By Lily Meyer
1 Get paid to shop
If you love to shop, why not get paid for it? Becoming a mystery shopper is easy and flexible. You get paid to eat and drink at restaurants and report back on customer service in shops.
The average pay out is £5-£25 per assignment and you can take part as often or as little as you want. To sign up visit www.mystery-shoppers.co.uk.
2 Sell online
Got lots of old college books hanging around? Clear some space and boost your income by selling them online. eBay and Amazon offer money for new and used books and the buyer usually pays the postage and packaging.
Or, if you have some more unusual collections lurking about check out www.collectfair.co.uk. It’s amazing what people pay for Dr Who goodies.
3 Walk a dog
Busy dog owners are willing to pay £5-£10 per hour for you to walk their precious pooch. You can fit the hours around your timetable and aside from getting fit you’ll also get the benefit of lots of fresh air. To look for jobs check out www.dogwalkingjobs.co.uk.
4 Make money through music
Music enthusiasts, turn your hobby of listening to music into a job through www.slicethepie.com. Members can review a song by rating it with stars and can earn around 10p per track.
Besides from reviewing, members can also choose to invest money in a band (from as little as £5) and then take a share of any profits they make. So, if you think you know what a band needs to make it big, visit the website to start investing! This time next year you could be a millionaire… (or at least better off than you are now!)
5 Cash in on Twitter and Facebook
If you have a large amount of friends on your Twitter or Facebook account, you could become one of Cloudiply’s ‘angels’.
Cloudiply and other similar companies want to borrow your status to promote their clients – and they’ll pay you to do so.
As money making goes, could anything be easier than copying and pasting a few statuses? To find out more visit www.cloudiply.
6 Be an extra
Always wanted to see yourself on the big screen? It’s easier than you think. Film extras are as important in movies as the Hollywood actors. You can earn around £80 a day, not to mention the fact that you’ll be rubbing shoulders with the stars. Try Ray Knight Castings (www.rayknight.co.uk) to get started.
7 Cook up a storm
If you know your way round a kitchen, you could easily use your baking skills as a money-spinner. Baking cakes for birthday parties or special occasions is an easy and enjoyable way to earn some extra cash.
Homemade cakes invariably sell for much more than shop-bought ones and you’ll also become a popular party guest among your friends.
8 Dare to bare
Become an artists’ model at the many different art schools and colleges across London. The great thing about art is that it is not just for the skinny and long-limbed ladies: everyone is welcome.
Most colleges pay around £12 an hour but some of the top art schools are willing to pay a lot more. But it does involve sitting naked in front of a bunch of strangers, so it’s not for the timid. Anyone who is interested should contact their local art colleges.
9 Get posting
This is an ideal way to earn money while you’re walking to and from university or town. Many companies will pay you to deliver leaflets around your local area and the leaflets are usually sent straight to your home. To sign up visit www.mailboxnationwide.com or check out www.moneymagpie.com for other recommendations.
10 Fill in a survey
Top up your income by filling in some of the hundreds of online surveys. You can make up to £5 per survey and there is no limit to how many you can do.
Many companies also offer high street vouchers as payment – perfect for buying a new outfit, guilt-free! Top survey sites include www.onepoll.com and www.valuedopinions.co.uk.
Read The latest issue of The River, out March 2, to read case studies of Kingston students being inventive to earn cash.