How to Write a High-Grade Resume for the First Job

Reading Time: 4 mins

To prepare a resume as a fresh graduate or college student is a challenging task. Applicants do not understand which out of the box content catches resume’s reviewers. It is central for job-seekers to ensure details catered mentioned in the job advertisement to avoid rejection to their applications.

 

Include the Summary Section

How to make a resume with no experience is a query which bothers many fresh undergraduate students. Irrespective of the fact whether you have any experience or not, you can highlight your significant accomplishments. Include a summary section at the start of your resume to demonstrate your skills to the employer. For instance, if you completed a recent project which is relevant to the job, you can mention it. The objective statement is where you specify your career goals has become irrelevant in the last decade. A good option is to include a summary section where you highlight your qualifications and skills relevant to the job. It will also tell the employer why you are the best candidate for the job. With specific and focused summary section, you create an excellent first impression on the employer. If you are unaware of how to write a good summary statement, you can seek help from a professional. A top writer from resume writing service can prepare a perfect resume for you. An expert writer will use the exact keywords mentioned in the advertisement. It will increase your chance to get an interview call.

 

Highlight Education

How to write a resume with no job experience is a challenge for fresh candidates. Take some time to think about the information to add to your resume that makes you the best candidate. If you are a recent graduate, your qualification is your biggest asset. Include education section in your resume at the top. Mention your other achievements, high school degree and recent education. If you achieved a good GPA or appeared in the dean’s honours list, you can include it in your resume. The recruiters prefer the candidates who possess good academic background. Besides, mention any coursework which is relevant to the job. The hiring managers want to see how you overcome the challenges. It reflects your commitment to work and whether you are willing to learn new skills.

 

Pick a Resume Format

How to write a first resume can be a daunting task if you do not know about resume formats. Students use multiple resume formats like a hybrid, functional and chronological. For a student who has little or no experience in the field, the chronological resume format works best. The format and styling in your resume should remain consistent. A recruiter will reject your resume if it does not follow proper formatting and the details mentioned are not synchronized. A plain text and simple format work well as the applicant tracking system can read the content. Basic and readable fonts used in the resume like Calibri, Verdana, Times New Roman and Arial ensures that the content is easy to read. Use font-size in between 10 and 12 on your resume. If you make the font-size too small, it will be difficult for the recruiter to read your content. A one-page resume is ideal for fresh candidates.

 

Make Use of Resume Template

A resume template can make it easier for you to format and structure your content. A traditional or modern template is suitable for students who do not have any previous work experience. It gives a clean and professional look to your resume. You can also include a combination of light or dark background colours to make the text appealing. With a template, you can make an impressive and good looking resume in less time. You only need to understand which skills to highlight which are relevant for the job. Focus on keeping your content relevant and eliminate unnecessary details from your resume.

 

Pay Close Attention to Technical Details

How to make a resume for first job is tough for newbies as they possess poor writing skills. An online grammar and spell-check tool like Grammarly can assist the students. It corrects the mistakes automatically. However, always do a manual checking of a resume as well to ensure that there are no errors. When you edit your content, make it ascertain that there is no spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors present in the resume. Otherwise, your resume will look unprofessional to the recruiters. Ask a family member or friend to read your content to identify any errors you have missed. Use action verbs throughout your resume to highlight your accomplishments. It will also ensure that the reader remains engaged. If you are a student and find it challenging to write a college essay, you can read essay samples online. It will help you to understand logically structuring the content. You can save your precious time using this approach.

 

Include Your Extracurricular Activities and Achievements

To make a resume without work experience is challenging. However, there are a few things you can do to make your task a lot easier. Make a list of your achievements and extracurricular activities that will add value to your resume. Once you have made a list, you will need to sort out the contributions that are most relevant for the job. Different jobs will require you to possess a different skill set. Always keep a complete list with you and pick and choose from the list when you apply for a particular job.

 

Internships and Volunteer Work

A resume without experience can also look impressive. It will help if you highlight any volunteer work you have done previously. Internships and volunteer work are the most significant assets for a person who is seeking a job. An unpaid university or college internship can give you an extra edge over others in getting the job offer. When you are applying for a post without any work experience, it is a must to include internships. An internship not only provides you with a real-world experience but also helps you to make connections. If you have not done any internship previously, it is right for you to apply for an internship. It will be useful for you before you apply for an entry-level job. You can add this experience later on in your resume.

 

Conclusion

It is difficult for scholars to write an eye-catching resume for the first job. There is no specific formula to create a resume that lands you an ideal job. With academic and professional exposure, make improvements in your resume and get noticed for prospective employers.

The post How to Write a High-Grade Resume for the First Job appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

3 Hidden Costs Of Launching Your Own Business

Reading Time: 3 mins

According to Companies House, 672,890 new businesses were registered in the UK in the 2018/9 tax year. That’s a staggering 76.8 start-ups every hour!

We may be seeing more new businesses than ever before, but that doesn’t mean the life of an entrepreneur has got any easier. In fact, the level of competition means that almost 60% of British start-ups won’t survive for longer than five years.

If you’re starting your own business and want to increase your chances of success, there are various factors you’ll need to consider – and one of the most important of these is how you’ll manage your finances.

From legal fees to the cost of background check for employees, there are all sorts of expenses associated with starting a business. In this article, we’ll share three hidden costs that you might have forgotten to factor into your budget.

 

1. Building A Website

No matter where you are in your business journey, it’s rarely too early to build a company website. In today’s world, a digital presence is crucial to help your business gain traction and stand out from the crowd – and a website is the best way to do it.

But a specially-built website doesn’t come cheap. According to Expert Market, a basic site will cost between £200-£500 on average, while a database-driven site could set you back by as much as £10,000.

If your business is likely to need a database-driven website, you’ll need to take this cost into account when drawing up your budget. Remember that it’s often best to buy the most impressive website you can comfortably afford, as the ROI (return on investment) for a company site can be a significant source of income.

 

2. Hiring A Company Accountant

There are all kinds of automated accounting software available – but if you’re launching a start-up, hiring a real professional accountant is often the best way forwards.

Whether you’re writing your business plan, sorting a loan application, or filing your taxes, an accountant will be able to save you a huge amount of time and effort in the long-run.

Although some entrepreneurs aim to save money by sorting their finances themselves, this isn’t always the right solution. Not only could you end up making a costly mistake – but you’ll also need a lot of time to spare, which could have been better spent elsewhere.

Even if you end up deciding not to outsource your accounts, it’s always best to know that you’ve factored the cost of an accountant into your budget. That way, you won’t be caught out if you choose to hire one after all.

 

3. Health And Safety Training

Don’t fall into the dangerous trap of forgetting the cost of health and safety training! If your business is at the stage where you’re starting to hire employees, remember that you’re legally obliged to provide your staff with the necessary health and safety training they need to do their job.

