You’re in a job that pays a £30k salary, but you’re not sure if your boss is undervaluing you. For a start, you’ve heard that the average salary in the UK is now over £35k. On the other hand, £30k puts you way above minimum wage.

So, is £30k a good salary? Well, it depends. It could be exceptional. On the other hand, it might be time to ask your boss for a pay rise or look for a new job.

How Much Is £30k After Tax?

Wherever you live in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland (Scotland has slightly different tax rules), £30k nets down to the same take-home pay after tax and national insurance.

Assuming you have the full personal tax allowance of £12,570, in the tax year 2024/5 you’ll have £3,486 income tax and £1,743 National Insurance deducted from your salary.

Here’s how that’s going to work out per year, month, week, and day:

Can You Survive On £30k A Year?

Almost £500 in your pocket every week is not a meagre amount. It should certainly be enough to live on, though there are a few factors that affect your ability to lead a comfortable lifestyle on £30k – just as there are whatever your salary.

These include where you live, the type of property in which you live, how many people depend upon your salary, your monthly expenditure, and any debt you have.

Your biggest expense is likely to be keeping a roof over your head – your rent or mortgage. If you live in the northeast, where average rents are around £650 a month, you’ll be paying out much less than those living in London, where the average rent for a two-bedroom flat will set you back around £1,500 a month.

Given that you should budget for around 30% of your take-home wage on rent or mortgage, just on this metric alone £30k is a good salary in the northeast, but terrible in London!

You’ll need to consider other bills, too, such as council tax, utilities, food, transport, internet, your mobile phone, and insurances. All this adds up, which is why budget planning is critical to your financial health.

Factors That Affect Your Salary

When you’re trying to figure out if what you are earning is enough for the job you do, you might be tempted to first look at the average UK salary for that job. However, this simple approach doesn’t take into account the many factors that affect your earning potential, such as:

Location

Average salaries are lowest in the northeast, and highest in London. In fact, in London you should expect to earn an average gross of around £780 per week vs £576 per week in the northeast.

However, there are other factors that affect this, too.

Profession

The job you do is another huge factor in how much you earn. Wherever you live, the national minimum wage is the same. But if you’re an IT professional, you’ll earn more than an entry-level shop assistant.

Here’s a flavour of the range of average salaries by occupation in the UK:

Industry

The industry in which you work could also have a bearing on how much you are paid. Managers in retail stores tend to be paid less than managers in finance companies.

Seniority

Of course, whatever industry and company you work for, you should expect to be paid more the higher up the career ladder you climb.

Age & Experience

Things get a little more contentious when it comes to age and experience. There are two trains of thought here. The first is that those with more experience (usually also meaning older) should earn more – and this seems reasonable.

The second is that no matter your age and experience, if you’re doing the same job as the person next to you, then you should be paid the same salary – which also seems reasonable.

Whichever your point of view, the graph of average salaries by age group might surprise you:

Whatever the reasons for this (and there are many, such as people who have paid off their mortgages can take jobs with less responsibility, which generally come with a lower salary), your peak earning period is likely to be in your forties.

Public Sector vs Private Sector

Here’s something that may surprise you – according to average weekly earnings statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), if you work in the public sector, you are likely to earn more than if you work in the private sector.

In April 2023, full-time employees in the public sector earned an average of 8% more than their peers in the private sector, though this gap has been narrowing since the pandemic.

It’s Not What You Earn, It’s How You Spend That Makes The Big Difference

Being financially comfortable isn’t only about how much you earn. It’s how you manage your money that really counts. Effective budget planning and sensible spending habits can make your money stretch much further.

Paying off debt, choosing more affordable accommodation, and reducing unnecessary impulse buys can make a huge difference to your finances – hundreds of pounds a month. That’s like giving yourself a pay rise of several thousand a year.

Can You Afford to Buy a House on a £30k Salary?

For all the noise about how expensive and unaffordable homes are today (and I’m not going to dispute that UK property is expensive), it is possible to buy a home with a salary of £30k.

With a 10% deposit, you could afford a mortgage of around £120k (four times your salary), and more if you partner with someone else to purchase a house. It may not be enough to buy a property in London, but in the regions there is still good value to be found.

As for that deposit – as we’ve just seen, a sensible budget and good spending habits could save thousands a year. Why not redirect these savings into a Lifetime ISA (LISA), and benefit from a government bonus of up to £1,000 each year on those savings?

Should You Ask for a Pay Rise?

Whether you should ask for a pay rise is a challenging question to answer. If you’ve done your homework, discovered that others in the same profession and same role as you in your area are earning more than you, then it may be something to consider.

If you do decide to ask for a salary increase, here are my tips to improve your chances of success:

• Ask your boss for a meeting to discuss your salary.
• Go prepared with industry data.
• Prepare your case with data and evidence about your performance (the value you bring to the table).
• Be ready to negotiate – sometimes your boss may be able to give extra benefits (such as more holiday or flexible working hours) rather than extra money.
• Talk about the future and how you can achieve the salary you desire (for example, by taking on extra responsibility) and set a timetable for review of performance.

If your boss rejects your request and shows no willing to budge or look toward the future, it may be time to start looking for a new job.

Tips to Make a £30k Salary Go Further

Making a £30k salary stretch further is very possible if you act with a bit of financial savvy. Here are my top tips to live more comfortable on a £30k salary:

1. Budget Wisely

Track your income and expenditure using a budget tool like Emma to learn how you are spending your money. Use this information to plan to manage your money better.

2. Reduce Housing Costs

Housing is typically the largest monthly expense. Could you move to a more affordable area, or to a smaller property to reduce this cost? If you own your home, could you refinance to reduce your mortgage payments?

3. Cut Unnecessary Expenses

How are those monthly subscriptions and memberships working for you? Are there any that you could cancel, switch, or renegotiate?

When you are out and about, before you purchase anything, ask yourself if you really need it. If you do, could you wait to make that purchase when a sale is on?

4. Save on Groceries

Another major expense is the weekly food bill. I cut my food shopping bill drastically when I started planning my meals, making shopping lists (and sticking to them), and bulk cooking.

You should also use vouchers, shop for discounted goods, and shop at the cheapest supermarkets. You really can save hundreds of pounds each year.

5. Pay Off Debt & Build An Emergency Fund

Get rid of that expensive debt! Credit card balances especially can eat into your take-home pay.

Prioritise repaying bad debt, and when you have done this start saving as hard as you can to build up an emergency savings pot of three times your monthly net salary.

The Bottom Line

Wrapping up, living well on a £30k salary can be challenging in some parts of the UK, but it doesn’t need to be. What you earn is just one piece of your personal financial puzzle.

Equally important is how you manage your money. The key is to take a sensible approach to budgeting and spending, and to understand your value in the jobs market.

With the right mindset and strategies, not only can you live well today, but you can look forward to a financially stable and fulfilling future too.

You want to make money fast? Maybe you have a debt to repay, or an investment opportunity too good to miss. You might have a holiday coming up and need some extra spending money, a school trip all your kid’s friends are signing up for, or perhaps you need to replenish your emergency fund.

Whatever the reason, making some quick cash can be challenging. But if you think a little creatively, you’ll find there are dozens of ways to put extra cash in your pocket quickly.

I’ve listed 25 of the best ways to make money fast in this article, in order of speed-of-cash generation. If you need to make some fast cash, pick one or two and give them a go.

You never know, you might even stumble on a side hustle idea that could turn into a steady stream of extra money, or perhaps even a profitable business to replace your underpaid day job.

1. Sell Unwanted Items

This is the easiest way to make fast money. We all have unwanted (or unneeded) stuff laying around the house or stashed away in the loft. I once sold my car because I needed the cash – it was sitting there unused and costing me money.

Today, it’s easy to sell stuff you don’t want to others who do – remember, what is one person’s trash is another person’s gold.

You could stick an advert in a local shop window, or post items for sale on your local community’s Facebook page. My daughter-in-law does this regularly. She makes a few quid on things like baby clothes and toys that her children no longer need, while helping other young parents to keep their bills down.

You can also go fully online, using Vinted, eBay or Facebook Marketplace to sell. Many successful small businesses have started this way.

How much you could earn depends on the items you sell, but ranges from a few pounds to thousands. You make money almost immediately, and declutter your home at the same time!

2. Take in a Lodger

Do you have a spare room? If you take in a lodger, you can charge up to around £7,500 rent per year without paying tax!

You could advertise in local classifieds, or on sites like SpareRoom or Airbnb to get lodgers. This could develop into a steady source of income, though you will be giving up some privacy.

You’ll also need to vet potential lodgers, and be sure that you are ready for a few ‘landlord responsibilities’.

3. Online Surveys

Sign up to sites like Swagbucks, Ipsos ISay, and Survey Junkie – among the best paid surveys in the UK – and you could start making money overnight.

You may only earn a small amount per survey, but they are usually easy to complete and can be done from the comfort of your own home. If you take a consistent approach, you could make £80 to £100 per month.

I like this strategy because you don’t need any special skills, and you can get started within minutes.

On the downside, while doing surveys is great for making a little extra cash, you’re never going to earn enough to make a life-changing difference. It’s more easy than fast.

4. Pet Sitting or Dog Walking

I recently read an article about a woman called Meghan Kim who is making almost £800 extra cash each month by doing something she really loves: looking after other people’s pets and walking dogs.

It’s a great way to make extra cash and meet other like-minded people, and works especially well if you work from home. Advertise your services locally, and you’ll be surprised how busy you could get.

How much you could earn ranges from around £10 to £20 per hour, more if you are walking more than one dog simultaneously.

(Little-known statistic – the average dog walker earns £26,000 per year in the UK!)

If you love cats and dogs, enjoy the outdoors and a flexible routine, pet sitting and dog walking could be the money-making animal for you.

5. Handyperson

If you’re good with your hands – maybe an able painter, can fix garden gates, mow lawns, trim hedges, etc. – then you could be a spare-time money-making machine. People who can’t, don’t want to, or don’t have time for such tasks hire others to help them.

It’s local work (you’ll find customers by advertising in shop windows and on community Facebook pages), and earnings could be per hour or per job. No job is ever quite the same, so you’ll have a lot of variety, too.

Income may be inconsistent to start with, but if you do a good job, word will soon get around.

6. Deliveries & Ridesharing

Get registered with companies like Uber and Deliveroo, and take advantage of one of the fastest-growing sectors in the UK today. Hours are flexible and you can start immediately.

It’s very possible to make up to around £20 an hour, though you’ll need to keep your vehicle in good condition – wear and tear is a cost you need to consider.

Car sharing is also an option. I used to cover my petrol and parking costs by being the one who drove on the commute with a couple of friends in the car – and that’s a big cost not to have to pay.

7. Temp Work/Part-Time Jobs

This is another method of earning quick cash that I did when I’d been made redundant and was waiting for the right job opportunity to come my way.

Get yourself registered with a temp agency or search online jobs boards for short-term roles. You could register today and be working tomorrow, and earning upward of minimum wage. There’s a wide range of temp jobs available, and often with little skill or experience needed. (The temp/part-time jobs I’ve had include a lab tech, goods picker, and making reproduction furniture!)

If money is your motive, then it doesn’t matter that the temp job you have doesn’t align with your long-term goals, though you will pick up new skills and, maybe, discover something you really like to do – either as a side hustle or hobby.

8. Gig Economy

Put your skills and experience to work for you by signing up to sites like Upwork and Fiverr, where others are looking for people like you to help them. This is how I started my freelance business, which is how I’ve made my living and maintained my lifestyle for more than a decade.

You can register quickly, put bids in for work that suits you, and earn some good money working with great clients. It takes a little effort to get started, but once you have a few jobs under your belt and start to build your reputation, you’ll love the flexibility and diversity of jobs.

9. Tutoring Services

Our economy is changing, and this is resulting in a need for tutoring. You could be helping kids or adults to improve their existing skills or learn new ones.

Sites like mytutor.co.uk, superprof.co.uk, and tutorhouse.co.uk are good starting points. Or you could advertise your services locally.

It’s flexible and rewarding work. You may need qualifications or certifications to validate yourself. One downside is that while it is relatively easy to get started, earning may be inconsistent.

10. Coaching/Consulting

Put your expertise and experience to work. You may already know people or businesses who would hire you to share your knowledge.

Earning as a coach or consultant can be very high, depending on your area of expertise and demand for it. Though getting clients can be challenging, if you have a strong professional or personal network to lean on you could get coaching gigs quickly.

11. Recycling for Cash

Recycling is big business – why shouldn’t you have a slice of the cake? Collect recyclables from residents and businesses, and sell these to local recycling centres.

You’ll be helping to protect the environment, but will need to put in the time, have suitable transport, and build relationships. Apart from this, it’s easy to do, and can be lucrative.

12. Sell Handmade Items

Etsy is another great online sales platform, and it could be perfect for you if you have a creative streak. It’s the top platform for unique items ranging from jewellery to books, via bags, purses, artwork, and clothing.

You don’t need to limit your selling potential to online stores, though. Think local markets, shop windows, and craft fairs, and you’ll realise the potential to make some quick money from your passion.

This could be perfect to set free your creative side and make some good money doing so. Getting paid for a hobby – who would have thought it possible?

13. Flip Vintage Clothes

Mrs B is exceptionally good at picking up bargains at charity shops, and especially clothes. She’ll buy blouses, skirts, jackets, boots, shoes, and more at incredible prices – way under what their true value is.

Could you do the same? It’s not for me (I really, really dislike shopping), but you could get a lot of pleasure from this and make some big money, too. (A designer jacket on sale for less than a tenner, and selling on eBay at more than £500 – yep, Mrs B has been there!)

It doesn’t cost a lot to get started, but you will need a little nous about clothes, and a little online selling skills (which you can pick up easily).

14. Flip Electrical Goods

Why stop at selling your own unwanted items? Recycling electrical goods is big business, and sites like eBay, Facebook, and Gumtree are perfect for selling second-hand electrical items.

Buying cheap and maximising profits is the key. Buy electrical goods cheap, prepare them for resale, and post them to online sites. Look for in-demand items, and those with a high-profit margin.

If you have the skills to repair electrical items, there is a substantial earning potential here.

15. Upcycle Furniture

Another buying/selling opportunity is to be found in flipping or upcycling old furniture. Look for bargain items in local used furniture stores and charity shops, at car boot sales, markets, or online.

If the piece is in good shape, offer it for resale at a higher price immediately. If it’s not, then repair, refurbish, or upcycle to resell at a profit.

