How to make and earn money online and offline in the UK

Earn some extra cash from the comfort of your own home.

Rachel Wait's headshot
Jason Loewenthal's headshot

By

Rachel Wait

&

Jason Loewenthal

Updated

Fact checked

There are plenty of legitimate ways to earn some extra income without needing to leave your home. All you’ll need to get started is an internet connection and a smartphone or laptop.

Just remember that you are responsible for paying any necessary tax on the money you earn. You can earn up to £1,000 tax-free each year from the types of self-employment activities mentioned below, thanks to the trading allowance. But if you earn anything over this, you may need to pay tax.

  1. Take advantage of sign-up offers from banking apps

    One of the easiest ways to earn yourself some free money is by signing up for an app, account or service. There’s a whole range of products that offer these sign-up bonuses, including bank accounts, investing accounts, pensions, cashback sites and money transfer providers. If you’re interested in a new product anyway then it’s an extra incentive to try it out.

    Brand Product type Offer details Link
    InvestEngine Investing Sign-up welcome bonus of £20-£100 Get deal
    Freetrade Investing Free stock worth £10-£100 Get deal
    Revolut Banking apps Get a sign-up bonus of £20 Get deal
    TSB Bank account £160 bonus for a current account switch Get deal
    GoHenry Kids bank account Get a £20 pocket money bonus for your child
    Show code
    Revolut Pro Business banking Get a sign-up bonus of £20 Get deal
    Quidco Cashback Get £30 cashback when you refer a friend Get deal
    Topcashback Cashback Get £5 cashback when you refer a friend Get deal
    nimbl Kids bank account Get £10 free pocket money plus your first month free Get deal
    Pensionbee Pension Open a pension and receive a £50 bonus Get deal
    Plum Savings account Get £10 cashback after saving over £100 in your first 90 days Get deal
    Santander Student account Free 16-25 railcard with Santander Student Get deal
    Cashback UK Cashback Free £10 when you sign-up Get deal
    Penfold Pension Earn £25 when you refer a friend Get deal
    InvestEngine Pension Sign-up welcome bonus of £20-£100 Get deal
    Widilo Cashback Get a £5 welcome bonus when you sign up Get deal

  2. Many companies have refer-a-friend bonuses to get new users of their products. They work in much the same way a sign-up bonus works, but you and the person you refer can both benefit from them, rather than just you. This can be in the form of cash, vouchers, shares, unlocking better features or reduced fees for a given amount of time.

    Brand Product type Offer details Link
    Monzo Bank account Free £10 when you refer a friend Get deal
    Revolut Bank account Earn up to £60 when you refer a friend Get deal
    Western Union Money transfer Get £10 when you refer a friend Get deal
    Skrill Money transfer Get £10 off your first transfer when you refer a friend Get deal
    Remitly Money transfer Sign up and get £10 off your first transfer when you send £100
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    Currencyfair Money transfer Refer a friend and earn rewards Get deal
    Zing Money transfer Free £30 when you refer a friend Get deal
    Raisin Savings account Get £50 bonus when you refer a friend Get deal
    Wealthify Share trading £50 refer-a-friend cashback Get deal
    Capital at risk
    Wealthyhood Share trading Free £5 to £200 ETF share when you refer a friend Get deal
    Capital at risk
    Scottish Friendly Share trading £25 referral voucher
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    Capital at risk
    Robinhood Share trading Refer up to 5 friends to get free fractional share trades Get deal
    Capital at risk
    AJBell Dodl Share trading Refer a friend and you'll both get a £100 gift card Get deal
    Capital at risk
    Currensea Travel card Free £10 when you refer a friend Get deal
    Snoop Banking apps Get a £5 Amazon voucher when you refer a friend Get deal
    IG Investing Earn £50 when you refer a friend Get deal
    Rakuten Cashback Earn £25 when you refer a friend Get deal
    Paypal Banking apps Get up to £10 when you refer a friend Get deal
    AJ Bell Share trading Refer a friend and you'll both get a £100 gift card Get deal
    Capital at risk
    AJ Bell Dodl Share trading Free £30 voucher if you refer a friend Get deal
    Capital at risk
    XE Money transfer Free £25 Mastercard gift card when you refer a friend Get deal
    Monzo Business banking Get £50 when you refer a friend to Monzo Business Get deal
    MyGuava Money transfer Earn £20 when you a refer a friend with your friend receiving £30 Get deal
    Fidelity Share trading Receive a £100 gift card when you sign up Get deal
    Capital at risk
    Bex Bank account Free £5 when you refer a friend Get deal
    Monese Banking apps Free £10 when you refer a friend Get deal
    Nutmeg Share trading Free £50 when you refer a friend Get deal
    Capital at risk