The exact training required will depend on the nature of your business. However, most basic courses will cost anywhere between £50 and £100. These are some of the training courses you may need to offer your staff:

• Health & Safety in the Workplace
• Fire Marshalling
• First Aid
• Food Safety
• Safe Moving and Handling
• Risk Assessments

Whether it’s a quick online session or an intensive course, it’s important not to overlook these crucial costs.

Unexpected costs can be a nasty surprise for any entrepreneur. We hope that this article has shown you some of the hidden costs you’ll need to consider when starting your own business.

 

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Triple Your Turnover With A Virtual Assistant

Reading Time: 5 mins

If 2020 has taught business owners anything, it’s the need to be agile. Having the ability to pivot and flex to changing circumstances is paramount if you want to future proof your business. Easier said than done, right? Well one of the easiest ways to facilitate this and set yourself up for commercial success as an entrepreneur is to build an agile team around you. Enter: a Virtual Assistant. 

There comes a time in every business owner’s journey when being the Chief Everything Officer is no longer sustainable. Working on everything yourself can only get you so far and there are only so many hours in the day. Don’t think you can afford help? Well, think again – a Virtual Assistant will work on a completely flexible, part-time basis.

 

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A VA provides support to businesses and entrepreneurs, working remotely or “virtually” on a selection of tasks and projects. They are dedicated entirely to helping business owners and busy execs perform at their very best, streamlining processes and taking care of important, day-to-day work that needs to be looked after, but just not by you.

Some VAs will have worked as Executive or Personal Assistants others as Marketing Managers. Most will have had a varied career that has seen them build a wide range of skills – from customer service, to sales. These talented professionals have chosen to become Virtual Assistants to shake the shackles of rigid office life and gain the flexibility they need.

 

Why every ambitious business owner needs a VA 

1. A Virtual Assistant will make you more money

Business owners and employees spend around 69 days per year on administrative tasks. That’s one-third of the working year spent on work that doesn’t have a direct impact on generating profit. 

Hiring a Virtual Assistant buys you more time and enables you to adopt the 80/20 rule. Adopting this rule will rapidly change the game for your business.

In any company, 80% of day-to-day tasks are things that need to be done to keep the business going. But these don’t need to be done by you. By delegating out these repetitive low-value tasks, you’ll free up your time to focus on the 20% of tasks that really need your attention and, most importantly, will make a dramatic impact in growing your business. 

This is even more important if you run a service-based business and charge an hourly or day rate for your services. Outsourcing will ensure you maximise your time spent on billable work, building client relationships and business development.

 

2. A Virtual Assistant will make you more productive

According to Inc, in a standard 8-hour working day, “the average office worker does just under 3 hours of “productive” work”. That’s a pretty poor ROI when you add up the mounting costs to business owners of hiring an employee.

Unlike an employee you pay regardless of the output they really generate, VAs only ever bill you for time spent working on tasks. That means no money spent paying for someone to stand chatting in the office kitchen.

A VA can be part-time or full-time, depending on your requirements. They don’t have to contend with the traditional distractions that come with an office full of people and they’re very accustomed to hitting deadlines. It’s more than likely that your business dilemmas are something they have dealt with before, so they’ll be well attuned to identifying your needs.

Best of all, you won’t need to think about pensions, National Insurance payments, sick leave, professional development training, annual reviews, office space, mobile phones, computers, payroll… and the long list of other costs generated by hiring internally.  

 

3. A VA gives you access to skills you don’t already have

Finally, a Virtual Assistant can bring a vast range of expertise to your business. And delivery efficiency to make your life easier is their primary goal.

VAs have spent their entire careers supporting business owners and senior professionals, so they have developed a set of skills that you would be pushed to compete with. 

It makes much more sense for you to focus on what you’re good at and enjoy doing – from conducting sales meetings to consulting – and allow a dedicated VA to look after the day-to-day tasks that might take you double the time to tackle. 

 

Invest before you’re ready

Investing in a Virtual Assistant might be off-putting, especially in the early days when money is tight. You may feel that it is cheaper to do it all yourself for now.

However, every hour you spend on non-billable tasks results in one hour less you could be spending doing profitable, billable work. If you sit down and add that time up, multiplying it by your hourly rate, you’ll soon see it makes financial sense to delegate these tasks. Hiring a VA will help shift you from spending every waking hour working IN your business to working ON how you can grow it. 

Still unsure? Sam Wilson, Co-Founder at Virtalent, a leading Virtual Assistant service in the UK, has seen it happen time and again for his clients, “it’s not uncommon for the small business owners we support to eventually double or even triple their monthly turnover as a result of the dramatic impact a Virtual Assistant has on their productivity and the value they are adding”.

 

How can a VA have a direct and measurable impact on your business?

The opportunities really are endless when it comes to hiring a VA. Here’s just a taster of what they can help with.

 

Keeping your finances on track

Research by Tide has found that the average small business spends an hour and a half each day chasing up unpaid invoices. Think of the time you could save allocating this task to someone else. 

While Virtual Assistants certainly can’t replace the role of an accountant, they can dedicate a large amount of time to helping you stay on top of your finances. They can log your company expenses, issue invoices, chase payments and liaise with your financial professionals to make sure everything is on track. Each and every one of these tasks will have a direct and measurable impact on your balance sheet. 

 

Marketing your business

A Virtual Assistant can get involved in helping to shape and implement that all-important marketing strategy. They can be on hand to write blog and newsletter content, research your competitors, run your social media channels and update your website. A laser focus on your marketing tasks will ultimately help attract more customers. 

 

Managing your HR

If you already have a team in place, the smooth running of your recruitment and onboarding process is incredibly important for attracting and maintaining talent. When the estimated average cost of replacing an employee is over £3,000, onboarding certainly isn’t an area you want to overlook. A Virtual Assistant can be on hand to welcome new recruits, show them the ropes and keep on top of databases and recruitment software. 

 

Monitoring your customer service

According to a study by Microsoft, 96% of consumers say customer service is important in their choice of loyalty to a brand so it’s not an area you can afford to ignore. A VA can help deliver a quick, friendly response to customers and give this workstream the full attention it deserves. The result? Happy customers and a smooth experience for all involved.

The list really does go on. In fact, one of the most comprehensive Virtual Assistant services to check out is Virtalent. Their team can do all manner of tasks – their website is packed full of information on you could be delegating to their virtual team.

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VoIP is the Business Ally You Need

Reading Time: 2 mins

Introduction

VoIP, or to give it its full name Voice over Internet Protocol, is not the newest technology on the block promising to change how you do business. It is a matured technology proven to provide several benefits to a business regarding voice communications, including reduced costs. VoIP is a technology that allows voice communication, typically the realm of fixed-line telephones or cell phones, to be done over a broadband or fiber internet connection. The maturation of the technology and drive-by business leaders to decrease costs during the current COVID-119 pandemic has amounted to a significant growth expected for the market with the Asia Pacific region expected to dominate market share. In 2017, the industry was expected to be worth 76.1 billion USD by 2018. By 2024 the industry is expected to exceed 96 billion USD.