A route to profit for the creatives, you’ll make fast money in an eco-friendly way, though be prepared to use both your time and your space.

16. Flip Collectibles Or Antiques

Do you have an eye for antiques? Then garage sales, local antique shops, car boot sales, and markets, as well as house clearances, could be your hunting ground, while online platforms and car boot sales your playground.

The earnings potential is high (you only need to watch Antiques Roadshow to know this), and it’s great for enthusiasts. On the flipside (pun intended), you’ll need to know your stuff to make consistent profits, and the market can be unpredictable.

17. Flip Cars

Do you know cars? Can you fix them up? Get out there and buy cars for less than their real value, and sell for a profit either online or locally. Your profits will depend on the car and the deal you strike, but could be hundreds or more each flip.

If you’re a car enthusiast, this could be a road paved with gold, though you will need money to invest upfront. How much could you make from this? You don’t need to think as big as webuyanycar.com to realise the potential!

18. Domain Flipping

Domain flipping can be a lucrative side hustle, with platforms like Flippa or Sedo ideal marketplaces to sell or auction domain names. Either buy or register a domain name that you believe is undervalued, and then put the domain for sale on your online platform of choice.

Just a few pounds could get you started, and profits could be thousands. If you get the right domain name, you could be set for life – cars.com sold for more than £700 million!

Don’t get carried away with the potential. These sorts of deals are one in a million – you’ll need to keep on top of market trends, and income can be unpredictable, but this could be a quick money spinner.

19. Affiliate Marketing

Jason, founder of Wallet Savvy, knows pretty much everything there is to know about affiliate marketing programs. The idea is simple: promote other businesses’ products and services on a website, blog, or social media, and earn a commission from each sale.

How much you can earn depends on the size of your audience, but start-up costs are low and it’s a great opportunity to develop passive income streams.

However, this isn’t an overnight earning opportunity. It takes time to build an audience to make a decent profit from affiliate marketing.

20. Stock Photography

Are you a keen photographer? Then why not make your portfolio for sale via websites like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, or iStock?

This is easy to do, and if there is a demand for your images, you’ll start making money immediately. How much you receive depends on the popularity of your images. You’ll be paid per download, and the more times your images are downloaded, the more cash you’ll pocket.

Like affiliate marketing, it’s possible to develop a passive income stream, though the market is highly competitive.

21. Sell Digital Products

Instead of selling your services as a coach or consultant, why not create an online course that could be sold time and again with no extra work needed? You could also create eBooks, software, spreadsheets, and graphics to sell.

The draw is that you are sharing your expertise and creating a passive income stream in the future. There are many websites that you could use to sell your digital products (such as Udemy and Coursera), or you could sell via your own website.

It takes time to create a course, but once you have created your first, you’ll get the gist. The upfront investment of time can be off-putting, but the potential for substantial passive income is real.

22. Dropshipping

You may have heard of dropshipping, selling other people’s products from your own online store. Websites like Shopify let you do this easily. You promote products on your website, and the order is handled by the supplier.

In effect, you’re acting as an agent, and receive a portion of the sale price (usually between 10% to 30%).

There’s very little upfront investment needed, and you have no responsibility for stock or shipping – but you will need to team up with reliable suppliers and market your website and products on it effectively.

23. eCommerce Store

If you want to be more hands-on with the product you sell, you could set up an eCommerce business. You’ll need a website, supplier agreements, a place to store stock, and a way to package and ship the products you sell.

While margins will be higher than dropshipping, so, too, will your commitment need to be. Your earnings can be very variable, and you’ll need to focus on branding and marketing as well as all other areas of running an online store.

Investment is needed, and you’ll need to be prepared to commit time to the venture.

24. App Development

If you have the technical skills to do so, why not develop a mobile app and publish to platforms like Apple App Store or Google Play Store? Monetise through ads, in-app purchases, or a purchase price.

Hit the right niche and deliver an app that makes a difference to people, and you could make millions. Apps like Candy Crush and Roblox generate tens of millions in revenue each month.

However, you need those technical skills or the ability to commit a possibly large amount of investment money.

25. Write Books

This isn’t the fastest way to make money, but these days it’s not as slow a process as you’d think.

As well as coaching, consultancy, tutoring, or creating a blog, you could also share your experience and expertise by writing a book and publishing it. You don’t need an agent or publisher, but I would certainly advise that you have your work edited professionally before self-publishing.

Print-on-demand technology means you have no inventory to carry, and no shipping costs to concern you. You could make up to around 70% on the list price of your book.

The start-up costs are low (on Amazon, for example, you can self-publish for no cost), though you will need to market and promote your book – and this, as well as quality of work, is what determines your success.

This is not an overnight money-making scheme (it takes time and dedication to write a book), but could lead to some nice passive income.

Make Money Fast For A Living

Each of the strategies I’ve discussed in this article has the potential to generate cash quickly, though some faster than others. From selling items you no longer need, to leveraging skills through freelancing or app development, there’s a strategy here to suit almost anyone’s circumstances.

Many of these strategies could also be used to develop profitable side hustles, and even businesses that can replace your current earnings from your regular job.

With persistence, commitment, and an open mind, your make-money-fast scheme could support more than just a living – it could help create the prosperous lifestyle your efforts deserve.

Tips To Make Money Fast

We could all do with making money fast from time to time. The secret of success is to be strategic in your approach. Here’s what I’ve learned from experience:

Know your financial goals

Define what you are aiming to achieve, and write down your goals. Know why you want to make money fast, and stay focused on attaining your objectives. Clarity is key to staying motivated.

Have an entrepreneurial mindset

Be open to new opportunities and willing to take calculated risks. You may face setbacks; resilience will help you to overcome challenges and capitalise on profitable opportunities.

Keep Your Costs Low

You don’t need to plough money into a new side hustle, but you will need to invest your skills, experience, and time. Keeping your initial costs low will help reduce any financial risk when you want to make money fast.

Ensure It’s Enjoyable

While you may need to take a part-time job to put some quick cash in your pocket, it’s much better to focus on what you are passionate about. This will make it much easier to put in the effort needed to be successful.

Be Diverse

Develop a bit of diversity in your money making. Why stop at consulting when you could create and sell online courses, a book, and include affiliate marketing as passive income streams? This approach will help to reduce risk and improve your financial stability.

Always Improve, Learn & Adapt

Continuous learning is crucial. It increases your worth and broadens your ability to adapt to new opportunities to meet demand. It’s critical to your long-term success as a new entrepreneur, born from your need to make money fast.

From Making Money Fast to Life-Changing Entrepreneurship

Whether you need cash in your pocket now or wish to build a sustainable income, these 25 strategies are the starting point that could improve your financial life quickly and forever.

From selling the stuff you no longer need to leveraging the internet to build an entrepreneurial portfolio of small businesses, its crucial to start with your financial goals, embrace an entrepreneurial mindset, continue to learn, and be prepared to adapt.

Your journey to financial freedom begins with the first step. Choose the path that aligns with your passion, your skills, and your experience, and you might find that making money fast gets you sprinting out of the blocks toward a profitable and fulfilling side hustle (or, maybe, fully fledged business).

40 grand a year. Sounds like a solid salary, doesn’t it? But is it really that good?

If you’re earning £40k a year, you’re doing pretty well when compared to the average UK worker. In fact, you’re comfortably above the average of around £35k.

Yet, the answer to this question is not as clear-cut as it may seem. A £40k salary may be worth more to you than to others. It depends on so many factors, like lifestyle, housing, and other personal circumstances.

In this article, I look at whether you should consider £40k to be a good salary where you live, what it means after taxes, and how you can make your money stretch further (we could all do with a little more in our pockets, couldn’t we?).

£40k Vs Location

When it comes to figuring out if £40k is a good salary, the most important factor is where you live. The UK’s regional economies are as diverse as its landscapes – a hot salary in the Northeast might be considered borderline poverty in the Southeast! (Okay, the north/south divide isn’t quite the chasm it used to be, but it’s still a thing.)

The story takes a different turn if you compare £40k to the average salary in London, which is estimated to be almost £44k.

With the higher cost of living in the capital, £40k doesn’t stretch nearly as far here as it does across the rest of the nation. This doesn’t mean to say you can’t live well on £40k in London, but you will have to cut your cloth accordingly.

Outside of London, £40k stretches much further. Not only is the cost of living lower, but you’ll also be earning much more than regional averages. For example, if you live in the Northeast, where you’ll find the UK’s lowest average salary, a £40k salary is a third higher than the average.

Here’s how average weekly earnings in the UK measure up:

The long and short of it is that if you’re earning £40k a year, then you’ll be an above-average earner in every UK region except London. It’s a very decent salary. So why is it that so many of us feel like it isn’t?

To answer this question, we have to look beyond where we live.

Tax: £40k Isn’t Really £40k

Thanks to the taxman, what you earn is not what you have in your pocket. Knowing how much will be taken from your gross salary is key to savvy budget planning. Here’s how your after-tax pay breaks down after HMRC has taken its cut.

With a salary of £40k, you’ll pay income tax at the basic rate of 20% of your earnings above your personal tax allowance. This means that, for most people, the first £12,570 of earnings is tax free (though your actual personal tax allowance may be different, depending on your circumstances).

Income tax at 20% on the remaining £27,430 works out at £5,486.

Now, onto National Insurance. These are your contributions that entitle you to certain state benefits, like the State Pension. The rate at which you pay these was cut from 12% to 10% on 6^th January 2024, and you pay this on all earnings between £12,570 and £50,270.

If you’re earning £40k a year, you’ll also pay £2,743 in National Insurance.

The net result of these deductions is that your pay after deductions falls to £31,771. Put another way, you’ll be taking home £610.98 per week, not £769.23. That’s one hell of a hit!

Other Deductions: Pensions & More

We may have tackled income tax and national insurance, but we certainly haven’t reached your real take-home pay yet. There are other deductions to consider.

The biggest of these is deductions from your gross salary to pay into a workplace pension (if you’re eligible).

Now, I’ve recently heard many comments about how paying into a pension doesn’t help pay the bills today. This may be true, but a workplace pension is one of the best investments you can make. Here’s why:

• You get tax relief on your contribution
• Your employer will also contribute to your pension, often matching your contribution – in some cases, paying in more than you do

Still, whatever you pay into your workplace pension will reduce your take-home pay – but it’s not a loss, it’s an investment in your long-term future.

Other deductions from your salary might include:

• Student loan repayments
• Workplace health insurance schemes
• Company car schemes

I can’t calculate the total effect on your take-home pay. It all depends on what other deductions you have. Suffice to say, though, many of you who are earning £40k per year will take home less than £30k per year (£575 per week).

Living Costs

Even though your gross pay has taken a big hit, £575 a week still sounds a good amount of money. If you’re feeling the pinch on this, it pays to know why. Let’s start off by looking at your living costs.

Housing

Your largest single expense is likely to be your rent or mortgage. This is where it really pays to live outside of London!

If you live in the Northeast, the average rent is £657 per month (HomeLet, Dec 2023). That’s around £152 per week, which wouldn’t get you much in London.

As a rule of thumb, you should aim to pay no more than 30% of your net salary on rent, 35% at a push; though the more expensive the area in which you live, the higher the percentage of your salary will go on paying for where you call home.

Utilities & Council Tax

You need heating, lighting, and water. They are non-negotiables. How much these will cost depends on the size of your home, how many people live with you, the steps you’ve taken to be energy efficient, and the area in which you live.

According to British Gas, the average annual bill for electricity, for a three-bedroom house with two/three occupants is £1,041. If you use gas, this is likely to cost another £1,025 a year. Water UK says that average water bills in the UK stand at £448 per year.

As for council tax, this depends upon your property and the area in which you live, but according to the government the average is £1,966.

Food & Clothing

Okay, so you’ve got a home to live in, and light, heat, and water. Next on the list must be food and clothing.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average household spends 16% of their budget on food – £4,124 per year, or around £79 per week.

Average spending on clothes and footwear is much less, but still not inconsiderable at £915.20 per year (around £33 per month, per person).

Transport

How much you spend on transport depends upon how you travel. If you own a car, you’ll need to consider fuel, services, insurance, and tax. This can add up to quite a sum – transport expenditure of £200 per month is common.

This is where those living in big cities like London can certainly save money, by taking advantage of proximity to amenities and public transport.

Discretionary Spending

Now we’ve dealt with the essentials, what about the spending that makes life worth living? This is the money you spend on the things you like doing most.

For me, that’s eating out, travelling, and spending quality time with our children and grandchildren.

Entertainment, Leisure & Travel

The occasional meal out, a drink with friends, a trip to the cinema or local bowling alley – all such things are crucial to keep yourself balanced. How much you spend here depends on your social habits, but we’re looking at between £50 to £150 per week.

For me, holidays are the highlight of the year. Seeing new places, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, and trying different foods – wonderful! Whether it’s a weekend break, a week away, or an extended family holiday, travel is a crucial part of most people’s lives.

But have you ever counted the cost of your holidays? According to ABTA, the average spend on holidays is around £2,000 per year per household. (Seems a little low to me – I better speak to Mrs. B about our holiday spending!)

Hobbies & Interests

Do you have a hobby? Do you play for a sports team, play a round of golf each week, get out into nature and walk, run, or paint? Our hobbies and other interests can soon add up to quite a spend.

Depending on your hobbies, it’s likely that you’re spending anything between £50 and £400 per month on doing what you enjoy the most.

Subscriptions & Memberships

Here, we’re talking about (usually) small but regular expenses. Some are so small you don’t even realise the money is coming out of your account.

Get a pen and piece of paper, and write down what you’re spending on things like mobile phones, Sky/Netflix/Amazon, gym memberships, etc.

The average spent on subscriptions in the UK is around £45 per month, but my guess is that you’re spending more than this. Am I right?

Savings and Investments

You should set aside some of your earnings to save and invest. In fact, this is so important that I believe this should really be the first item on your budget – and you should aim to save/invest at least 10% to 20% of your net salary.

That’s between £200 and £400 each month.

Miscellaneous Expenses

In this category comes everything else. Birthday and Christmas gifts are the biggies here, but don’t forget the odd ‘impulse buy’. How much do you spend on these things?

Most households should budget for between £50 and £100 per month here. Hey, I haven’t even mentioned debt repayments…

the Cost of Living

How much do you spend each month? Collating all the above information, here’s a simplified view of average monthly spending:

And the total? In the region of £1,890 to £2,940! How your spending works out depends upon your personal circumstances, lifestyle choices, and where you live.

