Ten ways to make money in your lunch hour

Fancy some extra cash but don't have much spare time on your hands? Check out these top tips on how to make money in your lunch break.

In times such as these we could all do with a few extra pennies in our bank accounts.

If you need to make some money but are put off because you don't have enough time to do it, these quick and easy tips are here to give you some inspiration.

1) Online surveys

Many marketing firms will pay you to complete an online survey. These surveys can take between 10 minutes and half an hour and you’ll usually earn between 50p and £10 per survey. You can sign up at numerous sites such as YouGov, Panelbase and Toluna.

Make sure you sign up to a registration-free website and avoid American websites as you’ll probably need an American bank account. It’s also worth opening an email account specifically for registration purposes as you’re likely to receive a lot of mail once your email address is out there. 

2) Blogging

If you love a good rant or just enjoy writing, setting up your own blog is also a good way to make some money. If you join a free programme such as Google Adsense, you can earn commission from advertising banners. Every time a user clicks on one of these adverts, you’ll earn some cash.

The key to a successful blog is finding a niche and writing regular posts which people are interested in. It's also a good idea to think about commercial links such as promoting products which readers can then buy. 

3) Sell your photos

If you’re a keen photographer, it’s worth seeing if you can sell your photos to stock photography websites. These websites will pay both amateur and professional photographers for their pictures so you don't need to be the next David Bailey to earn some money.

Websites worth a look include Alamy, where you’ll get 60% of each sale, Fotolia and PictureNation.

4) Use a cashback website

Rather than heading out to the high street on your lunch break, why not get paid to do youor shopping online through a cashback site such as Quidco, TopCashback or Kidstart.

These websites will pay you money every time you buy something via their advertising links and you can find out more from our article comparing the main cashback sites.

Quidco also has a mobile app which lets you 'check in' to high street stores and get paid without having to purchase anything. You can earn around 5p per check in which doesn't sound like much but when added up it can make a real difference. 

Using a cashback credit card on top of these website will also make you extra money.

5) Sell stuff

Got a cupboard full of old clothes and other items you no longer need? Why not sell them on eBay or Amazon Marketplace? It’s quick, it’s easy and you don’t have to go to much trouble.You can read more about this in Why eBay is better than Amazon.

When selling anything make sure you read the small print and watch out for fees. Selling something through a free website such as Gumtree is a cheaper option but you've not got as much protection as going with a site like eBay.

If it's something specific you need to get rid of, websites such as Sellmymobile are a good place to start. It compares a variety of different websites and will show you exactly how much you can make from each. 

For the crafty types around, websites like Etsy and Not On The High Street are a good place to start selling your creations. 

6) Switch your current account

Yes, believe it or not, switching your current account during your lunchbreak can make you money. By simply switching to the First Direct 1st Account, you’ll be given £100.  What’s more, you’ll be given another £100 if you decide to leave after six months. 

On the downside, you will need to pay £1,500 into the account each month and you won’t receive any interest on the money you keep in the account. Before you do anything also check the whole of the current account market as just because there's a £100 sweetener for joining, this might not be the best account for you. 

7) Rent whatever you can spare!

If you have a spare driveway, shed, room or storage space, why not rent it out and make some money from it? Great websites to use are Spareground and Parkatmyhouse.com.

Even if you don’t have any spare space to rent out, you can still pocket some extra cash by renting out anything from handbags, to kitchen gadgets, to boats and websites such as Rentnotbuy are a good place to start. 

8) Complain

We Brits are good at whinging but when it comes to complaining, we’re not so on the ball. Whether it’s train delays or shoddy customer service, if there’s something that’s made you grumble, it’s worth taking the time to write a formal complaint.

Make sure you’re assertive, but don’t come across as aggressive and you never know you might be rewarded for your efforts. Quite often you’ll receive money back or vouchers to use against your next purchase, and this is well worth it. For a step-by-step guide on how to complain successfully read our piece on how to complain.

9) Do your shopping

Although this won’t necessarily make you money it will certainly help you to save somey. By buying your food online, you’re less likely to be tempted by unnecessary items you spot in the supermarket aisle, helping to keep the total cost of your trolley down.

What’s more, if you use a tool like mysupermarket.co.uk, you’ll be able to track how much your shopping would cost at each of the UK's four major supermarkets (Sainsbury's, Tesco, Asda, and Ocado/Waitrose). You can then buy your entire trolley of goods from the one you choose.

Most online supermarkets will also offer incentives to new customers so shop around and don't be loyal to just one. 

10) Track down old accounts

Thousands of people across the UK have money lingering in forgotten accounts and a quick way to track these down is by using the free website Mylostaccount. It's been set up by the  the British Bankers’ Association, the Building Societies Association and National Savings and Investments to help people claim back money in old accounts. 

It covers all UK banks and building societies and by putting in a few personal details you can get a list of all old accounts in your name. 

This article has been updated from an earlier version published in 2009.