 

Significant Cost Savings

While market growth statistics are useful for investors or to show how the market has matured in a few years this may mean little to business leaders looking to save money while still providing their business with the infrastructure needed to succeed. VoIP can be exactly that. The cost savings that VoIP can generate are well documented. These savings stem from the fact that communication is handled over the Internet connection rather than having a separate service dedicated to voice communications. Unlimited calls at a fraction of their per minute fixed-line competitors.

Further, many VoIP providers allow users to get regional numbers to help facilitate business wherever you are and wherever your customer is. One such service provider is Zadarma who provides regional numbers for 100 different countries with upfront rates. For instance, those looking for a UK number can purchase one for £2 according to their website.

 

Hardware Efficient

Another advantage of VoIP is that rather than needing a lot of extra phones if your computer has a sound card, calls can be handled over employee computers with the right software. This improves what businesses get out of their investments by simply getting the right software package and headsets. Some providers will also provide this as part of the package they supply. This can further help reduce costs while boosting the productivity of staff as they don’t need to juggle a phone and a keyboard simultaneously.  

 

Not Just Voice Calls

VoIP is not just used for voice communication, the technology also allows for the transfer of video, images, and documents can be done during a call. This is a significant quality of life improvement and workflow improvement that is not to be underestimated. This places VoIP far ahead of traditional fixed-line communication technologies in terms of sheer usefulness.

 

Conclusion

Many businesses have turned to VoIP for the cost savings alone, however, the other advantages it brings means that no matter how small or large your business is the technology can be scaled to meet specific requirements. Given its ready adoption by the business realm, many are also reaping the benefits of VoIP for home and personal use.

 

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Second Job and Side Hustle Taxes Explained

Reading Time: 7 mins

With more and more people turning to multiple sources of income to make a living, staying on top of your taxes is crucially important. At MoneyMagpie we’ve put together a guide with what you need to know about second jobs and side hustle taxes, and who needs to file a Self Assessment.

1. What Are Sole Traders?
2. Side Hustle Taxes
3. Second Jobs and Tax
4. What Is a Self Assessment?
5. Do I Need to Declare Benefits on a Tax Return?
6. Payments on Account
7. More Useful Reading

What are Sole Traders?

A sole trader is someone who is self-employed, runs their own business, and is entitled to keep all the profits once tax has been paid, but is also liable for all losses and debts of the business. As soon as you start working for yourself, you’re classified as a sole trader, meaning you’re self-employed, even if you haven’t told HMRC yet.

Self-employed people choose between sole trader or Limited Company status for their business. Sole traders tend to be solo freelancers or contractors, while anyone planning growth to employ others must register as a Ltd company. A sole trader (also called a freelancer or contractor) can employ other people but usually chooses to operate as a Limited Company if this is the case.

You can be employed and self-employed at the same time, too. There aren’t limitations on the amount of work you do, or how much you can earn, as long as you make sure you’re reporting your income correctly and are paying the correct tax, you’re pretty much fine.

You need to set up as a sole trader if any of the following apply to you:

• Earned more than £1,000 from self-employment in one tax year
• You have proof of self-employment (such as invoices)
• You want to make voluntary Class 2 National Insurance payments to help you qualify for benefits.

Set Up as a Sole Trader

To set up as a sole trader you need let HMRC know that you pay tax through a Self Assessment by registering to do so here.

You’ll need to:

• Keep records of your business sales, invoices, and expenses.
• Submit a Self Assessment tax return at the end of every tax year.
• Pay Income Tax and Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance Contributions.
• You must also register for VAT if your turnover is over £85,000. Even if it’s not you can also register voluntarily if it suits your business.

Side Hustle Taxes

Side hustles and freelancing on the side are increasingly a popular way for people to earn an additional income outside of their main working hours. However, navigating the tax side of extra work can be trickier. Unlike any PAYE employment, income earned from a side hustle is untaxed, and needs to be reported to HMRC. Failing to do so can result in fines and interest on late payments.

With so many people on furlough or on reduced hours working schemes right now, side earners are an attractive option. However, it’s really important that you still register as a sole trader even if you’re currently on furlough or otherwise employed. HMRC will take into account the earnings on both jobs to make sure you’re paying the right amount of tax.

Everyone is allowed a £1,000 allowance of additional income before they need to report it to HMRC. Once you earn over a £1,000 in the tax year (6th April – 5th April) then you’ll need to submit a tax return. The amount of tax and National Insurance contributions that you will then owe will depend on how much you earn as a freelancer, and how much you are paid in your full-time job. If your additional source of income pushes your total earnings into the higher tax rate band, then you will have to pay the higher tax rate on those earnings.

Example for the 2020/21 tax year

• Miss. X earns £40,000 working for an employer, and has earned £14,000 in profits as sole trader, totalling her annual income at £54,000.
• Her personal allowance is £12,500, leaving her total taxable income at £41,500.
• Miss. X will pay 20% on her taxable income (up to £50,000), which is £37,500, meaning she’ll pay £7,500 in tax.
• As Miss. X’s earnings take her into the higher rate band, she’ll have to pay 40% on £4,000, which is £1,600.
• In total, Miss. X will need to pay £9,100 in tax for the year.

Second Jobs and Tax

Most people take on a second job to earn some extra money, or to take the first steps to running their own business or becoming self-employed. However, you need to be careful about working multiple jobs and be aware of how it will implicate you and the tax you pay.

Everyone is entitled to earn a certain amount every year without having to pay tax, known as your personal allowance. This is currently £12,500 in the 2020/21 tax year. If you work two jobs, and neither income is above £12,500, then you can split your personal allowance between them. For example, if you earn £9,000 in your first job, and £6,000 in your second, you can ask HMRC to transfer the remaining £3,500 in personal allowance over to your second job. However, you should only ask for this if the income from each job is predictable and consistent. Otherwise you may end up underpaying tax and owe money at the end of the tax year. If you don’t ask for your personal allowance to be split and end up overpaying, you can submit a refund request at the end of the tax year.

In the case that all of your personal allowance is used up in your first job, then everything you earn at your second job will be taxed at the relevant rate. If the combined income from your jobs is below £50,000, that’s a 20% basic rate. When that income surpasses £50,000, then any earnings over £50,000 will be taxed at the higher rate of 40%.

What is a Self Assessment?

A Self Assessment is a standard tax return form. Anyone who earns additional income that has not already been taxed needs to complete one at the end of every tax year (5th April). The majority of people in the UK receive pay through PAYE employment, where tax and National Insurance contributions are deducted for you. However, people and businesses with other income must report it at the end of every tax year, by submitting a Self Assessment tax return.

Even if you’re not self-employed, if you receive an income other than your PAYE work, you’ll need to complete a tax return each year. For example, if you gain an income through renting out a room in your home or a buy-to-let property, that must be declared, too.

For people needing to submit a tax return for the first time, you need to register to do so here. You can also estimate what your Income Tax will be by using the Gov calculator.

