles collecting dust in your loft, it’s time to rehome them. Use sites like eBay, Vinted, and Preloved to sell your old clothes and tech.

If you have a lot of designer clothes, you could also rent them out to people for one-off occasions for a more sustainable income.

22. Tutor people online

Online courses are becoming more popular, so you could earn extra money as a tutor. You don’t always need a professional qualification (although you might earn more if you have one).

23. Licence photos and videos

If you have an eye for a great photo, allow businesses to use your photos in their promotional material by licensing them as stock images.

Sites like Shutterstock and Alamy pay you every time one of your photos or videos is licensed by a user.

24. Design greeting cards

Creative designers and writers can make money by designing and selling greeting cards. Sites like Thortful allow you to upload your design, and you’ll receive a commission payment every time someone buys the card.

Other ways to earn more money

Here are 10 more ways to make more money in the UK.

25. Join FeatureMe! on Facebook

Do you have a story to share? Join FeatureMe!, a Facebook group dedicated to finding people willing to share unique and interesting stories for specific publications. If it’s accepted, you’ll receive payment for your story.

Bear in mind you might not have control over the information or images you’ve provided once they’re published, so think carefully about what you share beforehand.

26. Recycle old clothes for cash

Some shops — H&M and Marks & Spencer to name just two — have introduced clothes recycling schemes. Return old (worn) clothes to the shop and you’ll receive a voucher for money off your next purchase.

27. Claim money back for travel delays

If you regularly travel by train or plane, you can claim back some or all of your travel fare if you experience delays.

Learn more about train compensation and refunds and flight compensation.

28. Become a TV or film extra

Lots of agencies seek people to play background roles in TV shows and movies that film around the UK. You’ll typically earn around £80 a day, plus additional payments for any costume fittings.

Extras tend to work long days, and there’s a fair bit of waiting around, but you’ll get to meet people and spend time on film sets.

29. Get paid to watch TV

The Viewers is a research panel that rewards people for watching TV. Choose which projects you take part in, whether they’re online surveys or group discussions.

Group discussions pay around £50-£70, while online surveys pay up to £10 per survey.

30. Become a mystery shopper

Mystery shoppers help businesses understand how real customers experience their service. As well as getting paid for your time, you’ll also receive an allowance to make a purchase in-store.

You may be required to buy specific items (such as alcohol) so stores can test their age verification measures.

31. Become an exam invigilator

School, college, and university exams usually take place in January and May, so around these times you can sign up to be an exam invigilator. This involves monitoring exam sessions, collecting papers, and answering student queries.

Pay varies between councils, and you’ll normally need to be available on weekdays.

32. Take part in clinical trials

Clinical trials are designed to test the safety and effectiveness of medical products. Clinical trials often pay pretty well, especially if you’re prepared to stay overnight at the medical facility for monitoring.

If you part-complete a study, you’ll be paid for the sessions you’ve completed. The NHS’s Be Part Of Research site is a good place to look for opportunities.

32. Look after your neighbours’ pets

Petsitting is a great way for animal lovers to earn some extra cash. Sign up online at sites like Cat In A Flat or Rover to set your rate and find your first petsitting opportunity.

34. Crowdfund

If you’re saving for a particular project, crowdfunding can be a great way to finance it. Offer rewards and merchandise as incentives for people to donate higher amounts.

Just remember your crowdfunders will expect to see results, so be honest about how much you need and how you intend to use the money.

How to earn more money as a student

Students can take advantage of lots of the money-making opportunities above, but there are also tons of other ways to save. See our 30 money saving tips for UK students to learn more.

Put your spare cash in a money club with Bloom

If you’re making enough money to start planning ahead, think about starting a money club with your friends and family. It’s a way for everyone to pool funds together, so you can all reach your goals.

Bloom helps you set up and manage your contributions from start to finish. Download Bloom for free from your app store.