Millennials could have these 15 items worth up to £30,000 in their loft!

Reading Time: 9 mins

Millennials are reaching the age at which their old childhood belongings are becoming of value. Items may have been stored in the loft with the promise of being “used again later”, and then forgotten about. Old games, toys, pictures and CDs, all thrown in the attic, collecting dust.

It may well be time for a clear out, but hold your horses on binning or donating it all. Much of your ‘trash’ may be someone else’s treasure. Some of the things you consider worthless may in fact be willing to be snapped up for a nice chunk of money.

It’s important to do your own research on the items you find stored away. However, we have a list of 15 items that you may well have yourself. So, clear the cobwebs from those old paintings, and blow the dust from that teddy bear, and get earning!

• Beanie Babies
• Coins
• LEGO
• Video Game Consoles
• Polly Pocket
• Comics
• Pokémon Cards
• Lunch Boxes
• Action Figures
• Harry Potter Books
• Magazines
• Royal Family Memorabilia
• Furbies
• Happy Meal Toys
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards

 

Beanie Babies

A true staple of the 90’s, all millennials had at least one of the Beanie Babies. The 1997 bear dedicated to Princess Diana is one of the most valuable Beanie Babies out there. This bear is listed on eBay for a whopping $750,000. That’s almost £550,000! Although most of the Beanie Babies for sale aren’t quite as big money makers, others, such as this rare original Beanie can make you a cool £39,000.

It must be noted, however, that there are conditions the Beanies must follow in order to be higher in value. The earlier it was made, the better. If it was made to commemorate a special occasion, is in brilliant condition and is one of only a few, it may fetch you a higher sale. The type of pellets used within the Beanie also contributes to its value. Weirdly, if your Beanie Babies have errors, both on the labels and in their creation, they can sell for even more!

 

Coins

It’s true what they say – money makes money! So is the case when selling coins. Many coins carry a higher value than they suggest. Old coins, collectible ones and even those in your pocket at this very moment can make you some cash. It may be time to sift through that old jar of coins that’s been stacked away in your loft.

From time to time, there are errors found on coins, or dates may be missing that are usually printed on coins. These can fetch you some serious money, such as this boxed 1983 ‘New Pence’ coin, on eBay for £1,050. Collectible 50p pieces are also big money makers, as certain designs are hard to come by. According to the Royal Mint, the 50p coin is the most collected in Britain. You can find a list of the rarest 50p coins in circulation here.

 

LEGO

LEGO is not something only millennials are likely to have stashed away, but specific sets can be worth hundreds, if not thousands of pounds. A brand new, rare LEGO Star Wars Darth Maul set can earn you a not-too-shabby £2,000 on eBay. Even used LEGO sets can get you £75 or more. A nice little earner if you have some LEGO you no longer need!

Certain pieces that people are missing may also be of great value. For example, a missing window, door or wheel of a car could fetch you a nice sum. LEGO figures may also be of interest to many buyers. Very rare figures can be sold for a staggering £3,672, such as this Superman Mini Figure still in the box.

You can read a helpful list of valuable LEGO figures here.

 

Video game consoles

Some consoles are rarer and more vintage than others, however even more recent consoles can bring you in some money. The Nintendo Wii only ceased production in 2017, however they are already selling online for £50 and over. Throw in any games you may have, and you could be making up to £100. Not too shabby. All millennials remember the Nintendo DS. They are still in production, but older models, such as this Red 3DS First Edition console could land you with an extra £70 in your bank account.

Older consoles, such as the Atari 2600 console could make you almost £1,000, and pre-owned Nintendo 64 consoles are being sold for a sweet £500 too. Not bad for a gaming device you likely haven’t used in 15 years.

 

Polly Pocket

Polly Pocket is a prime example of a toy most millennials will remember fondly. The tiny, (unsurprisingly) pocket-sized dolls provided hours of fun, and have seen an increase in their value in recent years. This is potentially due to the size of the dolls increasing steadily since gaming giant Mattel bought the brand in 1998.

Vintage, mint condition Polly Pockets, such as this 1992 Birthday Party Stamper, can be auctioned off for over one thousand pounds. Even used Polly Pockets are being bought for £25 to £50, which is a nice little earner, particularly if you have a few available to sell.

 

Comics

A favourite in the world of collector’s items, old comic books can sell for life-changing amounts of money. The first ever issue of Action Comics, which debuted renowned superhero Superman, was sold in 2011 for a breath-taking $2,161,000. This is almost £1.6 million.