You need to make sure your tax return is submitted before the deadline otherwise you can incur fines. The deadlines vary depending on how you’re submitting it, and also whether it’s your first time filing a tax return. Find out what the current deadlines are for Self Assessments here.

Who Needs to Send a Tax Return?

Even if you earn a bit of extra money from selling secondhand stuff online, but don’t actually consider it officially as part of your income, you may still need to submit a tax return. You must send one if in the last tax year you were:

• Self-employed as a sole trader and earned more than £1,000
• A partner in a business partnership

You will not usually need to send a return if your only income is from you wages or pension. However, you may need to send one if you have any other untaxed income, such as:

• Money from renting out a property
• Tips and commission
• Income from savings, investments, and dividends
• Foreign income

The golden rule is if you’re in any doubt about whether you need to submit a tax return, get in touch with HMRC. It’s much better to know what you need to pay now rather than receiving a surprise tax bill later down the line!

Receiving Benefits and Being Self-Employed

One thing that’s often not clear for the self-employed is that you may not have to declare certain benefits on your tax return.

This is really important to know – especially as record numbers of people receive Universal Credit due to Covid-19. Lots of people made redundant in the pandemic are claiming Universal Credit while they set up their own business. Juggling side hustle taxes, furloughed pay or tax on redundancy packages, and also receiving benefits following your reduced income makes it very confusing. You don’t need to declare Universal Credit income on your self assessment.

Some other benefits may be required for declaration on the tax return – but the return itself will ask if you receive them. Including benefits as part of your income for the year could significantly affect the amount of tax you’re required to pay – so make sure you don’t include your Universal Credit income.

Payments on Account

When you’re juggling a side job alongside your PAYE job, it’s easy to think taxes are dealt with in the same tax year as they’re earned. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for the self-employed!

Side hustle taxes could land you with a larger bill than you expected, thanks to Payment on Account. This is where your self-employment tax for the year is calculated… and then HMRC decides that’s what you’re going to earn next year, too. So, you must pay that full year’s tax owed PLUS the following year’s tax. These PoA are split, with 50% due in July and 50% the following January. The aim behind this is to make sure freelancers stay ahead of their tax bills, but it’s a tricky system to navigate – especially as many sole traders have a fluctuating income.

Read more about Payments on Account here.

More Useful Reading

Check out some of these articles next for more help and guidance with your taxes:

• 7 Important Things to Know About Self-Employment Taxes
• Self Assessment – The Definitive Guide to Filing Your Tax Return
• Do I Need to Register for VAT?
• How to Handle Council Tax Arrears
• Get Your Tax Back! A Simple Guide to Getting Money Back From the Tax Office

The post Second Job and Side Hustle Taxes Explained appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

How To Make Money By Selling Your Old Devices

Reading Time: 4 mins

We all wish we could earn some extra money on the side but it can be very difficult to think up imaginative, new, and legal ways to earn some extra money.

One way of doing so is by selling your old mobile phone devices that are gathering dust in your house. If you have a collection of old phones you could be sitting on a small fortune as there are many different companies that pay good money for old phone devices, even those that do not work or function properly.

 

Where Should You Start?

The very first thing you will want to do is gather up all those old mobile phones and devices that you have in your house. You would be surprised how many people actually have numerous old working phones gathering dust in their office drawers or shelves.

Ask other family members as well if they have any old devices that they do not want any more, as the more you have to sell the more money you are going to make.

Don’t worry if some of the phone devices are not in the best condition or not working at all as many companies will still buy broken phones as they can either be fixed to sell on or can be used for parts.

Try and find the boxes and instructions that came with the phones as this can make them more valuable but again don’t worry too much if they have been thrown out or lost as the units by themselves can still be sold.

Once you have gathered all the phones check which ones are working and which aren’t and take a note. Also write down the names of each and every phone as you may find some are more valuable than others.

 

Where Can You Sell The Phone Devices?

Once you have collected all the phones you are going to try and sell you need to decide where you are going to try and sell them.

You have many options when it comes to this, you could decide to try and sell them yourself by listing them on social media pages such as facebook marketplace. You could try and sell them on auction websites or you could even offer them for sale to second hand shops that buy electrical equipment.

The easiest and most convenient place to try and sell them would be on dedicated websites that buy and sell old phones. You could try and sell your iPhone to Buyback Boss as they offer great prices on all iphone models.

Before deciding where to sell your devices make sure that you do not have any rare phones as these can fetch big prices and are probably best suited for selling to collectors of old mobile phones. Vintage mobile phones such as the Mobira Senator from 1981 can sell up to fourteen hundred pounds if in good condition.

 

How Much Money Can You Make?

Depending on the phone device model and the condition it is in, plus if it has the original box and packaging the price you can receive for it varies. Newer iphone models can reach close to their original asking price while more older models can still receive a good amount of money.

As mentioned above it is even worth selling those old vintage phones that you may have kept as some of these can fetch really high prices, particularly if they are rare and in good condition.

It is always worthwhile checking the average sell on price for your phone device before making your decisions. While it is possible to make more money using an auction website you do run the risk that it may sell for alot less than its true value. While with dedicated websites that buy and sell used mobile phones you may not make as much compared to an auction site but you are guaranteed the price as quoted.

Much like when you are buying a new phone you would shop around for the best price, do the same thing when selling your old devices as you may find one website offers one price while another may offer a lot more. Do your research to get the best price possible.

 

What Other Devices Could You Sell?

There are probably lots of other old devices in your house that you never use and just gather dust. These can also be sold to such websites. Devices like tablets, camcorders and games consoles like The Playstation can make you good money if they are in good condition.

As mentioned above do some research on where  to sell these types of devices to help make you the most profit. Always make sure to read all the small prints on the terms and conditions of such websites as sometimes if the item’s condition is not as you described it they can pay less than offered.

 

Is It Better To Use Older Phones In Exchange With Upgrades For Newer Phones?

When it comes round to getting your phone upgrade from your network provider they will often try and make a deal with you which includes them taking your old phone. This will normally either help reduce your outlay for the newer model, or lessen your phone bill price.

Sometimes these offers and deals can be worthwhile but many times you are likely to make more of a profit by selling your old device as you are more likely to get a much higher price for the phone.

A good idea would be to view all your options before making a decision, your network provider may be a bit pushy and forward to get you to sign into a new contract but don’t feel pressured or rushed to make your choice.

Take your time and research every option available to you to help you decide what works best for your needs. Sometimes taking the easier option though not making as much money suits you as it means less work on your part but always look at every choice beforehand.

The post How To Make Money By Selling Your Old Devices appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Ten Ways to Get Free Money

Reading Time: 8 mins

We’re all a tad strapped for cash right now – or if not now, we’re worried about what the future could hold. You could easily get your hands on free money pretty quickly though – there are lots of ways to make sure you’re getting all the financial support you’re entitled to AND claim free cash from lots of different sources.

