Hardship Grants Available: January 2022

Reading Time: 2 mins

People often start googling terms such as “get money now” and “get money quick”, and read our many suggestions for often fun ways to make quick cash. However, one thing a lot of people aren’t fully aware of is that there are hardship grants available when times are hard.

It is a priority at MoneyMagpie for us to round these up for our readers and help you get on your feet again.

• National Hardship Grants
• Regional Hardship Grants
• Family Hardship Grants

 

National Hardship Grants:

Glasspool

Glasspool provide grants to UK residents, there are no restrictions on who they give these to, but they are not able to support everyone who applies. They may provide a small grant for household items and essentials, including but not limited to: beds and bedding, school uniforms, cookers and baby essentials. Access more information here.

 

Regional Hardship Grants:

Catholic Children’s Society (Plymouth)

The CCS aims to relieve the urgent needs of families by providing them with essential goods that they may not be able to purchase themselves for a variety of reasons. A grant can be awarded for white goods, bedding and clothing among other things. More information is available here.

Emily Bolitho Trust

The trust provides grants of up to £500 to support the wellbeing of individuals living within the old borough of Penzance. They support individuals faced with hardship through poor health or low income. They are offered for many items, from white goods to safety equipment. It has a rolling deadline and more information can be found here.

Cornwall Rural Community Charity

The CRCC provides several different types of grant based on the individuals’ needs. For example, the Carers Resilience Enablement Grant provides aid in unforeseen circumstances that prevent unpaid carers from fulfilling their role. This could range from replacing equipment to respite care. For more information follow the link here.

 

Family Hardship Grants

Family Fund

UK Charity Family Fund provides assistance to families with disabled children. Grants have been given out for a range of items from sensory toys, family breaks, outdoor play equipment, clothing and more. Their aim is to support families and make a real difference.  The deadline for applications is ongoing and more information can be found here.

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5 Free, Creative Ways to Boost Productivity

Reading Time: 4 mins

“How can I be more productive? Are there any free ways to boost my productivity?”

These questions have haunted mankind since the dawn of time. Plato once said, “Better a little which is well done than a great deal imperfectly.” But, when we think of productivity, is it the number of things we can get done? Or is the quality of whatever we’re doing? Maybe it can be both if we think a little outside the box.

With that in mind, we’re covering a few seemingly unconventional but well-researched ways to improve productivity – some of which you might not have considered before. Let’s take a look…

 

1.  Take a Break

This is one of the more obvious tips on this list. But, nonetheless, it’s essential, so it’s worth mentioning.

A comprehensive analysis showed that taking frequent short breaks increased the ability to perform workplace tasks and enhanced employee well-being. This same study indicated that our mental and physical abilities become impaired throughout the workday. Resulting in poorer problem-solving skills, increased emotional strain, and the physical completion of tasks becomes much slower.

The research suggests that employees need regular intervals of ‘recovery’ to remedy these issues. That way, our bodies’ physical and mental processes at work have time to return to their base levels.

 

2.  Quit Multitasking

Controversial, we know.

In today’s working environment and even in our daily lives, we’re expected to juggle a multitude of tasks and complete them with the same level of efficiency as if we were only attending to one job.

The idea behind multitasking is that if you do multiple things at once, they somehow get done faster. But is this really the case? Are we more productive when we do more than one thing at a time?

A recent study concluded: “Multitasking led to reduced performance and increased levels of subjective strain.” In fact, it was found that multitaskers in this review were more prone to error, performed individual tasks much slower, and experienced increased stress levels. While the research did find that in the case of virtual meetings, multitasking could generate positive results. This is likely more indicative of the ability to conduct work while giving the appearance of attentiveness in virtual meetings, rather than the amount of work actually produced.

In short, if you want better results, stick to one thing at a time.

 

3.  Play Card Games

Yes, you read that right.

Studies have linked playing games to the development of higher-order thinking skills. In fact, researchers have shown that games can help improve otherwise underutilized skills, which, in turn, can enhance productivity. A more specific example is boosting arithmetic skills with spider solitaire.

Brilliant minds including Bill Gates have enjoyed playing strategy games for years, from Minesweeper to solitaire. He even used to sneak into a colleague’s office to play his brain empowering games.

 

4.  Take a Nap

So you have a pile of work you need to get through; what better way to do it than taking a quick nap? Seems counterintuitive, right?

However, according to research, this isn’t the case. Productivity literature suggests that strategic naps can promote performance and alertness. The study found that naps of 30 minutes or less could increase performance and promote wakefulness, making participants more receptive to new information.

In fact, after an analysis found that the impact of sleep-deprived workers cost the US economy $411bn a year, many employers now encourage napping at the workplace. For instance, you’ll find nap rooms in many big-name offices, including Ben and Jerry’s, Google, and Nike.

 

5.  Exercise (but not at the costly gym)

If you’re feeling sluggish and run-down, and that’s why you’re searching for productivity tips, hitting the gym is likely the furthest thing from your mind. Yet, exercise can improve productivity and workability.

Interestingly, in one study, workers were encouraged to take regular exercise breaks during the workday. As a result, the results showed that workers enjoyed an enhanced sense of well-being and overall productivity improved. Further to this finding, another report on the productivity of workers performing manual jobs showed that participants who frequently exercised could work longer without the need for rest.

The moral of the story? Sporadically, get up and stretch your legs. Perhaps go for a walk around the block or a jog at lunchtime to get the blood pumping? You might be surprised at how much this helps improve your focus!

 

Are You Ready to Boost Your Productivity?

So what are the key takeaways from these unconventional productivity boosters? For one, playing a game of solitaire might actually make your work go a lot faster than you think! This isn’t just because taking regular breaks, and playing games, can increase your work performance and reduce fatigue. It’s also a great way to break up your day and add a bit of healthy self-competition to your daily routine. Not to mention, it could even sharpen your math skills.