Admittedly, most comics won’t leave you a millionaire, but many collectors are lying in wait, ready to snap up particular comic books. You may just have one in your home! Love Money provides a list of valuable comics you may own, ranging from £229 to £1,500.

The Comic Book Price Guide is a great website which can help you put a price on any comics you may own. Even if your comics are worth a few pounds each, you could sell them in bulk to make a little extra pocket money. Every penny helps, after all!

 

Pokémon cards

Arguably the most well-known and widely collected brand of cards in the world, Pokémon cards are still popular today. Plus, people are more than willing to pay big bucks, not only for rare cards, but particular cards they need to finish their collections. Millennials may have hundreds of these cards stashed away.

Full sets of cards can go for hundreds of pounds, and rare cards, particularly those that are holographic or gold-coated, can sell for even more. As recently as December 2020, a rare holographic Pokémon card in pristine condition, sold for a huge $45,100 (that’s £32,923!). Other cards, depending on their condition, rarity or even those with printing errors, could fetch you anywhere from £50 to £15,000.

Card Mavin is a great site which allows you to find the value of your Pokémon cards.

 

Lunch boxes

Yes, lunch boxes! You read it correctly. Again, this isn’t something that only millennials will have hiding in the loft. We all had one, a sturdy tin lunch box with our favourite cartoon character or superhero on the side. Surprisingly, they have become a widely cherished collectible. Vintage lunchboxes, in particular, could make you well over £100. Many don’t even need to be in mint condition to be sold for a nice sum of money.

Even this slightly beaten-up Vintage Beatles Metal Lunchbox is going for almost £150. Now that’s a nice bit of pocket money. Other lunchboxes, in better condition or those harder to come by, could fetch you even more pennies. This Popeye Lunchbox and Thermos Flask are on eBay for £826.29. Money for old rope – or in this case, old metal!

 

Action figures

All of us had action figures growing up, not just millennials. As with LEGO, Star Wars can earn you a nice sum when it comes to action figures. Similarly, GI Joe and GI Jane figurines are popular amongst collectors.

Of course, superheroes from the DC and Marvel universes have everlasting popularity. Super Mario is another popular figure, with these Super Mario Kart figurines reaching a mind-boggling £735 for two!

If you don’t have any particularly rare figures, you can sell them as a job lot. The price you charge, of course, depends on the amount you have and their condition.

 

Harry Potter books

We all have at least one of the immensely popular Harry Potter books in our homes. Some copies are worth a lot more than others for various reasons, including being a first or early edition, include spelling or formatting mistakes on certain pages and if yours is a hardback, then even better! The most valuable book by far, is the first in the series, Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone.

AbeBooks, a website which specialises in collectible and rare books, suggests some first edition Harry Potter books have sold for prices ranging from £28,850 to £39,700. Similarly, other books in the critically acclaimed series are worth up to £10,000. Some of the less valuable books are still worth up to £250, which is a nice sum of pocket money.

To help you work out whether your copy of Harry Potter is valuable, you can read a complete guide by AbeBooks here.

 

Magazines

We have all bought and read magazines from time to time, and you may have even kept a few copies over the years. Perhaps you particularly like the celebrity or singer on the cover, or even buy every copy of a certain magazine religiously. Early copies of Vogue and Life magazines often sell for £20 to £30 a copy, which is a nice mark up from the £1 or £2 the were likely bought for.

Rare and extremely valuable, is the first ever issue of Playboy, which featured Marylin Monroe on the cover. According to Nostomania, this could be worth up to a huge $635,000 (£462,035). Although it’s unlikely you have this particular magazine, it just goes to show how much money collectors are willing to spend for the right magazine.

Crazy About Magazines is a useful website, which lists hundreds of magazines for sale. It is a good guide for how much you should list your magazines for when selling them.

 

Royal family memorabilia

Again, this item is not limited to millennials only. The commemorative royal wedding mug you bought decades ago may well have been collecting dust in your attic, but it could actually be worth a decent sum of money. There are collectors in every corner of the globe who are passionate about the royal family and are eager to get their hands on your regal trinkets.

Your souvenir poster, plate, mugs or brooch may be of value. Although it is rare you will make thousands from souvenir memorabilia, many items commemorating weddings or jubilees could get you £25 to £50 online, depending on their condition and rarity. Items featuring Princess Diana are particularly popular.

