If you've a computer or smartphone, there's a host of ways to boost your coffers. You could earn £1,000s/year from your sofa, with no special skill needed.
This guide lists 35 (legit) ways to make money online. You can get paid just to watch videos, write, search on Google, make your own YouTube clips and much more.
Making money online - quick tips
Before you become an online earner, there are a few things worth knowing. The key is while some of these sites pay small amounts, add them all together and it can turn into an annual bonanza of £1,000s.
Don't store cash in online-earning accounts
Set up a dedicated email address
Don't expect to be instantly rolling in it
Don't forget the taxman'll want his share
Spend gift vouchers ASAP
Watch videos, play games and earnSwagbucks
Swagbucks* is a fun survey site that pays you for completing short online tasks in virtual cash - you can then exchange this for real money, Paypal credits or gift cards to spend at Amazon, M&S and more. The site's huge in America, and here in the UK many MSE forumites are dedicated users.
Tasks include filling in polls, watching videos and searching using its page instead of Google. Advertisers pay Swagbucks to publicise their wares or do market research, and the site passes a cut to you. The more dedicated you are, the more you earn, though every task pays a different amount.
Usually you get only a few swagbucks for registering, but we've a link for newbies to accrue £5 and get a bonus £10 in vouchers for Amazon, M&S and more.
Usually you get only a few swagbucks for registering, but we've a link for newbies to accrue £5 and get a bonus £10 in vouchers for Amazon, M&S and more.
For motivation, join other points-chasers in the forum's popular Swagbucks Challenge 2016 thread. One committed 'swagger' from the forum, cally6008, says:
Swagbucks is one of several online earning sites I use, but it's one of my favourites. I know for a fact that you can earn £25 a month using the site, because I do so nearly every month.
- cally6008
See a full list of ways to earn Swagbucks
Online survey sitesEarn up to £800/year to give your opinion
Willing to give views on Justin Bieber, washing-up liquid or whether we should quit the EU? If so, it's possible to earn £100s a year, without any special skill or talent.
It's all about stashing cash by filling in online surveys. For a full rundown of 25 of the top free sites see the Online Survey Sites guide.
Get paid to GoogleQmee
It's possible to get paid hard cash just for searching the web with Qmee*. It just involves downloading an add-on that sits on your internet browser. You then search online as you normally would on Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo, Bing and Tesco.
Qmee will show extra results or adverts alongside normal search results (see picture). Some firms pay Qmee to appear in these ads, and Qmee gives you a cut of the cash. If the Qmee result interests you, click it and you'll earn a few pence, usually 7-15p (though searches can pay up to £1 each).
Forumite The_Jakal says:
I've been using Qmee for three weeks and I'm on £14 now.
- The_Jakal
Quick questions
What exactly do I have to do?
Can I boost earnings by repeating searches?
What does Qmee do with my data?
Why does Qmee sometimes pay for clicks to MoneySavingExpert.com?
Earn hard cash for fun tasksGift Hunter Club
Online earning site Gift Hunter Club doles out points for watching videos, doing polls, entering competitions and completing other easy tasks.
You can convert these into cash through PayPal, Amazon vouchers and more. Just sign up and check the 'earn points' section. It shows the tasks available and what they pay.
MoneySavers reckon the site's fun, payment is quick and they earn a decent amount each week. Forumite mizzame says:
I made £10 in PayPal cash very easily last week, £8 the week before. Mainly from videos and easy tasks. My best earning site at the moment!
- mizzame
Aim to redeem your points on rewards giving better value
A £10 Amazon gift card costs 1,690 points. But 10 US dollars in cash (£6.50ish) via PayPal is 1,000 points, which can be better value, depending on the exchange rate. While Gift Hunter Club lists cash payments in US dollars, PayPal converts the cash into pounds.
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Get paid to watch videosMaximiles
It's possible to earn high street vouchers just for watching videos though Maximiles. Clips are short adverts, for example, Andrex promos or Cheryl Cole videos.