But, if gaming isn’t your jam, let’s not forget our other productivity suggestions. As we discussed, cutting the hectic allure of multitasking can save you lots of time and probably improve the quality of your output. Lastly, exercise and sleep are always a must in terms of physical and mental health. Unsurprisingly, when you take care of your body, your workplace longevity and satisfaction are likely to see a boost too.

With all that said, we hope this has been informative on how to improve your overall productivity. Good luck!

The post 5 Free, Creative Ways to Boost Productivity appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Passive Income Ideas: Making Your Money Work for Your Financial Goals

Reading Time: 3 mins

It’s enticing to hear about earning money without having to work for it full time. That’s what passive income is. You don’t need to go to the office and do a nine-to-five routine to make money. You simply invest your money and let it work for you. 

However, passive income is not about zero work at all. It also takes an investment of your time, energy, and money. But you don’t need to grind round the clock. If you want to make your money work for you, here’s a list of Passive Income Ideas you must keep in mind. 

 

Dividend Stocks

If you own stocks, you’ll earn money through dividends. You can make a stable income through dividends because there are companies that pay regular dividends. It’s especially true if you accumulate plenty of shares over time.

As long as your dividend stocks are generating money and appreciating, it’s a wise option to invest in these dividend-paying stocks. Just make sure that you understand the risks of investing in dividend stocks. 

Stocks that generate high dividends can be risky because the company might be paying a significant part of its earnings to investors instead of expanding the company. It’s also crucial to consider market crashes that can cause your investment to dry up overnight.

 

Passive Real Estate Investing

Some companies provide opportunities for investors who want to put their money into residential and commercial real estate projects without getting their hands on daily management. For instance, you can invest your $500 in a private real estate investment trust and let your money yield income. 

Choose a company that targets low-risk real estate projects like multi-family housing that require an inflow of cash to spend on minor repairs or upgrades. After the completion of minor renovations, the property increases in value and that means a favorable return on your investment. 

 

Long-Term Index Fund

People who have faith in the continued growth of the global economy and have the patience to build a long-term investment that yields stable passive income should try index investing. 

A long-term index fund is composed of different assets. Some long-term index funds are broad, such as total market index funds that own several stores on the stock market. Others are more focused on a particular sector of the stock market. 

Long-term index funds are low-risk because of the diversified assets and minimal costs thanks to simple rules of asset ownership. It’s an excellent way to grow your investment portfolio, and the profits it yields can be a good source of passive income. 

 

Peer-to-Peer Lending

Peer-to-peer lending is also a great source of passive income. Some P2P lending platforms allow investors to put their money in different types of loans. It means you lend your money to folks who need funding. Your return on investment and risk exposure will depend on the types of loans you choose. 

You can invest as little as $30 in a single loan, and this amount is pooled in with other money invested by other investors to complete the whole loan amount to be borrowed. You can choose to invest more, but it’s a smart move to invest little amounts in different loans to minimize risk. 

You can receive income passively through the repayments of the borrowers. As a lender, you get the principal and the interest. After you’ve collected your investment plus earnings, you can opt to cash out or reinvest them in new loans. 

 

Alternative Investments

Investing in real estate projects and stocks involve a significant risk because of market volatility. That’s why it’s not surprising that investors are putting their money on alternative assets, such as private equity, hedge funds, and commodities like luxury watches and geeky collectibles. 

The advantage of this type of investment is that it enables you to invest in unique asset classes. The disadvantage is that the regulations on investing in alternative assets are not that well-developed. 

 

High-Interest Savings Account

Opening a savings account in mainstream banks only serves as a protection of your money – not an investment. Major banks only pay a meager amount of interest (0.08% for most banks). So, when you deposit $100,000 in a major bank, it will only yield an interest of less than $100 annually.

Thanks to online banks, you can now open a high-interest savings account. Most high-interest savings accounts can pay you around 0.70% of interest annually. 

 

Takeaway

Investing your money in investments that allow you to earn a passive income is an excellent way to reach your financial goals. If you want to earn money without grinding yourself out, you can follow the passive income ideas mentioned in this blog article. 

Consider investing in dividend stocks, passive real estate investing, alternative assets, P2P lending, long-term index funds, and high-interest saving accounts. 

The post Passive Income Ideas: Making Your Money Work for Your Financial Goals appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Join Jasmine at the MoneyMagpie Christmas Day Party!

Reading Time: < 1 min

Spending Christmas alone?

Are you having to isolate away from family? Are you going to be alone on Christmas Day, or simply want a break from your family for a few hours?

Why not join our founder Jasmine Birtles on Christmas Day for the MoneyMagpie Christmas party?

From 4pm – 5:30pm on Zoom.

Come along for a chat, some good company, and even a special quiz – where there are no right or wrong answers!

SAVE YOUR SPOT NOW!

Happy Christmas from all of the team at MoneyMagpie

The post Join Jasmine at the MoneyMagpie Christmas Day Party! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

ALMOST HALF OF BRITS WORRIED ABOUT SHOPPING DUE TO COVID

Reading Time: 2 mins

Shopper numbers on the high street have fallen this Christmas, after the news of a new COVID-19 variant and new restrictions have emerged. A new survey conducted by online moving marketplace, Shift, has revealed the growing concerns of millions of Brits who want to reduce contact when shopping due to the pandemic.

Almost half of those surveyed (46%), said they are worried about the contact between the buyer and seller when purchasing gifts or products in the run up to Christmas 2021. There was also similar worry when it came to purchasing things in the future, even after the festive period.

This has resulted in increased demand for delivery services, which could continue to rise into 2022. These services are the perfect solution for those who want to reduce contact with others whilst out shopping. With other people handling the pick-up and delivery of goods, people’s minds are put to ease.

Whilst the country adjusts to rising cases of the Omicron variant, the numbers of shoppers on the high street in the run up to Christmas have plummeted across the country.

