How to boost your income from home

In need of some extra cash? Closer’s money expert Jasmine Birtles tells you how to turn things you do for fun into moneyspinners.

Published on02 01 2015

Everyone has at least one hobby or interest that could be making them extra cash- all you need is a bit of skill, persistence and self-belief.

All sorts of things can make you money. I used to make evening dresses for people because I had a sewing machine and a bit of time on my hands. I also have a friend who is an actress but does manicures on the side because she loves doing her friends’ nails and started doing it professionally. In fact, one friend she used to give manicures to has such nice hands, she put her in touch with a modelling agency and she became a hand model on the side! There are many ways you can turn your hobby into a moneyspinner.

See how other people are making cash and get inspired…

How to boost your income

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Getting started

Use what you already have. Eg. Do you have spare time? Have a lot of unwanted clothes? Sell them on eBay for cash.Have you got a greenhouse? Plant seedlings in pots, then sell them at car boot sales for £5 a plant once they’ve flowered. You could make £600 a month from March to October.

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Start small

Don’t expect to make lots of money at first, see what sells, then expand on the business from there.

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Don’t borrow money

Just make do with what you’ve got to start with and use any profit to buy more resources to work with.

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Use word of mouth

The cheapest way to get business is through friends and family telling everyone else. If you have kids, you could talk to the mums at the school gate, or advertise on a school notice board.

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Create a website

You can do this for free with Wordpress.com. The service has templates you can use and makes it possible to put up a site within a day in some cases.

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Sell your wares online

Do this on your own website, on sites like Etsy.com, or through local craft fairs (visit Craftfairsuk.co.uk or Ukcraftfairs.com)

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Warning- be aware of tax

If you make lots of money, you’ll need to pay tax on it. Everyone has income tax threshold. Currently, you can earn up to £9, 440 a year before paying tax. For more information, visit HMRC.co.uk

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