Martin Lewis and his team of financial specialists at MoneySavingExpert.com have shared several ways Brits can make money in time for Christmas. It is no secret that December is one of the most expensive times of the year, if not the most.
So, making each penny count is important, especially given the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and soaring energy bills. In the latest MoneySavingExpert newsletter, Martin’s team shared several “Christmas cash crackers” – including how to make possibly £1,000 of ‘easy cash’ in time for the big day.
Some of the tips take advantage of £175 bank switch cash, £115 supermarket vouchers and £26 cashback bonuses. Check out MoneySavingExpert’s latest newsletter in full for all the options available.
Free £30 when you spend £5+
MoneySavingExpert says: “Newbies to the free HSBC-owned Zing card can get a £30 welcome bonus when signing up via our link and spending £5+ using the physical or virtual card before Thursday 21, November. Zing is a prepaid travel card, meaning you can load it up in pounds, then convert in advance to one of more than 20 currencies (or just leave money in pounds and it’ll do the conversion when you spend).
“Yet the £5+ you need to spend to trigger the free £30 can be in any currency, including pounds, so you can just use the card in the UK if you’re not going overseas. Full info in Prepaid travel cards. The free £30 should be loaded onto the card within 30 days of you making the £5+ spend.”
Get £100s (or even £1,000s) back on Christmas
Cashback websites earn their revenue by using affiliate links that help retailers identify the source of their traffic. In return for this information, retailers compensate the cashback sites for the referrals. To encourage you to shop through them, these sites share a portion of their earnings with you.
MoneySavingExpert adds: “So if there’s something you want to buy, and you’ve checked where it’s cheapest, see whether you can buy it via a top cashback site. Many MoneySavers have made £100s and even £1,000s using them tactically to purchase items they’d have bought anyway.
“It can take anything from a couple of weeks to a few months for sites to pay out, depending on where you spend. And do keep in mind that cashback’s not guaranteed and it’s best not to consider it yours until it’s in your bank account.”
Free £180 just for switching account
You could get £180 for free for switching accounts, but it might not be around long. MoneySavingExpert says: ” NatWest Reward’s free £180 is the latest to join the bank switching fray and you don’t need to be a new customer to qualify.
“There are now four big upfront switch-bonus payers, which is useful to regular switchers as it’s more likely you’ll find one you’re eligible for. All pay out well before Christmas (provided you get your skates on to meet the switch criteria). For full info on eligibility, see Best bank accounts.”
Get a cheque when you claim the Marriage Tax Allowance
Many people might not think of tax allowances as part of the holiday spirit, but for two million eligible couples who haven’t claimed them yet, it’s a fast track to receiving a tax refund of up to £1,260. For a lot of these couples, that could mean a check for more than £1,000.
MoneySavingExpert explains: “To get it, you need to first be married or in a civil partnership. Then: One needs to be a NON-taxpayer (earning under £12,570/yr). The other needs to pay 20% basic-rate tax (earning £12,570 to £50,270/yr; applies to earnings of £12,570 to £43,662 in Scotland).”
Earn £30 to spend at Amazon doing quick online activities
If you’re just starting out with the paid survey platform Swagbucks, you could receive a £20 Amazon voucher as a bonus after you earn £10 by completing surveys, watching videos, or playing games. Just make sure to do this within 30 days of registering.
MoneySavingExpert said you can expect the money “within 10 days of earning the £10, so if you start now, by the end of November at the latest.”