Those who are most anxious about minimising contact when out shopping were respondents aged 55 and above. Many suggested that with the Coronavirus pandemic still affecting the country, they would prefer a service which minimises contact. 40% of those ages 16-24 said the same.

So, it’s no surprise, then, that 47% of those surveyed said they were more likely to use a third-party delivery service such as Shift, to collect an item, in comparison to five years ago. Other factors which contributed to this likelihood include increased availability of delivery services and rising fuel costs.

• What the experts are saying
• About Shift

What the experts are saying

Neil Carroll, Head of Customer Service at Shift, said:

“With the Omicron variant transmission rates, a major concern for many people across the country, it’s not surprising that shoppers are concerned about the number of contacts they have to make when buying a product or a gift when out shopping this Christmas. This could be a trend we see in the future. Buyers continue to change their shopping habits due to the pandemic. They look for reliable and smarter ways to book pick-up and delivery of goods. This minimises the risk to their health and safety.

“Delivery services like Shift can help alleviate some of these worries. Customers can use Shift to order a person and van service on demand as efficiently and sustainably as possible using clever tech and algorithms. The Shifters will then pick up and deliver any item of choice saving customers a trip to the shops.”

 

About Shift

Shift was founded four years ago by tech entrepreneur Jacob Corlett. It offers an easy way to order a delivery person and van service. Previously, the logistics industry has revolved around manual processes. This can be an inefficient way to provide a delivery or removal service. Shift is on demand and efficient.

Instead of having people manually routing bookings, Shift uses tech and data to map out drivers and fleets’ existing schedules, finding ‘dead time’, and matching it up with people who need to move stuff – be that as a third-party delivery service for online marketplaces such as eBay and Gumtree, or Ikea, in which Shift can arrange items bought online to be moved from the seller to the buyer.

 

For more information on Shift or to book a delivery service, visit www.shift.online.

The post ALMOST HALF OF BRITS WORRIED ABOUT SHOPPING DUE TO COVID appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Mystery shopping: Become a mystery shopper and get paid to shop and eat out

Reading Time: 8 mins

Become a mystery shopper and get FREE meals in restaurants, FREE stays in hotels and FREE drinks in bars.

Many mystery shopping companies will provide you with different assignments depending on who their clients are. We show you here how to get mystery shopping jobs and bag lots of freebies as a mystery shopper.

• What is mystery shopping?
• Jasmine’s experience of mystery shopping
• In-store Opportunities
• Online Opportunities
• How to get involved as a mystery shopper
• A Money Magpie’s mystery shopping experience
• Find a mystery shopper job

 

What is mystery shopping?

Nowadays, all industry sectors employ mystery shoppers – retail, automotive, financial services, hospitality, property, call centres, public services, travel, and even the voluntary sector – so there’s a huge range of work available.

If you become a mystery shopper you could be enjoying a weekend break one month and phoning a call centre to complain about your gas bill the next.

You don’t need any formal qualifications to be a mystery shopper – but you do need to have good observational skills and a good memory.

Mystery shopping (sometimes known as secret shopping) has been around for 60 years and is now highly regulated in the UK. The Market Research Society has created a code of conduct, and standards are maintained by trade bodies such as the Mystery Shopping Providers Association.

Good part-time work

Mystery shopping is very flexible and not usually suitable as a full-time job, but it can be good to fit around other jobs in your life.

And remember that mystery shoppers count as self-employed, so you’ll need to declare your earnings to HMRC. Find out here about paying tax when you make extra money.

Want to get a FREE MoneyMagpie eBook about how to be a mystery shopper? Download it HERE…

 

Jasmine’s experience of mystery shopping

See here what Jasmine thinks about mystery shopping after her experiences of it.

Check out our bumper article on freebies and bag yourself even more free stuff.

 

In-store opportunities

Report-only mystery shopper

This is the most common option. You’ll be given a brief and a checklist of things to look out for. You need to follow your instructions (without letting anybody know you’re testing them), evaluate the response and then provide feedback, usually by way of an online questionnaire.

Covert video mystery shopper

This is specialist stuff and only for well-trained shoppers. Essentially, you’re given a brief; you enter the premises as a customer, and then you record the entire process using covert video cameras. Companies need clear pictures, so don’t go for this if you record your feet at family events!

Site inspection

For a site inspection, mystery shoppers may be asked to do one of two things. You may be asked to go to a store and buy specific items from a specific retailer. This is to ensure customers are getting what they pay for, as well as the availability of stock.

The mystery shopper may also be asked to interact with staff when searching for and purchasing their items. This is to check how staff interact with customers. You will then provide your feedback to the company conducting the mystery shopping.

Eating at restaurants

Getting paid to eat at restaurants? Sounds like the dream. This dream could become a reality for you if you take up mystery shopping, and could be a fun side hustle.

Multiple chain restaurants use mystery eaters to ensure their customers are getting brilliant food and even better service. They will pay you to go to their restaurants, have a meal and report back to them. In some cases, your meal will be paid for and in other cases, your meal will be covered and you will be paid for your time on top.

It is important to be aware that some agencies will offer you a fixed amount of money to eat at a restaurant. Remember, it may not be enough to cover the cost of the meal, so you will need to check beforehand.

watch films

As with restaurants, cinema chains want to ensure their customers are getting the best experience possible. So, if you’re an avid cinema-goer or movie buff, this may be the perfect job for you.

Not only will you be able to watch films for free, but agencies will often allow some cash for snacks and drinks. This allows you to interact with the staff, try the yummy goodies available to munch on whilst you watch the film.

You will be asked to review many things, from the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff, the availability of snacks, the prices and even the comfort of the seats. Your overall experience will be asked for. It is important to keep in mind that reviews can take time and agencies require detailed responses, so keep this in mind when you apply.