If you are lucky enough to own vintage or signed photographs of the royal family, or even old documents, then it is a different story. This signed portrait of Princess Diana sold for $9,782, approximately £7,1118. You never know, you may have something valuable stashed away!

 

Furbies

Another childhood staple for all millennials – the Furby. Whether you loved them, or found them absolutely terrifying, they were all the rage in the late 1990s and early noughties, and they could now make you big bucks. If your Furby was stashed away in the loft after barely being used, you may be in luck. Furbies in good condition, which were scarcely used back in the day, could earn you a few hundred pounds, according to this listing on eBay.

Even used Furbies can be sold for up to £30. Not too bad of a price, especially if you’re eager to get rid of it. You may even have a limited edition Furby. In which case, even those in less than pristine condition could fetch you some money.

If you are unsure whether your Furby is anything of value, check out the Furby price guide on World Collectors Net.

 

Happy Meal toys

McDonald’s Happy Meals bring a certain nostalgia to many millennials. In particular, the excitement felt when receiving a toy with your chicken nuggets comes rushing back. Believe it or not, some people actually collect these toys. The older they are, the better, and certain releases are highly sought after.

As discussed previously, Beanie Babies are hugely collectible, and the same goes for the ‘Teenie Beanie Boos’ collection, released in the year 2000. They aren’t worth as much individually, but if you happen to have a couple, you could be looking at an extra £325 entering your bank account.

More recently, in 2013, the minions of the Despicable Me films took over the Happy Meals. There were 12 to collect, and recent sales totalled around £25 per minion. If you happen to have the whole collection, that’s a brilliant £300 in your pocket!

 

Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards

Much like Pokémon cards, all millennials remember Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards gracing the playground. The trading card game was a hit amongst kids in the early 2000s and collectors are still eager to snap them up today.

As with many other items on this list, the value of these cards depends on their condition, the date of print and their rarity. Although most cards will sell for only £5 to £25, if you have a stack of them, you could easily make some change for your rainy-day fund. However, it is important to check your deck closely, as you may be in possession of a rare or early edition card.

Previously, such cards have been sold for prices ranging between £720 and £5,000. In one case, a seller was asking for an eye-watering $10 million (£7.27 million) for a one-of-a-kind card. It is rumoured they ultimately let the card exchange hands for a cool $2 million (£1.45 million). You never know what you may have in your loft!

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Here’s How To Earn A Lot More In Your Career

Reading Time: 6 mins

Are you keen to earn more in your career? If so, then you need to ensure that you are making the right decisions. There are numerous ways that you can ensure that you can earn more in your career. This could include pursuing a potential promotion or perhaps learning how to find the right opportunities on the market. The key here is understanding what you are worth and having clear goals that are attainable. This could include specific financial points as well as a roadmap to reaching them. 

• Choose the right sectors and roles
• Get a promotion
• Build your brand
• Know what you’re worth
• Incentives
• Explore the market
• Side hustle

 

Choose The Right Sectors And Roles

First, you need to be aware of the right roles and sectors that you should be exploring. It’s easy to find resources online that will provide the right guidance here. You need to make sure that you are concentrating on discovering the roles that pay the most money. The top options worth exploring would be business management, law, and medicine. Be aware that working in these sectors doesn’t guarantee that you will earn a lot of money in your role. Instead, you need to make sure that you are choosing the right position. The good news is that this isn’t that hard to do. For instance, if you are a top lawyer, you could earn hundreds every hour. 

Some sectors have the potential for big earnings but you’ll start quite small and build your way up. An example to consider here would be journalism. Journalists get paid next to nothing when they start but it could still be a career worth exploring due to the level of growth available. You just need to understand how to grab a promotion. 

 

Win A Promotion

So, how do you win a promotion? Well, there are a few ways that you can do this. One of the first is to show that you are committed to giving everything that you have to a business. This means that you shouldn’t be afraid to go the extra mile and put the extra hours in. Most employers will notice this level of commitment and they are also going to reward you for that. You also need to focus on ensuring that you are better suited for greater roles. 

One of the ways that you can do this is by not passing up training opportunities that come your way. There are always going to be courses and options throughout the year that you can use to your advantage. This means that you’re more likely to be handed greater responsibilities in a company. Eventually, that will lead to you securing a higher position because you’re more useful to the owner of a business. They will recognize your worth and how they can use it to their advantage. 

Of course, you also have to be prepared to ace that promotion interview. A promotion will never be handed to you. You need to impress at the interview, even if you are working for a company. 