  3. Sell your old clothes

    If your wardrobe is full of clothes you never wear, start selling them on websites such as Vinted or Depop. You can sell pretty much anything, but items in excellent condition, as well as designer brands, are likely to sell for more. You could also bundle items together, so that buyers save on postage (shipping costs are usually covered by the buyer).

    It’s important to take lots of good-quality photos of the items you’re selling and post an accurate description, including any flaws in the clothes, such as missing buttons.

    Popular websites and apps to sell your old clothes

    Vinted is a popular online marketplace where users can buy, sell, and swap second-hand clothing, shoes, accessories and even beauty products. It allows individuals to list their unwanted items for sale and earn money.

    Depop is an online community and marketplace for people to buy and sell second-hand clothing, with a focus on designer and vintage products.

  4. Take surveys

    There are lots of survey websites that pay you just for taking a survey and giving your opinion. You won’t earn a huge amount, but small sums can soon add up.

    Avoid sites that charge a joining fee, but take a look at Swagbucks, YouGov, Ipsos i-Say and OnePoll to get started. It can be sensible to set up a separate email address so that you can keep your survey emails separate from your personal ones.

    Depending on the survey site, you might get paid in cash or vouchers, and you’ll usually need to meet a certain threshold before you can receive a payout. This makes it crucial to compare websites carefully and check the small print, so that you know what you’re signing up to.

    Popular survey websites

    Swagbucks. With Swagbucks, you can earn gift cards for doing paid surveys, which can be spent at a number of leading retailers.

    Ipsos iSay lets people do surveys and earn rewards for completing them. Those rewards can be converted into gift cards.

  5. Trade in old electronics

    If you’ve got an old phone, gaming system or even CDs and DVDs lying around collecting dust, sell them!

    Take a look at websites such as Envirofone, MusicMagpie and CeX to see where you can get the best price. You can usually get a quick quote online and once you’re happy, you can package up your goods and send them in. After your items have been inspected, you should receive your cash.

    Alternatively, you can try to sell them yourself on Facebook Marketplace or eBay.

    Popular websites to trade old electronics

    Music Magpie lets you sell your unwanted tech or electronics for cash. You can also buy other older tech and electronics.

    Envirofone. With Envirofone you can sell your old phone, laptop, tablet or other tech. Even if it’s broken or not working properly any more, you might still be able to get some money.

  6. Pick up freelance work

    If you’ve got experience in writing, designing, video editing, programming or marketing, you could earn some extra cash by picking up freelance work through platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr.

    You’ll typically need to create a free profile, and depending on the platform, you’ll either receive orders or get matched to suitable jobs, or you might need to bid on the work you wish to take on.

    Popular websites where you can pick up freelance work

    Upwork is one of the largest websites in the world for freelancers, with over 18 million users. There’s a wide range of industries available for you to bid on, with some skillsets being particularly popular.

    Fiverr is smaller than Upwork, with around 4 million global users. It is also slightly different, as you create a profile there and potential clients can choose you for your skills.

  7. Test websites and apps

    Websites such as UserTesting and Web Usability let you test a range of websites and apps and provide feedback on what worked well and what didn’t. You don’t need to be a web expert to sign up, but you might need to pass a short practice test first.

    Once you’re signed up, you can start taking paid tests straight away. To do this, you’ll need to look at a website and answer questions about it. The amount you can earn depends on the test type, duration, and customer demand, although Web Usability says payments are usually £40 to £50.

    Popular websites to test websites and apps

    UserTesting is one of the biggest such sites in the world. You’re able to earn money and get paid with PayPal.

    Web Usability. You can apply to become a tester with Web Usability. Its website says you can earn £40–£50 for each test.

  8. Become a private tutor

    These days it’s easy to tutor people online, whether you teach maths, foreign languages, science or a musical instrument. Use websites such as MyTutor or Tutorful to create your free profile and get access to students looking for tuition.

