6 WAYS TO MAKE SOME EXTRA CASH

THERE are some simple one-off tasks you can do to help contribute a bit extra to your festive fund:

1 Sell your unwanted stuff All those knick-knacks, CDs, DVDs, clothes or phones and gadgets stuck in a drawer can be put to good use. Rake the cash in via eBay, Gumtree or even at a local car boot sale.

2 Axe unnecessary standing orders and direct debits Take a bit of time out to go through your bank statement and cancel any non-essential direct debits, such as gym memberships you don’t use, dental plans and magazine subscriptions. The pounds will soon add up.

3 Think about switching your bank account You can earn up to £150 by switching banks – a great way to instantly boost your Christmas fund. But ensure the account you are switching to is right for the way you manage your finances. If you’re always in the black, look for one which pays you interest or rewards. If you dip into the red now and again, look for an account with low overdraft interest charges.

4 Make the most of discounts and cashback Use sites such as quidco.com, topcashback.co.uk and vouchercodes. co.uk, where you can save money at stores and restaurants and earn cash while shopping.

5 Don’t simply renew your car or home insurance When your renewal notice arrives, make a note to compare quotes to see if you can find a better price. Check sites such as gocompare.com, comparethemarket. com, moneysupermarket.com and uswitch.com to see if you can get a cheaper deal. If you haven’t switched for a few years, you’ll be surprised how much you could save. You could save up to £120 on your car insurance and £40 on home insurance, so it’s got to be worth 20 minutes of your time.

6 Turn down the heat on energy bills As with insurance, you can save some serious money on your gas and electricity bills – try uswitch.com. You could chop hundreds of pounds off your annual bill. A bit of time and effort spent doing some research could pay you back big time.