 

Build Your Brand 

Next, you should consider how you can build up your brand. This is about winning your dream career if you’re not already part of a major company. The first step to building up your brand is always going to be working on your qualifications. You need to make sure that you have the right qualifications for the position that you want to claim on the market. For instance, a graduate certificate in finance can open a lot of doors in the financial market. 

As well as working on your qualifications, you should think about building up your experience as well. A common complaint on the job market right now is that a lot of new workers are simply far too green. They don’t have enough experience to hold their own in a managerial position. This makes them weaker as potential hires in general and it also means that they are unlikely to be chosen for promotions in a business. If you are young, you should even consider unpaid positions for the right company, if it gives you high levels of experience. 

 

Know What You’re Worth 

It’s always important to know what you are worth. There’s going to be a little haggle when it comes to whether you accept or pass on a business opportunity that exists on the market. Employers expect you to fight back a little on the first figure they offer. Particularly if you are pursuing what could be considered a critical position or role. That’s why understanding your worth is important. It will mean that you know what figure to start with and how to progress from there. 

This isn’t the only benefit of knowing your worth of course. You can also guarantee that you don’t fall for positions that aren’t paying nearly as much as they should. Research shows that a lot of people on the job market today are significantly underpaid. You should never feel as though you have to take a job that is going to pay significantly less than you are worth. 

You should start by checking resources online. This will provide information about the average pay for key roles that you might be considering taking on. Once you have explored resources like this, you can think about researching different companies to find out exactly how much their team members get paid. 

 

Recognize The Value Of Incentives 

You might also want to be aware of the value of incentives. Incentives are a key part of any job offer. A lot of the time businesses will be forced to offer incentives to ensure that they can gain the attention of the best employees on the market. You need to understand that the best employees always have other options. There are always more paths that they can follow. 

In terms of how incentives work, they can be the reason for a pay level that is significantly less than you might expect. The reason for this is that the incentives can be part of the pay. When factored in, incentives can also mean that you are getting paid more than the average. For instance, the best incentives might include options like company care. Or, they could provide options such as health insurance. Things like health insurance are always going to be highly valuable to employees. They want to make sure that they can get the most from a business that benefits their families. Pension schemes can also be more beneficial compared to a significantly high level of pay, in the long term. 

 

Explore The Market The Right Way

It’s also important to explore the job market the right way. Be aware that a lot of high-paid jobs aren’t marketed in a typical fashion. They might not even be fully advertised on the market. Instead, it’s more likely that the employers will use recruitment agencies to find the right people for the job. There’s no harm here but you could benefit by signing up for a recruitment agency yourself. These can essentially act as gatekeepers on the market and are well worth exploring, even if there is an attached cost. 

You also need to make sure that you are active on social media. If you are active on social media, then it’s going to be easier to gain attention from employers. A lot of employers do use social media as a key tool to find people to fill the top positions in their company. LinkedIn is definitely one of the options to focus on but Twitter can be great for attracting the right attention as well. 

 

Get Your Side Hustle On 

Finally, you need to think about establishing a secondary income. Experts agree that regardless of how much you are earning with your primary income, a secondary income will always be in your best interest. It will mean that you can give yourself the extra cushion of cash that you need. A second income can be tied to your current business career or it can be completely separate. This will depend completely on your situation. 

For instance, you might want to think about using your weekends to earn your side hustle. You could do this by tutoring in a subject where you have a lot of knowledge. Alternatively, you might want to think about exploring passive side hustles instead. One example of a passive income that would suit you would be stock. Stock market options are great because they mean that you can earn even if you inject just a little money each month. If you explore penny stocks, you can take advantage of low risks with the potential for massive returns. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the key ways that you can earn more in your career over time. If you make the right decisions, you will be able to guarantee that you do get what you deserve from any roles that you choose to take on. You can also guarantee that you aren’t left struggling in roles that are paying you nowhere near what they should be based on your skill and experience. 

 

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence.

The post Here’s How To Earn A Lot More In Your Career appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Four Easy Ways to Increase Your Income

Reading Time: 4 mins

Managing a household can be tricky, especially when expenses keep mounting. While we often seek ways to save money, we can actually increase our income in certain ways too.

More than 50% of adults in the UK started 2021 owing debt. The average amount of debt per person is over £9,000 so ways to earn cash are welcomed.

This article aims to help you boost the money coming in, so you can manage better, or put some aside. These four ideas should help you add to your monthly income, without having to invest too much extra time.