But remember, your monthly take-home pay with a salary of £40k is likely to be less than £2,500. Which is why good financial management and an effective budgeting strategy are crucial.

If you don’t have your spending under control, it’s easy to be poor on a salary of £40k!

Charles Dickens’s Mr Micawber once said, “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen, nineteen, and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.”

That’s not quite true today. Now, it’s more like, “Annual income £40,000, annual expenditure £29,500, result misery.”

£40k Is More When You’re Younger

If you are young, single, and on £40k a year, make hay while the sun shines! You’re in the sweet spot, and probably earning much more than most of your peers.

Yes, age is another factor to consider when asking if £40k is a good salary. Here’s how average salaries evolve through different age ranges in the UK:

• 18-21 years: Median average salary around £20,888
• 22-29 years: Median average salary approximately £28,413
• 30-39 years: Median average salary is about £35,526

Earning £40k a year gives you plenty of advantages when you are younger. You’ve got more disposable income to spend on hobbies and holidays. Your potential to save and invest is much greater, and you’ll have more flexibility to explore different career paths.

All this is possible not because you are earning £40k, but because your essential spending is likely to be lower.

Don’t knock living with your parents for a little longer than you might like – it has plenty of benefits. Best of all, if you budget wisely, you’re in the perfect position to build a solid financial base for your future.

11 Tips to Make £40k Feel Like £50k

You’d think that a salary of £40,000 would be enough to have a pretty good life, wouldn’t you? However, it’s not always how much you earn but how you spend your money that’s the deciding factor. Here are my tips to make your money go further:

1. Budget Wisely

You can budget wisely by tracking your spending to reduce those unnecessary expenses. This doesn’t have to be arduous work: using a budget app like Emma can help you regain control of your money and identify where you are overspending.

2. Prioritise Your Expenses

Focus on needs before wants. Do you really need that expensive coffee shop beverage before you start work, or could an instant coffee do the trick?

3. Reduce Your Food Bills

Shop at the cheapest supermarkets in the UK – good-quality produce at much lower prices. You could save around £1,000 a year (or more) by shopping at Lidl instead of Marks & Spencer.

Another tip here is to shop smart – always make a list, and only buy what is on your list.

4. Cook Like a Pro

While we’re talking about food, forget processed foods and pre-cooked meals. Cook from fresh, and make your food go further.

For example, my wife and I can make a £6 chicken stretch to 6 meals each (roast chicken, chicken salad, chicken and leek pies, chicken curries) – all you need to do is add a few veggies and a little love when cooking.

5. Reduce Housing Costs

If you’re renting, don’t be afraid to negotiate price with your landlord, especially if you have proved yourself to be a good tenant who always pays on time.

If you’re young and single and want to fly the nest that is your parents’ home, flat sharing can significantly reduce your living expensing (especially if you live in London).

6. Cut Your Utility Bills

Of course, find ways to reduce your energy and water consumption at home – good for your pocket and for the planet. Switch off lights when you leave a room. Turn down the heating a notch. Take a 4-minute shower instead of a 20-minute bath.

Also, compare costs between providers regularly, and switch to get the best service.

7. Cancel Unnecessary Subscriptions

Last year I cancelled my Amazon subscription. It wasn’t making sense, especially when I can watch so many Amazon series with Freevee.

What subscriptions don’t you need? You’ll be surprised at what you are paying for but don’t use.

8. Walk More!

Get out of your car and off public transport. Walk to the local shops, get fit, and save money.

9.  Socialise More Cheaply

Instead of going out for a meal with friends, why not host a dinner evening? You do the cooking, and they bring the liquid refreshments. Play a few video or board games, watch a cool movie on Freevee. You don’t have to spend big to have a great evening.

10. Avoid Debt

Don’t dip into an overdraft. Avoid loans and expensive credit deals. If you do use a credit card, pay the balance off promptly, every month.

11. Build an Emergency Fund

Budget to save and invest, and focus on building and maintaining an emergency fund first. This will mean you always have a reserve for unexpected expenses, without the need to fall back on credit.

The Bottom Line

A £40k salary can be a solid foundation for a comfortable life, but it all depends on how you manage your money. If you’re savvy with budgeting and spending, you’ll make the most of your income.

It doesn’t matter whether you live in an expensive area like London or enjoy a lower cost of living elsewhere – the principles of good financial management apply. It’s not about how much you earn – it’s about how you utilise your resources to build a solid financial foundation and an enjoyable lifestyle.

With the right approach, your £40k can go much further than it does for the average £40k earner.

I saw a Tweet a few days ago that said the top CEOs would make the average UK annual salary in just three or four days of January. Today, I’ve seen a clip of the Jeremy Vine show, in which a caller said she needs to cut spending to make ends meet – and she’s earning an annual salary of £100k.

This got me thinking – how do you get to be among the cream at the top of UK earners? Just how much money do you need to earn to be among the top 1%?

What Does it Mean to Be in the Top 1% of UK Earners?

If you were in the top 1% of the UK’s earners, you’d be in an elite group of around 320,000 people. A group that:

• Earns 14% of taxable income in the UK
• Pays 29% of all income tax in the UK
• Earns an average of £15,082 per month

Have you done the calculation yet? £180,984. More than the Prime Minister’s salary. That’s the average salary of the 320,000 top 1% of earners in the UK.

If you are earning this amount, you might not pass the UK’s median annual salary of £34,963 as fast as the average FTSE 100 CEO (who earns and average of a whopping £3.81 million a year), but, by mid-March, you’ll have already earned as much as the average UK worker.

Go From Top 5% to Top 1%

To be in the top 5% of income earners in the UK, you’ll be earning on average £7,251 per month – £87,012 per year. So to get into the top 1% you’ll need to make a big leap, to more than doubling your earnings.

This is a far bigger jump than at any other income level, as the following chart shows:

But, despite more than doubling your gross salary, your take-home pay won’t be more than double. Far from it. The tax man makes sure of this.

How Much is a Top 1% Salary Worth After Tax?

Higher earners pay more in tax because they can afford to pay more. Here’s how gross pay, tax, and take-home pay compare for top 5% and top 1% earners:

The bottom line, thanks to the taxman, is that even though you are earning £7,831 per month more, you ‘only’ take home £4,362.66 more. The biggest step-up in income tax is the massive jump from 20% to 40% (currently at earnings of £50,270).

If you are earning £181,000 a year, your tax and national insurance bill will be more than £68,000 – that’s approximately twice the gross average salary in the UK! No wonder the highest earners and wealthiest in the country use innovative tax-avoidance schemes and possess good financial planning habits.

You Don’t Need a Top 1% Salary to Be a Top 1% Earner!

So far, we’ve focused on only salary. However, this isn’t the whole story. Official figures show that income from employment is the most important source of income for the top 1%. However, it only accounts for around 60% of income in this group of high earners.

The truth is that many of the UK’s top 1% of earners do not have such a high salary. Instead, a good portion of their income is made up of partnership and dividend income. These are taxed at lower rates than salaries, and so their net income (their take-home) is higher.

In fact, according to the IFS, more than a quarter of the total income of the top 1% is through dividends and partnerships – and a third of the income of the top 0.1% is derived the same way. Its evidence suggests that one-in-three of the top 1% of earners in the UK is a business owner.

Good financial planning (and owning a business) literally pays dividends!

What Professions Could Propel You into the Top 1%?

Even though so many of the top 1% of earners have diversified income streams, the IFS is clear that those with higher incomes are likely to break into and remain in the top 1%. Now the question becomes, what types of jobs will provide the highest potential of becoming part of the elite?

It’s not too challenging to make a list of highly paid professions. Think of the usual suspects and write them down:

What Are the Highest-Paid Jobs in the UK?

Now, working in any one of these industries won’t guarantee that you’ll become a top 1% earner. What you need is to navigate toward the highest-paying roles within those professions.

Our friends at the ONS regularly do the legwork for us all, when they produce the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (AHSE). Here is what they found to be the highest-paying jobs in April 2023:

In August 2203, jobsite Indeed published its list of the highest average annual salaries:

Which Are the Highest-Paying Companies in the UK?

Let’s turn to data compiled by jobsite Glassdoor. According to its job postings, finance and tech firms make up most of the top 10 highest-paying companies, with average basic salaries that put their employees well within the top 5% of UK salaries. Here is its list:

Have you noticed anything odd, yet?

Yep, that’s right. The highest-paid professions, jobs, and companies don’t pay averages that would put you in the top 1% of earners in the UK. They just give you the best chance of getting there – but you still need to excel in your chosen company, profession, and job to earn the big bucks.

Other Ways to Break into the Top 1%

Apart from making good employment choices, working your way up to the C-Suite, and eventually becoming a CEO of a major company, how else could you boost your income to climb into the top 1%?

There are many ways to earn extra income – including taking a second job, gaining higher education qualifications, earning money from your home, or setting up a side hustle. It’s the last of these three that might unlock an unlimited earnings potential.

If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, starting a business could lead to significant earnings. Sure, there is risk involved; but if you get it right and scale your business effectively, you could soon be the CEO of a thriving company that you built.

Many entrepreneurs start by following their passion, or building on their experience and connections: for example, by offering themselves in a consulting capacity, building up their client list, and then developing into a business consultancy by employing others.

Think creatively. Use your skills and experience. Build something that pays dividends!

Being a Top 1% Earner is Difficult to Maintain

What if you’re a top 1% earner? What does this really mean?

It simply means that you’ve had a stonking year – usually in your job. This might be because of a one-off; a huge bonus, perhaps.

As we all know, jobs come and go. Company finances change. Businesses go bankrupt. Recessions play havoc with earnings.

Staying in the top 1% of UK earners is not easy. According to the IFS, the top 1% is a highly fluid group. Of this year’s top 1%, a quarter won’t be in the group next year.

Only half in the top 1% this year will be in the 1% in five years. Between 2000/01 and 2015/16, only 11% remained in the top 1% every year.

This rate of turnover is important. It means that you have a good chance of being in that elite group at some point in your life.

Wealth is Different to Earnings

I’ve talked a lot about earnings, but it’s crucial to understand that earnings are different from wealth. But with effective financial planning, you can build the kind of wealth that will help you to remain in the top 1% of income earners.

You’ll need to budget effectively, save and invest wisely, and get your money to work for you.

Can you push yourself into the top 1% of wealthy individuals in the UK? Do you have what it takes to build this kind of wealth – the £3.6 million that the ONS says would get you there?

“Impossible!” you say?

“Not so,” I say.

When you craft a career or a business that pushes you into the top 1% of earners, make sure you set the financial goals needed to boost your wealth. Careful and clever financial planning, and living a comfortable, non-extravagant life, is key to building real wealth. The sort of wealth that will help you to improve your lifestyle every year and leave a financial legacy of note to your heirs.

If you were earning, say, £100,000, £150,000, or £200,000, could you set aside £50,000 toward your long-term wealth? Do this for 25 years, earning 7% per year, and you’ll have built up a fund of more than £3.6 million.

How To Break into the Top 1% of Earners in the UK: Verdict

Breaking into the elite 1% of UK earners may be a challenge, but it is an achievable goal. To be successful, understand that it is about more than earning a hefty salary. You’ll need to think and act strategically, employing effective financial planning, embedding good financial habits in your daily life, and diversifying income sources.

Many of the UK’s highest earners supplement salaries with partnership and dividend income, which are both taxed more favourably.

In this article, I’ve considered the importance of aiming for high-paying roles, in high-paying companies, in high-paying sectors. However, all that is really stopping you from reaching your earnings potential is you. Set your entrepreneurial spirit free!

As your earnings grow, plan to create life-changing finances. Because breaking into the top 1% isn’t just about earning a high income; it’s also about building sustainable wealth through judicious planning and investment.

I worked in London for the best part of 20 years. It was, and still is, one of the most beautiful, vibrant cities in the world.

Its appeal as a place to live and work is not hard to understand. It offers a plethora of entertainment, activities, and work opportunities, all made easily accessible by a world-class transport system.

What should you be earning in London? What is a good salary, and how can you boost your earnings in the nation’s capital city? Let’s get all these questions answered and more.

What is the Average London Salary?

You’d think this was an easy question to answer, wouldn’t you? It’s not. There is a diverse range of estimates of average salaries in London. These include average median salaries of:

• £46,380 (ONS)
• £44,370 (Statista)
• £57,400 (Plumplot)

One thing that we can say for certain is that the average salary of London workers is far higher than the UK’s average salary.

For example, the ONS earnings statistics show that while the average salary in London is £46,380, move to Leeds and this falls to only £26,298. Across the UK, the average salary is £34,632 per year.

What’s a Good Salary in London?

I didn’t live in London, but was able to take advantage of the higher salaries available there by commuting. I’m not unique in this. More than a million people commute into the capital every day. No wonder my trains were delayed 90% of the time!

Even though I was earning good money, the cost of commuting (fuel, parking, and a season ticket) seemed often to make the extra earning power less than worth it.

Indeed, it wasn’t until I was earning £40k plus that my bank balance swung into the black. However, this is a different story – one for another day.

What you’re really interested in is how much is enough in London. Further, if you’re not earning enough to benefit from all that London has to offer, how can you ramp up your earnings?

Where Can You Earn the Most in London?

To understand earning power in London, you’ll need to first understand where you can earn the most money. Wages don’t collapse when you leave London. They step down, and in line with London Transport zones.

The highest earners work in Zone 1, with averages for selected areas as follows:

What Are the Highest-Paid Sectors in London?

The next factor to consider is the sector in which you work. At the bottom of the list is retail and hospitality. At the top, we find those working in high-tech jobs.

The high-tech range isn’t surprising – London is the UK’s tech hub, with billions in inward investment each year. Additionally, as the role of tech grows in all industries, the demand for IT talent is booming.

Here’s a breakdown of sectors and approximate average salaries earned in London for a variety of roles:

What Are the Highest-Paid Professions in London?

Now, let’s move to the third critical factor – what your job title is.

London is one of the world’s top three financial hubs, and salaries within the sector reflect this. If you work in investment banking, fund management, or as a financial analyst, you’re in a great sector and a role with high earning potential.

I’ve already mentioned the importance of IT within the London landscape – and engineering managers are among the most handsomely rewarded professions in the capital’s economy.

Lawyers and surgeons are among the highest paid in London, too.

