Elizabeth Openshaw 
The opportunities to make extra money are out there, ready to be snapped up
Who doesn't like a bit of extra dough in their pocket, or more likely in their bank account, at the end of every month? It's a thrill to earn more than your regular wages. Perhaps you're struggling to pay the bills, and another £20 would make all the difference. The best part? You're probably on your screen anyway, so why not make full use of it?
Looking for a good way to make money online?
You're certainly not alone if you've been wondering how to make money online. According to a recent survey, “43% of Brits have a side hustle as an additional source of income in 2024,” with millenials (those born between 1981 and 1996) earning the most, at an average of £1,208 a month.
Now, we're not saying you're going to make anything that much once you've learned how to make money online. Let's just say that these ways of earning cash will be more like an extra bit of pocket money with which to treat yourself occasionally. And if a pay rise isn't on the cards, then this could be the way to go.
Tips on how to make money from home
Before delving into the nitty gritty of how to make money online, let's consider some of the practical elements first with some do's and don'ts from money saving expert, Martin Lewis:
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Do create an email address dedicated to making money online, so you're not muddling this with work and personal messages.
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Don't expect to be earning thousands immediately, as this isn't quick cash. You've got to be tenacious and determined to see things through. As with a lot of the sites, it takes a while to start earning enough to eventually withdraw the money.
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Do spend any vouchers immediately. It's preferable to be paid in cash, but if it's gift vouchers that are on offer, spend them as soon as you can, as this reduces the chance of you being left with vouchers that are invalid should the retailer go under.
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Don't store your cash in online accounts, as these companies aren't banks. If they go bust, your money won't be protected, so take your money out as soon as you get to the payment threshold.
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Do check to see if you need to pay tax on your online earnings. This won't be the case for most people just wanting to earn an extra little bit of dosh, but if you really get into it, you might need to fess up.
Top tip: You don't have to report the first £1000 you earn from selling goods or services “for profit” according to the trading allowance.
25 ways to make money online
Let's get serious now, and find out how to truly make money online in your spare time. Below are 25 ways in which you can make money online. But as with everything, please check things thoroughly before taking the plunge.
1. Taking surveys
Research companies are always on the lookout for new people to test products and fill out surveys. It takes just a few minutes, and you can make anything from 50p to £10, with some rewarding in Amazon vouchers. Check out Swagbucks, Ipsos iSay, YouGov and Google Opinion Rewards.
2. Playing games on your phone
An easy way to make money online in the UK is by doing what you probably do anyway, playing on your phone. It works because the apps that shell out are funded by ads, so they pass some of the revenue onto the player. MistPlay and JustPlay are only for Android phones currently, with SwagBucks also offering money for games to both Android and iPhone users.
3. Watching videos
Yes, equally as fun, you can pull in up to £10 a week on Gift Hunter Club, then either buy Amazon vouchers with your points or convert points into cash with PayPal, from dollars into sterling. Racking up 850 points, for example, earns you a £5 gift voucher.
4. Entering competitions
Known as “comping,” entering into loads of competitions can reap real rewards for you; the more you enter, the more your chances of winning. Check out the Competitions Time forum board, and be prepared to put the time in.
Top tip: Keep track of what you've entered, as you might be disqualified for entering countless times. Also, only enter those where you actually want to win the prize.
5. Free cash
Is there really such a thing? Amazingly, there is! Cashback sites give you a cut of the money that they earn from channelling web traffic. And the beauty of it is you don't actually have to buy anything to take advantage of this – you can get paid just for clicking the links. Topcashback is one of the sites that does this, so check it out.
6. Photographing menu cards and counting stock
The free app, Roamler, pays you to snap menu cards, photograph beer, and count stock in shops. It's an easy way for businesses to carry out market research, with a typical monthly earn of £10.
7. Odd jobbing
Another free app, Shepper, stumps up for various quick odd jobs, such as spot-checking billboards, and seeing if certain products are in stores. Average active users make about £330 a year, with tasks paying out anything from £5 to £15.
8. Remote working position
This comes from Lionbridge, a website offering part-time roles, mostly focused on helping companies up their search engine results.
Top tip: You need a degree for this, but if you're fortunate enough to bag one of the 150 jobs on offer at any one time, it can net you between £140 and £200 a month.
9. Freebie free-for-all
Who doesn't love a freebie, and when all you need to do is give your opinion to get one, what's not to love? Clicks Research is the place to go for this earning possibility, a site that gives out free products in exchange for feedback.
Top tip: You've got to be real quick on this one, as spots fill up fast.