New vids come up every day, so visit often, plus forumites post the latest ones in theMaximiles thread. One thing to watch out for: make sure you're logged in when you rate the videos, or you won't get points.
You can cash in points for gift vouchers. For example, 6,750 Maximiles can get you a £25 John Lewis voucher.
Stick to free points offers
Get paid to watch videos, search & moreGift Hulk
Similar to Swagbucks above, Gift Hulk pays for a host of web activities, including watching videos, answering polls and searching via its site instead of Google.
Many MoneySavers are fans. You get paid in Hulk Coins, which you then convert into rewards including Amazon vouchers (make sure you select vouchers in GBP, rather than US dollars).
Special codes give extra points - forumites post them in the Gift Hulk thread.
Enter contests as a cash-boosting hobbyUse our 40+ insider comping tips
From cars to £20,000 cash, five-star USA holidays to £10,000 of Tesco gift cards, MoneySavers have won it all. It's all about 'comping', a potentially profitable online hobby for the lucky.
It's about systematically sourcing and entering hundreds of the right contests. To learn the techniques, see our 40+ Insider Comping Tips.
Grab FREE cashbackGet cash for clicks - no need to buy
Cashback sites work by giving you a cut of the cash they earn for channelling web traffic. Yet you don't have to buy anything to earn cash via these sites - they often pay you just for clicking links on the internet.
Eg, TopCashback pays £2 for a Gocompare home insurance quote. Its free cashback section lists the top offers. For a full explanation, see Top Cashback Sites.
Get paid to read adverts on your mobileQustodian
Free smartphone app Qustodian pays you to read adverts. Simply download the app, and plug your likes and dislikes into your profile. It then sends adverts matching your interests to your Qustodian inbox. You get paid cash when you view messages, respond to questions or watch videos.
It pays cash via PayPal or via BACS into your bank account when you earn £10. Forumites report the slow trickle of messages means it takes a while to hit this, so this app's just one for committed online earners.
Quick questions
What's the best way to access the web on my mobile?
What does Qustodian do with my personal data?
Earn by checking prices & snapping photosField Agent iPhone app
Ever fancied being a secret agent? If you’ve got an iPhone, a free app called Field Agent could be your chance. When companies need a small market research task done, it's sent out via the app.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to check prices in stores, take photos of products and pen reviews. It typically pays £4.50 per task, but can be between £2 and £10.
Quick questions
How do I get started?
How can I earn maximum cash?
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Get paid to snap photos, count stock & moreRoamler smartphone app
Fancy getting paid to buy beer? Free app Roamler pays for tasks such as counting stock in shops, snapping menu cards in restaurants and even buying a beer to photograph how it's served.
As with Field Agent, when firms need easy market research done, it's sent out via the app. Roamler typically pays £4 per task, but it can vary between £2 and £10.
The catch is the app is invite-only. Roamler's press office says it's pretty easy to get one if you monitor its Facebook page for hints on how (or you might get lucky if you request one).
Get paid to take photos of products and rank shop displaysYoobic smartphone app
Like a mildly addictive video game, app Yoobic sends its ‘explorers’ on small quests such as snapping products in shops or ranking marketing displays. Missions pay in real-life cash, typically pay £4-£8 for 10 minutes’ work.
To get earning, download the app from the iTunes or Google Play, create an account and search for quests near you. It lets you reserve up to 10 jobs at a time, and you must complete them in a set time.
It's a French company, but pays UK users in pounds.
Get paid for easy market research tasksStreetspotr app
Billed as a ‘grown-up treasure hunt’, Streetspotr is another app (for both iPhone and Android) that connects market research clients with users who carry out small tasks. Some MoneySavers have pocketed £15 for buying a hot drink at a muffin shop, though most tasks pay about a fiver.
Other jobs could include photographing supermarket product displays or checking restaurant menus.
Streetspotr is a German company that pays UK users in GBP. As with other location-based apps, the closer you are to a high street, the more jobs are up for grabs.
Get paid for small research tasksTask 360 iPhone app
Fancy a change from the same old shop-based research tasks? Then have a gander at Task 360, an iPhone-only app from the people who brought you Field Agent above.