Within such professions, you could expect to earn an average of between around £75,000 and £110,000. Of course, the more seniority and responsibility you have, the higher your salary will be.

How Much Difference Does Education and Experience Make?

Other factors that affect pay include education and experience:

• The more highly educated you are, the higher your earning potential. According to Statista, the difference between average salaries for those with a doctorate and those with a master’s degree is an average of around £17,000 (c. £94,500 vs c.£78,000).
• With more than 20 years of relevant experience, you should expect to earn an average of around £103,000 vs an average of around £101,500 for 16 years’ experience.

How Much Does It Cost to Live in London?

Have the potential earnings achievable in London blown you away? If you currently live in Leeds, you might already be packing your bags to move south! But average salaries are not the only thing you’ll need to consider. If they were, there wouldn’t be so many Londoners living on the breadline.

Did you know that a higher proportion of Londoners are living in poverty than in the rest of the UK – 24% vs 19%? How can this be when potential wages are so much higher here?

Housing Costs Are Crippling

House prices are higher in London than anywhere else in the UK. According to Zoopla, the average sold prices for homes in London over the last 12 months were:

• Flats – £534,741
• Terraced Houses – £805,303
• Semi-Detached – £823,487
• Detached – £1,299,540

With rising interest rates, mortgage costs have ballooned. In April 2023, Rightmove reported that the typical repayment mortgage on a property with two bedrooms or fewer in London was £2,340 per month.

If you can’t afford to buy? Rental prices have risen by more than 14% in a year to almost £2,200 per month. A one-bed flat will set you back around £1,600 per month to rent.

Whichever way you look at it, housing costs will take a substantial chunk of your earnings.

Of course, you could decide to live in Greater London where rents are cheaper – but then you’ll have higher costs of commuting and the experience of extra time on crowded trains every day, and you won’t be near to where the real action is.

Living Costs Can Make You Livid

It’s not cheap to live in the glam and glitz of the capital. According to data compiled by numbeo.com, a beer will cost you more than £6 a pint (a price that I haven’t found to be expensive in the City).

On top of this, a public transport ticket will set you back more than £180. Food is more expensive than elsewhere in the UK, and you don’t want to hear the details of things like council tax and energy bills!

If you want to take your partner or spouse for dinner at a medium-priced restaurant, be prepared to spend £77.50 – before drinks!

Those occasional luxuries, like a sandwich for lunch and the occasional team drinks after work, also add up quickly.

And the Total Cost of Living in London is…

Totting up all the costs of living in London, the final cost-of-living figure is astounding. I hope you’re sitting down, and breathing deeply:

• For a single person, the average annual cost of living in London is £43,728
• For a family of four, the average cost of living in London is £68,400

Those high average salaries don’t seem quite so decent now, do they?

You may need a couple of minutes to recover!

How Can You Live in London Without Going Broke?

If you’re already living in London and struggling with the cost of living, or you’re considering moving to the capital but concerned about making ends meet, you’ll need to focus first on good financial habits.

You’ll be surprised how savvy budget planning can transform your finances. When you understand how you are spending your money, you can act to reduce your spending.

Doing this used to mean keeping meticulous notes of every penny spent in a cashbook. Then along came spreadsheets (of which I am a huge fan). These reduced the time taken and improved accuracy, but budgeting was still a chore. Today, budgeting is a breeze.

“How so?” you ask.

Well, budgeting apps like Emma or Plum, and digital banking apps like Monzo or Starling do all the heavy lifting for you. They capture your transactions, analyse spending, and provide automatic ways to save.

The result is that, combining your knowledge of the best budgeting techniques, embedding good financial habits, and utilising best-of-breed financial apps, you can afford to live in London on the average London wage.

BUT (and it’s a big but) you don’t want to simply live in London, do you? You want to enjoy all it has to offer. This means you’ll need to boost your income. Before we look at how you can do this, let’s take a quick look at the elephant in the room: tax.

Tax On London Salaries

The more you earn, the more you pay in tax. Those high-number average salaries I highlighted earlier in this article aren’t what they are cracked up to be when you deduct tax and national insurance:

• 20% on what you earn between your personal tax allowance and £50,271
• 40% on earnings from 350,271 and £150,000
• 45% on anything you earn above £150,000

Then, on top of tax and national insurance, you’ll need to allow for things like pension contributions and taxable benefits.

Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to calculate the impact of all the deductions from your salary. You don’t need to be a financial whiz kid or even know all the intricacies of our tax system.

You only need to know the numbers required, and plug them into the net salary calculator. The table below shows how the figures stack up for someone with:

• £45,000 gross income
• Pension contributions of 3% of salary into a workplace pension
• Taxable benefits of £500 per month

How Can You Improve Your Income in London?

It is possible to live in London on an average London income, or an even lower income, but you’ll enjoy life more fully if you can boost your income. Imagine if you could count yourself among the top 10% of households with an average disposable income of more than £70,000 a year.

Of course, more experience, higher educational qualifications, and choosing the right profession in the most vibrant sector are all ways to improve your income. However, gaining extra qualifications and experience naturally takes time – and what if you love your job and the employer you work for?

What other options do you have? As examples, you could:

· Accept a part-time job

You’ll gain more experience, and experience new work disciplines. You’ll also broaden and deepen your professional connections, which could prove very advantageous through your career.

· Start a side hustle

There are dozens of side hustle ideas you could choose from. That’s how I started my business – focusing on my core skills, learning new skills daily, and growing my network through client connections.

From pet-sitting and photography to online gigs such as blogging, tutoring, and selling on eBay, there is no limit to the options for earning – and it’s less like hard work if you do something that dovetails with your passion.

The Bottom Line – What’s a Good Salary in London?

Figuring out what makes a good salary in London isn’t as easy as it sounds. It depends on so many factors – including your personal circumstances and lifestyle. With such a high cost of living in London, what might be considered high earnings in another town or city could be some way short in London.

Considering all the factors that I’ve discussed in this article, a salary north of around £50,000 should be enough for a comfortable quality of life in the capital.

However, to decide just how much you need to earn, you’ll need to assess your current circumstances, your lifestyle goals, and your realistic earning potential.

Doing all of this, and ensuring you maintain healthy financial habits while utilising all the tools and techniques at your disposal, will help you earn to your full potential and enjoy an incredible life in our capital city.

There’s something wonderful about earning money from home, and it’s never been easier to do. If you hit the right money-making strategies, your laptop, tablet, or mobile could be a goldmine of opportunities.

I’ve been earning from my sofa and home office since 2011. I even joke that I have two other offices – a local coffee shop and the beach!

It’s a wonderful way of life that allows me to work when I want and on what I want, and gives me plenty of free time to do the things that I love the most (my hobbies, travelling, and spending time with family and friends).

There’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy at least as much success as me by working from home. Perhaps the biggest challenge you face is deciding what to do to earn money from home.

That’s where this article comes in.

Whether you’re seeking to replace income from a ‘regular job’ and develop passive income streams (like me), or you just want a few extra pounds in your pocket to splash out on life’s luxuries, you’re about to discover 28 ways to make money from your home.

Use Your Experience & Expertise

In today’s digital world, your skills and knowledge are valuable assets. Your experience could be the key to lucrative earning opportunities. There are many potential income streams for you to exploit from the comfort of your own home. These include:

1. Freelancing

There are quite a few online platforms on which you can offer your services to potential clients. They all work in much the same way – you register an account, create a profile that details your experience and expertise, and apply for jobs or projects listed by clients.

The biggest of these platforms is Upwork, though others like Freelancer and Fiverr can also provide lucrative streams of business.

2. Online Courses

Why not share your expertise in your field or hobby? It’s relatively straightforward to create online courses and sell them on platforms such as Coursera, Teachable, and Udemy.

Best of all, once your course is available, you start earning while sleeping – it’s a great way to create a passive income stream.

3. Online Coaching/Consulting

Another way to share your expertise is to offer online coaching or consulting services. Platforms like Skype and Zoom make it easy to connect with people around the world – including potential clients who need your expertise.

Whether it’s individuals or businesses that you are helping, this could be a very lucrative income stream.

4. Virtual Assistant

Hiring full-time staff is expensive. Consequently, many businesses prefer to hire the talent they need on an ad-hoc, when-needed basis. Your organisational and office skills are in demand.

You could have several bosses, offering services that include email handling, appointment scheduling, or social media management, all from the comfort of your home. Websites like peopleperhour and Flexjobs are good starting points.

5. Online Tutoring

There is a huge demand for online tutors worldwide. Not only in traditional school subjects, either. People crave knowledge and learning in a huge range of subject areas, including business, money management, hobbies, music… the list is endless.

How about getting paid to talk? If you have a decent internet connection, you could start teaching English to foreign students, simply by hooking up online. First port of call might be websites like VIPKid or iTalki.

6. Self-Publishing

If you have a flair for writing, share your stories via platforms like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing. Whether it’s a murder mystery or a guide in your area of expertise, Amazon is a global bookshop that you could exploit.

7. Social Media Management

Businesses are acutely aware of social media’s power but often lack the expertise or time. This is especially true of smaller businesses.

If you can demonstrate your skills in content creation, digital marketing strategy, or analytics, and you can manage social media profiles, you could become a valuable resource for many businesses.

Reach Your Financial Goals Through Social Media

Harness the power of social media to make money! Whether sharing your thoughts, capturing magical moments on video, or engaging listeners on a podcast, you could transform online presence into earnings.

8. Blogging

Use your passion, experience, or expertise to start a blog. It’s easier than you may think. Platforms like WordPress walk you through the process. In only a few minutes, you could be sharing your insights, stories, or writing reviews.

As your traffic grows, you can ‘monetize’ your blog through ads, affiliate marketing (our preferred method), or membership packages.

9. YouTube Channels

People love video content, and YouTube is a go-to resource for many. Whether it’s tutorials, product reviews, or simply entertaining content, engaging videos will help to grow your subscriber base. Then it’s time to profit from ad revenues and brand partnerships.

10. Podcasting

The great thing about audio content is that it is easy to absorb when you’re on the go. Which is why podcasts are gaining in popularity. Think of podcasting like YouTube for the ears. Discuss what you’re passionate about, grow a following, and monetize your podcast.

Become an Online Commerce Aficionado

Become the modern-day Sir Richard Branson or Sir Lord Alan Sugar. They both started their business empires selling – in shops or out in the cold at street markets. The world of eCommerce means you could do the same, but without enduring harsh weather and unsocial hours.

11. Dropship with Amazon FBA

You don’t need to carry a home full of stock to sell products online. Dropshipping with Amazon’s Fulfilment by Amazon service allows you to promote and sell products online. Amazon handles all the storage and distribution, while you handle the marketing and promotion.

12. Affiliate Marketing

You know that blog you started? It’s time to monetise it with affiliate marketing programs. Promote the products you believe in, and get paid a commission for every sale/referral. Websites like ClickBank or ShareASale can connect you with brands, and your blog could soon start delivering a valuable revenue stream.

13. Affiliate Dropshipping

Combine the power of affiliate marketing with the ease of dropshipping. Promote products that you love. When they sell, you purchase them from a third party at wholesale price. The third party then shops directly to the customer.

14. Sell Handmade Crafts

Do you have a love of making or creating things? There’s something unique about handmade goods, and platforms like Etsy allow you to profit from your talent. Whether it’s jewellery, home decorations, paintings, or wildly unique creations, you could turn a hobby into a small business.

15. Run a Clothing Business

What is it they say about fashion – what goes out of style will eventually come back? You don’t need to make your own clothes to sell clothes online. Mrs. B loves finding a bargain or 12 in charity shops.

Designer bags and shoes, new clothes with the original shop tags still attached… all at a fraction of the price they should be. Perfect to resell online (except that Mrs. B prefers to keep them in the wardrobe!).

16. Sell Digital Products

Digital products like eBooks, templates, and apps offer a unique advantage over physical goods in that you only need to create them once to sell them endlessly. Platforms like Sellfy provide an immediate online storefront to showcase your digital products to a global audience.

17. Flipping Domain Names

Now for something a little different: buying and selling website domain names. The concept is easy:

• You buy a domain name that you think will become popular
• Hold the domain name
• Sell it when a buyer comes along and will pay more for the name than you paid for it

Get your thinking cap on, start buying up domain names, and them market them to potential buyers on a platform like Efty.

Turn a Hobby into an Income Stream

Have you heard it said that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life? Today, you really can turn a hobby into a money spinner.

Whether it’s capturing moments through a lens, sharing your perspective, or being an avid comper, you can lend lifestyle with livelihood.

18. Photography

If you have an eye for taking the perfect photo, you could load your images to a site like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock for others to buy.  

19. App Development

Do you have the skills to develop solutions for our digital world? There is always room for a new app! Figure out what people need, develop an app to satisfy that demand, and get the exposure you need to sell your app on a platform like Google Play or Apple App Store.

20. Online Paid Surveys

If you enjoy sharing your opinions, you could make a few extra quid by completing online paid surveys. Platforms like Ipsos iSay and Swagbucks can help you earn cash and other rewards in your spare time.

21. Stock Trading & Investing

If you have a penchant for financial markets, you could dive into trading for profit. There are many stock trading apps for beginners which make it easy to trade, and provide the education you need to get started. (A word of warning, though, is that this route also carries an inherent risk.)

22. Become a Comper

Here’s another fun way to make money online – become a comper. Enter online contests, sweepstakes, or raffles to win cash or prizes. To be successful, you’ll need to make regular entries.

Websites like Competition Database and LatestDeals Competitions will help you identify the best contests to enter.

Make Money from Your Home

Your home is your castle, right? Somewhere to relax and feel safe. It could also be a money machine. Many people have underutilised space in their home.

From renting out a room to tourists to establishing experiences that showcase your hobbies, passions, or expertise, to capitalising on an unused driveway, you can turn your castle into a treasury, without compromising on its use as your home.

23. Rent Out a Room

If you have a spare room, you might consider renting it out. Platforms like Airbnb connect you to travellers who need temporary accommodation. Or you could opt to take in a lodger.

Either way, under the Government’s Rent a Room scheme, you could earn up to £7,500 tax free by offering an inviting living space with great hospitality.

24. Be an Airbnb Experience Host

Airbnb also allows you to offer ‘experiences’ to travellers. This is a great way to use your passion, expertise, or hobby to improve your income.

Do you have a deep knowledge of local history? You could offer city tours. Are you a yoga instructor? What about a weekend retreat?

