It is often really surprising just how much cash you can raise in a short space of time, just by looking around your home and coming up with some enterprising ways to earn some extra money.
Short-term loans from lenders like Moneyboat can often a big help if you need to pay some bills in a hurry, provided you use them sensibly. There are also a number of other simple and fast ways to help fill those empty pockets.
Here are some money-making schemes, in no particular order.
Release the inner-photographer in you
If you have been complimented on your photographic skills and even if you are not exactly a professional photographer, there are a number of companies on the internet who are always looking for some images to add to their stock.
You can take digital snaps that are of a good resolution of virtually any respectable subject matter and then sell them to a variety of online agencies.
Once they are in their stock list, you will get a royalty fee each time someone buys the picture, so get snapping and see if you can raise some cash when you release the inner-photographer in you.
Have a skill?
If you happen to be good at writing or maybe have a bit of talent for acting or music, there is a site that allows you to get paid for a whole host of quick and easy tasks.
The site in question is called Fiverr.com and that is basically the amount you will earn from each task you complete.
It might not sound like much money, but there are plenty of people who do loads of jobs through the site such as writing a bit of advertising copy, Photoshop editing or maybe a bit of translating if you have some language skills.
These small amounts can soon accumulate and it is a relatively easy way to make some money from a skill that you possess.
Live in a tourist area?
If you live in an area that is regularly frequented by tourists, you could actually turn your local knowledge into some cash by becoming a tour guide.
A site called vayable could give you the platform to find some tourists who are happy to pay to get a tour of the area from someone like you, who can point out all the highlights and places to see as part of the experience.
It shouldn’t take you to long to brush up on your local history and as you get to set your rates that you charge for your services (less 3% commission) you could make some money from living in a tourist hotspot.
Make money from surveys
Plenty of us decline the chance to take part in a survey when we are asked, but it might be a different answer if you could get paid for your opinion.
There is a plethora of survey websites around where you can get different amounts of money for completing an online survey. You can also register your personal profile, which means that you should only get sent surveys that are relevant.
Some websites offer reward vouchers or cash, so you can decide how you get paid for your time and views.
Parking at a premium
Parking spaces are becoming increasingly more coveted as urban areas become increasingly heavily populated.
There are many commuters who would happily pay to park on your drive while they go to work, if you are near to a train station and the same can be said if you are near to an airport, where travelers could park their car more cheaply and perhaps more safely than if they use the airport car parks.
You could earn some money by listing your car parking space for rent on a car parking site, who will find you the customers and take a small cut for themselves.
There are pros and cons to this idea, mainly if you are in an area where the local council want to charge you for the pleasure of renting out your car parking space, so check out the details of this money-making scheme before going ahead.
Other sources of inspiration for raising some cash include selling unwanted clothes or music on sites like EBay and even if you are working full-time, it is possible that you could get a top-up to your wages through government tax credits, so make sure you check to see if you qualify.
If you follow some of these fast and easy ways to earns some extra cash, hopefully your pockets won’t be empty for too long.
Declan Richards lost his job 18months ago, and with a family of 3 to feed things were looking bleak. Since then Declan has mastered his finances, looking at various ways to bring in extra income, whilst saving on everything he can. He shares his thoughts and ideas with others and hopes to inspire them.