    Depending on the site, you might need to have a short interview, but you don’t usually need to have a formal teaching qualification. The amount you earn will likely depend on your location and your experience, as well as what’s in demand. According to MyTutor, you can earn from £12 to £52 an hour.

    Popular tutor websites

    MyTutor says you can start earning £12 as a tutor, and much more than that once you’ve built up your tutoring experience.

    Tutorful lets you set up a profile, choose the subjects you want to tutor in and set your prices. Students will then be able to contact you and discuss lessons.

  9. Sell your photos

    If you love taking photos, you could think about selling some of them on stock photography sites such as Alamy, Getty Images and Shutterstock. You can often earn between 15% and 50% of an image’s sale price, but competition is high, so make sure your photos stand out.

    Popular websites to sell your photos

    Shutterstock has paid out more than $1 billion in royalties in the last 15 years. You can set up an account and start uploading photos to earn money.

    Alamy lets you earn money for your photos. You just need to create a contributor account, upload photos and add keywords. Then you get paid when someone uses one of your photos.

  10. Become a virtual assistant

    A virtual assistant is someone who carries out administrative tasks for an organisation or clients, usually from their own home. You might have to schedule calls and meetings, monitor email accounts, and book travel arrangements, for instance. Some roles also involve bookkeeping and data entry.

    Take a look at websites such as Upwork, LinkedIn and Reed to help you find a virtual assistant job.

    Popular websites to find work as a virtual assistant

    Time etc lets you apply to become a freelance virtual assistant at this website designed for hiring virtual assistants.

    Reed is another option for finding work as a virtual assistant, with hundreds of jobs available.

  11. Start a blog

    If you’ve got an original idea you’re passionate about, you could start your own blog, using platforms such as WordPress, Tumblr and Typepad to get started.

    You’ll need to update your content regularly and make sure it’s engaging enough for your audience. As your blog builds, you might be able to start selling ad space, host sponsored content and work with affiliate programs to bring in more income.

    Popular blogging websites

    WordPress has everything you need to start a blog. It’s also easy to scale up with the platform, so it will allow your blog to grow.

    Tumblr is a micro blogging and social media platform. You can start a blog there easily and customise it to suit your needs.

  12. Use rental sites

    These days you can rent out pretty much anything to earn some extra money through online platforms. For example, if you have space on your driveway you can rent this out through sites like JustPark or YourParkingSpace – you’re likely to earn more if you live near a busy station, city centre or big attraction.

    Alternatively, you could rent out spare storage space, such as your garage or loft, though sites like Stashbee. Or you could rent out your car when it’s not in use, through sites like Hiyacar and Turo.

    Be aware you might need to pay a joining fee for these platforms, and you should always check how insurance works and whether you need to inform your own insurance provider first.

    Popular rental sites

    Justpark. If you have a driveway that you’re not using, you can list it on JustPark and earn money when other people pay to park there. It’s an easy way to get some passive income.

    Stashbee lets you rent out your unused space so other people can then use it to store their belongings. You get paid and your space gets used. Win-win.

    Turo. If you own a car but don’t use it all the time, you can list it on Turo for other people to rent from you. That could help you cover the cost of your car, so you can still have it when you need it.

Bottom line

There are plenty of different ways to earn some extra cash online – all you need to decide is where your skills and preferences lie, as well as how much time you’re happy to devote to your project.

If you’re signing up to any online platforms, remember to check the small print to find out whether you need to pay any fees. It’s also worth looking into how much you might earn before getting started.

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
Rachel Wait's headshot
Written by

Writer

Rachel Wait is a freelance journalist and has been writing about personal finance for more than a decade, covering everything from insurance to mortgages. She has written for a range of personal finance websites and national newspapers, including The Observer, The Mail on Sunday, The Sun and the Evening Standard. Rachel is a keen baker in her spare time. See full bio

Jason Loewenthal's headshot
Co-written by

Senior writer

Jason is a writer and editor. He worked as a senior subeditor for Finder for 5 years and in that time became familiar with a wide range of financial products and services. Before that, he worked for Australian Associated Press. He has a BA from Macquarie University in Australia. Jason loves to help other people find new ways to save money. See full bio

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