 

Online opportunities

Telephone mystery shopper

If you’re better at playing a role on the phone than in person, you might prefer this option – there’s plenty of work available. You’ll be given a company to call with a set of questions that a typical customer may have. Again, you’ll need to assess the response and provide feedback.

Postal monitoring

This one requires minimum effort. Your home address is simply used for receiving brochures and other promotional material. You return the items, and the content and speed of delivery is measured.

N.B. don’t be conned by ‘mystery shopping’ scams that get you to receive money into your bank account and then send most of it on to a foreign account to ‘test’ the money transfer company. These are totally bogus and should be avoided and, ideally, reported to Action Fraud. Be careful only to use the mystery shopping agencies we mention on MoneyMagpie so that you’re not scammed.

Email mystery shopping

You’ll be sending specific enquiries to websites and monitoring the speed and content of the response. Depending on your personality, writing emails is potentially much easier than talking to businesses in person or on the phone!

Again, you’ll need to assess and then pass on your findings.

giving your opinion online

It’s not mystery shopping as such, but giving your opinions about products or services through online survey companies is the same type of thing.

It’s another easy and quick way of making some extra cash in your spare time.

You have to be careful which online survey companies you join though. These are the ones that we like:

• Nielsen Online Panel
  
• InboxPounds
• The OpinionPanel Community
• Swagbucks
• LifePoints

Make sure you set up a separate email address before you sign up to any of these. Give this separate email address to them when they ask for contact details so that your usual inbox isn’t flooded with offers and ads (that’s one of the ways they make their money).

Find out more about online surveys and how to make the most money from them here.

 

How to get involved as a mystery shopper

Step 1: Find the right mystery shopping agency for you

Check out the list below and sign up with one of the many mystery shopping agencies on offer. It’s not a complete list, the full list of genuine agencies can be found in our mystery shopping eBook (which is absolutely free!)

Some specialise in specific industries, others are more general. You could try investigating the major department stores – Selfridges for example has its own mystery shopping panel.

Be sure to check out…

• ESA
• iShopFor Ipsos
• Grass Roots
• JKS Mystery Shopping
• Market Force

This list contains some of the better mystery shopping agencies in the UK. We have the complete list in our Mystery Shopping eBook.

Most of the agencies will get you to take a test before they’ll let you in. These can be quite tricky so you might have to do them a few times before getting them right. Don’t be put off though – persist!

If you want to find a company on your own…

• Make sure they’re based in the UK with a UK phone number and address.
• Don’t just put ‘mystery shopping’ into your search engine. All sorts of dodgy companies could come up.
• If you see a company you haven’t heard of before, put their name into the search bar and see what websites like ours say about them. Check the forums too as people who have had experience of them will say what they think.
• Make sure you keep an eye out for the small ads too. Local papers and recruitment agencies often carry mystery shopping adverts.
• You should be looking for the ones you’ll get the most out of, whether that’s the pay you receive for the jobs you do, or the freebies you get from the places you inspect.
• It should never cost you to join a company – they should be paying you for the work you do.

Step 2: Go out in the field

Once the agency accepts you, you can begin looking for jobs on their website.

You need to go and shop – or eat – or enjoy a show – but the main objective is to follow the guidelines exactly, without having the instructions in front of you.

You’ll need to report on products and services, which can include anything from aspects of the decor, cleanliness, atmosphere, how the staff deal with other customers, how many staff there are and what they’re all doing.

Most mystery shopping agencies ask that you don’t write notes or make what you’re doing obvious while you’re ‘on the job’, as it can affect the way you’re treated by the staff. The company’s main objective is to get an impartial experience.

Note that at time of writing, the UK is on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic and you should only be doing minimal shopping trips for essential groceries right now. You can however make a note of the in-person mystery shopping opportunities available and apply for them when life returns to normal!

Step 3: Report on your mystery shopping experience.

This will usually involve filling in an online questionnaire with short or longer answers about your experience as a customer.

You’ll receive payment/reimbursement after you’ve reported on your job, which you’ll ideally do within 24 hours of completing the task.

Pay rates differ from company to company and depend on the complexity of the work.

Generally, you can expect to earn £5 – £25 per task plus expenses (but as little as £1 – £5 for phone work).

 

A Money Magpie’s mystery shopping Experience

Our Publishing Editor, Marc Crosby, decided to join up to a mystery shopping agency to see just how easy it was to earn money. Here he tells us about the experience:

“I joined up to one of the online mystery shopping agencies and, after putting in a few details, was asked to do a mystery shop for a fast food chain in my local area. It didn’t take long to be offered the job and they were willing to pay £20 for completing it.

It really did feel like going undercover, little did the staff know I was watching their every move, mwahahaha…well, except, they probably did, because mystery shopping takes a little practice. I was told to note down how long it took from asking for my order to the meal being handed to me, which meant using my phone as a stopwatch. That’s easier said than done when you’re juggling your wallet around.

By the time the meal was handed to me and I’d fumbled for the ‘stop’ button, they probably knew what I was up to (which might explain why a member of staff held the door open for me as I left, wishing me a good day – not a normal procedure at fast food stores!) But, hey ho, good service and I gave a good score. All I needed to do was go back and quickly answer a few questions that took no longer than half an hour to complete.

I was paid within two weeks and was offered loads of mystery shopping work after. Honestly, it could have been a nice little earner if I had more time to do it.

So if you’re in doubt, I’d say give it a go. Mystery shopping really is quite easy money, plus the company usually pays for your food/item, so that’s another bonus!”

Whatever you do, don’t miss our number one article 10 easy ways to make quick cash – featuring the very best money makers around including mystery shopping!

The post Mystery shopping: Become a mystery shopper and get paid to shop and eat out appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

How to Earn Money with Stock Photography

Reading Time: 4 mins

It’s a luxury to make money doing what you love. When it comes to stock photography, you can make an income and express your creativity at the same time.