Here’s how to get free money:

1. Apply for Grants
2. Claim Credit Back
3. Use Cashback Sites
4. Switch Bank Accounts
5. Apply for Benefits and Council Tax Support
6. Get Paid to Surf the Internet
7. Reclaim Your Student Loan Overpayments
8. Switch Energy Supplier
9. Check Your Tax Code
10. Refer Friends to Schemes

 

Apply for Grants

If you’re on a low income or struggling financially, there’s a whole host of grants you could apply for. Finding them, however, can be a time-consuming task if you do the searching yourself. That’s why we love the Turn2Us Grant Finder Tool which helps you filter grants suited to your specific circumstances.

Even if you don’t think you’ll qualify for anything, take a look! There are lots of strange grants available, so you could find one you’re eligible to apply for – might as well try!

Just remember that grants may affect your benefit entitlement. A large cash lump sum that takes your savings over £6,000 will reduce any Universal Credit you currently receive – and if you have over £16,000 in savings or assets (not including your primary home), you won’t qualify for any. If you need a grant for something specific, such as white goods, sometimes it’s worth asking the grant provider to purchase the item directly rather than transferring you the cash.

Claim Credit Back

Is your energy bill in credit? Have you had refunds to your credit card lately – such as from a cancelled holiday? These types of credit are easy to forget about – but they’re YOUR money and you’re entitled to ask for it back!

If you’re in credit with any supplier or credit card company, get in touch with them to arrange a refund back to your bank account. Some providers might take ages to get back to you, but they’re not allowed to refuse a refund. Even if the credit card is no longer in use, for example, you are entitled to receive that cash back. Many people found, for example, that they had a zero balance on a credit card that they’d used to pay for a holiday this year. That balance will now be thousands of pounds in credit – and some people may think they can’t get that money into their bank account any more. That’s wrong! It’s YOUR money, you can get it back. Speak to your credit card provider to arrange a bank transfer. They’re not allowed to charge fees for that kind of transfer, either!

Use Cashback Sites

Cashback sites like TopCashBack and Quidco offer incentives for you to sign up. As soon as you’re a member and you’ve completed a valid transaction, you’ll get the bonus in your account. It’s also well worth signing up to both – or several – cashback sites. Not only will you get more sign up bonuses, but some retailers have exclusive deals with certain sites, so you can only get cashback through those. Having an account with each maximises your opportunity for earning cashback. It also means you can compare each site for the best cashback rate for each retailer – some will offer the same on all sites, while others could have as much as a 10% difference – especially on special offers and deals!

We love cashback sites, because it’s not really FREE money – but you can earn a tidy return on things you were going to buy anyway. Think of it more like getting a discount on your purchases rather than free money. However, if you set aside your cashback, there’s lots you can do with it to earn free money. For example, why not transfer your cashback into a stocks and shares savings account – you could earn big returns! In fact, if you have a Help to Save account or a Lifetime ISA, you’re looking at an extra 50% (HtS) or 25% (LISA) boost on your cashback earnings which really IS free money from the Government. How fab!

Switch Bank Accounts

Bank deals were on hold for a while this year – but they’re back on the market again! You can get free money just for switching your bank account to a new provider. Yes, really!

Make sure you count as a ‘new customer’ before switching. Some allow previous customers to return after a few years, while others won’t let you claim these deals if you have an account with a bank in their group – such as HSBC and First Direct.

Deals change all the time, but you can often snag at least £100 just for switching your current account. Check the latest deals available before you switch – and make sure you’re eligible for paying in criteria, too. If you won’t meet minimum monthly pay-ins, you can often get around this by paying in one amount, withdrawing, then paying the same cash back in. A tidy loophole!

Apply for Benefits and Council Tax Support

Even if you don’t think you’ll qualify for benefits, it’s always worth looking to find out for sure. Eligibility rules change from time to time, and your income may be different now than a few months ago, so you could now qualify for them when you couldn’t before.

Universal Credit rolls most benefits into one monthly payment. It’s a household payment based on your total household income and assets – so it’s paid to one partner in couples that live together. It covers things like Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment Support Allowance, and also helps with housing costs if you need assistance with your rent.

You could also qualify for other benefits, such as Personal Independence Payment if you have a disability, or Carer’s Allowance if you look after someone.

Council Support

Your local council can also offer additional support. If you’re living alone, remember you can apply for a 25% single occupancy discount regardless of your household income. You may also be eligible for additional reductions if you live with a severely disabled person.

If you receive certain benefits, such as Universal Credit, you may also be eligible for Council Tax Support. Receipt of benefits doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get CTS – and you need to apply to your council separately for it once you’re approved for benefits.

With the recent pandemic, councils also have additional hardship funds. If you’re seriously struggling and facing homelessness, you could apply for additional hardship support depending on your local area. Check your local authority’s website for more details.

Finally, if you get the housing element of Universal Credit, it might not cover your full rent amount. You can apply to your council for a Discretionary Housing Payment, which tops up the remaining amount of rent you need to pay each month to cover your full (or most of) your housing costs. This is often temporary and needs reassessing on a regular basis, but can really help you gain some breathing space.

Get Paid to Surf the Web

You can get paid for doing absolutely nothing different to usual! It’s true.

Ipsos and Nielson both run incentive programs where they collect your (anonymous) web surfing behaviour and pay you for the privilege. Lots of brands and businesses are very interested in how people use the web – especially the type of content they prefer, and the device types they use – and that’s what research companies do.

You install the Ipsos or Nielson app on your phone, tablet, laptop and desktop computer. Then, just act like normal! It’s easy to even forget the app is there. The data is randomised anonymous, so researchers won’t ever know your personal details or history. It’s a nice way to earn some extra cash each month without trying – for example, you can earn up to £130 a year with the Ipsos app.

Reclaim Student Loan Overpayments

If you’ve been repaying your student loan in recent years, it’s possible you’ve overpaid.

You will eventually need to pay the money back, of course – but right now, if you need cash in your pocket, it’s worth checking whether you’ve paid too much. If, for example, your annual income dropped considerably, you might not have been required to make any payments.

Check the Government’s Student Loan Refund page to find out more about claiming your money back.

Switch Energy Supplier

If you’ve been with your energy supplier for a while, you could benefit from switching supplier.

Not only could you save around £460 a year by switching to a better tariff, but you could also take advantage of welcome bonuses. Much like banks paying you to switch accounts to them, energy suppliers are in a constant struggle to claim as many customers as possible for the largest market share.

You could find that signing up to a new supplier comes with an incentive bonus of £25, £50, or even £100 on special offers. The cash is credited to your account when it’s all set up and ready to go. Once you’re a customer, you could also make extra cash by referring your friends to the scheme for extra credit, too!

Check Your Tax Code

Ah, taxes. We all hate them, but they do keep the country ticking over. Somehow. Still, you could be entitled to a tax rebate.