The app focuses on helping companies solve logistical problems, such as giving sat nav firms info on new no-left-turn signs or checking billboard ads’ lights work.
It typically pays £5 to £10 for 15 minutes’ work. To bag the best jobs, check every morning before 9am, especially on Mondays.
Get paid for small tasks in shopsClic and Walk smartphone app
Another free app that pays you to complete small tasks in shops, Clic and Walk is available on the App Store and Google Play Store.
This one of the lower-paying apps. It's a French company but you get paid in pounds - the amount for shop-based tasks is normally 5 euros so you'll typically get £3.50ish.
Only sign up to this one for belt and braces, once you’ve exhausted other task-based apps.
Clic and Walk really is something to do for fun rather than the £s. I quite enjoy the little photo missions. I am going to keep doing it for the jollies, but anyone looking for a quick payout should look elsewhere.
- VisionThing
Get paid to test companies' websitesWhat Users Do
Companies are desperate to make their websites better places for people to visit, so user testing is big business.
Sign up to What Users Do* and you can earn £8 for 15-minute website tests. These involve easy tasks such as trying to find something on a site or feeding back on a new homepage.
The company records your screen and voice, so you can feed back throughout the test. You need a computer with a built-in or separate microphone. But don't worry, your face isn't recorded, so you can still do it in your jim-jams.
Forumite EGold says: "I've been a tester for over a year and have done over 50. At £8 per test that's £400."
A serious remote-working jobLionbridge
“Legitimate work from home job. Earn £££s!” Adverts in the back of mags pulse with promises, yet often the reality's disappointing or even dodgy. Yet one work-from-home job that MoneySavers have had more luck with is Lionbridge.
You usually need a degree to apply, but heaps of MoneySavers have been accepted. It says it usually has 150 jobs on offer at any one time.
What's the work like?
The web firm offers several part-time posts, most aimed at helping companies improve their search engine results. Tasks can include checking search results, gathering data and testing mobile apps.
You choose your hours and don't have to travel from A to B, perfect if you want to earn cash while staying at home with the kids. You must work a minimum of 10 and maximum of 20 hours per week.
Forumite Ghost_2005 says:
It's a genuine work-from-home opportunity that pays real money. There are precious few of them, so if that's what you're looking for, it's a good opportunity. In the grand scheme of employment, there are better and more fulfilling jobs. In the grand scheme of home-working opportunities, it's a decent job.
- Ghost_2005
On the downside, others say it's about as exciting as a hangover on a rainy Sunday.
I can honestly say when I had the job I had never felt so bored. An hour's work felt like three hours. Be aware of what you're actually applying for – it demands concentration!
- daz501
Stay motivated with other forumites in the Lionbridge forum thread.
Quick questions
What qualifications do you need?
How do you apply?
Got a top way to earn cash online that we haven't listed? Feed back in theEarn cash online discussion.
Grab free products for telling friends about themBzz Agent
While it doesn't pay cash, you can earn loads of free products through marketing company Bzz Agent. Forumites have grabbed everything from Vanish stain remover to E45 lotion and even electric toothbrushes.
The catch? As an 'agent', once you receive products, you must start "meaningful and authentic conversations" about them with online buddies and real life friends.
Many MoneySavers are fans. Forumite Mummybaker says:
I have had steam generator irons, wet ladyshaves, free cookies and all sorts. It's worth it - not much effort involved and they like you to be genuine about your thoughts.
- Mummybaker
Quick questions
What exactly does this involve?
Is this just about spamming my friends?
Get paid to scan shopping receipts (invite-only)Shop and Scan
Market research site Shop and Scan is a great way to give your finances a boost. Each time you buy something, you log on and scan the receipt with the specialist barcode scanner it sends you.
Forumites report Shop and Scan pays about £10 a month. You can then cash it in for high street vouchers, including Next, Debenhams and Argos.
Shop and Scan's press office wouldn't confirm any details with us, as market research is a secretive area. So many of the tips here come from our forum users.
