Martin Lewis' team explains how to make £1,000 of 'easy cash' in time for Christmas
Martin Lewis and his team of financial specialists at MoneySavingExpert.com have shared several ways Brits can make money in time for Christmas. Given that December is one of the most expensive times of the year, making each penny count is crucial, especially amidst 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.
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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).", reports Lancs Live.
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 generate their income through affiliate links, which help retailers track where their traffic is coming from. In exchange for this data, retailers pay the cashback sites for the referrals.
These sites then share a portion of their earnings with you to incentivise you to shop through them. MoneySavingExpert advises: "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 anywhere from a few weeks to several months for sites to pay out, depending on where you spend.
And remember, cashback isn't guaranteed and it's best not to count it as yours until it's in your bank account.
Free £180 just for switching account
You could bag yourself a free £180 just by switching accounts, but this offer might not be around for long. MoneySavingExpert reveals: "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
Amid the bustling holiday season, a nifty tax perk could provide an extra bit of cheer for up to two million eligible couples who haven't yet staked their claim – it's a potential tax refund of up to £1,260. That could translate into a check for over £1,000 for many of these pairs.
As shared by MoneySavingExpert.com, "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
For those looking to snag a little extra cash this festive period, starting off with Swagbucks can be rather rewarding. New users on the paid survey platform could bag themselves a £20 Amazon voucher as a welcome gift after earning just £10 through surveys, watching videos, or gaming, provided all activities are completed within 30 days of signup.
And according to MoneySavingExpert.com, successful earners can expect to see their bonus "within 10 days of earning the £10, so if you start now, by the end of November at the latest."