Check your tax code for a start – you might well be on an emergency tax code if you’ve taken on a new job recently or now have a second job. Or, if you’ve stopped working part-way through the year (as many of us have in 2020) you could be due a tax rebate.

It’s easy to apply for a tax rebate on the HMRC website.

Make the most of marriage allowance

If you’re married and one of you earns more than the other, consider applying for the marriage allowance. For example, if one spouse isn’t working and the other is on 20% tax rate, or you’re both working but one of you earns below the Personal Allowance of £12,500, it’s worth applying for. You can shift some of your personal tax allowance to the higher tax earner in the relationship – and receive a rebate of £250.

You can backdate this claim if you were married in any years from 6th April 2016, too. So, if you were married in January 2016, you can apply for four years’ tax relief – that’s £1000 in your pocket.

Marriage allowance can be stopped at any time. If you get divorced, it will be stopped automatically (and be aware that, in theory, you could be required to repay backdated tax relief you received during that marriage – though this is uncommon). However, if both spouses later earn higher salaries, it is no longer beneficial to use the allowance so it makes sense to cancel it.

Learn more about applying for (or cancelling) marriage tax allowance on the Government website.

Refer Friends to Schemes

From cashback sites to your favourite shop, so many brands offer refer-a-friend incentives that you could be earning free money for nothing!

If you subscribe to any service, look into their referral schemes. Or, check with your utility suppliers for their incentive programmes. Even your local gym might offer a cash incentive (or free month membership). Loyalty is a big thing for businesses – and they know for a fact that people are more likely to use a product or service if someone they know and trust recommends it. So, make these businesses work for you – take up their referral scheme offers!

You can also take it one step further if you have an online presence, such as social media. Sign up for affiliate programmes and promote your unique link on your blog or website – that’ll keep a rolling income every time someone uses your link!

More Ways to Make Money

Free money is something we all want – but getting hold of it can be tricky sometimes. That’s why we love to tell you about ways you can set up passive income streams – set them up, sit back, watch the cash roll in! Here’s how to make money online and at home.

• Make Money Without Leaving the House
• Where to Find Genuine Work from Home Jobs
• How to Make Money on Social Media
• Make Money Dropshipping
• Become an Online Translator
• Teach Online Classes to Make Money From Home

The post Ten Ways to Get Free Money appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Make Money Without Leaving the House

Reading Time: 4 mins

Lockdown is getting to all of us – but there are ways you can make money without leaving the house, so now’s the time to try them! Here are our top ways to make money while you’re sat on the sofa, surfing the net, or trying to fill your furlough time.

• Use Lottery Syndicates
• Make Money on Social Media
• Test Websites
• Sell Your Stuff
• More Ways to Make Money

 

Use Lottery Syndicates

The cost of lottery tickets has risen a lot in recent years – and the chances of winning have gone down! However, lottery syndicates like Lotto Social are a good way to maximise your chances of winning without spending as much money – indeed 1 in 5 lottery wins are won by a syndicate!

Syndicates might be run by friends, or colleagues in a workplace – but it can take the fun of playing and could potentially lead to disagreements, especially if there’s a big win! Using an official syndicate is much simpler and ensures you receive your fair share of the winnings.

How does it work?

You pool your money with the syndicate – which means you get more tickets for far less expense. Syndicate providers like Lotto Social can give you 10 lines for as little as £1 and then enter you into one of their syndicates which holds up to 49 people. That definitely beats the normal price of 1 line for £2.50. Then, when the ticket wins, you share the prize proportionately with others in the syndicate. So, this does mean if you win small, like a tenner, you won’t see huge returns, but then you’ll win these smaller amounts more often. Plus having part of a ticket – and many more of them – significantly increases your chances of being in a group with a big win. You could even win the jackpot!

Give to charity at the same time

Using syndicate providers like Lotto Social also means you can help support local charities and nominate charities close to you heart. For example, if you put in £5 you’ll get five Euromillions tickets and £3 of your cash goes to charity. Plus, playing the National Lottery through syndicates means your cash is also going towards the National Lottery charity funds, too!

Make Money on Social Media

This takes more time, but when done right it’ll set you up with an ongoing passive income that makes plenty of cash over time! It’s a great way to make money without leaving the house – especially as the passive revenue (once you’re set up)

There are lots of ways to make money on social media. You could, for example, become a vlogger about a very niche subject (it’s easier to build a following in a niche than as a general lifestyle vlogger, because there are already so many of them!). Or, become an affiliate marketer to make money from partner links when someone uses your link to buy something.

Sell your own crafts and products

If you’re a maker, social media is the perfect place to set up shop. Sell your homemade items online for extra money – places like Etsy and Shopify make it easy to create an online shop. Use social media to promote your items and make cash.

Test Websites and Apps

Did you know that people will pay you to surf the web? There are a few ways to do this.

First, you could opt in to Nielson and/or Ipsos Mori – they pay you to act just as you normally would! Surf the net on any device and earn cash for doing so. It’s really that simple! The cash isn’t hugely plentiful – but you can earn £10 a month on average. Put that into a Lotto Social syndicate and you’re playing the lottery for free – with potentially huge returns!

Test Websites for Cash

Other places will pay you to test out websites and apps. These could be existing sites that need usability testing completed, to improve the user experience. Or, they might be brand new sites that haven’t yet launched. Brands put a lot of effort into making sure their website is set up in a way that maximises sales for them, so they’re willing to pay testers for feedback.

The best thing about testing sites and apps is you won’t need to take a lot of time over it. Some tests are longer – and therefore pay more – but you can pick the ones you want to do, in the time you’ve got available. Read our guide to testing websites for cash to learn more!

Sell Your Stuff

You’d be surprised what people will pay for! As we’ve all got a bit more time on our hands at the moment, it’s a great opportunity to clear out your clutter. Whether you’ve got empty designer boxes or perfume bottles, broken tech, or vintage clothes – there’s an opportunity to make cash.

We’ve got an entire section dedicated to Selling Your Stuff online to help you work out what you already own that could be of value. Sorting through your stuff is great catharsis – something we all need these days – and helps you clear clutter to make your home easier to manage, reducing stress. Plus, the extra cash is always handy!

Where to Sell Your Stuff

There are so many online marketplaces it’s important to make sure you’re using the best one for your type of item. The classics – eBay, Gumtree – are a good shout for general items. If, however, you have specialist things like vintage toys, it could be worth seeking out a collector or dealership to make sure you get a fair price for them. Other apps, like Facebook, Spock and NextDoor, help you find a local audience for your items.

We’ve also started the MoneyMagpie Marketplace – it’s still in beta mode, so if you have any feedback we can use to develop it, let us know!

More Ways to Make Money

We’re big fans of finding unique ways to make money without leaving the house in various ways. Check out these articles next for inspiration!

