5 unusual ways to make extra money as a parent and caregiver
Collaborative Post
Looking to top up your income without sacrificing too much of your precious free time? In this article, Peter Watton from matched betting and side hustle experts OddsMonkey shares five unusual ways to make money as a parent and caregiver.
If you’re trying to find ways to make some extra cash, you’re not alone. In fact, our survey found that one in three Brits are struggling to make ends meet, and one in four of us have turned to side hustles to bring in some extra cash.
Side hustles can be a great secondary source of income for anyone, but especially for parents and caregivers. Not only do they provide the earner with flexibility over when, where, and how often they work, but most of them don’t require the same level of hours per week or intensity as a second job would. If you’re trying to find the perfect side hustle for you, make sure to give one of the following five ideas a try.
Test and review websites
This is an easy and flexible job that only requires a stable Wi-Fi connection and a device with access to the internet. This means it can be done pretty much anywhere, from a coffee shop, a library, or in the comfort of your own home. As companies want to make sure that their website is in working order before it goes live, many are willing to pay for a fresh pair of eyes to check it over in its final stages, which is where you come in.
Simply head to a website that advertises these testing jobs, such as Web Usability or User Testing, choose the website that appeals to you best, and get testing! You don’t have to be very tech savvy to do well at this side hustle, as it largely just involves exploring the website, checking that all the URLs work, and judging how easy it is to read and navigate. Some websites may require that you download certain software so that they can observe you doing your test, but this is usually downloaded with just the click of a button, and can easily be removed from your computer afterwards.
The pay-out on these roles ranges depending on how long the testing process is, but you can earn anything between £10 and £20 for hour-long tests.
Rent out your things
We all have a selection of items that we haven’t used in years, but we still don’t have the heart to sell them on. But rather than letting them sit around gathering dust, make the most out of them by renting them out on a short-term basis to make some extra cash!
There are so many different things that can be rented out these days as people are making more sustainable choices and choosing to borrow items that they’ll only use once rather than buy them.
This means it should be easy to find something that you’re willing to part with temporarily. Large electronics such as sound systems, treadmills, and projectors are often in demand, and can make you a fair bit of money too. But even smaller and cheaper items, such as clothes, accessories, or old baby gear can be pretty popular too!
There are a number of websites you can use to rent out your belongings, but two of the most popular ones are Fat Llama and My Wardrobe HQ.
Become a food tester
Not only is this a great way to earn some extra cash, but you’ll get to sample some delicious treats too! While it may sound too good to be true, you can get paid for testing food. Although you may not earn as much as the other side hustles on this list, some companies pay out up to £50 for amateur tasters, for just a few hours work.
There are a number of ways to get into food testing. A good place to start is by becoming a member of the Campden BRI Consumer Panel. All you have to do is sign up, complete some online questionnaires, and you’ll be invited to meet a few times throughout the year at a location that is convenient for you to do the tasting.
If you’d rather test food from the comfort of your own home, you could also sign up for a selection of product testing websites, such as Pinecone or Toluna, and see what products they have on offer for testing. While you aren’t guaranteed to find food for testing every time, it’s not uncommon for it to be on offer. Plus there are plenty of other products available to test, such as drinks and cosmetics.
Rent out your space
If you don’t have any belongings that you want to rent out, you may have some spare space that you’d like to earn some extra cash from. Not only is there minimal effort required with this, but you can make a fair bit of money too.
One way to make money from the space in your home is by renting out your driveway. This is a great option for people who live in a prime location, or if there is very little parking in the area in which you live. Simply use a third party site (such as JustPark or Your Parking Space) to list your driveway, and start earning! The third party sites usually take just a small portion of your earnings per booking, with 5% being the maximum.
When deciding how much to charge, it’s a good idea to look at local competition that’s listed on the platform you’re using, as well as the cost of the nearest pay and display. And as most consumers make their choices based on customer reviews, make sure to provide a friendly, fuss-free service so your renters will rate you highly.
Do online surveys
Did you know that you can get paid for your opinions? Doing online surveys is a great way to top your income up, and it can even be fun too! Plus, it requires little effort, and can easily be done while watching TV in the evening.
Just as with website testing, all you need for doing these surveys is a stable internet connection and a device with access to the web, so they should be easy enough for most people to have a go at. Simply head to a website that advertises these surveys, such as Swagbucks, Panelbase, or newvista, choose a survey that you’re eligible for, and start earning.
The pay-outs on these surveys aren’t usually huge, but they don’t take too much time either. For example, you may earn somewhere between 50p to £1 for a survey that lasts 20 minutes or less, while surveys that last an hour can pay somewhere between £5 and £10. Because these surveys take so little time, you can opt to do as many or as few as you want, making them one of the most flexible methods of side hustle.
Any spare time is precious for parents and caregivers. So make the most of the time you have by opting for flexible and low effort side hustles such as the ones listed above. And if you’re a caregiver looking for advice and support , make sure to check out the articles and advice available at When They Get Older.
Bonus idea: driving deliveries
If you have your driving licence and you love to drive, this is a perfect job for you. You can schedule your own shifts and change your work time at any moment, and you have more overall freedom in the workplace since you are on the road. Due to the high number of delivery drivers the software developers helped them out with some handy tools like GrabKings to achieve more efficiency and earn more income. If you are working as a Just Eat driver you should research the tools that will be beneficial to you in the long run.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
