to think that there MUST be a way I can do this?!

[PyongyangKipperbang]

I need £200 for something special. Its a treat partly for me and partly for someone else, I guess you could call it an extra Xmas present. Its special because it is the last chance to do this particular thing.

I have money for everything else, food bills Xmas etc thats not a problem but I really want to arrange this thing. So I need to earn £200 in a month.

However........the usual suggestions wont work.

Overtime....not happening at the moment.

Taking in ironing/going out cleaning....locally the market is flooded with people looking for that kind of work to the point where undercutting prices will mean, at the current rate, they will be paying people to do their ironing.

Baby sitting.....it would take longer than I have to get my DBS (or whatever its called these days) in place for Sitters and I wouldnt feel happy doing it on an ad hoc basis without the DBS anyway.

Dog walking....severely allergic

Ebaying.... thanks to a financial crisis last year, anything that could have been sold, has been.

I have a very nice designer dress that was given to me that would easily cover the cost if I sold it, worn once and very desirable, never worn by me. But it was given on the understanding that I would wear it in the company of the giver as she really wants to see me in it, so I cant see a way of selling it that would a) sit ok with me morally and b) go unnoticed by the giver.

I know I am missing something.... help me!!! What am I missing?
Bear in mind I am a single parent who already struggles with the unsociable hours I am working but I am happy to work as hard as it takes as long as it doesnt impact even more on the kids.

It's fairly easy to earn about £30 in a month on Prolific. So that would take you part of the way if it can be combined with other things.

I don’t live in the U.K., but do your banks offer you cash bonuses for switching your current account to them?

Do you have any credit cards you can switch over to an opening cash incentive?

Have you checked changing energy supplier / health insurance provider / car insurance provider for lower rates and/or switching providers?

Are there other things you can save on, rather than having to - or in addition to - working more?

Do you have a mortgage or do you rent? Payment holiday? Refinance? Rent holiday (make it up after xmas)?

Do you have babysitting for your DC? Can you uber? Don’t know how long it takes to get the authorisations in the U.K. but it’s massively popular here for bumping up earnings in a family-friendly way (assuming someone can babysit).

@ftw163532

It's fairly easy to earn about £30 in a month on Prolific. So that would take you part of the way if it can be combined with other things.

Thank you, already do mystery shopping and surveys so they are part of my income! However, I will look at taking on other sites as I am not on Prolific at the moment.

Well apart from someone just giving you £200 you have basically two months to save up that much.

@BeenThruMoreThanALilBit

I don’t live in the U.K., but do your banks offer you cash bonuses for switching your current account to them?

Do you have any credit cards you can switch over to an opening cash incentive?

Have you checked changing energy supplier / health insurance provider / car insurance provider for lower rates and/or switching providers?

Are there other things you can save on, rather than having to - or in addition to - working more?

Do you have a mortgage or do you rent? Payment holiday? Refinance? Rent holiday (make it up after xmas)?

Do you have babysitting for your DC? Can you uber? Don’t know how long it takes to get the authorisations in the U.K. but it’s massively popular here for bumping up earnings in a family-friendly way (assuming someone can babysit).

There is not really cash incentives anymore, there used to be but its rare now thanks to the carpet baggers. Also, thanks my credit rating being through the floor (thank you ex husband) the other options are not available, I would use credit for it otherwise and take the interest hit for a couple of months!

I looked into uber eats etc a few months ago but again the area is flooded. I know people who started doing it during lockdown and their income has dropped massively since Xmas, same with delivery driving (yes I looked into that too!).

There has to be something that doesnt involve me going on the game :o I did consider "anti-stripping" which is where I start naked and put clothes on the more money they give me :o :o

@user1473878824

Well apart from someone just giving you £200 you have basically two months to save up that much.

I dont....its a tickets thing. If I dont book by the end of the month then its not going to happen. Happy for you to check with MNHQ my longevity on the site and my history of not asking for money!

0% credit card, pay back £20 a month or more if you can afford it.