• Paid online surveys
• Cashback
• Sell items
• Refer a friend

 

Paid Online Surveys

Every single brand is interested in their customers opinions. It helps them to formulate new products and services, as well as improve their old ones.

This is why paid surveys exist, so that brands can reach out and discover consumer’s habits and desires. The good news is that they don’t even expect this information for free.

You can be paid for sharing your opinions, you just need to decide where you’re going to share them. Earnings range from about 0.50p per survey up to £5, but you can find even more lucrative surveys.

Check out:

• i-Say – this is one of the top paying sites where you get vouchers for high street retailers like Argos
• Swagbucks – daily polls and watching videos earns you points that convert to Amazon vouchers
• Toluna – earn points to get PayPal cash
• Valued Opinions – £1 – £5 per survey, usually 15 – 20 minutes per survey
• Panelbase – a wide range of topics, pays into your bank or vouchers
• Curious Cat – earn just £1 before pay out, can earn upwards of £30 per month

 

Get Cashback When Shopping

Signing up to a cash back site can earn you some good rewards, particularly when shopping for bigger household items. A cash back site is a third party that you can usually join for free and get rewards from online stores.

Sign up, add the cash back site to your search bar and you’ll be notified of special offers while shopping. You can also get the store’s own points, so it’s a double win.

The main cash back sites that are popular with UK customers are:

• Quidco – sign up bonuses and from 1% – 10% on purchases
• TopCashback – established since 2005, over 5,000 partner brands
• Boom25 – every 25^th customer gets a full refund on their shopping
• OhMyDosh – great for buying clothing

These cash back sites also offer prizes and rewards, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for their special offers. Always check reviews of a cash back site before signing up, as there are many out there.

 

Sell Your Unused Items on eBay

There are many benefits to selling your unused items on eBay. Everyone has clutter or items they won’t use any more at home but someone else could use those items!

If you’re struggling to decide what to sell, think of the following:

• Anything that hasn’t been worn in a year
• Items still in their packaging – these will get more money
• Branded items – is it designer? Selling it will gain a few pounds
• Faulty electrical items – some people know how to fix them
• Vintage clothing – your old ACDC t-shirt, or Doc Martens
• Almost anything – one person’s trash is another one’s treasure

Ebay now has a scanner so anything with a barcode you can see how much similar items are selling for. Simply download the app to your phone and use the camera to scan the items.

Look out for ‘Sell for £X’ weekends and promos where your sales fees will be limited on all items. This is a way to earn even more on each product you have for sale.

You can make a steady side income selling on eBay once you get organized. Get familiar with the words used, such as BN (brand new) and VTG (vintage) and you’ll have goods flying out.

It’s exciting seeing the numbers go up on an item, but don’t spend too much time watching it.

 

Refer a Friend Schemes

You can earn extra money by referring friends and family to products and services that you like. You can get this on everything from energy providers to holidays.

What’s brilliant is that you can earn cash, while you’re earning cash, as sites such as Quidco and TopCashback provide referral bonuses. You get £10 – £20 when a friend signs up and sometimes they get a bonus too.

Here are some popular retailers and service providers who offer referral schemes:

• Ocado – the online supermarket offers £20 for every friend you refer
• Swagbucks – surveys and polls site where you get 10% of your friend’s earnings forever when they sign up
• Vodafone – Refer a friend to Home Broadband and get £25 gift card
• Virgin Media – Both you and your friend will get £50 when you refer them

 

Happy Earning

Now you’ve found some extra ways to earn money, you can start right away. Put a dent in your debt, or simply pop some aside for something special.

All of these options have regular deals too, so as well as earning more you can get extra rewards.

 

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence.

The post Four Easy Ways to Increase Your Income appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Top 5 Small Business Ideas for 2021

Reading Time: 4 mins

If this year you have become determined to start your business and make the most of it, then you’d better consider something that will not shut down abruptly due to the pandemic situation in the world. Meaning, you have got to consider things that you might be successful growing online, especially when the reach is almost borderless.

Maybe you already have an idea of what business route to take and what niche is awaiting for your craft, or you have a general vision and are seeking a bit of a detailed plan. One way or another, this information may provide you with some handy ideas of how to build up a small, but solid business in 2021.

• Sales
• IT services
• Coaching and teaching
• Writing
• Financial consulting

 

Sales

To sell something online is a top thing to do. Whether you have your own goods to sell, or you are on friendly terms with dropshipping, running an e-store is always a good idea in terms of entrepreneurship. Of course, you might want to make sure you have a certain knowledge base in marketing, a digital one in particular.