There are many ways in which you can share your skills and knowledge with others who want new experiences.

25. Rent a Parking Space

This is one for those of you who live near a railway station, town centre or attraction. If you have a spare space on your driveway, you could earn thousands of pounds a year by allowing commuters or shoppers to park at your home.

Websites like ParkOnMyDrive will connect you with drivers who need a space to park.

26. Sell Storage Space

One of the growth industries in recent years has been self-storage. You could profit from this demand. Rent out space in your attic, a spare room, or garage to people who have no space to store their belongings. Use a site like Parklet to attract storage seekers.

27. Rent out Your EV Charger

An extension of renting your parking space. If you have an EV charger, you could offer your driveway for others to plug in their EVs.

28. Host Students

Homestays are sought by many students. These may be for a term or college year, or for shorter stays to accommodate students who are attending short courses near your home.

How to Develop a Portfolio of Home Income Earning

Your home could be a haven of earning opportunity,and there may be a number of the above methods I’ve mentioned that you feel you could achieve. All you need to do to unlock this potential is to think a little creatively.

Imagine combining your passion, expertise, and home to create a portfolio of income streams:

• You could begin by freelancing in your area of expertise.
• Simultaneously, build a website to showcase your passions, hobbies, or expertise.
• Blog regularly on your website, and share content on social media to build a loyal following.
• Write a couple of books to confirm your subject matter authority.
• As your following grows, tap into the power of affiliate marketing to monetize your site.
• Develop online courses to provide an interactive experience that can be sold time and again.
• Online tutoring sessions provide a more personalised experience for those with deeper pockets.
• Don’t forget to monetise your home, by renting out a room and storage space.

It takes dedication, discipline, and effort to develop an earnings portfolio like this. However, by intertwining these strategies, you’ll develop a robust earnings machine with a combination of active and passive revenue.

In addition, you’ll lead a varied life while capitalising on your expertise, your passion, and your home.

I’ll let you work out just how financially lucrative such a portfolio could be.

12 Tips for Successfully Making Money from Home on Proven Methods

Though working from home presents an immense portfolio of earning opportunities, it is not without its challenges. But, with discipline, dedication, and a learning mentality, you can harness the many benefits of working from home and achieve your financial goals like I have achieved mine.

Here are our tips to improve your success:

Set Clear Goals

What do you want to achieve? Unless you know your goals, how will you get to your destination? Do you want to create a passive income, replace a full-time job, or just to earn extra cash? Your goals will guide your decisions.

Capitalise On Your Current Profession

Create income streams doing what you do best. Whether that’s finance, marketing, digital innovation, or a host of other fields, platforms like Upwork are ideal for leveraging your existing skills.

Invest in Technology

Using the right tools and technology is crucial. You’ll need a reliable computer or laptop. High-speed internet connectivity is a must. You’ll also need to use the best software to improve your efficiency.

Choose a Platform That Suits Your Skillset

Whether it’s Etsy for crafts, Teachable for online courses, or Upwork for freelancing, select platforms that help you to capitalize on your strengths, experience, and expertise.

Educate Yourself

Don’t stand still! Develop a love of continuous learning to remain relevant and one step ahead of your competition.

Diversify Your Online Selling

Never rely on only one platform to sell. Find out where your audience hangs out and connect with them through different platforms to give yourself the greatest exposure.

Engage in Active Marketing for Affiliate Programs

Don’t just rely on organic traffic. Use social media, email marketing, and other strategies to promote affiliate links.

Maintain Authenticity with Blogging & Podcasting

Readers of blogs and listeners of podcasts can smell a fake a mile off. Be authentic and deliver genuine content to drive engagement and loyalty.

Keep Your Online Store Up to Date

Trends are continually changing. You’ll need to ensure that your online spaces are modern and user friendly – and, of course, that they cater to the needs of a constantly evolving virtual audience.

Stay Motivated

Find what motivates you, and use this to drive your effort. Should you set rewards for reaching milestones? Is your motivation determined by seeing your vision become reality? It can be challenging to remain driven when you are your own boss.

(For me, when I’m writing fiction, if I map out the last few chapters in detail, it’s like I’ve completed the book. I need to keep some mystery surrounding the outcome.)

Adapt & Evolve

The digital landscape is constantly changing. Stay flexible, and be willing to adapt your strategies as needed.

Protect Yourself Legally

Especially if you are dealing with intellectual property, there will be legal issues that you’ll need to become acquainted with – you may need to consult legal experts to ensure you don’t overstep any boundaries.

The Bottom Line

Developing and maintaining your success when earning from home requires dedication, flexibility, creativity, and a strategic approach. Don’t be fearful of being a little creative and entrepreneurial as you build income streams that align with your desired lifestyle.

Is the cost-of-living crisis starting to bite into your disposable income? It’s not something the UK’s top earners need to worry about, is it?

If you were one of the top 5% of earners in the UK, how different could things be for you?

In this article, we take a look at how much you’d need to earn to be in that top 5% – and offer suggestions that could help you improve your income and feel wealthier.

UK Average Earnings & Beyond

Let’s get straight to the nitty gritty: what income would get you into the top 5% of earners in the UK?

According to official figures from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), the median income in 2022 was £565 per week. That’s equivalent to £29,380 per year.

If your household income is above this, then you’re already in the top half of household income earners. However, this masks a few complicating factors.

For example, if you are single then an income of around just £20,000 would push you into the top half of singleton earners. If you earn above £59,700, then you’re in the top 3% of single person household earners.

At the other end of the scale, as a couple with two children under 14, you’d need a household income of more than £41,300 to be considered in the top half of earners, and around £125,000 to be in the top 3%.

According to figures compiled by Statista, across the entire nation, in July 2023 the bottom 10% of earners earned only £759 per month. That’s some way below the median of £2,279.

And the top 5% – how much do they earn? Incredibly, it’s ‘only’ £7,251 per month.

Where Do You Stand In The Earnings League?

You may be higher up the league than you think. To be in the top 5% of earners, you’d need to earn around £87,000 per year.

But if you earn more than £3,500 per month – a salary of £42,000 – you’re already in the top 25% of income earners. And the DWP reports that almost 9 million of us earn £1,000 or more per week.

How much do you earn in comparison to others? The chances are that you’re higher in that league table than you thought. Which then begs the questions:

• Why do you think you earn so little?
• How can you push into the UK’s top earners list?

It’s Not Your Earnings, It’s Your Spending

There’s a disturbing truth that afflicts most of the nation. This is that we live to our means, and not within our means.

When we budget, we look at what we’ve earned, and figure out how to spend that money. It’s how we were taught to budget.

I’m going to be blunt here – if you budget this way, you’ve been doing it all wrong!

If you budget to spend, you won’t save. When you don’t save, you’re not building wealth for the future.

Nor are you allowing yourself a cushion for small emergencies. This is when they become a financial burden.

Then the financial burden builds. You borrow money to dig yourself out of a hole, and that small emergency suddenly develops into a financial crisis.

You’re on the merry-go-round of borrowing, paying interest, and having less in your pocket.

The end effect is that your income becomes not enough to cover your costs. So, you feel like you’re not being paid enough.

The truth is that (certainly for most people) you are paid enough, but you’re spending too much.

The fact is that if we were wiser with our money, we’d feel wealthier when we get paid at the end of the month. It took me a long time to learn this. Mostly because I’d been conditioned to budget for spending first, saving second.

For years, I survived pay day to pay day. Some months I had to phone my bank manager to give me an extension on my overdraft for a few days before my pay was credited to my account. An overdraft that cost me in charges and interest.

I had personal loans, credit card balances, hire purchases… as well as a mortgage, and children, and utility bills…

For years I thought that I was underpaid, even though I had a well-paid job. Eventually, I decided to do something about my poor financial habits.

How To Feel Like You’re A Higher Earner

There’s a direct link between how you feel financially and your disposable income. The more you have left in your bank account at the end of the month, the happier you’ll be with your financial situation.

In short, every penny reduced from your outgoings feels like a penny extra you’re earning.

For me, this meant a long, hard look at what was important to me. I examined my lifestyle, my debts, and my income:

Did I need to spend what I was spending, and own what I owned?

• Instead of going for a beer every night after work, I cut back to one or two evenings a week.

• I also sought ways to reduce my regular bills – buying own-brand instead of premier brand goods, for example.

• I lived a couple of miles from the nearest railway station. Instead of driving there and parking each day, I walked (except when it was pouring with rain). Not only did I save money, but I got a little fitter, too.

• Another way I was able to save money easily was by taking a packed lunch to work instead of ‘treating’ myself to a sandwich from the local sandwich shop each day.

In today’s terms, these simple changes in routine and ways of spending saved us more than £100 per week. £5,000 a year. Equivalent to an increase of around £6,500 (before tax) per year in salary.

Then there was the car. I loved my car at the time. Yet, it really is just a metal box with an engine to get you from A to B. Vehicles aren’t a passion of mine. I sold my car, and bought a cheap run-around.

Could I reduce the servicing costs of my debt?

Looking back, I don’t know how I managed to get into this financial dark place. Except actually, yes, I do! I started living to my means. As my wages increased, my mindset shifted.

When my wife and I first started living together, everything we owned was either second-hand or paid for. Suddenly, with hire-purchase deals and buy-now-pay-later purchases, we’d broken that golden rule.

I borrowed to buy furniture, carpets, and the car. When I didn’t have cash in my bank account, we didn’t stop going out. I used my credit card. I put foreign holidays on credit, too.

First things first – I cleared my overdraft with the proceeds from the sale of my car, and paid some off my credit card balance. I approached my bank manager, and got a consolidation loan.

Now I had one easy payment, at a lower overall interest rate. With the reduced amount of debt and a lower amount of interest to pay, I saved around £50 per week on my outgoings.

That was like having another increase of around £3,000 before tax (£2,500 net).

Could I increase my earnings?

I didn’t stop there. Could I earn more? The easy way, of course, was to ask my boss for a raise, and if this wasn’t possible, how about overtime?

• To cut a long story short, I stated my case for a rise, and received it. Then I asked if there was any overtime available. None going – damn!

• Never mind, I started to work in a bar a couple of evenings a week. That gave me some variety in my life, and a few extra quid in my pocket.

Extra income from my increase in salary and the bar work was around £1,000 per month in 2023 cash.

These measures made a huge difference to my finances. Almost overnight, it was like having a salary increase of around £15,000 today.

However, this isn’t the beginning and end of this financial ‘trick’. Discipline is needed to feel the real effects of this.

I cut my credit card in two (but didn’t cancel it). Took cash out of the bank for our spending money – once that was gone, no more spending!

Most importantly, I started to pay myself first – putting money into one of the best savings accounts before my bills and monthly spending. I built up an emergency fund, so I never needed to borrow money to pay for a small emergency ever again.

The long and short of it is that you can feel like a higher earner by:

• Saving money by reducing your spending.
• Reducing your debt and borrowing costs, and eliminating debt as fast as you can.
• Budget planning by paying yourself first.
• Building and maintaining an emergency fund.

How To Push Into The Top Earners List

We can all always earn more. So far in this article, we’ve largely discussed how you can embed good financial habits to improve your personal bottom line – how much money you have available to you.

Being disciplined with your money is crucial to financial wellbeing.

Now, let’s take the next steps. Here are a few tips to help you move up the earnings ladder:

Invest In Yourself

The more knowledge and skills you possess, the more valuable you become. You could attend classes, take relevant certifications, or spend some time each evening completing online courses.

Don’t forget your soft skills! Good communication, leadership, and negotiation skills are all highly sought after today.

Ask For A Salary Increase

Prepare your case for a rise, then arrange a meeting with your boss. Highlight what you bring to the company, and your recent achievements.

Make sure you know what people in a similar role in your industry earn so that you can confidently gauge your true worth.

Ask For Extra Responsibility

Ask for a promotion, or if you can lead a project at work. Let your boss know that you’re ready to step up – you may even find that you’ll be supported to make the grade with a leadership course or personalised mentorship.

Consider Switching Jobs

Studies show that regular job switchers earn more during their life than those who remain in jobs for longer than two years. Few get rewarded well for their loyalty.

If you feel like you are undervalued by your boss, it may be time to start searching for new opportunities.

Diversify Your Income

Can you make extra money from your passions, or use your expertise in a consulting or freelance role?

Relying on a single job for your income can limit your earning potential. A second job (like the bar work I took) can provide a valuable boost to your earnings. So, too, could developing a side hustle, starting a small business, or investing for income.

Develop A Millionaire’s Mindset

Mindset plays a major role in your earnings journey. There are 7 keys to becoming a millionaire:

1. Create a vision of wealth and a motivated mindset.
2. Budget hard.
3. Set your savings aside as soon as you’re paid.
4. Have discipline in your spending to avoid costly debt.
5. Learn new skills and earn more with them.
6. Don’t succumb to society and spend when you can’t afford to.
7. Make sure your money is being held in the best places and kept away from the most expensive.

Have a vision and financial plan, including increasing your skillsets and experience to improve your earning potential.

The Bottom Line

If you only look at your earnings, you won’t get a real picture of your financial wellbeing.

You might be surprised at what you’ll need to earn to get into the top 5% of UK earners, but a high income is only part of the equation.

Good financial habits, effective money management, and financial discipline are pivotal to ensure financial security, whatever you earn.

Whether your goal is to be a top 5% income earner or live a financially comfortable life, it’s not only about what you earn. It’s about how you use what you earn.

By investing in yourself, remaining financially disciplined, and seeking opportunities to utilise your passions, expertise and skills, you’ll improve your earnings potential and, most importantly, your quality of life.

Sources:

DWP Income and Inequality Study

Statista UK Earnings Research

There are a number of affiliate programs in both the UK and globally, and in this article I’ll be detailing some of what I consider to be the best affiliate programs out there.

Why Am I Talking About Affiliate Marketing?

For me, affiliate marketing is the ultimate side hustle – and that’s how it starts out for most people (myself included), before quickly becoming a means to replace a full-time salary.

There’s lots to learn and even more to apply to make it successful, but I am living proof that it can be achieved – having earned mid 6 figures through affiliate commissions over the last 12 months.

I now teach it over at The Affiliate School and you’ll find me talking about ways to approach it for long-term success over on my YouTube channel.

But today, I’m here on Wallet Savvy to show some of my favourite affiliate marketing programs.