Have you ever considered it? Stock photography is often seen as a hobby, but it can actually be a worthy source of income, even if you are an aspiring photographer.

If you’re interested in getting into stock photography, but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve got you covered! Our guide will explain to you how to register on a platform, submit your works, and start earning money. We’ll also give you tips on creating photos that sell.

• What is stock photography?
• How to become a contributor
• Can I make money?

 

What is Stock Photography?

Stock photography refers to photos that are sold on macrostock, midstock, and microstock platforms. They follow specific topics, and can be used for commercial, editorial, or personal purposes. Stock photos can be used in advertisements, books, magazines, brochures, articles, product packaging, web design, interior design, and more. The extent of use varies depending on the license type associated with each purchase, and the conditions of the specific license.

Stock photos can be uploaded to digital platforms, known as photo stocks, photo libraries, photo archives, image banks, or photo banks. These platforms enable photographers to sell their work numerous times, while consumers download their images. Nowadays, stock photography distributors offer images, as well as illustrations, vectors, videos, and music. 

Stock photography is distinguished by the fact that it is not created for a single client. Today, the leading stock marketplaces sell millions of images on various topics.

 

How to Become a Contributor on a Stock Photography Platform

• Go to the registration page on a stock photography platform, and fill out their form with information about yourself

• Upload several images for a quick test. Most stock platforms need them to make sure your work fits all criteria and does not infringe on anyone’s rights
• Wait for a response. It usually takes 7-10 business days for a team to process your application
• Start uploading files to earn money

 

Why Stock Photography is Attractive

Stock photography is appealing for a variety of reasons; it is suitable for anyone interested in photography. It doesn’t matter if you are a professional or an amateur photographer. You have the opportunity to upload your works to an image bank and make money out of it. 

Stock photography does not require you to have a portfolio once you start. On the contrary, you can build one while making money passively. Later on, you can use your portfolio to gain freelance photography gigs.

You can also venture out into stock photography without having professional equipment. If you don’t have many options, feel free to use a simple camera or a smartphone. Just make sure your photos are high-resolution. Using daylight or buying additional lights can help improve quality.

Decide how much time you want to devote to work. If you want to make it a part-time job, you can create evergreen content, which means your visuals remain relevant as time passes. If you want to make it a full-time job, pick a niche and develop your unique style to set yourself apart from other photographers and gain an audience.

Another advantage of stock photography is that it allows you to be creative during the process. There are a few things to keep in mind, though. If you’re photographing people, get model releases, eliminate branding and logos, and make photos that are unique, but versatile enough to be used for different occasions.

 

Can I Make Money with Stock Photography?

Yes, you can make money with stock photos. However, don’t expect it to happen too fast. 

To generate consistent money, you need to submit images regularly, conduct research on which photos sell, and create content that people are willing to buy. 

We have several tips that will help you become a successful stock photography contributor.

 

• Pick a niche and develop your unique style 

Stock photography sites, like any other, have regular customers. You have a chance to gain loyal buyers if they notice your profile and add your photos to their favorites. To do so, you’ll need to develop a distinct style and a portfolio that stands out. You will always be in demand if you specialize in certain topics and meet client needs for specific types of photos. Safe niches are lifestyle, nature, backgrounds, sports, and food.

 

• Keep up with trends

You can strive to make photos that are in line with current trends. To find out what people are interested in, use Google Trends. You can capture lifestyle shots with people wearing masks, for example. Mental health is a topic that’s receiving a lot of attention recently. You can also try this niche if it’s something that speaks to you. Alternatively, you can bring up the subject of ecology. Photos of people who are plogging (a combination of jogging and picking up litter) or sorting trash will almost definitely find success. You should also keep up with color and photography trends. Outdated photos are unlikely to attract much attention or generate revenue. 

 

• Diversify keywords

If you want customers to see your photos on the first page of search results, tag them with relevant and versatile keywords. You should use keywords that accurately describe your photo. Keep in mind that keywords should match the trends, genre, place, theme, and atmosphere of the work. For each image, use at least 20 keywords.

 

• Don’t overdo the editing

As we’ve said before, photos that appear outdated are unlikely to attract much attention and generate income. Stock photo editing is just as important as the actuality and authenticity of the photo. Avoid overprocessing, unnatural colors, poor cropping, improper color toning, and visible vignettes. Don’t make any major changes to your photos. Remember, your clients will modify the photographs as they see fit. An over processed image will not provide them with this opportunity.

 

• Consider seasonal demand

Every brand, whether it’s a small business or a large corporation, has a communication calendar. Marketers plan their content ahead of time, and so should you. Create seasonal images and submit them two to four weeks in advance; a seasonal rise in demand can result in additional sales. 

 

Conclusion

People are looking for original and creative content that will stand out. Although you can’t earn much on one sale, you can sell the same photo multiple times. Even a couple popular photos can turn into cash cows. Don’t be afraid to open a new door in your photography career. Stock photography can not only help you make money, but it can also help you channel and develop a stream of creative ideas to build an outstanding portfolio.

 

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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Are you Eligible for the Government Christmas Bonus?

Reading Time: < 1 min

If you claim benefits, you may be entitled to an extra £10 christmas bonus this year.

The Christmas Bonus is a one-off tax-free £10 payment made before Christmas, paid to people who get certain benefits in the qualifying week. This is normally the first full week of December. You do not need to claim – you should get paid automatically and it will not affect any other benefits you get.

All benefits, pensions and allowances are normally paid into your bank account. It may show up as ‘DWP XB’ on your bank statement.

You do not need to claim the bonus – you should get it automatically.

If you think you should get it, but have not, contact the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your payments or the Pension Service.

Information from gov.uk.

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How to make money as a twin!

Reading Time: 8 mins

Today is National Twin day, in which we celebrate all things ‘twin’. National Twin Day celebrates all the siblings who enjoy a unique connection. Not only do they share a birthday, but they share everything, right from the very beginning.