• Make Money on Your Doorstep with Shepper
• Where to Find Genuine Work From Home Jobs
• Have a Tech Spring Clean to Make Cash
• How to Make Money Flipping Thrift Items

The post Make Money Without Leaving the House appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

How to get paid remotely with SumUp

Reading Time: 2 mins

With the pandemic sweeping across continents, businesses are facing tough times. Stores need to close and restaurants cannot receive guests. For some, they were not yet ready for the full age of digitization. Imagine not having a webshop and now having to make sure you still make sales. That is why it is important to enable the opportunity to get paid remotely with SumUp. This is an online provider of payment solutions that come in both handy and cost-effective.

 

What are the options to receive payments

You do not necessarily need a website or webshop to get paid remotely. For example, you could decide to trade via a messenger service, such as WhatsApp. When you decide to do that, you can choose for payment links. These links can be send via any medium ranging from e-mail to WhatsApp. When a customer receives the link, they can click on it and pay via their preferred means of payment. This makes it possible for small business owners to conduct payments via the Internet with ease. These payments also come with very low transaction fees, allowing you to use them even for small transactions.

 

Formal payments

Besides the use of payment links, it is also possible to conduct more formal business through the Internet. This can be done with a special invoice function. The function can be used within the SumUp environment or you can couple it with your systems, depending on your needs. The additional element that the invoice includes is a payment link. When the receiver has the invoice, they can immediately pay it by clicking on the link. This is a convenient method for both the sender and receiver.

Another great way of getting paid remotely is through selling Gift cards. This may sound like something that would take a lot of time and effort. Of course you need a new page where these gift cards can be sold. The best part is that this page is delivered fully optimized in the SumUp app. Then you only have to share a link with your customers via your website or social media, for example.

 

Want to offer promotions to your customer?

When you want to get paid remotely with SumUp, you probably also considered using another type of service. For example, you can give customers a special voucher which they can utilise. The voucher can be generated with a smartphone with the push of a button. The voucher can then be redeemed both in-store as well as online. This does require a connection to be made with your webshop, or you could enter the voucher into the system manually. This approach allows you to reward loyal customers or customers who spent a large amount of money at your store.

 

Get started today

Do you want to get started with remote payments today? There is an Online Store Starter by SumUp which you can use to get started selling online. This will give you all the necessary components to start receiving payments. The good part? Setting it up is a question of minutes, meaning that you can set it up with ease all by yourself.

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Make Money From Your Bed with Matched Betting

Reading Time: 2 mins

If you own a laptop, the subtle art of matched betting is at your fingertips – so you can make money even from your bed!

The much-misunderstood technique of matched betting began when someone realised that you could use Betting Exchanges to bet against your bookmaker bets, in pursuit of free bet offers given out by said bookies. Thus, creating a form of betting that is not only risk free but also allows you to generate a steady and stable income. The only downside being that it annoys the bookmakers……but frankly, when you see their CEO bonuses (Denise Coates – Bet365 CEO…….£323m bonus in 2019 by the way), I wouldn’t feel too sorry for them.

So, this little brainwave has led to the commercialisation of matched betting, with professional companies springing up to provide all the tools needed to make matched betting as simple as possible. All of which allows you to sit comfortably in your bed making money – which, thanks to social distancing & lockdowns, can now be a guilt-free pursuit. Given that the current lockdown may be extended as we head towards Christmas – the prospect of some extra cash can no longer be dismissed out of hand.

How to make money with Matched Betting

One such company, that is striving to form the perfect matched betting user experience is Heads&Heads. They also happen to be partnered with us here at MoneyMagpie – which gives you some idea of how much we trust the process of matched betting and its earning potential.

Heads&Heads are currently running a rather insane discount that will allow you to get access to Premium membership for 60 days, for just £2. Now you might be thinking, ‘So what, let’s get down to brass tacks here – how much can I make from my £2?!’. Well, Head&Heads shared their average member earnings for October – and it was a huge £361.42. So, all things being equal, you could earn £722.84 from your bed, for just £2. Now, I don’t know about you, but that seems like a pretty insane deal to us!

So insane in fact that this discount is only going to be available until the end of November 2020. Because of this we highly recommend jumping on board now. Furthermore, Heads&Heads also offer a 30-day money back guarantee – so even if you decided it is not for you, you’ll get your money back!

So, turn off that pointless YouTube you may be watching about something you likely don’t care about and let’s make some money! Click here to get started with your special deal.

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Time, Money, Equipment: What Are Your Remote Working Rights?

Reading Time: 4 mins

Your remote working rights are similar to those when you’re working in an office or on a business site. However, with so many of us now working from home when we weren’t expecting it, we’re missing out on potential support.

We’ve put together this quick guide to help you make sure you’re getting everything you’re entitled as a new remote or flexible worker.

You Have the Right to Work Safely

The Right to Flexible Hours

Get What You Need to Do Your Job

Be Aware of Financial Changes

More Working from Home Tips

 

Safety: you have the right to be safe

Safety is a concern so glaringly obvious that we left it out of the title.

It’s the number one concern for workers even when considering remote working rights. After all, the reason people were sent home from work was to keep them safe.

It remains an issue of critical importance because we’re in a fatal pandemic – and it looks like many of us are set to work from home for a long time to come.

You have the right to feel safe at work. This means that you have the right to these things from your employer when you’re working on site:

• A workplace that observes social distancing of one metre plus
• An office that features one way systems to reduce contact
• A building that is subject to rigorous cleaning regimes

Most employers will provide face masks and/or shields. You may be asked to provide your own.

When working from home, you still have the right to work safely. So, that means:

• You do not have to accept business visitors to your home
• If you choose to have business visitors, they must wear a mask (as do you)
• Your workstation should be assessed for ergonomic conditions and your employer should supply correct equipment
• Any online bullying, which may go unnoticed as it carries on during Zoom calls or via messaging apps, must be handled as if it occurred in the office.

Time: you have the right to flexible hours

Remote working has given many people the freedom to work flexibly during lockdown. But, if your employer wants you to return to the office, did you know you have the right to request flexible working to continue at least some of your work from home?

Many businesses discovered that the result of lockdown remote working increased productivity levels across industries, as staff freedom to choose their own hours has allowed them to optimise the way they work and lead their lives in a more balanced way.

But 50% of employees expect to lose the option to work remotely in a post-lockdown world.

However, you and every other person working in the UK has the legal right to request flexible working hours if you’ve been with your current employer for 26 weeks.

Check out the UK government’s flexible working page to learn more about your right to flexible working hours.

Equipment: you have a right to the things you need for your job

The legal position regarding post-lockdown work is that if you can do so from home then you should. This means most people will be carrying on working remotely and, to do so, they need the right equipment.

For many this is a laptop and access to your company network. However, the equipment you need doesn’t begin and end with these things.

Employment law stipulates that your employer should determine what the basic requirements are for you to do your job, meaning anything that’s essential to your work. This means your employer also has a duty to do things like look after your connectivity – it’s not only the responsibility of you and your broadband provider. So, if you need a stronger internet connection to do your work then an ethernet cable and a powerline adapter kit will help give your computer stronger connectivity. And you have a right to ask for this.

