If you’re a laptop warrior who works from home, good for you, but you’re not on our list.
Because the majority of us have to put on clothes and go to work Monday to Friday; it makes sofa time all the more precious.
But what if you could get your hands on some extra cash without lifting a butt cheek? Here’s how to do it.
Switch energy suppliers
There’s a myth that you have to be loyal to utility companies. If they supply you with electricity, they must be hard to swap, yeah? And surely you have to get gas and electricity from the same supplier?
Wrong. As uSwitch explains, “To switch energy suppliers, you only need your postcode, a recent energy bill and about 10 minutes.”
It’s easy to swap suppliers or services if it works out cheaper for you. Check out the money comparison websites to see how yours fares against the competition. Some sneaky suppliers even offer cashback if you switch to them, or stay on.
If you do switch, keep on them to check you’re getting the best deal and switch again if needed. (Some suppliers, such as EDF Energy, will even tell you if you can get a better deal elsewhere.)
It also pays to Get Your Exact Reading because your energy bill may not reflect what you actually owe. Contact your energy provider to give them your precise reading, or better yet, switch to a supplier with smart readers that measure accurately what you use.
Get a loan
Qualifying for a loan, that must be tough, right? Not if you own your house. In that case, getting personal loans is as easy as picking up the phone. Even if your credit score isn’t great, you can get the money you need and pay it back in monthly payments. Just make sure you can keep up the repayments for one year or longer, or you could lose your home.
Switch bank accounts
Banks get it too easy. It’s important to shake them up once in awhile and see what they could be doing better for you. If the answer is, not much, consider switching accounts. Some, such as First Direct, will give you £100 to move to them. And a further £100 if you’re not impressed and decide to move again.
Switch credit cards
Don’t stop with your savings account, either. Rattle the cage of your credit card supplier, too. Some offer interest-free periods on new purchases. So you can buy stuff, pay off the balance, and switch to another card – and new deal.
Complete online surveys
Market research is big business. Companies want to know their audience so bad that they’ll even pay for the privilege. You can complete online surveys for cash, or points you can turn into rewards such as air miles. If you prefer to play, you can make money just by playing these smartphone apps.
So, next time you’re sitting on your sofa watching Die Hard 2, again, consider picking up that laptop and making a little money on the side.
