Pay off credit cards
Debt costs you money, so if you have much credit card debt, it is worth a real concerted effort to pay it off sooner rather than later.

Get a water meter
If you live in a big house with few occupants, a metered water bill can turn out much cheaper than a standard rated bill.

Phone bills
We all know that phone calls cost money. If you have free minutes on your cell contract then it really doesn’t make sense to use your home phone at all.

Organise your shopping
Impulse buys are more expensive and less useful. Figure out what groceries you need, write a list and stick to it.

Buy cheaper veg
Supermarkets are surprisingly expensive. If you take the time to go to your local green grocers you can get better produce cheaper.

De-clutter
Get rid of stuff you don’t need any more. If you can sell your clutter and use the proceeds to pay off some debt you are saving money.

Shop around for insurance
This should really go without saying, but never just re-new your insurance. Shop around and you might be surprised at what you can save.

Will power
Before you buy anything, ask yourself “do I really need this… If you don’t, don’t buy it, simple.

Get a more efficient car
If you do a lot of driving, switching to a more economical car can save you an enourmous amount of money over the course of a year.

Walk more
Stop driving short distances, it costs you more petrol. Start walking more, save money and get fitter at the same time.

Drink less
If you are a regular drinker, try drinking less often, the amount you can save is surprising. You will also be healthier for it.

Shop around for freebies
Sites such as free stuff offer great promotions and free giveaways that can save you money. Sign up for regular offers and save.

Stop smoking
Smoking is incredibly expensive, and very unhealthy. If you quick smoking you can save thousands over the next few years.

Buy christmas presents early
Christmas gifts get very cheap in january. Stock up throughout the year and you’ll save a pretty penny come christmas.

Pay insurance in one go
You are effectively paying interest to borrow your insurance premiums when you pay monthly. Pay all in one go if you can and you’ll save a decent chunk of cash.

Lose the tv!
This one will make a few people gasp, but in all seriousness, between TV liscenses, cable bills and the actual cost of the TV, just think what you could save if you made do without.

While you could get an extra job or brave the boss and ask for a pay rise, there are numerous other imaginative ways you can make a bit extra.

Market research and surveys

Register online with market research companies such as Ipsos Morri, Torluna and Lightspeed and get paid for sharing your opinion. The more market research sites you register with, the more surveys you are able to fill in. But be wary of sites which ask you for any form of payment.

In return for filling in surveys and online questionnaires, you will receive points that you can convert into cash or rewards such as vouchers for amazon.co.uk, Sainsburys and HMV. You may also receive free products and food to try out at home. Alternatively, some websites will automatically enter you into monthly prize draws where you could win up to £2,000.

It’s also possible to be paid money for filling out surveys too: YouGov and yourfreesurveysuk.com are free to register with and you can earn anything between 25p to £50 a survey. Complete the surveys as soon as you can after receiving them as the data turnaround is usually quite quick and if you fill in your form too late, the results might already be in – and you won’t get anything for your time.

Ciao.co.uk will also pay you for filling out surveys as well as up to £15 for writing opinion on various products on its website. Go to borntoloaf.co.uk for more details on this.

Finally if you’re within the M25 area, Focus4People market research sets up small meetings made up of its registered members (again for free) to talk about a certain product or subject that organisations need feedback on. You are paid for your time and transport costs.

Mystery shopping

If a day of shopping or a meal out sounds like your idea of fun, then why not see if you could get paid for it. There are no set qualifications to become a mystery shopper but when you apply prepare yourself as you would for any job as competition can be high.

Your ‘assignments’ are sent at least a couple of weeks in advance. Sometimes you will be asked to buy something specific or ask a sales assistant a particular question and spend on average 20 minutes in the shop, then after your visit you have to fill in a small report, which is often just tickboxes and takes between 10 – 15 minutes.

Payment varies but between £8 – 25 is a rough guide. Mystery shopping assignments may also include going to a bar, restaurant or the cinema. Go to the same websites as mentioned in the market research section.

Rent a room out

Instead of storing old sports equipment and a defunct computer in your spare room, rent it out instead. You could get up to £350 a month or £4,250 per year in rent tax–free.

The room must be furnished and renting a room in a secondary property won’t enjoy the same tax breaks: that is after all buy–to–let and you are therefore a landlord with different legal obligations.

You don’t have to be a homeowner to have a lodger but if you are renting yourself, check the terms and conditions of your lease to see if it’s possible. DirectGov has more information on the Rent a Room scheme on its website.

Rent out your driveway

If your home is close to sports stadiums or concert venues such as Wembley or Wimbledon, or even in proximity to a commuter station, then renting out your driveway or car parking space is as easy as sticking a homemade sign outside your house.

Even if your postcode isn’t SW19, register with websites parkatmyhouse.com and yourparkingspace.co.uk. The websites link up those looking for spaces with those renting them out.

You can choose to rent your driveway out for an hour or so a week or set up a more long–term contract if you find someone that matches up. How much you make will depend on this as well as your location: spaces close to airports and train stations will always be in demand and you could expect to rent out your driveway fairly regularly.

If you’re close to a shopping centre then you’re more likely to only get customers at the weekend. Parkatmyhouse.com quotes an average of £30 a week but also cites £10 a day for spaces near sporting venues.

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