This post contains affiliate links (in this case referral links where we will both make money if you sign up. These are clearly stated)
Today’s prompt for Blogtober 2022 is: favourite side hustles. I was going to update an old post about making an extra £1000 for Christmas using online side hustles, but looking back it is so outdated and some of the offers are no longer relevant. So instead, here are 5 of my favourite side hustles that I’m still making money from today.:
5 of my Favourite Side Hustles to Make Extra Money for Christmas
So some things from 2017 stay the same- I still find it hard to save money throughout the year for Christmas. We just about get by. Whenever we get a bonus somehow, something breaks and the money is gone, it’s just the way things go. So instead, from October, I just start to work harder and make extra money in addition to my usual self-employed income. This year is going to be tougher than ever for everyone. We’re definitely cutting down on our Christmas spending, but I’m still going to earn some extra money- every little helps!
1. Doing Online Surveys- Prolific
I’ve joined survey sites in the past and never made enough money to cash out so I was dubious when giving Prolific a go. I joined Prolific in 2017 and at first, it took me ages to get verified. I needed to verify both my email and my phone number (click “Trust” to fully verify your account). I then needed to take a few rounds of “pre screening” questions. Each time I logged in no quizzes were available but there were yet more pre -screening questions to answer.
Then after a couple of days, the surveys started coming and I managed to make £32.40 during Week One. This includes day one of pre-screening questions only and two days of illness where I was unable to check for any surveys. Others have told me that they earn just £40 a month on Prolific so I may have just been lucky this week but I’m looking forward to seeing how much I make next week and will be happy with £10 a week as that would be £80 towards Christmas anyway.
In 2022, I still use Prolific. I don’t use it for months at a time but when I need extra money, I hop back on, update my profile and start using again. The more you go on, the more money you make. It’s quick for me to cash out now too. In the past, I once made £100 extra in one day by doing lots of speaking tasks during my work breaks- just reading lists and lists of words! The kids found it hilarious but I find the studies interesting and think of them as a challenge.
Prolific recently decided to stop the Participant Referral Scheme in the interests of diversity and data quality, therefore I’m unable to offer you a bonus for signing up (sorry! Don’t worry, I don’t get anything either), but it’s still a money-making site I would recommend.
Sign up for Prolific here: Prolific
Top tip: Add the Prolific button to your Chrome Toolbar for notifications when new studies are available. Take the studies immediately as there are limited spaces and they soon fill up. If more than one study comes up, choose the one with the highest pay and shortest time first as they may be gone by the time you’ve completed other studies!
2. Using Zilch Referral Scheme
Zilch is a ‘buy now pay later’ virtual Mastercard, so I understand it’s not for everyone. However, it regularly has a boosted “free money” offer available, which is a great side hustle referral scheme. Currently, it’s not boosted but you can earn £10, by signing up and then make £10 for every referral you make. The good news is, you don’t need to use Zilch’s credit feature to get your referral bonus. You can use the Zilch card for all future purposes (without using the credit facility) and earn more points to put towards future purchases!
This is my referral link for Zilch (if you sign up, you and I will both make £10 to spend on their virtual Mastercard): https://customers.payzilch.com/signup?inviteCode=nYG8K5
Read this post for more information: https://www.evans-crittens.com/2021/12/earn-an-extra-125-this-week-with-zilch.html (but be aware the current referral bonus is only £10)
Top tip: Take your time signing up and claiming this bonus (people who rush can make errors and accidentally use their own card).
3. TopCashback Site
Some people are great at using TopCashback and remember to use them for all their everyday purchases, earning them lots of “cash back” all year long. I’m not one of those! I forget about it for ages and only went back to using it this October. However, I currently have over £150 waiting to cash out on my account (and all from not spending a penny) so I thought it’s still a worthwhile earner I should share with you. I use it in a different way and look out for the big and easy free money offers, but you can make a lot more if you use it more frequently. TopCashback aims to give you cashback on your purchases (or signing up for free to a site etc). Cashback is a tax-free way to earn money back from your regular shopping simply by clicking through a cashback website first. They make a commission and share some back with you. If you’re buying something anyway then it’s well worth using a cashback site to get some money back, but it’s a good idea to look at special offers too as a side hustle.