Whether identical or fraternal, twins often have different personalities and unique traits. According to the Twins Trust, about one in 65 births will be twins, the result of an upward trend over the past two decades. In the UK, there were approximately 11,000 sets of twins born in 2019 alone.

There are many ways twins can use their shared genetics and likeness to make money. From modelling to clinical research, there are plenty of opportunities to use it for financial gain.

So, if you are a twin yourself, are the parent of twins or know a set of twins, make sure to check out our ways to make money as a twin this National Twin Day!

 

Take part in scientific research

When it comes to scientific research, twins can provide valuable information and data. This research can give insight into a host of things, such as the science behind how multiple births occur and even genetics. There are hundreds of organisations and departments within health research that focus solely on twin studies.

TwinsUK

TwinsUK is the largest registry in the UK for the study of twins. They have published 76 studies and appeared in over 800 publications since being founded in 1992. Their aim is to study everything about twins, including genetic variation, heritability, ageing and even vision and pain. They are also currently investigating the effects and biology of Covid-19.

Unfortunately, TwinsUK currently use volunteers for their research, but this organisation highlights the importance and usefulness of taking part in research as a twin.

Luckily for you, some research is paid, and can be a nice little earner. Not only will you be helping for the greater good of science, but you will be pocketing some cash.

Take Part In Research

Take Part In Research is designed to help people like you get involved in research, and it’s much more than a simple questionnaire. Once you have signed up, you can take part in market research conversations of 30 minutes to 2 hours in length, either as part of a group or one-to-one.

It is an engaging experience than taking surveys. Not only do you know you are helping researchers, but you can talk with others and share your thoughts and opinions. Plus, you know you are going to receive a payment directly to your bank account.

It takes just minutes to sign up, and there are hundreds of opportunities available. Although research specifically to do with twins may not always be available, it is worth checking the website regularly. Plus, you can do other research whilst you are waiting for twin-specific research to crop up!

Depending on the length of the research and the process, you could be paid up to £250 per study. Plus, if you need to travel for the research, your travel costs are re-imbursed. Most research is online and via video call, so is accessible and easy.

People for research

Companies and organisations across the UK will pay you for your time, opinions and feedback. Whether you are in London or Leeds, there is plenty available for you to get involved in.

As mentioned previously, studies regarding twins are not always available, but when they do crop up they can pay a nice sum. Not only do you have the opportunity to inform the design and creation of new products and services, you can receive your reward in both cash and gift voucher form!

Similarly, if you state you are a twin within your application to various research opportunities, it could give you an edge which other participants do not have. This may allow you to be chosen for more opportunities than you would otherwise.

The current opportunities available offer between £40 to £75 for up to 90 minutes of your time. Complete a few research opportunities every month, and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank!

You can sign up with People For Research here.

Research Opinions

Another great website which pays for taking part in studies and giving your opinions is Opinions For Research. This is a fun and friendly way to voice your opinions and share your thoughts on various topics. Participating in research is vital for companies to understand the thoughts and opinions of various topics.

Opinions for Research often have studies available regarding family and being a parent. As mentioned, being a twin may give you an edge when applying for particular studies and you may be more likely to be chosen by the researchers as a participant. This is because you can give crucial and valuable insight into family dynamics and genetics which other people cannot.

The studies available on the site currently pay up to £150 for your time. Sign up here.

 

Clinical trials

If you want to continue down the path of scientific research, clinical trials may be the perfect route for you. Clinical trials involve the comparison of effects of different treatments.

Clinical trials are crucial to helping doctors understand how to treat a particular illness. It could benefit you, or others like you, in the future. You could be part of something wonderful. Plus, you could be paid a sum much higher than that of normal research.

If you decide to take part in a clinical trial, you could be helping people with certain illnesses or afflictions in the future. You may suffer from a particular illness or disease yourself, and thus become one of the first people to trial a new treatment.

Considerations

There are some important issues to be considerate of when it comes to taking part in clinical trials. Firstly, they can be time-consuming. You may be expected to attend multiple screenings and follow-up sessions. Some trials may also require you to stay overnight and could even last a few weeks.

Secondly, it is important to keep in mind that there may be restrictions which come with taking part in these trials. For example, you may be asked not to eat certain food items or eat at all for a certain period of time. You may also be asked to not drink alcohol or smoke for a period.

It is a given that when trialling particular treatments or medicines may result in side effects. With new medicines and treatments in particular, the side effects may be unknown. Thus, these unknown side effects may be negative and result in discomfort.

You can read a full rundown of the questions to ask, what to expect and the ethics behind clinical trials on the NHS website.

Join a trial

There are many websites out there recruiting people to participate in clinical trials. In some cases, the organisation will be undertaking the trial themselves, but it may be that a company or corporations are using an external organisation to recruit participants on their behalf.

Trials4Us

Trials4Us have been conducting medical research for over 20 years and pay generously for your time. During this period, they have helped develop new medicines to improve the lives of millions. The conditions they have created new medicines and treatments for include heart disease, hypertension and schizophrenia.

They are a leading clinical research organisation, and  adhere strictly to international standards of safety. They aim to provide the highest quality of care to each participant, and your safety and comfort is their top priority.

There are currently a range of open trials, some of which are paying up to £6,500! If this sounds like something you may be interested in, you can view the website here.

LabCorp

Founded in Leeds in 1986, LabCorp carry out clinical research for some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. They are committed to making progress in new treatments for a host of conditions, including diabetes, epilepsy, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease.

They have a huge number of studies currently open, with payments ranging from £792 to a whopping £6,210. Not only could you pocket a nice sum of cash, but you will be helping the future of medicine.

You can find the LabCorp website here.

