Fancy making some extra money with very little effort? Find out how to rent out your driveway, become a mystery shopper or film extra, offer your babysitting services, sell your junk and more.
Christmas is a wonderful time of year, full of gifts, goodies and goodwill. But it doesn't come cheap! And no matter how frugal we are we're sure to end up feeling the pinch come January.
But the good news is if you're willing to put a little time and effort it you can boost those coffers in other ways. Why not check out these tips and see if you can't make a little extra cash.
1. Earn it!
The most obvious way to make money is to earn it. But don't panic, this doesn't have to mean a night job; there are easier ways to earn some cash.
If you have a spare room you could rent it out and make up to £4,250 in 2008/9. Alternatively, if you have a garage or driveway that you don't use why not rent that out? You can make anything from a few pounds a week to hundreds if you happen to live near a busy railway station or football ground. Check out Parkatmyhouse to see how much yours could be worth.
If shopping's your thing, there are companies that will pay you to be their mystery shopper - you simply pop into the retailer and then provide the company with details of your experience and you could make between £20 and £100 for your time. Check out UKIMS and retaileyes.
Alternatively, if acting is right up your street why not become a film or TV extra? Provided you don't mind hanging about on sets you can make around £65 a day - and often the more ordinary you look the better. Check out the NASAA and find out what's available in your area.
The holiday season is filled with parties that new mums and dads would often like to go to but lack a reliable babysitter. If you've got childcare experience and don't mind spending an evening munching snacks and watching someone else's TV, why not put up a card in your local newsagent's window or advertise on Gumtree.
If this all seems a little too energetic for you, there are even easier ways to make money.
Cashback sites will give you a percentage of what you spend online back as cash, although you often need to have made a few pounds before you can get your hands on it. A great alternative for those with kids/grandchildren/godchildren is to set them up with a Kidstart account. You earn cash in a similar way to the cashback sites, but the money earned must be used to top-up your little ones' savings/Child trust Funds.
Paying for everything with a cashback credit card you could mean you make up to 5% of what you spend back as cash (you must, of course always pay off your balance in full each month or the savings are negated). And shopping around for a top paying savings account and cash ISA will mean your money is earning as much interest as possible.
Finally, while I'm on the subject of savings, if you've yet to claim your Icesave cash back hurry up and do so as the claims system is soon to become a long and lengthy process!
2. Sell it!
If you've lots of junk around the house, why not have a clear out and make some money at the same time? Auction sites such as eBay and Amazon are the way to go for your best items - simply post a clear photo and let the bidding begin.
The best way to sell of numerous items is via a car boot sale - and if you've a lot of baby/kids stuff to get rid of check out your local NCT for details of its next Nearly New Sale - or post items on Netmums.
If you've old mobile phones lying about, sell them to sites such as Mopay and Envirofone who will pay anything from a few pounds to hundreds, depending on the condition and model of phone.
3. Claim it!
Finally, we're constantly being told there are millions of pounds out there, for those that take the time to find/claim it.
NS&I reckon there is around £33bn in unclaimed Premium Bond winnings - if you've moved and not updated your address check your numbers here.
If you've ever had a savings account as a child (or adult!) you've lost track of, fear not, there's now an ultra-easy way to track it down. Plug your details into MyLostAccount, a free service provided by the Banks and Building Societies Associations and NS&I, and it will lead you through the process to find it.
The Pensions Service will help trace any lost pensions and contact the Investment Management Association for help with tracing any lost unit trusts. And in a similar way, are you claiming all of the benefits you can? Check out entitledto and make sure you're not missing out.
So there you have it; a number of ways to earn, sell and claim extra cash for the New Year. Jot down the ones that interest you, make a plan and start 2009 with a little more money in your pocket!