Affiliate Programs Vs Affiliate Platforms

As there are literally thousands of affiliate marketing programs and what’s right for you will depend on the niche that you want to target, I will be including both affiliate programs and affiliate marketing platforms on this list.

It’s important to differentiate between an affiliate platform and a program.

A platform will host multiple programs, and usually you will need to apply to work with the platform first, then apply to work with the program once accepted onto the platform.

Just because you have been accepted onto a platform (also known as an affiliate network), does not mean you will automatically be accepted onto the program.

It’s a good idea to understand the difference between a network (platform) and a program as there are many incredible individual programs out there – so don’t assume you have to just stick to the big networks.

Top 10 Affiliate Marketing Programs (UK Edition)

I have used over 40 different affiliate programs over the last 7 years – some are better than others, some pay higher commissions, while others have a lot more time for affiliates themselves – and therefore the relationships are stronger.

Here I will detail 10 of what I consider to be the best affiliate programs right now.

Awin

Awin, formerly known as Affiliate Window, is my second highest-earning affiliate platform and it has a wide range of UK affiliate programs (as well as more from overseas).

It is quick and easy to sign up, and once you have done this you can search for suitable programs to promote. The search interface on Awin is excellent – and is one of the main reasons why I promote so many different programs on their platform.

Any platform that doesn’t allow you to search via locations served and niche is a poorly designed platform in my view – but Awin excels in this regard.

They also give you the details of the affiliate managers on each program, along with commission rates and more details on the company. Your affiliate managers can apply higher rates if they agree so with you, and the reporting dashboard is also very good on Awin with lots of out-of-the-box ways to look at your stats (a simple view of earnings is shown above).

They also give you a snapshot of how you are performing vs the same time the previous month for clicks, sales and total commissions, and this is split via country. Very handy for having a quick snapshot of your current performance.

Creating affiliate links is also very easy. The ability to create direct links, adding sub IDs (a more advanced but relatively simple technique for even greater tracking/reporting) is also very welcomed.

Overall, Awin has plenty of programs to choose from in a wide range of niches, and their platform is robust and feature rich.

FanFuel

Now this is a personal favourite of mine and unless you are in the health/sleep/fitness or supplementation niches you are likely going to want to skip to the next program on our list – but if you want to see what a fantastic direct affiliate program looks like, then read on.

FanFuel is my highest-earning platform, with commission rates of 40-50% as standard across a range of different products.

From teeth whitening to sleep aid supplements, their product range each has its own dedicated website and brand that you can promote.

You also get a dedicated affiliate manager. They use the impressive Everflow affiliate software that gives you access to all the data and direct linking you need, and they genuinely care about their affiliates.

One element I love with FanFuel is how they incentivise affiliates. They run various competitions through the year and offer rewards based on how many points you gain, with prizes ranging from software subscriptions to cars!

Impact

Impact is another affiliate network that gives you access to a wide range of UK affiliate programs (as well as thousands from other locales). The software is a little clunkier to use than the likes of Awin (in my opinion), but tracking seems accurate and payments are always made on time.

I find that many of the programs listed on Impact have a relatively high acceptance threshold, so don’t be surprised if your application to certain affiliate programs are rejected when using Impact.

This is no reflection on Impact, but perhaps a pointer as to the high quality of clients they have and the high quality of publishers they want.

If you have a high-quality website or audience with good traffic, then you will likely do very well with Impact.

Shareasale

Another top-tier affiliate network is Shareasale. They were recently acquired by Awin, but for now they still run as two completely separate entities on their own platforms.

Sharesale is relatively easy to navigate, has a very wide range of offers, and does allow you to search for UK-focused affiliate programs.

The reporting features are not quite as robust as the likes of Awin and the Everflow platform, but they still give you all the basic data you would need.

Creating links is very easy once you are approved on a program. You can simply use the direct link generator to create deep links to various pages on the offer site, and you can shorten them using their one-click tool if you so wish.

Shareasale is pretty transparent, and again your affiliate managers can apply custom rates if you negotiate these.

Some programs do seem to go low on funds from time to time, so it is always worth monitoring this.

I’ve personally never had any problems with Shareasale and find them useful to get access to smaller companies’ offers who you would otherwise be unable to monetise.

Commission Junction (CJ)

Another big player in the affiliate network world is Commission Junction – more commonly known as CJ. Again, they have a range of high-profile clients and boast $16 billion (yes, that’s billion) in generated annual revenue as a result of their links.

They work in a range of niches but do have one of the best collections of finance-related companies – more so in the US, but they do have a good UK collection too.

I don’t have a huge number of accounts on CJ (just a handful really), but I’ve always had good experiences with them, have suffered very few rejections when applying for programs, and have always found them to pay out on time.

Amazon Associates

Many people who first start out in affiliate marketing turn to Amazon Associates which, as the name implies, is the affiliate program for Amazon.

It is hard to think of a bigger name in e-commerce than Amazon – and as such, the Amazon Associates affiliate program is perhaps the biggest and most well-known.

And although it has many things going for it, biggest doesn’t always mean best.

As far as UK affiliate programs go, Amazon Associates is actually pretty good, and in recent years they have been treating their affiliates much better than in the past.

In the US, the commission rates are still pretty low, but in the UK you can typically expect anywhere from 6-10% for most niches. Their rates are category dependent, so always check that before going all in on promoting Amazon.

The biggest advantages of Amazon are their conversion rates (as they are so well known and used) and their wide range of products – they sell pretty much everything! So it’s usually a viable option to promote for most affiliates promoting products.

The downsides are that they will not negotiate on rates and they have pretty strict terms of service – but stay the right side of these and you could be enjoying some pretty good earnings with Amazon.

MoreNiche

MoreNiche is another affiliate program that operates in the health and supplement space. They are UK-based, although their offers can be applied globally.

I have actually met with the owners of MoreNiche (they kindly flew me out to Majorca to meet them), and my affiliate manager I have met a few times.

They are another company who put their affiliates first, and for anyone in the health or nutrition space I would wholeheartedly recommend you signing up to their program.

Many of their products have 40-50% commission rates and are of a high quality, with the ability to make commissions on re-orders – always something you should look out for.

Above all, MoreNiche are a thoroughly ‘good to work for’ company – and I love promoting their offers.

Direct Deals

It’s rare, but sometimes there just isn’t an appropriate platform to promote your offers on. Or perhaps more commonly, there is, but the rates are low.

If you find yourself in this situation and you have good traffic or attention, then you should look to make direct affiliate deals. This is easier than you might think.

Most companies will have some form of marketing budget. Affiliate is an easy sell because they only pay if they make the sale.

If a company is making, say, 40% margin on a sale, and you ask for 20%, then they are still making 20% profit on each and every sale. The 20% they are paying you is their marketing fee, but they only pay it when they sell – so there is no risk to them.

You should look to contact either the marketing department or the director (depending on the size of the company) and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much success you get from this.

Paid On Results

Paid On Results is another affiliate network similar to Awin and Shareasale, but it is a little less well-known. I’ve done a fair bit of work with Paid On Results and have promoted a good range of their affiliate programs.

Unlike Awin and Shareasale, POR will work with smaller companies so you will often find more niche companies setting up programs with them.

If you try to do a direct deal with a company and they don’t want to set up their own program, you can also refer them to POR as they work with companies of all sizes and are very approachable.

From a usability point of view, POR is easy to navigate, has all the usual features and reporting you would expect, and are good at paying out.

ConvertKit (Or Other Recurring SAAS Offers)

I chose ConvertKit as the example for this section as it is a piece of software that allows you to set up an email newsletter – and all good affiliates should have a newsletter.

But more than that, they have a recurring commission affiliate program – which means that you get paid each month that someone is paying for the SAAS (software as a service).

These are some of the most lucrative types of affiliate programs, as your earnings can compound over time. Imagine this:

You generate £500 of commissions in month 1.

Month 2 you make the same amount, but still also make the £500 from the previous month – so you make £1,000.

By month 6, you’d be making £3,000 per month. Even if you had a 20% drop-off rate, you’d still be making £2,400 per month. Pretty incredible.

And this is what makes these kind of recurring revenue affiliate programs so lucrative.

How To Find Affiliate Programs

Finding affiliate programs is not particularly difficult. For the most part, a simple Google search of ‘best affiliate programs for x‘ will do the job.

Other than that, you might need to scour the networks I’ve mentioned above. Awin, CJ and Shareasale have the most affiliate partners, but you should try others and if all else fails, go direct to the manufacturer/service provider and ask.

You should also not expect to be accepted onto all programs. Some have very specific criteria for acceptance, and most will require you to have at least some relevant traffic.

The more traffic you have that is relevant to their business, the more likely you will be accepted.

You should also consider how your brand looks. Most companies will not want to be associated with a low-quality website or a brand that might bring theirs into disrepute. So always try to make sure your website or social profiles look professional before applying.

Want to know more about affiliate marketing? Watch my interview On Upthegains round affiliate marketing:

If you have a mobile phone, money-making apps could be the ideal way to make extra money. In fact, it’s never been easier to put a few extra pounds in your pocket. Wherever you are, whenever you have a few spare minutes, you can use money-making apps to boost your finances.

You could be a passenger in a car, on a train, waiting for a bus, or on a break from a morning’s shopping. You might even be cosied-up on the sofa watching your favourite soap. There are always moments when you could be earning extra cash.

Whether you enjoy sharing your opinions, shopping, or testing out new software, and whether you prefer to earn gift vouchers, cash, or cashback, there are some fantastic money-making apps available today.

The question is, which are the best money-making apps in the UK?

Grab yourself a coffee, relax, and read this article to find out.

Will Money-Making Apps Make You Rich?

You’re not going to become a wealthy person by spending hours upon hours on money-making apps. They just don’t work that way.

They won’t replace the amount of income you could earn from a regular job (though a side hustle or a passive income stream could certainly help you achieve financial independence).

What money-making apps help you to do is make extra cash doing something you enjoy in your free time. It’s quite possible to make enough money to help pay off debts, build an emergency cash fund, or pay for a family holiday.

What Money-Making Apps Are Best for You?

Deciding which are the best apps for you requires what I call a top-down approach. Instead of focusing on what the app pays and how it works, first consider what you like to do most.

Then, work down through the apps in those categories to find the best for you.

Why do this if your goal is to make more money? Why not simply focus on those apps that pay the most?

Quite simply – and my experience proves this – if you’re doing something you hate, you’ll quickly lose interest. When this happens, you’ll spend less time on the app.

The time you do spend, your heart won’t be in it. You’ll work with less enthusiasm, and achieve less. You’ll earn less than is possible on the best-paying apps, and probably less than you could if you were doing things you enjoy.

This is why I’ve divided this article into five categories: shopping, software, surveys, receipt scanning (market research), and cashback apps.

The 5 Best Money-Making Shopping Apps

Do you love to shop? Not my favourite pastime, but if you love to browse big and boutique brands, sharing your finds and experiences with friends and followers, the following shopping apps could be right up your high street (excuse the pun).

1. Streetbees

This is an app that pays you to share your consumer experiences. Download the app, create an account, and get sharing! You’ll be asked questions on specific ‘stories’. There are no right or wrong answers.

You can share as much or as little as you like, and may be asked to upload a video or photos (don’t worry, nothing intrusive). Payment ranges from around £1 to £3 – not bad for a few minutes of your time.

2. Roamler

Now, this is a great way to make extra dosh if you love to browse the high street. You can decide when to complete tasks, and you’ll get paid within three days.

The tasks range from checking merchandise in-store, to product reviewing (you’ll be sent the product), to selling the products!

Mystery shopping tasks are selected from the app, and you might find several close to each other (which increases your earning potential).

Complete the tasks, and get paid. The more tasks you complete, the more tasks you’ll be presented with. You may only earn a few pounds per task, but what a way to earn!

3. Field Agent

Are you a mad keen supermarket fiend? Mrs B loves to compare products in every supermarket. She’s a mine of information about quality, quantity, offers and prices.

Once you have signed up with Field Agent, you’ll have access to mystery shopping tasks like appraising stores, taking photos, and trying the food and drink products sold instore. You may also be asked to check prices.

The downside is that tasks can be rare, depending on where you live. However, tasks can pay around £5 for 15 or 20 minutes of your time. Probably best for those who live in vibrant and sizeable towns or cities.

4. BeMyEye

Another mystery shopping app, and one that is great for beginners. A map shows all tasks near you, with what you must do and how much you can earn.

Tasks may be as simple as taking photos of displays. Earnings are usually between £2 and £20.

5. dscout

This site pays you for your views. You’ll be asked a series of questions around a single subject. Sometimes you may be asked to participate in a live video session.

You might discuss how you drink your coffee, what TV and films you enjoy watching, your views on healthcare… you get the picture.

If you enjoy chatting about your experiences while earning up to $100 for doing so (yep, it’s an American site), dscout could be your ideal coffee-time partner.

The 5 Best Software Money-Making Apps

Do you regularly download new apps or games to play? You know you could be getting paid to play, right? You didn’t?

Here are five of the best apps to make money if you’re a technophile. I mean, why not get paid for using what you download?

1. Sweatcoin

If you’re an avid walker like Mrs B and me, or you need a little encouragement to exercise more, Sweatcoin is the ideal app for you. Each step earns you Sweatcoins. Convert these Sweatcoins to merchandise from its Sweatcoins’ partners.

Get healthy. Earn points. Convert them into products that you will use. It has also partnered with the NHS to offer a Healthy Incentive Program.

It will take you a while to build up enough points to exchange, though – you receive 0.95 Sweatcoins for each 1,000 steps walked. However, there are also bonuses that you can earn, and premium memberships that could help you earn more.

2. WeAre8

You know those annoying online ads? You can get paid to watch them. Once you’ve signed up, you will start to receive invites to watch paid ads.

You’ll receive 20p for each that you watch, and 20p is also donated to a charity that WeAre8 supports. You get to do good while earning, too.

3. Skedadle

One for the game players. Instead of falling asleep on long journeys, get stuck into a game on your mobile. You won’t be bothered by the ads that interrupt these games, either. They play in the background.

This doesn’t mean you won’t be interacting with them, though – because you’ll earn a portion of the ad revenue for each one that you see. Finally, you’re a ‘professional’ game player!

4. MobileXpression

This is a great app for earning passive income – money for doing almost nothing. Now, you’re not going to earn much with this app – typically £5 to £10 per month, but then you’re not doing much!

Download the app, and download software to your mobile device. The app measures your usage of the software behind the scenes.

