GET YOUR HANDS ON FREE MONEY!

Fancy boosting your income? Here are six genius ways to earn a bit more cash without even trying…

USE CASHBACK SITES

You can earn hundreds of pounds a year by shopping via cashback websites. Sally Francis, senior writer at Moneysavingexpert.com, says: “Cashback sites work by giving you a cut of the cash they earn for channelling web traffic. You can earn cashback on anything from clothing to insurance. Check it’s a good deal before doing it, but it’s easy money if it’s something you’re going to buy anyway.” Two of the best sites are Topcashback and Quidco.

SWITCH YOUR BANK ACCOUNT

It’s quick and hassle-free, and you can earn over £100! Sally says: “Usually you’ll need to switch at least two direct debits and be able to pay in a minimum amount each month, but it’s an easy way to make extra money.” Popular accounts include the Co-op Bank’s Standard Current Account, which will pay you £125 (plus give £25 to their charity partner Centrepoint), and The M&S Bank Current Account, which gives you a £125 M&S gift card and points when you shop in store.

BE OPINIONATED

You can make up to £800 in cash and vouchers every year just for sharing your opinion. “Online survey sites pay you for answering questions on anything from boybands to washing-up liquid,” Sally says. “What you earn will vary depending on the survey, and you have to answer a fair few to hit the higher earnings.” There are plenty of sites to choose from, including Yougov, Swagbucks and i-say.

GET PAID TO BROWSE

Make up to £60 a year just by browsing the internet! “It’s possible to get paid cold, hard cash just for searching the web with Qmee,” Sally says. “It involves downloading an add-on that sits on your internet browser. You then search online as you normally would on Google, Amazon, ebay, Yahoo and Bing and Tesco.”

USE A CASHBACK CREDIT CARD

You can make hundreds of pounds a year by using a cashback credit card. “If you always pay your credit card bill in full every month, get a cashback one that pays you for using it,” says Sally. Bear in mind that you’ll need to pass a credit check, and if you don’t repay in full every month it will wipe any gains you make – but it can be a great way to boost cash. Top choices include the Amex Platinum Cashback Everyday, which has a great 5% introductory rate, and The Aqua Reward, which is targeted at those with a poor or limited credit history.

GO TO FOCUS GROUPS

If you’re free during the day and don’t mind travelling, consider signing up to a market research firm and joining focus groups, where you can earn up to £100 to chat for a couple of hours. Join Focus4people, where you’ll soon receive invitations to give your opinions on everything from shopping to fast food.