Easy ways to make money on your lunch break this summer… from recycling old books to renting out your driveway & Vinted
But giving up your spare (and precious) time might not be necessary as with our guide you could help boost your bank balance in your lunch break.
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With summer approaching - and the cost of holiday childcare for families estimated to be around £1,000 - we could all do with a little extra cash in our pockets right now.
From selling unwanted books and games, to looking after a local dog, there are many ways you can make money with very little effort…
Have a closet clear out
We've all got a dress or outfit that we promise we will wear 'one day' but never do. So rather than let it take up room in your wardrobe, have a clear out of all your unworn items and put them on a selling site, like Vinted.
By selling through the app, your pre-loved clothes will enjoy a new life in a new wardrobe and you can get money in return. The buyer pays for postage and there are zero selling fees meaning you get the full sale amount in your pocket.
How much you can earn on Vinted depends on several factors, including the quality of your items - for example, newer clothing, especially those still with tags, tend to be sold for a higher price than more worn items.
One seller revealed she made a whopping £5.6k on Vinted and shared the seven items you need to upload for selling success.
Do you need to pay tax on items sold on Vinted?
QUICK facts on tax from the team at Vinted...
The only time that an item might be taxable is if it sells for more than £6,000 and there is profit (sells for more than you paid for it). Even then, you can use your capital gains tax-free allowance of £3,000 to offset it.
Generally, only business sellers trading for profit (buying goods with the purpose of selling for more than they paid for them) might need to pay tax. Business sellers who trade for profit can use a tax-free allowance of £1,000, which has been in place since 2017.
More information here: vinted.co.uk/no-changes-to-taxes
Flog unwanted phones and tablets
We are all guilty of holding on to old tech items like phones, tablets and laptops, but now you can cash in on these items through Music Magpie.
All you have to do is select the make, model and condition of your model and the people at Music Magpie will tell you what it's worth.
You can also sell CDs, DVDs, and games by entering the barcode into the site's valuation engine. If you are happy with the offer, you can send it for free to Music Magpie. Once it's been checked over, the money will be transferred to the account you supplied on the same day.
According to research, you could make up to £450 by recycling unwanted devices.
I've made £5.6k on Vinted and here are the 7 items you need to upload now to make cash quick - white maxi skirts will sell instantly for a start
Promote and earn
We all have a favourite go-to brand we love to shout about in social media - but now you can get paid for it!
Social Tip is an app that allows you to make money from promoting brands regardless of your following. So even if you have a private account with less than 1,000, it doesn't matter - you can still earn.
It's believed that certain brands see genuine product fans as more valuable and loyal in their review than an influencer with thousands of followers.
And it's easy to earn - all you have to do is share your love of a product on either Instagram or TikTok or both, tag @wearesocialtip, and wait for your commission! (Commission is capped at 10% of the purchase price for each qualifying post.)
Rent your driveway
You can earn anything from £40 to £400 a month by renting out our driveway to commuters.
Websites such as Your Parking Space even manage the bookings for you so that stress is taken away.
The space you are leasing has to be your own - or you have authority to lease it - and can include your driveway, garage and commercial parking. You can also control when and for how long you want to rent it out - you can lease it for 24/7 or set specific days or periods.
To get an idea of how much you can earn from your space, just pop in your details into the website and it will generate a quote for you.
Host a film crew
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If you have a beautiful or unusual home or space, then you could consider letting it out for magazine shoots and TV shows. Sites such as Lavish Locations and Shoot Factory are always on the look out for new spaces so you can apply online.
If your property is chosen, you can earn anything from £500 up to £2,000 a day.
It's a tough market - there are hundreds of locations for crews to currently choose from - but if you think yours could stand out, there is no harm in applying.
Opinions for cash
You can earn extra money by taking surveys or joining a focus group. Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert website has a list of sites that offer money in exchange for opinions.
The questions are usually market research based, and you'd need to take a lot of surveys to make a good chunk of cash, but if you have a spare half an hour on your commute, or want something to do in your lunch break, then it's a great way to monetise your time.
On savvy surveyor made over £400 from filling out forms in her spare time.
Become a pet sitter!
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If you see yourself as a Dr Dolittle or just love being with animals then you can become a pet sitter for your local pet owners. You can set your own fees, services and control your own diary meaning you can commit to covering holidays or an hour at a time.
Paw Shake is one of many websites where you can sign up your services which is then advertised to pet owners.
Miranda Knox made £400 in a few weeks hanging out with cats in her local area.
Recycle old books
You could earn money for your old books at We Buy Books. You simply scan or enter your book's barcode or ISBN number, get a quote, then send your books off for free.
You could earn £100s if you have good quality and pricey texts, but they do still accept used paperbacks so it's worth seeing what your old reads are worth.
I made £21 selling three dresses in an hour!
I love a good bargain, and I'm forever buying dresses in the seasonal sales, but if I'm being truthful I have more than I really need - or wear - so I set myself a challenge. I went through my wardrobe and pulled out all the dresses I haven't worn in the last three months - and I'm ashamed to say many of them still had tags on!
I decided to pop them on to Vinted so they could be loved by a new owner, and free up some space in my wardrobe for the clothes I actually do wear.
It was easy to do. I took a picture of each dress - tip: good lighting is key - and uploaded it onto the app with a description of the dress including colour and condition. I also noted a couple of occasions where the dress could be worn - party, workwear, etc - as this gives it a greater chance of appearing in a search. Within an hour, three of my dresses had sold and I was £21 in profit. Not bad for a few minutes of effort! Next stop, my husband's wardrobe!
Sell your wedding dress
Selling your wedding dress might not be for everyone, but if you are not keeping it to show the grandkids or you are happy with just the memories of your big day, then you could sell your frock online.
Sell My Wedding Dress and Still White are just two sites where you can put your bridalwear up for sale. The price depends on many factors, such as design, condition and imperfections, but you could sell a good quality wedding dress for £500 plus. It's definitely worth checking out.
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