For a last chance special thing I'd say it's worth it

Sorry, X post on the credit rating...

given that inflation is probably set to increase, utility costs rise etc, - is is really worth overextending yourself financially for a treat/christmas present?

Certainly not worth getting in to debt for, or prioritising over your rent or mortgage as others have suggested above.

Thinking, a colleague asked tonight if I know any "man with van" set ups who can take a load of rubbish from her front garden to the tip as she doesnt drive. She knows about my plan and has offered to try and get me overtime even though we both know there is none going. so....

1....do we think that she is offering me this work given that she knows I have a big enough car?
2.... I am going to offer anyway, how much do MWV charge for that for 2 trips on mates rates?

@ThinWomansBrain

given that inflation is probably set to increase, utility costs rise etc, - is is really worth overextending yourself financially for a treat/christmas present?

Certainly not worth getting in to debt for, or prioritising over your rent or mortgage as others have suggested above.

Totally agree.

Thats why I want to earn it, I could borrow it at a stretch but it would be a provident job or similar and I am not throwing myself down that rabbit hole.

Is there anything at all you could cut back on?

Could you ask family to help out? Maybe suggest forfeiting your Christmas present (if they were getting you one) for cash in advance towards this special thing.

Matched betting? I don't do it myself but my Mum does pretty well doing it in the evenings.

Fact is, it would be for a treat.

I can live without it. The mortgage would be paid, the bills paid, food in the cupboard, kids clothed et al.

It would just be a really nice thing that I would like to make work if I can but I wont do anything to jeopardise my just about stable finances to do it.

The really annoying thing is that I cook and bake really well, but without the appropriate H&S certificates etc, I cant advertise that. And, like the babysitting, I would hate to do it "under the counter" in case something happened.

I did a bit of matched betting a few years back but in order to make money you do need a fair stake to start with (enough to back your matched bets) and I just dont have that. If I did, I wouldnt need to worry about the £200!

We are cut back to the bone, anything I save (which is thankfully more than it was) goes into what I call "family" savings. Its pays for days out, a holiday or other treats. I wont dip into that for a treat for me and someone who isnt a part of the family at the expense of treats for the kids.

You need to be careful with "Man With a Van" jobs. They need licences to collect waste and permits to use dumping sites.

Obviously you could do it as a few one offs but be aware that your details may be logged by site attendants if they notice you're a frequent flier.

Is there any way you could be more specific about what the money would be for? Maybe we could help cut costs?

@DoucheCanoe

You need to be careful with "Man With a Van" jobs. They need licences to collect waste and permits to use dumping sites.

Obviously you could do it as a few one offs but be aware that your details may be logged by site attendants if they notice you're a frequent flier.

Oh I know, thats why I wouldnt offer my services publically. This would be a one off for a friend/colleague.

But thanks for the heads up

Take part in face to face market research - they pay around £60 for a 90mins

@DoucheCanoe

Is there any way you could be more specific about what the money would be for? Maybe we could help cut costs?

Its for a "last chance forever" gig and a stay over.

Looked into travel, stay over and tickets and I am confident I have got the cheapest on all. £36 a night for two in the hotel, hald an hour walk or £6 in an uber to the venue and £5 per 24 hours parking for the car. Tickets are £92 for two. All over that is spends.

And fuel obviously which will be about £25 there and back.

@Blondie1984

Take part in face to face market research - they pay around £60 for a 90mins

Any links? This is a new one!

@Blondie1984

Take part in face to face market research - they pay around £60 for a 90mins

You have to qualify for one first. takepartinresearch.co.uk/

Thank you!

I've managed to save £1000 this year by checking my online banking every day & rounding my balance down to the nearest £10, anything over that I transfer to my savings account, you don't notice the bits going & it soon mounts up.

How about doing some self-employed work during any free time you have? There's everything from data entry to writing blogs, plus loads of other random stuff too.

Try sites such as www.peopleperhour.com and www.upwork.com to get started.

Also, I think there's a special board on MN somewhere about earning extra cash - have you read through there?