No business can happen without people having an interest in it. Therefore, when thinking about selling things, learn about the audience that will want to buy from you. Having a clear picture of the targeted clientele segment helps you figure out what the best approaches are to entice and nurture them throughout every stage of their buying journey. Be mindful about smart social media presence, and how to use those channels for the greatest benefit of your online store.

 

IT services

Having expertise in the IT field is big-time beneficial for developing a solid business. Whether you can offer your services in developing the website, or help with developing the brand identity to enhance the message to the world, you will always have a chance to grow both professionally, financially, and probably establish a high-profile IT company.

Do not get discouraged with the free graphic design software, or resources to develop websites from scratch with features just enough to satisfy certain web needs. Sometimes the fresh vision of a specialist who can potentially become a customer in the future is appreciated and needed. Ready-made templates may not always guarantee that.

 

Coaching and teaching

If you have a skill or several, and you think people will benefit from acquiring them and implementing them to make their lives better, why not share? Start small, build your community, offer free tips on how certain things work, provide some guidelines for free, etc. Never be afraid to give stuff away, there will always be the need to learn more, or clarify from a different angle. You must find ways to entice people into learning from you by providing them with a high-quality base that will demonstrate what to expect from you.

Do not fall into a trap of being afraid to teach something that is already being taught by so many other experts in the area. Follow the principle that says one book does not teach all, as well as one teacher, or coach, will not satisfy every person. One and the same idea gets to be comprehended differently depending on who delivers it. You may be the one that a certain audience will find the most comprehensive for the skill you have mastered. Competition is usually a healthy thing for any business to be done successfully and grow exponentially. It is in our genes to compete and better the stuff we do. Do not fear it, befriend it, and find the most optimal ways to leave your competitors behind.

 

Writing

Copywriting, creative writing, scriptwriting, description writing, and oh so many other purposes of writing. Great copy can sell, can attract leads, and provoke further interest. Therefore, it looks like a great idea for a writing business launch. If you have already embarked on the writing journey, and are planning on going further with it, it might be the best time to do so.

Advertise your work through social media channels, create a blog, make a decent profile to present to clients what you are capable of. In the beginning, you can start solo and then proceed with inviting people to join your writing services agency. The gist is that writing indeed has the potential to be transformed into a profitable business.

 

Financial consulting

If you are a financial wizard and feel like you have gained enough resources and experience to offer your financial services to private entrepreneurs or corporate clients then do so. Not to sound too materialistic, but everything is about money. Not a single business can be well without having money under strict control. Bookkeeping, tax return preparation, payroll services for employees, etc may not be done as efficiently as it would be done hiring a financial specialist, or team of such. Think of the idea and, possessing a skill, develop your business.

 

Conclusion

Small business in 2021 may not be pertaining to online services solely, however, to feel a bit more secure about time and resources invested, make sure that there is still an option for you to have your business done via the internet.

 

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence.

 

 

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Industries in desperate need of workers

Reading Time: 6 mins

Between Brexit and the pandemic, certain industries have lost hundreds of workers. Whether people left the UK as a result of the decision to leave the EU or they are having to isolate, there is a serious staff shortage in certain sectors.

In May 2021, job vacancies reached their highest level since before the pandemic. There are currently over 1.1 million vacancies, a 31-month high. As restrictions lift and certain sectors open back up, businesses are beginning to hire once more. Surprisingly, however, research shows one in 20 jobseekers are unable to find work.

So, where have all the workers gone?

As previously mentioned, many workers have left the country as the result of the UK leaving the EU. The recent ‘pingdemic’ is also a factor.  ‘Pingdemic’ refers to the high number of people being ‘pinged’ by the NHS Covid-19 app, telling them to self-isolate. In the week from 14^th to the 21^st July 2021, nearly 700,000 covid-19 app users were pinged. This is a record high.

This has increased the number of staff having to miss work. In some cases, businesses have been forced to close due to the number of workers being told to isolate.

Now is your time to snap up a job. Whether you’re unemployed, looking to move sectors or in search of something new, now is the time to go job hunting. Here’s a list of some of the industries looking to recruit.

• HGV and lorry drivers
• Supermarkets
• Hospitality
• Care sector
• Construction

 

HGV and lorry drivers

The Road Haulage Association suggests the shortage of HGV and lorry drivers is reaching ‘crisis point’, with a loss of approximately 100,000 workers since the pandemic began. It is estimated 60,000 of these workers returned to their home countries in the EU due to Covid-19 travel restrictions and the uncertainty of Brexit.

