5 easy ways to earn extra cash fast

More than £1,400. That’s how much the average British family spends on presents and food at Christmas according to one study into our spending habits.

Which means if an unexpected cost rears its ugly head we can be left wondering how on earth we’re going to pay for it.

Whether it’s an extortionate phone bill, a parking ticket, a medical bill or a household repair, unfortunately these unexpected payments can come at a time when we really don’t have the extra cash spare.

So, what’s the solution? Opt for a payday loan? Borrow money from family or friends? Do you dip into your bank overdraft or use your credit cards?

Having the worry of paying the money back in a few weeks time doesn’t exactly get rid of the problem, but fear not: there are alternatives as this collaborative post reveals!

1. Raid your wardrobe

They say one person’s rubbish is another person’s treasure, and you’ll be surprised how much your unwanted and unworn clothes can fetch on internet auction sites. Especially if they’ve still got tags on – and the truth is we all have a few of those!

2. Sell unwanted gold

By selling gold for cash you can make a decent amount of money without having to worry about where it has come from or how to make the money back. Have a look in your jewellery box for something you no longer want or need, then simply go online and get a free valuation from a company offering cash for your gold. After sending your items you can usually receive the cash in your bank within 24 hours – it really is as easy as that. Alternatively, if you have more than one thing to sell, you could set up your own website and turn it into a bit of a business. Consider a service like PhysicalAddress.com, which can make your business appear a lot more professional. There are free website building solutions available too, so you don’t need to spend much money getting started.

3. Become a secret shopper

Did you know you can not only get paid for being a mystery shopper but choose the hours you work and get freebies in the process? Just search for mystery shopping schemes which many of the big companies are signed up to, and you can join the 500,000 people already signed up as secret shoppers in the UK alone.

4. Complete online surveys

Like secret shopping services, research companies are continually looking for new recruits worldwide to answer surveys and test new products. You can also review websites and apps for cash – just search online and you’ll find a plethora of companies out there looking for new members.

5. Recycle your old mobile phone

I was surprised to get three figures for an old phone I had knocking about in my bedside table drawer on an internet auction site recently – there was nothing wrong with it and it was in good condition, I just no longer needed it because I’d been upgraded to a new phone. So get rummaging and see what you can find!