Other trials

• Quotient Sciences – Quotient Sciences have seen over 10,000 participants through 1,300 clinical trials over the last 30 years. They pay for your time and travel expenses, with some trials currently offering almost £8,000.
• MAC – Established almost 24 years ago, and cover multiple conditions, from eczema to Alzheimer’s. Plus, they pay a nice sum for your participation.
• Hammersmith Medicines Research – Hammersmith Medicines Research have seen more than 13,000 patients through 850 trials since 1993. They are currently recruiting for trials paying between £1,200 and £5,000.

 

Modelling

There are hundreds of modelling agencies which specialise in recruiting twins. You don’t have to be the next Kate Moss to sign up, either. Many businesses use twins to model their goods and services, wanting everyday people to model their brand.

Whether you are a twin yourself or are the parent of twins, you or your children may just be what a particular modelling agency or business are looking for. Many modelling agencies specifically look for twins for their books, as it gives them an edge which other modelling agencies may not have.

Agencies will state on their website how to make contact with them. That is usually to fill out an online form with your measurement details and attach a photograph. It is always advisable to make an appointment before heading to the agency’s office.

Check their measurements to get an idea of who they take on – some agencies will want models with a specific look similar to their existing model database, while some will be looking for someone different.

Many agencies look for models of all shapes, sizes and skin tones, and don’t just want those who look like they are straight from a catalogue. You can read our article about how to become a model here. This article gives you the ins and outs of everything you need to get started.

 

Try your hand at acting

You never know who is out there, writing a screenplay or musical surrounding the adventures of twins. We have written articles about making money by becoming a film and TV extra, but if you are a twin and have a love for acting, you may want to shoot your shot at become a star.

Twin Agency

Twin Agency is well known within the media industry. They provide twins with time and attention to allow them to become stars and share their talents. Whether you are looking to start a career in film, television or theatre, Twin Agency is looking for twins to join them.

They are currently looking for a range of twins for media projects. From twins with white blonde hair to babies, there are plenty of projects available to apply for. Babies and toddlers are often in high demand too. This is due to child labour laws only allowing minors to work for a certain length of time.

If you have children who are twins, they may be able to get work on television or in film because of this. Give it a shot – you may have an Oscar winner in the making under your roof!

TV Twins

TV Twins is a talent agency geared towards the employment of siblings, particularly twins, in the media. They are contacted daily by production companies and casting directors for all sorts of work involving twins. This includes modelling, events, commercials and film and television.

They are always on the lookout for twins, both identical and non-identical from all backgrounds and areas of the UK. Plus, they are in contact regularly when jobs suited to you become available.

If this sounds like something you or someone you know could do, visit the TV Twins website here.

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Get Paid to Watch Christmas Films and Eat Snacks

Reading Time: 2 mins

When you were young, you probably imagined from time to time the perfect job. Managing a sweet shop, perhaps. Being chief taster at a chocolate factory, possibly? Here at MoneyMagpie we love sharing quirky ways to make money and now offer you:  How about being paid £1,000 to binge-watch a load of Christmas films while eating snacks?

Well, it seems this is being made a reality as a callout for a festive film fan to become their official Christmas Film Tester! The luckily applicant will watch and rate Christmas films, deciding ultimately which is the best festive movie… and you’ll get a tidy grand and a stack of sweet Christmas treats for your troubles.

“With the festive season officially begun, we’re looking for one festive film buff to watch and rate these Christmas films:

• The Santa Clause
• Miracle on 34th Street
• Christmas With The Kranks
• Bad Santa
• Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
• Deck The Halls
• Love Actually
• Jingle All The Way
• Elf
• Home Alone
• Die Hard
• How The Grinch Stole Christmas

The winning participant will receive a Christmas hamper to help you get through the job, including festive goodies such as a classic chocolate selection box, hot chocolate, mince pies and more.”

Please note, you need to be 18 and over to apply, and once you click the link you’ll need to say why you’re the perfect candidate for the job. Good luck! (We’d vote for Home Alone, but don’t take our word for it…)

To be in with a chance follow the link here.

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How To Optimize Your Content For SEO Using Keywords?

Reading Time: 5 mins

Every search engine that exists on the internet relies on keywords. 

Search engines leverage keywords as a starting point for filtering results. So, it’s critical to understand how to use keywords in your content.

Then only your content can be discovered, indexed, and ranked appropriately in the SERPs.

While there are many differing views on using keywords for SEO, I’d like to give you simple tips to get the most out of it.

Let’s begin with the first one.

• Long tail keywords
• High volume, low difficulty
• Natural keyword usage
• Headings
• Avoid stuffing

 

1. Hunt For Long Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are bigger and particular search phrases that users type or speak, possibly when closer to the purchase point.

The unique thing about long-tail keywords is that they have a lower search volume than short-tail keywords. 

But they contain short-tail keywords in them. So, when used in the website’s content, they are very beneficial.

It is kind of a win-win strategy.

But, finding the right long-tail keywords is a challenge for many website owners.

However, with the Rankwatch keyword research tool, you can find the most relevant long-tail keywords for your website.

Here are the keyword suggestions for the target keyword: notebook pro.

You can also get long-tail keywords using Google’s Autocomplete suggestions. It is an easy and effective way because the keywords come directly from Google.

Here you’ll see the list of keyword suggestions after typing “notebook pro” in the search bar.

Even Google’s related searches give you a good pool of long-tail keywords.

 

 

The typed query is only two-letter words, but the list of suggested keywords contains more precise phrases.

Moreover, you may gain better ad ranks on relevant searches for them without paying a premium for each click.

Besides this, you also need to consider the effectiveness of keywords like search volume and difficulty.

 

2. Go For High Volume and Low Difficulty Keywords

High-volume keywords are those keywords that people search for in large numbers. In other words, more people are searching for these keywords.

But these keywords might be highly competitive because most website owners use them in their content.

However, if you go for high search volume keywords with low difficulty, you can rank easily in the SERPs.