Here is my TopCashback referral: https://www.topcashback.co.uk/ref/evanscrittenmum
If you’re not currently a member, you can sign up and make a £10 bonus (after your first qualifying exchange. As, the referrer, I will earn £30. I have to be honest, I prefer it when we both earn the same amount (on some sites you can toggle this and I always like to make it equal or in the other person’s favour). However, remember if you sign up and then refer others, you will get the £30 free cashback so it’s win-win in the end.
Top tip: Install the free TopCashback Browser Extension and make saving money even easier (I tend to install it when I have lots of online shopping to do, but remove it when I want fewer distractions online!)
Remember to log in regularly or your account will be deactivated after an inactive period of 6 months (and you could lose cashback that you haven’t cashed out).
4. Make £5 with Ziglu
Ziglu is a fast and easy way to buy and sell Crypto with no hidden fees. However, you do not need to know anything about Crypto currency etc to make referral money (I don’t!). Again, I usually only refer friends when there’s a boosted offer. When I first joined, I made £15 by signing up and for referrals. Me and my friends and family pass them on. So I refer one sister, we both make money, then she refers our other sister and they both make money and so on. Currently, if someone signs up on my referral link, we will both earn £5.
“Hey, I’ve got an account with personal money app Ziglu and I think you’d enjoy using them too. Use my link to earn a referral bonus after your first qualifying exchange: https://invite.ziglu.io/727b3b41“
For your first exchange, just buy the smallest amount of Crypto (£1). I immediately withdrew my £15 bonus but kept my £1 invested. It’s quite fun watching the value go up and down (well up is more fun!).
My Ziglu referral link (we will both make £5): https://invite.ziglu.io/727b3b41
5. Sell!
For some reason, I’ve not been selling so much of our unnecessary “stuff” recently. In the past, this has been one of my favourite side hustles. It declutters the house and earns the seller (me!) money! I think the only reason I’ve not sold so much recently is that I’ve been so time-poor and out of control of the house. I’ve needed a big sort since the summer and I’ve not got around to it yet- that needs to change! Now, with the countdown to Christmas, I need to declutter (and make some extra money!), so it starts here.
Giving to Charity
I will still give to charity and locally of course. For example, I had lots of unneeded old Brownie uniforms, I could have sold them but donated them to the girl’s old Brownie unit after I checked and they said they’d be glad of it. A few years ago, one of the “Brownie Gran’s” gave me a bag of Brownie uniforms for my eldest. I really appreciated it and knew I’d pass it (and the many uniforms we’ve bought ourselves too) on when the time came. I always donate old school uniforms etc too.
In the past, I’ve sold on Facebook, eBay, Music Magpie and similar. eBay fees have gone up so much in the past few years. I realise, I’m behind here but I haven’t signed up for Vinted yet! I think this would be great for our branded clothes etc. Have you used Vinted? Would you recommend it?
So these are five of my successful side hustles? Do you do these too? What are your favourite side hustles? I’d like to get back into selling makes and scanning receipts too!
I go through stages of doing surveys I really must start using top cash again
Author
I’m the same with going through phases. xxx
I love Prolific. It is by far the best survey site online. I have made over £1000 in a couple of years. I keep meaning to use cashback sites, especially at this time of year with the Christmas shopping but I always forget. x
Author
It’s great isn’t it? I love
it and should
use it more all year around but … time lol. Yes, I’m the same with cash back sites! 🤣 Love
it when I remember and make money though xxx
I don’t have much in the way of side hustles these days, but I did a lot of survey sites when I wanted a little extra spending money when I was in college!
Author
Yes, they’re a great way to make extra money xxx