Over the past year, I’ve been really focused on paying off debt after a heavy financial time and becoming more financially secure. Recently, I checked one of my remaining balances and was genuinely surprised to see how much progress I’d made without even realising it. What I thought was still over £1,000 had actually dropped to just over £500 — which felt incredibly motivating.
Once my next payment goes out, the balance will be sitting around the £400 mark, and now I’m determined to clear it as quickly as possible. Rather than relying on extra hours at work, I’m looking at a few smaller ways to boost my income this month instead.
Here are the methods I’ll be focusing on.
Taking Online Surveys
Online surveys won’t make you rich overnight, but they can be a handy way to bring in a little extra spending money during spare moments in the evening. Over time, I’ve narrowed down the survey sites I use and now only stick to the ones that feel worth my time.
Any payouts I receive this month are going straight towards clearing this debt balance quicker.
Entering Competitions & Trying My Luck
If you’ve followed my content for a while, you’ll probably already know that I love entering competitions. I know the chances of winning big prizes are slim, but somebody has to win — and it definitely won’t happen if you never enter!
I’ll be keeping an eye out for cash competitions and giveaways throughout the month. Any winnings, no matter how small, will be added straight onto my debt payment fund.
I also occasionally put very small bets on sports events with money I already have set aside for entertainment. It’s something I personally enjoy, but I always stay within strict limits and never risk money I can’t afford to lose. I’ve also been reading more about matched betting lately, which is something I may look into further.
Selling Unused Items Around The House
One of the fastest ways I’ve found to make extra money is simply by selling things we no longer use. I’m planning another big declutter this month and want to relist some items that have been sitting on eBay and Vinted for a while.
I’ll also be adding more things to Facebook Marketplace and local selling groups. We’ve got a few larger items that could make a real difference towards paying this balance off faster, so I’m making it a priority to finally get them listed.
Even my son wants to sell some of his old toys to add money into his savings account, so it feels like the perfect opportunity for us both to have a clear out together.
Final Thoughts
While these methods might not make hundreds overnight, small amounts really do add up over time. My main goal is to stay focused and make as much progress as possible this month — and if any extra work opportunities come along too, I certainly won’t say no.
Are you trying to make extra money this month too? Sometimes the smallest side hustles can make the biggest difference.