You need do nothing more than use your device as you normally would. That £10 doesn’t seem quite so trivial now, does it?

Up to £120 a year for doing what you would be doing anyway. Excellent!

5. Make Money

The Make Money app is a points-for-cash method of making money. You’ll see a list of tasks, which are usually to click through to an app or game and use/play.

You might be asked some questions, requested to share a video, or another simple task. You may be required simply to get to a certain level on a game.

For each completed task, you’ll earn credits that you can exchange for cash, and then  the money is sent to your PayPal account.

It might not have an interesting name, but Make Money could pique your interest if you’re an avid gamer or app animal.

The 5 Best Money-Making Survey Apps

If you love sharing your opinions with others, paid survey sites could be an ideal avenue for you.

Organisations of all types – and especially big brands – want to know what customers think about their products and services. You could get paid to tell them what you think, and help shape the future for your fellow consumers.

These five money-making survey sites are the best we’ve found:

1. Ipsos iSay

Ipsos is a leading market research company, conducting more than 70 million interviews around the world each year. It’s highly rated on Trustpilot.

Create an account on this Ipsos iSay, and you’ll receive a steady stream of surveys to take. Each lasts around 5 to 20 minutes.  You’ll need to take a short pre-qualifying survey first.

You could also be given product testing opportunities, which can be fun to do, and you get to keep the product. More lucrative rewards are available when you become involved in focus groups.

For each task you complete, you’ll earn a pre-stated number of points, and these can be exchanged for varied rewards, such as global gift cards, prepaid Mastercards, and items from the Ipsos iSay Market.

2. Swagbucks

Another global platform, Swagbucks has paid out more than £550 million to its users. Surveys cover a variety of subjects, and reward participants with points for each task. You can earn up to £10 for the best-paid surveys.

Swagbucks also offers other ways to earn points to convert into cash. This includes trying apps, online shopping, or playing games.

Rewards range from cash to Amazon vouchers. However, while the platform can be captivating, it’s crucial to be selective about the tasks you undertake.

Another way to earn cash on Swagbucks is to refer friends – you’ll get paid a portion of their Swagbucks earnings, for life.

3. Branded Surveys

Another top UK survey platform, Branded Surveys partners with major corporations.

Like other survey sites, you’ll be paid in points, with 500 points equating to £4.50. Surveys last 10-20 minutes on average, and there are other earning avenues like daily polls and referral bonuses.

Survey invites are based on your user profiles, with loyal and active participants enjoying more benefits. While points values may vary, they can be exchanged for cash or gift cards. However, cash payments are primarily via PayPal in US dollars, potentially incurring conversion costs.

4. Y Live

Y Live, previously PopulusLive, offers generous payouts. However, the number of surveys you’ll be invited to can fluctuate.

Users earn points for surveys, with 50 points equivalent to a £50 automatic bank payment. But because of the lower number of survey opportunities, it can take time to accumulate the £50 payout threshold.

Each point represents roughly five minutes of work, and this translates to an approximate yet attractive £12 per hour potential earning. Though there can be a wait for points to get validated post-survey, the high earning rate makes Y Live one of the UK’s top survey sites.

5. Panelbase

Panelbase is one of the survey apps that reward you for registering with it. You’ll also find that it offers a consistent number of survey invitations. This translates into steady survey values compared to competitors, with the ability to transfer your earnings direct to your UK bank account.

Most Panelbase surveys last 5-10 minutes, with intricate ones rewarding up to £10. You may also be invited for extended studies. These are typically with focus groups, and offer better pay and networking opportunities.

There are also opportunities for higher-earning individual video discussions. Engaging in mini polls not only offers entry to prize draws, but also potentially leads to more surveys.

Product testing is another feature. You’ll receive free samples and a paid follow-up survey to complete.

A minimum of £10 is required to cash out, either as money or gift cards.

The 5 Best Receipt Scanning Apps

How cool would it be to receive cash or rewards just for shopping? Well, now you can. Receipt scanning apps provide product choices for you to buy from your local stores and supermarkets. When you’ve bought them, scan your receipt for your reward.

Here are our top picks from receipt scanning apps:

1. CheckoutSmart

Do you fancy 50% off a great range of products, including alcohol? Then sign up for CheckoutSmart. You can get some amazing cashback deals on this app.

It’s free to register, and all you need to do is find the products you wish to buy, and send a photo of your receipt when you have made your purchase.

You can withdraw at any time to your PayPal account, though you’ll be charged 5% for any withdrawal under £20.

2. Shopmium

Often, the best way to get us to buy new products is to heavily discount them. Shopmium allows brands to do this in a controlled way.

You’ll receive a product list every week or two. Products are placed on supermarket shelves at full price. If you like the look of the product, head to the store and buy it.

Then scan you receipt into the Shopmium app to submit a claim. You’ll receive cash into your PayPal account within a few days.

3. Storewards

Storewards is a relatively new kid on the block. With this app, you’ll receive ‘coins’ for scanning receipts.

You can boost your earnings by linking your Amazon account and email – but you might want to think twice about this. In my experience, you may start to receive emails that clog up your inbox.

Once you have accumulated enough coins, you can exchange them for Amazon vouchers or receive cash into your PayPal account.

4. Amazon Shopper Panel

In a bid to improve customer loyalty, and to learn more about our shopping habits, Amazon also runs a receipt scanning app. All you need to do is scan 10 receipts per month into its Shopper Panel app to receive £5 worth of Amazon vouchers.

Pretty cool if you’re an Amazon junkie!

5. SnapMyEats

A receipt scanning app with a twist. This app wants you to take a photo of the receipt for the food you buy. This isn’t only from supermarkets.

Take snaps of food receipts from cafés and restaurants, too. You’ll receive £1 for every five receipts you send, and can claim Amazon vouchers when you amass £10 or more.

The 5 Best Money-Making Cashback Apps

Cashback apps are like receipt scanning apps, insofar as you don’t really earn money from them, but you save money by using them. This way, using a cashback app when you’re making everyday purchases is like a passive form of rebating for spending.

Here’s our selection of the top five cashback apps in the UK.

1. Airtime Rewards

This is a super-easy app to use. You don’t need to remember to log in or use it to shop. Once downloaded, it buzzes away in the background, adding cashback rewards to your Airtime account each time you pay by connected cards in its affiliated stores.

Cashback offers are usually up to 10% of the cost of your purchases. Not bad for shopping normally. You can withdraw your Airtime cashback when you have accumulated £20 in your account.

2. TopCashback

If you don’t like the sound of linking your payments cards to a cashback app, then TopCashback is a great alternative to Airtime Rewards. This is an ideal app if you do a lot of shopping online – you’ll need to click on a link on the TopCashback app to make the cashback purchase.

You can save money on thousands of top brand names, and the site claims to be the UK’s top-paying cashback site, helping you to save up to £300 per year on your shopping.

3. Quidco

Quidco works like TopCashback – shop online through the app to receive your cashback rewards. It has partnered with around 4,500 retailers, including travel companies and utility companies.

Cashback offers are generous, though vary between retailers. They also provide highest cashback guarantees – and will pay you double the difference if you could have received a better cashback deal elsewhere.

You can also connect credit and debit cards to get cashback on purchases from some high street retailers.

4. Cheddar

Cheddar is another cashback app that requires you to link your bank card to receive cashback deals. Your cashback from its partner retailers is tracked automatically – with cashback offers as high as 20%.

5. Sprive

Now for something a little different: Sprive.

This app is different because its primary function is not as a cashback app. It’s an app that helps you to redirect unnecessary spending to pay off your mortgage earlier. It’s pretty good, too.

You can purchase gift cards for many of your favourite stores on the app. When you do, you’ll earn a cashback reward (typically around 5%). This is then paid into your mortgage account.

All the savings you make may sound trivial compared to your mortgage, but Sprive has calculated that the average saving is £5,000 in interest and more than two years knocked off your mortgage term.

How to Maximise Your Earning Potential on Money-Making Apps

Money-making apps can be a convenient way to earn extra cash or save money on purchases. As we’ve seen, they can even help you pay off your mortgage earlier!

The key to getting the most out of them is to use them wisely. Here are our top tips to do this:

Stick to What You Love Doing

If you love survey apps, focus on these. If you’re an online gaming fan, look for apps that pay you to play. You have to enjoy it if you’re going to commit and repeatedly achieve those minimum payouts.

Diversify

Use a mix of apps, such as survey apps, cash-back apps, and shopping apps. You’ll enjoy it more and will discover which suit you best.

Manage Your Time

Some apps require more time investment than others. Make sure the time you are putting into the app is worth the payout.

Check Your Apps Daily

Get into the habit of checking your apps each day, so that you never miss out on the best deals. Look out for special bonuses, too.

Refer Your Friends

When you find an app that is enjoyable and profitable, refer your friends and earn referral bonuses.

Keep Good Records

Keep a record of your performance on each app. This will help you to decide which are the apps to focus on.

Withdraw Your Money Regularly

Never keep a large balance in the app. Withdraw your earnings regularly in case the app shuts down or changes its terms.

The Bottom Line

Money-making apps may not make you rich, but they can make a big difference to your finances. In general, what you get out of them depends upon the time you invest in them.

However, there are also apps that reward you for doing no more than linking your card and spending as you normally would.

We’ve outlined 25 money-making apps in this article. All have their advantages. Which are best for you is for you to decide, but our favourites are Streetbees, Sweatcoin, Ipsos iSay, CheckoutSmart, and Airtime Rewards, though Sprive could be a real winner if you have a mortgage.

Have you ever been surveyed on the high street? The last time my wife and I were surveyed, we were escorted to a room, asked a few questions each, and received a free chocolate bar each. Maybe that’s where my Dad Bod started!

If you have a little free time and are happy to share your opinions and experiences, you could earn extra cash by completing paid surveys on your laptop or mobile device.

It’s not going to make you wealthy or replace your job, but you could make enough to pay for a family holiday or more each year – an easy and (almost) effortless way to help beat the cost-of-living crisis.

Let’s take a look at the very best paid survey sites in the UK today, and how they can work for you. It’s going to help you decide if filling in online surveys is for you, and, critical to your success, we share what we think are the best UK paid survey sites.

The Best-Paid Survey Sites in the UK

Now you understand the basics, let’s look at the best survey sites in the UK. This list will give you an insight into the best sites for you to join.

The Fab Four

1. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is one of the world’s most popular survey sites. To date, Swagbucks has paid out more than £650 million to its members (Edit: updated 17/05/2024), and gives out more than 7,000 free gift cards to its members each day.

You’ll gain access to a large range of surveys on many topics, with payments in points that equate to around £0.30 to £1. The longer and more specific the survey, the more points you’ll be able to earn.

The surveys range from questions about grocery shopping to music, hobbies, and more. Some surveys pay as much as £10, though you won’t find these on the site every day.

Something you’ll like about Swagbucks is how you can earn extra cash on the site. It’s not only surveys you can take part in…

You can earn rewards and cash for trying new apps, shopping online, and playing online games. You can even earn rewards for allowing Swagbucks to collect data about your internet use while you’re surfing the net.

The rewards you can receive include cash, prepaid credit cards, Amazon vouchers, and more.

The downside? Swagbucks can be addictive, so you’ll need to be disciplined not to neglect other sites. Some surveys pay poorly – you’ll need to learn how to avoid these.

If you do join Swagbucks, you’ll want to refer your friends – you get a slice of their earnings every month for life!

2. Ipsos iSay

Ipsos is a leading market research company. It serves more than 5,000 clients and conducts more than 70 million interviews each year in 100+ countries.

Not surprising, then, that this is a very popular survey site, with 62% Trustpilot reviews giving it 5/5 stars (Edit: updated 17/05/2024).

When you sign up to Ipsos iSay, you can be assured of a steady stream of survey offers. Like the YouGov surveys (mentioned in Best Of The Rest later on), each generally takes between 5 and 20 minutes to complete.

You’ll need around 500 points to cash out, though surveys can pay up to around 250 points.

Like many survey companies, you’ll be asked a few qualifying questions before taking a survey, and if you don’t pass these you won’t be able to continue with that survey.

Occasionally, you may be invited to test a product – the more surveys you take, the more likely you are to be selected. This can be fun. You’ll receive a free product, and get paid to test it and take a short survey after.

Ipsos also runs focus groups for its clients. These pay much higher rates than the surveys.

By now, you’ll understand that ‘points make prizes’. The rewards on offer from iSay are among the best in the survey world (though the surveys may not pay quite as much as some other companies). These include:

• Global gift cards to use at a large range of retailers – 488 points for £5 / 975 points for £10
• Prepaid Mastercards – 490 points per £5
• Ipsos iSay Market – choose from thousands of rewards starting from 539 points from retailers such as Harvester, Primark, New Look, iTunes, and more
• Argos card – 960 points for £10
• Charity donations

This is one of your must-have survey sites. You’ll receive several survey invites each month, be in with a chance of invitation to a focus group or product test, and have a wide choice of what rewards to convert your points to.

3. Branded Surveys

One of the best survey sites for UK users, Branded Surveys works with big companies. Your completed surveys are sent to these clients for review.

Once approved, you’ll get paid in points. You need to accumulate 500 points to withdraw £4.50 – each point is worth 1p.

Surveys typically take 10 to 20 minutes.

There are also other ways to earn extra points on Branded Surveys. These include:

• Daily Polls – quickfire questions that pay a few points each
• Welcome bonus of 100 points
• Referral bonuses (paid when the referred user achieves a ‘Silver Badge’)

You’ll receive invitations to surveys based upon your profile that you must set up when you create an account. There are plenty of surveys offered, so you should always benefit from a good selection.

You’ll also be rewarded for loyalty, and Branded Surveys runs a competition that rewards the most prolific survey takers with extra points. If you are rejected for a survey, you’ll also earn points for applying.

On the down-side, you can only withdraw cash to your PayPal account. These earnings are paid in US dollars, so you may be hit with conversion costs, too.

The points payable on surveys also vary greatly, so you’ll need to be quick and select the best payers ─ but you can choose to withdraw as gift cards for Amazon, Airbnb, and more.

Branded Surveys has a 4.1/5-star rating on Trustpilot (as of 17/05/2024).

4. Y Live

Y Live (formerly PopulusLive) pays higher than most other survey sites. However, it only just scrapes into our Fab Four.

The reason for this is that the number of surveys you receive isn’t constant.

One week you may only receive a couple, while another week you might receive six or more. Another negative factor is that you only get paid when you have accumulated £50.