10. Trawling the internet
Another one where you're probably doing it anyway is getting paid for searching the web with Qmee. You'll get rewarded for searching on Amazon, eBay, Google, Yahoo, and Bing, with each result having a cash reward attached.
11. Click working
This is based upon “internet crowdsourcing” where companies advertise specific tasks that need to be completed swiftly. If this sounds like your cup of tea, check out Clickworker.com, where you can complete tasks such as filling forms and data entry for a fee. It's certainly one of the easiest ways to make money online.
12. Selling a service
Fiverr is the world's largest place where you can make money from selling small services, known as gigs. You can offer absolutely anything, from logo design to translating. What's your special skill that you could sell? Not surprisingly, it's a fiver per go, but you can add extra services, and see the money rolling in.
13. Listening to music
Another one where you think: can it be really this easy to make money doing something you love? With Slicethepie, you can review new bands and upcoming artists, and get paid to do so. Who knows, you might even discover the next Doja Cat!
14. Selling hi-res photos
Creative with a good eye for an image? Then upload your photos to stock image websites, such as Getty Images and Adobe Stock. To give you an idea of price, you get 33% of the sale price with Adobe, which equates to between 50p and £2.50 per photo.
Top tip: The quality of the photos are paramount, so make sure you're only sending in your best-quality snaps.
15. Selling unwanted clothes and shoes
Yep, eBay has been around for forever, but it's still going strong. It's even easier than ever to upload your items for sale. Other apps that are snapping at the heels of eBay for a slice of this market are Vinted and Depop.
16. Uploading videos to YouTube
This is one of those ones where you can really make a lot of money if you rack up subscribers by uploading videos. You receive a percentage of any advertising revenue every 1,000 views. We all know those YouTubers who have made a fortune from doing this.
17. Reporting derelict buildings
If you're the first person to spot and report a rundown property in England to YouSpotProperty.com, you could bag a £20 Amazon voucher. But, get this… if the development company then goes on to buy the property, you'll earn 1% of the purchase price.
Top tip: Be 100% sure that the property is empty, as you could face some rather angry occupiers otherwise!
18. Trading in stocks
Obviously this is a high-risk option, so only think about doing this if you can invest what you can afford to lose. You don't need to be a financial whizz kid if you've got eToro.com in your corner – this online market trading platform is fully regulated and boasts over 25 million users across the globe.
Top tip: You need to go into this with your eyes fully wide open, as the value of any investments you make can go up or down at any given time.
19. Becoming an influencer
This is a slow burn and won't work for everyone, but if you're confident, great on social media, and have the drive, it can be very lucrative. First, you have to build up a huge social media following, and then get brands on board to promote their products. Out of this, you'll get freebies initially, and then might even make money through affiliate marketing. This is when you share a code or link with subscribers, and receive a portion of any sales made through that link.
20. Tutoring online
If you're an expert in a particular subject, why don't you try your hand at tutoring others? You can create a course at Udemy, and get paid per pupil who enrols. Alternatively, if you're happy tutoring on a one-to-one basis, try Superprof or MyTutor, where you can set your fees, normally over £10 an hour.
21. Blogging
If you've got a way with words, you could try blogging to earn money online. A blog is a regularly updated website providing insight into a certain topic. If you rack up loads of followers, advertising will follow, and you can earn a portion of that revenue.
22. Publishing an eBook
In the same vein, you can write a book, and then publish it on Amazon. You earn 70% of each sale, which is a pretty good deal. You just need to pick a subject close to your heart, and get cracking!
Top tip: For a potentially successful eBook, create value in non-fiction by researching and compiling information on a common problem, such as the key to good mental health, then presenting it in a format that's easy to digest.
23. Earning cashback from shopping
With this tip, you can make money and save money… all at the same time! That's because cashback means you can reclaim the money from purchases you would have bought anyway, from 0.5% to 50%. Free sites that do this include TopCashback and Quidco.com.
24. Walking
Another thing you do anyway… and it's healthy. These paid-to-walk apps, such as Sweatcoin, reward you with credits for PayPal, freebies, and gift cards in return for steps, sharing insight with insurers and health providers.
25. Freelancing
If you've got certain skills and flexibility, you could go down the freelance route by creating content, graphic designing, or managing accounts. It can be for a wide range of jobs, especially if you find a niche or freelance for someone who just doesn't have the time. You can work and make money from home, but have clients from all around the globe – the possibilities are endless.
Get started at unlocking new earning opportunities
That's some ideas on how to make money online in the UK, from a few quid to thousands. It's all about putting the effort in to reap the rewards – go for it!
If your job isn't doing it for you at the moment, and you fancy a change, check out our free CV review to get you going on your job hunt. You've got to start somewhere, so it might as well be here and now.