Need helpful advice how to get money

[Raigo]

Hi, I'm pretty desperate to get a little money. I am a single, unemployed mum, I am on my own away from family and friends. For Christmas I had been putting a little aside but I got caught going slightly over the speed limit (first time in 15 years!) and the fine is all my Christmas money. I am desperate to get some money so that I can get my little boy something nice for Christmas and afford to drive over to family for Christmas & boxing day (about 40 miles away). I have tried to sell what I can and my auntie is also trying to sell some things for me on ebay but no-one is buying just before Christmas. I am completely stumped how I can get a little extra for Christmas so any advice would be really appreciated, thank you and I hope you all have a lovely christmas (hope that message isn't too early for you :) x)

Have you got textiles you could take to the recycling shops that pay? Could you shave money off your shopping etc? There's always loads of help on here for budget food shopping. Have you got any reward points-tescos/boots/morrisons etc- all can be used for toys. Have you looked into mystery shopping? I earn about £10 for a 20 minute visit to somewhere like asda followed by an online questionnaire or £20+ for a focus group. I am with Grassroots and a local agency (pm me if you're east midlands).

hate to say it, but you will need to put a bit more aside for increased insurance costs next year.

is the kid old enough to notice xmas? Food, shelter, warmth and love are all that really matter. So prioritise the petrol money, not the presents, so he can see his family.

I found selling toys before xmas with a bin price very sucessful.

Sign up to a site like My Survey or Global Test Market - do a couple of online surveys a day and you can earn a few quid.

Thank you so much, I will look into Mystery Shopping, My Survey and Global test market. Great advice thank you very much x

How old is DS?

I see from you other thread that your DS is only 19 months so you really, really don't need to worry about getting him 'something nice'. He won't care. You could get him some balloons, second hand books from the charity shop and a few plastic toys from the pound store and I bet he would be happy.

Putting yourself under stress to try and buy something bigger is unnecessary. When you get some money later in the year you can by him something nice then.

19 months? No presents. No need.

I agree. Charity shops have some great kids' toys. At that age he doesn't need brand new toys so save yourself the expense. And save the planet too.

19 months you don't need anything. Ask family to give you a little cash in lieu of presents to drive over- 80 miles would only cost about £10 even in my giant gas guzzler- so save £2 a week between now and Christmas for fuel.

Maybe long term sell the car.

Do you really need the car? I work and struggle to manage running my car. If you work out tax, insurance, repairs, MOT, petrol and parking then look at bus/train fares how much would you save?

For a 19 month old you really don't have to worry about presents. He won't have a clue. It's not as though he is aware of the latest gadgets etc, unlike my 16 year old!

I bet he'll be spoilt by other family members anyway?

Thanks everyone but I am really hoping to find ways of making a little money. Any suggestions on how to make a little money as a stay at home mum would be really very appreciated. I loved the mystery shopper idea and the online survey. Thank you so much for all your thoughts and suggestions x

Hi OP! Sorry to hear about your fine. Glad to see you've had lots of helpful advice on this thread. While we're here though, we did just want to remind everyone that while we've no reason to disbelieve the OP at all, we do advise all our members to be aware that not everyone on t'internet is who they say they are, and that, although we're awed daily by the astonishing support our members give each other through life's trickier twists and turns, we'd always caution anyone never to give more of themselves to another poster, emotionally or financially, than they can afford to spare.

Swagbucks (website) is fairly grim but I did eventually earn about £15 from it before I lost the will to live. Don't do any of the things you have to pay for.

How about we all put a fiver in and pay your fine? That's the true spirit of Christmas. I'd genuinely contribute.

I wouldn't contribute, since when was the 'true spirit of Christmas' paying off someone's speeding fine?

I've always found selling via the local paper website works better than eBay.

I'm paying someone to do a special one-off pre-Christmas clean so that my MIL doesn't catch anything in my house you could offer that via Gumtree or similar?

I went with the 'helping unemployed single mum who made an error of judgement in speed' aspect rather than 'punish the reckless cow who clearly runs down children on the weekend as a hobby' aspect.

£75 is a lot of money to someone in that situation. This can be for being as little as 4mph over the limit. The limit is the limit, and the law is the law, but if it was a personal friend of mine in such a bind, my hand would be in my pocket.

I find Gumtree or local selling sites on FB better than eBay.

Also look on The Money Shed for ways of increasing your income but bear in mind that once you start earning via most of the suggested ways on this website, you'll need to register as self employed and it can affect your benefits.

I went with, this is a random on the Internet, not my personal friend.

Posts like crazys are kindly meant. But they make it harder. Harder for people struggling to ask because they worry they will be thought of as hinting for money.

I wish people wouldn't do it.

I'm not so strapped cash wise but re speeding, I got £100 fine for doing 72 on the motorway. Just saying.

In all fairness you can ask for money saving tips without giving your personal circumstances.

It does look like hinting. How about, "times are hard at the moment, any ideas how to raise quick money for Christmas" Job done surely?

If it looks like hinting, report. Do not offer money or goods. It's basic Internet security, innit?

could you take in peoples ironing? this is good as it is done in your own home, fits around your routine and you don't have to wait ages for the cash :)