Like other sites, you earn points. It takes approximately five minutes of survey work to earn one point. Sounds paltry, doesn’t it?

But you only need 50 points to qualify for a £50 payment into your bank (which happens automatically, like being paid by an employer).

Your survey answers are quality checked, and the points earned are awarded only after the survey is closed. This could be several months after completion. If you are screened out of a survey, you are entered into a monthly draw with a single prize of £250.

Have you worked out your hourly rate yet? At £1 per point, you could earn around £12 per hour on Y Live. It’s this earning potential that puts Y Live in the top four of UK paid survey sites.

The Best of the Rest

Panelbase

One of the sites that pay you just for signing up, but this isn’t the only reason we like Panelbase:

• You’ll receive a steady flow of survey invites
• Survey values are more consistent than most sites
• Money earned can be transferred direct to your bank account

You might also be invited to take part in longer-term studies, usually as part of a focus group. These can introduce you to other people and pay better. You may also be invited to smaller (or individual) video discussion, with earnings potential higher still.

If you are invited and agree to test a product, you’ll be sent a free sample and be asked to complete a paid survey.

You may also have the opportunity to take part in mini-polls, which allow you to enter prize draws – and could provide access to more surveys in the future.

Most of the surveys on Panelbase take between 5 and 10 minutes to complete. Longer and more complicated surveys can pay up to around £10 equivalent.

To redeem your rewards (cash or gift cards), you need to have a minimum balance of £10 in your account.

YouGov

If you want to take part in interesting surveys across a huge variety of subjects, and get paid to do so, YouGov could be for you.

This is a site with few frills and extras – though you can earn a little extra by allowing YouGov access to your viewing data on streaming services like Netflix, as well as your internet browsing habits. Getting paid to watch TV programmes is a bonus!

A tip here is to refer friends – you’ll receive 200 points when they have completed six surveys.

On the survey side, you’ll be answering questions on themes that include politics, television, film, current affairs, and more. Surveys typically take between 5 and 20 minutes.

Some offer as many as 100 points to complete, though the majority are lower-paying.

There is also another part of the app that offers opportunities to take part in surveys from brands.

While the pay rate isn’t as good as other sites, the work is interesting. You’ll need to earn 5,000 points to withdraw the cash reward of £50 (which can take some time), and you can withdraw direct to your bank account.

It has also recently added gift cards as a payment method.

OnePoll

OnePoll doesn’t pay as well as some other survey sites, but it is easy to sign up to and the surveys are often shorter than you’ll do elsewhere. Some surveys will only take a couple of minutes to complete – ideal for coffee breaks.

However, these surveys typically pay no more than 10p to 30p, so you’ll need to complete a lot of them to reach the £25 (2,500 points) cashout threshold.

Screening out happens quickly – often within the first question or two – which means less wasted time and lower frustration levels.

Payment can be made to your bank account or to your PayPal account. However, payments can take 28 days or more to arrive in your account after you have made a payment request.

The OnePoll app has a habit of crashing now and again, and may be offline for several days.

Overall, OnePoll is good for those just starting out or if you have short bursts of time during a busy day to fill out surveys.

Qmee

Qmee is a survey site with a difference. First, there is no minimum for cashing out. You can also earn cash when you are surfing the web, by referring friends, and signing up for special offers or free trials.

On top of this, you can earn cashback from a variety of retailers, including favourites like Moonpig.

On Qmee, you can also take part in web surveys (which often pay a little better), as well as receive a constant stream of survey offers.

You’ll be given an estimate of the time it will take to complete a survey, and this will help you calculate how much you could earn from each survey. As soon as you have completed a survey and the money hits your Qmee account, you can withdraw it to your PayPal account.

When you are searching the web, you could earn up to 5p for certain search terms, but you won’t be paid for every search you make. To earn this way, you’ll need to download the browser extension.

Do this, and you begin to earn immediately, just for doing what you would be doing anyway!

You can also earn cash for playing games on Qmee. Additionally, there’s a daily pop quiz that will earn you 3p for a correct answer.

Like most other similar sites, you won’t earn big money, but every little helps.

Survey Junkie

As a paid survey site, Survey Junkie is at least on a par with most other survey sites. You’ll get points for signing up, and the site has a great pedigree.

Once you have completed your profile to create your account (this takes only a couple of minutes), your life as a ‘Survey Junkie’ is controlled from an easy-to-read dashboard. This gives you access to what the site considers the most appropriate surveys.

You’ll get plenty of matches, and each includes the information you’ll need to decide which surveys you want to take. This includes:

• Number of points you can earn
• An estimate of the time it will take to complete the survey (which is fantastic if you use spare moments or coffee breaks to log in)
• An approximation of points per minute, to give you an idea of per-hour earnings

 You cash out every 500 points – and this is a simple process.

Survey Junkie started its life in the United States, and the offering is more advanced there. For example, in the UK, it is purely a survey site. In the United States, you can earn in other ways, too.

These include monitoring your online activity, product testing, focus groups, and telephone surveys. Hopefully, these will come to the UK soon.

Another downside is that you can only get paid to a PayPal account at present – again, we hope that they expand this to include gift vouchers in the future.

Valued Opinions

If you prefer to be paid in gift vouchers for your efforts, then Valued Opinions could be your go-to survey site. On signing up, you’ll get a £1 bonus to start. You’ll need to accumulate at least £10.50 to cash out.

Surveys pay up to £6, and you’ll also have opportunities to test products and take part in longer-term studies that pay more. There are usually plenty of surveys to choose from, and often more than other comparable sites.

You may be asked to fill in a weekly diary or visit price comparison sites – again, these are better-paying gigs on the site and can pay as much as £20.

Now and again you may even have the opportunity to order a takeaway (paid for) and complete a survey for which you’ll get paid!

All sounds good, but there are a couple of drawbacks. First, though each survey or task has a cash payment, you can only withdraw by selecting a gift voucher.

Second, you’ll be charged 50p each time you convert to a gift voucher. Retailers that you can select include:

• Amazon
• Argos
• Asda
• Currys PC World
• Greene King
• John Lewis
• M&S
• Primark
• Tesco
• TK Maxx

One for the Young!

The Opinion Panel Community

If we were reviewing survey sites exclusively for teens and young adults (13 to 30 years old), this would be number one on our list. You get the equivalent of £10 in vouchers just for signing up!

Surveys are from big companies and universities, and they pay up to 500 points (£5 in voucher credits). The average survey is 150 points.

You can also earn straight cash rewards for face-to-face or online discussions (for example, as I’m writing this, there’s a £50 offer for helping a university understand what you want to learn in an Arts degree). You might even get new products to test.

When you have built up 2,500 points, you’ll be sent a £25 voucher to your email inbox automatically. The list of retailers who accept the Opinion Panel Community vouchers is almost endless.

Now, one of my personal bugbears with survey sites is being screened out of a survey. It’s frustrating, to say the least. But, as a member of the Opinion Panel Community, you’ll be rewarded with a chance to win £50.

You can also write articles for the website and earn yourself the chance to win another £50. (This is also a great way for budding writers and journalists to build up a portfolio of work.)

Finally, get this – every time you redeem a voucher, you’ll get 1,000 points toward your next £25 voucher! (Yep, you’ve got it, in reality you only need to earn 1,500 points for each £25 voucher.)

However, it’s not all good news. While 85% of the reviews on Trustpilot award either 4 or 5 stars, the ‘poor’ reviews often mention being screened out of surveys just before completion and a lack of survey invites. That will be extremely frustrating.

One to Wait For…

Prolific

This site is closed to new participants (Edit: still the case as of 17/05/2024). So, why do we include it in the best paid UK survey sites?

Because you should sign up to join the wait list. As soon as space becomes available, you’ll receive an email that invites you to join. Do it!

Prolific would have been in our top three survey sites had it not been for the wait list. Here’s why:

Pay rates for ‘studies’ are more than most, if not all, other survey sites. This is because the studies (surveys) are usually created by research students and lecturers at university – and these have typically received grants for their work.

Because it’s not their money, they usually pay better rates to those who complete their surveys.

When you have been accepted, keep a watchful eye on invites, and be quick to get in on the action – these surveys get filled fast. With equivalent pay rates that can be as high as £50 an hour or more, it’s easy to see why this site is so popular.

Tips to Maximise Your Earnings from UK Paid Survey Sites

While online survey sites won’t make you rich or replace the job you hate (a profitable side hustle or passive income stream might), you can use them to make some decent income in your spare time.

However, this is only possible if you approach it strategically. Here are our tips to maximise your survey site earnings:

Sign up for at least four sites

Like owning an investment portfolio, having accounts with several UK survey sites will help you to keep a more consistent flow of survey opportunities. When one is underperforming, another could flood you with survey invites.

Remember that variety is the spice of life

No matter how much you enjoy sharing your thoughts, too many surveys could get boring after a while.

Therefore, include a couple of sites that provide other earning opportunities, such as product testing, gaming, discussion panels, and so on.

Use your smart phone as well as your computer

Computers and laptops are great for when you are at home or in a place with space.

When you are on the go, or hanging around a train station, or in a café, having the apps downloaded to your smartphone gives you the chance to use those available minutes more productively than staring out the window.

Make time to complete surveys

Consistency is key to success, and this is certainly the case when you are a survey-taker. Make time to log in and search for surveys.

Set alerts from your email account to notify you of survey invites. Figure out when you have time in your day, and create a survey routine.

If you can set aside just 30 minutes five days a week and earn, say, £3 to £5 each day, after a year you’ll have an extra £780 to £1,300.

Use those two hours of social media surfing for survey work each day, and it’s possible to earn £5,000 or more each year.

That’s the family holiday and Christmas paid for – or you could pay it into a Lifetime ISA or pension plan and get a 20% to 45% bonus from the government!

Learn to multitask!

I’m not a fan of multitasking. Trying to do too many things at once is distracting and often leads to sub-par performance or tasks taking longer to complete.

However, when you’re watching television, listening to music, or fishing (or any other activity that doesn’t require your undivided attention) could be the perfect time to log in and complete a few surveys.

Why Do Businesses Pay for Your Opinion?

Ever heard the saying ‘The customer is King’? This is certainly true when it comes to brands wanting to know what you think of their products and services. All businesses want to increase their sales.

To do this, it’s essential that they give their customers what they really want.

Brands want to know how you feel about them and their goods and services. Most of our purchases are based on emotions.

Brands want to know if their latest crisps leave you with a taste sensation that makes you return for more. They’re desperate to understand how their customer service reps stack up – even how you prefer to be addressed on the phone. They want to know whether you prefer a red or blue wrapper.

As a survey filler, you become an integral part of the process of market research. You help drive the decisions that companies make when creating new products or offering new services.

When a huge global business such as McDonald’s changes its corporate colours from red to green outside America, you get to say, “I was part of that decision”.

How Do Paid Online Surveys Work?

Before the internet became integral to our way of life, companies would send people onto the street to survey customers. These people, often carrying a clipboard, would be paid to collect customer opinions.

How much they earned would usually depend upon how many people they persuaded to complete their surveys.

This still happens today. However, the big survey market is now online. So, how do online surveys work?

In a nutshell, you create an online account with a survey company. These companies represent lots of businesses, who pay them to gather information from target customers.

Once you have created your account, you can then choose surveys to complete. These can take anything from a few minutes to do.

For completing a survey, you get paid (the amount varies depending on the survey site and type of survey). Usually, this is in the return of ‘points’.

You can then convert the points in your account into pounds, and withdraw your earnings to your bank account or PayPal account. Some survey sites also allow you to take your earnings as other rewards such as gift cards.

You can’t fill in any old survey. Companies want the views of their target customers. For a car manufacturer to survey non-drivers would be pointless.

Therefore, you’ll be tested on eligibility to be surveyed before being allowed to take a survey.

Are Online Surveys the Gig for You?

Before you get started, you should decide whether online surveys are your cup of tea. Go make yourself a cup of tea, grab a biscuit to dunk (if that’s your thing), and think about the following questions:

Have you got access to the internet?

To do online surveys, internet access is a prerequisite. It doesn’t matter where you are – you could be up a mountain – so long as you can get online, you can complete online surveys for cash.

Do you like sharing your views and opinions?

Are you the sort of person who is happy to comment on Facebook posts, to let other people know about how you feel? Do you take part in conversations about the latest issues when you’re with friends?

If someone asks for your opinion about a product you use, are you happy to share what you think?

Do you have the time available?

Free time is key. You’ll need to consider how you can spend time each day completing surveys online. You’ll be surprised how much time you might have available:

• When you’re on a bus or train, commuting to work.
• During your coffee breaks.
• While you’re waiting for your washing cycle to finish.
• The downtime between putting the kids to bed and retiring yourself.

How much time do you spend on social media? If you’re anything like the average person, it’s nearly two hours.

Could you spend even half of this filling in online surveys?

Do you want to make a few extra quid with little effort?

Other than logging into your account and answering a few questions, there is little effort required to fill in surveys online. If it’s something you like doing and you have a few minutes each day, you could soon be earning extra money from wherever you are.

If you’re answering yes to these questions, then you should have no problem filling in online surveys.

Can You Get Scammed on a Survey Site?

The internet is a hotbed for scammers, so getting scammed on survey sites is likely to be a concern for you. If you follow a few simple rules, you’ll avoid potential scam sites and only log on to legitimate survey providers:

• Never pay to open a survey account.
• Never provide your bank details when you first create an account.
• Do your research – ask others if they have used the site, and consider how long the company has been going.
• Read online reviews (you’ve found a reliable place right here!).

How Much Can You Earn on Paid Survey Sites in the UK?

There’s no set amount that you can earn on the best sites. Some claim that you can earn £10 an hour or more, but how much you can earn depends on many factors.

These include which brand is surveying, how long each survey is, and how much each survey pays – yes, some surveys pay more than others. Your opinion may also be more highly sought, which could lead to higher earnings.

Some sites also offer other ways to earn money – such as tracking your online journey or taking part in focus groups. The former provides passive income, while the latter is a higher-paying gig.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, there are some great survey sites available to UK residents. While what you can earn won’t make you a millionaire, working on survey sites strategically can provide a tidy little annual monthly and annual bonus from little effort in your spare time.

In this article, we’ve suggested a Fab Four of survey sites to log into, and another eight sites that are worth considering.

By opening accounts with four or more survey sites, you should benefit from a steady stream of opportunities that will help you maximise your survey earning potential.