Recently, Tesco had to cancel many online orders due to a reduced number of delivery drivers. Asda has also suffered as the result of staff shortages, with empty shelves the result of supply chain blockages due to reduced lorry drivers.

Both Tesco and Asda are now calling out for new recruits, offering a sign-up bonus of £1,000 to HGV drivers. They join logistics organisations in calling for the government to tackle the labour crisis. It is thought the shortages will peak by the end of August, due to remaining lorry drivers taking summer breaks.

Arla, one of the biggest dairy providers, admitted they were unable to deliver milk to a quarter of UK supermarkets at the end of July. Sainsbury’s was deeply impacted by reduced dairy deliveries, with many of the shelves empty in milk and dairy sections of the supermarket. A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said they are “working hard to ensure customers can find everything they need”.

One of the largest business groups in the country, Logistics UK has urged a call to action from the government. They have pressed for more incentives from the government to aid in the recruitment process for HGV and lorry drivers.

You can find HGV and lorry driver vacancies on the Asda and Tesco websites.

 

Supermarkets

Empty supermarket shelves are in part due to reduced numbers of lorry drivers, but also due to reduced numbers of staff in the supermarkets themselves. According to the BBC, approximately 35,000 supermarket workers are needed across the UK.

The managing director of Iceland supermarkets recently tweeted that covid-19 related absences were growing exponentially week by week, even suggesting within a few weeks, they would be at the highest they had ever been. Absences are 400% higher than a month ago due to rising cases of coronavirus and people being forced to isolate. Iceland are currently looking to recruit an extra 2,000 workers.

Marks and Spencer supermarkets are also feeling the strain, suggesting opening hours may need to be reduced due to low staff numbers. Tesco are looking to hire a whopping 20,000 temporary staff. Asda are looking to fill 5,000 temporary roles also and are helping in hiring those whose jobs have been impacted or lost due to the virus.

Not surprisingly, supermarket giant Aldi are also in search of 5,000 temporary staff and 4,000 permanent staff. This is in an attempt to mitigate the effects of the disrupted workforce. Morrisons and Lidl are following suit, both hiring thousands of new recruits across the UK.

You can search for supermarket roles on Indeed and Reed.

 

Hospitality

Pub, café and restaurant workers have been hit particularly hard by the ‘pingdemic’. Greene King, a huge chain of pubs across the UK, announced the temporary closure of 33 pubs in July due to the huge number of workers being told to isolate.

Many chains are offering their staff perks as a way to encourage new recruits. Steak house giant Hawksmoor are offering staff rewards of up to £2,000 for recommending friends and family to join their workforce.

Mitchells and Butlers, the company who own huge names such as Harvester, Miller and Carter, and Toby Carvery are struggling to recruit workers. They suggest the reasons for this include EU workers returning home, and national lockdowns causing people to find work outside of the hospitality industry.

This has been an ongoing problem for the hospitality industry as the result of stop and start lockdowns. In May, the number of vacancies in hospitality was at an all-time high. More than 70,000 roles in hospitality were advertised online for 9 consecutive weeks between May and August. Chefs, in particular, are in high demand. As of August 1st 2021, there were over 42,000 vacancies for chefs.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of job search engine Adzuna has suggested the ‘pingdemic’ is hugely to blame for this. He also stated many people are still on furlough, as well as some workers being concerned about returning to work due to Covid. Hunter further supported the idea that there are fewer EU workers filling positions.

You can search for vacancies in hospitality on Adzuna.

 

Care Sector

Care home company HC One are offering huge welcome bonuses of up to £10,000 for registered night-time care nurses. This is due in part to covid, but also as the result of losing many EU citizens due to Brexit. The private care sector has been hit particularly hard.

Other care groups are offering a decent sum to incentivise people to sign up for care roles. The Priory Group and Elysium Healthcare are offering registered nurses welcome bonuses of £5,000, in a bid to encourage new recruits.

According to care company Blue Leaf, vacancies in the care sector are the highest they have ever been. They also suggested the uncertainty of Brexit has impacted the social care industry greatly. In London, one in seven care workers are from the EU. The referendum result led many EU nationals to feel unwelcome living and working in the UK, with the number of overseas workers reducing by 134,000 in the year between 2017 and 2018 alone.

Care provider Independent Care Group (ICG) has called on the government to help. As of 29th July, there were over 100,000 vacancies in the care sector. ICG note the ageing population and the rising number of people being admitted into care as another reason for the strain on care homes.