Similarly, if you require to connect multiple devices to do your job properly then a Thunderbolt and Mini DisplayPort use an identical connector to provide this. And again, you have the right to request this from your employer.

That’s a lot more detail than most people will need to go into, but that’s precisely the point – you have the right to request as detailed assessment of your work requirements and delivery of equipment as you need.

Money: your employer might have the right to alter your COntract

Safety is the reason that lockdown was introduced. However, the reality is that lots of people continue to fear something other than coronavirus: losing their jobs. As furlough and job retention schemes continue to change, and demand for employer costs increases, we’re all too aware that contracts may change to reflect new working conditions – to save as many jobs as possible.

Money is a huge concern at the moment for all of us, and many workers worry about their rights to retain both their jobs and the income it provides.

Some rights are well-known. Furlough gives you the right to a percentage of your salary while you’re not working. But what about if and when you go back to work?

Firstly, you’re protected against redundancy unless the role you’re doing becomes obsolete. Your employer can’t tell you that you are redundant if the role you do continues to exist. Secondly, your contract of employment provides you with rights too.

However, your employer may have the right to change your contracted hours without your consent. This creates a scenario where you may genuinely fear losing the money you need to be able to support yourself, potentially your family too.

Visit the UK government’s coronavirus page to learn more about what your salary rights are post-lockdown.

More Working from Home Tips

Remote working rights are just one of many topics we’ve covered recently when it comes to working from home. Check these out next!

• Tips to Manage a Freelance Work/Life Balance
• What Is Access to Work and How Does It Help Freelancers?
• Where to Find Genuine Work From Home Jobs
• What Everyone Should Know About Working From Home
• 10 Easy Money-Saving Hacks for Working From Home

The post Time, Money, Equipment: What Are Your Remote Working Rights? appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Make Money Selling Empty Boxes

Reading Time: 5 mins

You can make money in so many different ways these days, and yes, you heard us right – that includes empty boxes. With the rise in popularity of influencers and bloggers, we’re also seeing an increasing demand to sell old boxes for tech and designer goods online. This is our simple guide on how you can sell the empty boxes you have lying around at home and earn some cash!

• Sell Designer Bags and Boxes
• Sell Empty Tech Boxes
• Where Can I Sell?
• Other Surprising Things You Can Sell Online
• More Ideas to Make Money

Sell Designer Bags and Boxes

High fashion designer labels like Michael Kors, Gucci, and Prada, and even high street ones like Pandora and Glossier, all give away free branded boxes and bags when you make a purchase with them. Instead of throwing these into the recycling bin, list them online as there are plenty of people out there who are more than happy to pay to take them off your hands.

In this age of high designer awareness, designer anything is of value – even the box and bag. Influencer culture has played a big part in this – huge numbers of people are looking to influence and sell online, and there’s a lot of competition. Because of this, aspiring influencers can be looking to demonstrate on social media how they’re living a luxury lifestyle, when in reality this is not always the case. However, it does mean that any boxes, bags, and packaging you have from lying around can earn you a bit of cash.

How Much Can I earn?

Unfortunately, it’s not a guaranteed market out there so it does vary. But, designer bags will often sell for somewhere between £15 and £20, although designer boxes will often go for closer to £40! Even Glossier pouches, which come free with every purchase, can be sold for a few pounds.

Sell Empty Tech Boxes

Nowadays when you buy a fancy toy it’s not just the product that matters. The packaging has become just as important, and part of the whole in itself. But this trend actually means there are some great ways for you to make cash out of your old tech boxes. A lot of people will either buy gifts secondhand and want to be able to present the gift nicely in the appropriate box. Or, people may be reselling something and in this case most products will have more value if they come in the original box. So if the seller doesn’t have their original box – they can take to the internet and purchase another.

How much you can make from an empty tech box obviously depends on how much demand there is for it. The more recent the model – the more the box will likely sell for. But as a ballpark figure, an iPhone box for a model released in the past few years, will usually sell for around a tenner.

Where Can I Sell?

There are loads of places you can sell online – just always make sure you check any fees in advance so you don’t have any nasty surprises down the line.

MONEYMAGPIE MARKETPLACE

The MoneyMagpie Marketplace is an easy place to get set up and start selling online. Whatever you may have, as long as it’s legal to sell it in the UK, you can sell it here.

eBay

A popular site for reselling goods. For each item you want to list you’ll need to upload photos, add descriptions, and decide on shipping options. You can list up to 20 items a month for free, but afterwards, it costs 35p for each listing, and once you make a sale, eBay takes a 10% cut of the final selling price.

Facebook Groups

In recent years lots more people are using Facebook for buying and selling. There’s a lot of groups set up for specific areas as well, making it easier to buy and sell within your local community. Which also means you don’t have to worry about delivery costs either! There are no fees or charges for selling on Facebook, but there’s also no formal seller protection like you have with other selling sites.

Facebook Marketplace

Allows sellers to list items with photos and descriptions, tagged to a certain location for free. With Facebook groups and marketplace, the network isn’t involved in payment or delivery of items at all. It’s down to the buyer and seller to make these arrangements independently between them.

Preloved

This is another online ad and community website where you can post selling ads. In most cases you’re allowed to post your ad for free, although depending on the item you’re selling – sometimes you will be charged.

Other Surprising Things You Can Sell Online

There is virtually no limitation to what you can sell and make money from online. Here are a few other ideas for you to sell instead of throwing out!

Plain old cardboard boxes

You can make money out of any cardboard box you own, no matter where it’s from, with Sadlers. Simply send them the details of what you have and they’ll get back to you with an offer. If you decide to accept it, they’ll organise a collection and will pay you the same day they receive your stock.

Empty Perfume Bottles

Although this won’t make you rich, the average empty perfume bottle will sell between £5 and £8, so it’s a fair bit of income if you have a few empty bottles lying around – better than them ending up in the bin anyway. Plus, extravagant bottles can go for even more so it’s worth keeping any that look a bit unusual.

Jam Jars

Often you’ll need a few to sell as a bundle as they don’t really sell as single items. It can take a while to build up a collection so bear in mind that you’ll need somewhere to store them before you can sell. But they are another good way to earn money from stuff that would have otherwise ended up in the bin.

Loo Rolls

Again, you’ll want to sell these in bundles. Usually you’ll need upwards of 50 to sell in one bundle, so again, you’ll need to take into account where you’ll be able to store them in the meantime.

Old Tech

MusicMagpie – no affiliation with us! – is an easy place to sell your old tech online. Tell them what you have, and you’ll get an instant quote from them. You can send it off for free, and you’ll get paid the same day they receive your stuff.

More Ideas to Make Money

Check out these articles next if you’re looking for more ways to make cash from your trash!

• Make Money From Your Old Books
• Have a Tech Spring Clean to Save Cash and Make Money
• How to Make Money From Your Shed
• Selling Your Old Textbooks: Make Money Selling Old Uni Books
• Make Money – Sell CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, Video Games and Books

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