When you’re wanting to save up money to pay for your summer holiday and you don’t want to whack it on the old credit card again this year, it might be necessary to get a little creative. That’s especially true if you’re not currently making enough to save money towards another holiday right now.
Saving for your dream holiday?
Here are a few ideas on how to get some extra cash to put towards getting away this summer.
Scrap Your Old Car
If you have a spare vehicle that you haven’t sold because it’s no longer running and the car dealer didn’t want to trade it in, then it’s worth considering scrapping it.
The Scrap Car Network can give a fast, online quote for what the car is worth when you supply the registration number and the postcode for the address where the care is stored. Old scrap cars are hard to get rid of if they’re no longer running. It costs money to transport them to a scrap yard, and there’s some sticky DVLA filing to inform them about the end of the vehicle’s life too.
Having the car picked up will remove an eye-sore from the garage or front driveway. It is also a nice chunk of change towards spending money on your hols. The Scrap Car Network also supports the Recycling Lives charity, so you’re helping others too. The car is broken up and the parts resold, which is also better for the environment.
Teach English Online
Teaching English online to Chinese students is possible for people with a relevant degree. It’s not necessary to have practical teaching experience. Students are taught via a live stream one-on-one with appointments being made for an agreed time. It usually pays £12-15 an hour, so a few hours on the weekend can really add up by the summertime.
Cut Back on Eating Out
Reducing the number of eating out experiences can easily save ÂŁ50-100 every time. Even changing the frequency from every week to fortnightly keeps hundreds in your pocket, which will add up to a meaningful amount by July or August. Be sure to sock away the money rather than spend it on something else though.
Car Boot Sale
Taking part in a car boot sale is an excellent way to raise a few quid. Declutter your home to find the items that you no longer use or just don’t need any longer. By the end of a weekend of decluttering, you’ll surely have enough to fill up a boot ready to find a place to sell.
To find a car boot sale in your area, check the local free newspaper. They probably advertise in there. If you know someone that regularly finds items to sell in this manner, ask them where they go. There’s also a UK car boot sale directory which lists local places that regularly hold car boot sales in different parts of the country.
If you fail to find anything, you can always sell products from your front driveway. This is often done by kids wanting to sell last year’s things to buy a PlayStation. If you live on a road that gets a fair amount of traffic, but not too much, then it might have enough people to make it work. If you advertise the sale in Gumtree, maybe people will turn up on the date and time range indicated? It’s worth a try anyway.
Do Odd Jobs in the Local Neighbourhood
If you’re someone who’s good with their hands, then offering your handyperson services in the local community makes sense. Generating some extra money by fixing minor plumbing issues, putting together an Ikea cabinet for someone who’s not as handy, or doing a bit of painting and decorating are all activities that can be completed on the weekend.
By only agreeing to do things that you’re already good at, customer satisfaction is almost guaranteed. But remember to take out insurance to protect against a dissatisfied customer. Also, be aware of any local authority regulations regarding works to be carried out.
Saving up a few hundred or even a couple of thousand pounds towards the cost of a holiday isn’t that difficult if you begin early enough in the year. While selling off a few unwanted items will raise a bit of cash, adding some moonlighting on a regular basis really moves the needle. In no time, you’ll have a nice sum to ensure your holiday is fully funded without needing to go into debt to catch some summer rays.