Additionally, care providers argue plans to make the Covid-19 vaccine mandatory for care home workers are putting off potential recruits. A commentary by the BMJ suggests the care sector will need half a million new recruits over the next decade in order for the industry to remain sustainable. However, if the 13% of unvaccinated care workers were to leave the profession due to the vaccine mandate, the care industry would suffer hugely.

You can browse care roles on Skills For Care and the NHS website.

 

Construction

Between 2017 and 2020, there was a 42% fall in EU-born workers in the construction sector, according to the Financial Times. This is a huge loss for the industry. Construction companies are now calling for urgent steps to be taken to mitigate the looming consequences of reduced workforces.

Such consequences include housing projects being slowed dramatically. A shortage of key building materials, such as timber, again linked to the reduced number of HGV and lorry drivers, is also being blamed for the slowing of building work.

The Guardian recently stated two-thirds of construction businesses said they had to wait longer for the delivery of materials, blaming post-Brexit friction and congestion at ports. Additionally, rising prices of raw materials has impacted the industry.

Richard Harpin, the chief executive of Checkatrade, says there is a shortage of skilled workers in the field. He also added the loss of EU-born workers had deeply impacted the industry.

In May, the demand for construction workers and labourers was at it’s highest for 23 years. However, the number of construction workers in the industry declined at the fastest rate since 2017. An increased demand lack of supply has impacted the construction sector deeply, with smaller businesses being harmed most.

You can find construction roles at Careers In Construction and Indeed.

The post Industries in desperate need of workers appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Roamler: the mobile side hustle you’ve been looking for

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Ever wondered how you can make money with your smartphone? It’s easier than you think! Roamler is a free mobile app that provides you with the opportunity to perform quick tasks in shops, supermarkets, bars, restaurants and many more places, that will grant you extra pocket money for your day-to-day expenses.

• Perform tasks when and wherever you want
• Mystery shopping, product checks and merchandising
• The Roamler App
• Roamler’s technical tasks

 

Perform tasks when and wherever you want

With Roamler you can perform paid tasks when, where and how often you want, without any further obligations. The Roamler app is filled 24/7 with tasks for different FMCG brands, such as Red Bull, Unilever and Procter and Gamble. Participants can browse through the tasks, accept and perform them on their own terms, fitting it into their personal schedules. The app is used to collect information and photos about in-store situations for brands that require certain insights, and by collecting this data through the Roamler app, participants earn a monetary reward. Tasks can be performed all day long, in the evening, on the weekends and even during public holidays.

 

Mystery shopping, product checks and merchandising

You might be asked to check if certain products or promotions are available in store, to act as mystery shopper, or even to build branded displays on the shopfloor. But also tasks where you are invited to test new products or taste a meal are present in the app. The variety of tasks is wide, just like the difficulty level of the tasks. A participant is paid according to difficulty level and time spent on location. Being fully in charge of your own schedule, you can earn up to hundreds of pounds a week.

 

The Roamler app

The Roamler app can be downloaded for free through the App– or Playstore and is for anyone with an interest in finding a legitimate, safe way to earn some extra money. The app is GPS-oriented, which means that participants will only see available tasks in their proximity. Payment is done on the spot; once a submitted task has been manually checked by an internal team of reviewers, the participant immediately gets the reward transferred onto their Roamler balance, which can be paid-out to a personal PayPal account at any given day or time.

 

How to get started?

Easy! All you need to do is download the Roamler app and use the activation code MoneyMagpie2021 while registering. This will grant you immediate access to the Roamler app. After two explanatory training tasks to get accustomed to Roamler’s jargon, you can get started with performing your first paid tasks right away.

 

Roamler’s technical tasks

Interested in the concept but are mystery shopping and product checks just not for you? Roamler is also active in another market — the technical installations market. They have both skilled and unskilled installers that work across multiple contracts. If you are an independent professional with a technical background, or even if you don’t have technical experience but have a profound technical interest, then this might be a nice opportunity for you. Leave your contact details in this form, and someone from the UK Roamler team will contact you shortly.

Want to learn more? Check the Roamler website for more information. Becoming a Roamler right away? Don’t forget to use the activation code MoneyMagpie2021 while registering. Join the UK Roamler community today!

 

Disclaimer: This is a paid article from Roamler.com

The post Roamler: the mobile side hustle you’ve been looking for appeared first on MoneyMagpie.