To find the high volume and low difficulty keywords, you can use a good keyword research tool such as RankWatch.

It will help you easily identify the high volume and low difficulty keywords. 

 

After getting your keywords right, remember to use them naturally, followed by a concrete plan.

 

3. Use Keywords Naturally And Strategically

In an SEO-driven digital world, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that the reader comes first. 

Because of poor keyword placement, you should never jeopardize your reader’s capacity to be engaged, educated, and informed by your content. 

But trust me, when I say that, it occurs all the time. 

Here’s one way to make your keywords appear more organically in your content: using keywords naturally and strategically.

You must use keywords while writing the content and not after you’ve finished writing. It looks organic and saves a lot of time too.

Plus, you should be smart with keyword placement. Use keywords in the right places for maximum gains.

You must include your keywords here:

• Meta description
• SEO title tag
• Article title
• URL (or slug)
• First 200 words of the article
• Last 200 words of the article

With that, your content can perform better in the SERPs and drive more traffic.

Wondering where else you can leverage keywords?

 

4. Use Keywords In Your Headings And Subheadings

The content in an article or blog is divided into smaller, more specific parts by section headers and subheadings.

Most commonly used headings include:

• Section Heading (h2)
• Section Subheading (h3)
• Detailed Subheading (h4)

 

They make your article more scannable for individuals, assistive technology, and search engines. 

On the other hand, unstructured content will not only make your article fuzzy for readers, but it’ll also confuse the search engines crawlers.

It is much more interesting for everyone if readers can swiftly browse the content and find what they are looking for. 

As a result, adding headings to your content improves its readability and accessibility.

You need to use the short tail keyword in your headers for obvious reasons. So, list all relevant short tail keywords and prepare your content’s outline.

Here’s how a good content outline looks like:

I must add that while optimizing keywords, you should make sure you’re not overstuffing the keywords.

 

5. Avoid Keyword Stuffing

Keyword stuffing, or cramming as many SEO tags as possible into a page, has long been the scourge of SEO white hats worldwide.

Keyword stuffing is considered a black hat SEO tactic, completely prohibited by Google and other search engines.

That’s because such methods try to overcome the search engine algorithm rather than providing a good user experience.

So, how to use keywords safely?

Many SEO experts around the globe widely believe that the keyword density in the content should be between 1% to 2%.

With a keyword density checker tool, you can find the accurate overall percentage of keywords on your webpage.

Clicks! Without doing any boring maths

 

Bonus: Incorporate Keywords in Anchor Text

While writing content, you tend to add links to valuable resources such as blog posts and stats. 

In the anchor text, you can use relevant keywords and increase your content’s ranking potential. 

Since the keywords will have hyperlinks, they will catch the attention of the crawlers for sure

Thus, they will help them understand, evaluate, and rank your content even better.

Besides this, it will also help improve the ranking of the linked resources.

You can bring this into practice and see the results yourself!

 

Keywords Can Do Magic When Used In The Right Way

Keywords are an important part of content strategy. If you patiently plan, you will yourself see the magic.

Everything you’ve read so far should be sufficient to grasp the fundamentals of keywords and formulate an SEO content optimization strategy.

Check out the links to supplementary reading dispersed throughout this article if you want to learn more about keyword research. 

These will provide you with a much better grasp of the metrics and tools that are accessible and how to leverage them.

 

Happy keywording! Do share your valuable insights in the comments box. 

 

Author Bio

Sahil is the CEO and Founder of Rankwatch – a platform, which helps companies and brands stay ahead with their SEO efforts in the ever growing internet landscape. He keeps sharing his knowledge and experiences on the RankWatch blog, and likes making creative products that can help in automation of mundane tasks. You can connect with him and the Rankwatch team on Facebook or Twitter.

The post How To Optimize Your Content For SEO Using Keywords? appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

University Strikes: How to get a refund

Reading Time: 3 mins

Last week, we saw university strikes as lecturers and academics take to the picket lines again to stand against their employers in two separate disputes.  UCU members are campaigning to protect their pensions as well as working conditions.  So, what does this all mean?

• Why are they on strike?
• Student Experiences 
• What can you do about it?
• How can you get your fees refunded?

Why are they on strike:

UCU members are taking action over falling pay, precarious employment practices, the gender and ethnic pay gap and unsafe workloads. In the past 12 years, staff pay has been cut by 20% in real terms i.e., because of the rise in living costs. Research carried out by universities show that women, black and minority ethnic, and disabled staff are likely to experience pay discrimination and might be affected more adversely than other employees. Many staff members are on casual contracts with around 3000 university staff being made redundant in the pandemic.

 

So, what do the UCU want employers to do:

1. Address the gender, ethnic and disability pay gap.
2. End contract casualisation and job insecurity.
3. Tackle the rising workloads driving employees to breaking point
4. Increase to all spine points on the national pay scale of £2500.

 

They also want their pensions protected. Since 2011, employees USS pensions have been cut again and again leading to a loss of money on staff members guaranteed pensions. Effectively meaning they are losing pay both now and during retirement.

 

A student at the University of Leeds has shared their experiences with us:

“The strikes have really affected my time at university. In my first year, I lost two weeks of teaching in the first term. There was some strike action in the second term as well as the lockdown in March of 2020. I am now in my final year and the issue has not been resolved, so I face more disruption. I’m on an arts and humanities course – contact hours are low, to begin with (two hours of face to face teaching due to COVID and one hour online). The strikes are going to reduce this further! The fact that this issue has not been sorted yet is unbelievable.”

 

What you can do about it:

First off, it’s not your lecturers that you should be mad at, it’s the universities themselves. Think senior leadership rather than lab techs and lecturers. So, what can you do? First off, find out your vice-chancellors’ email address, then email them your complaints. Get your friends and course mates to email, the more people the better. It will soon get tiring for them to delete 100s of emails from their inbox, so instead, they might address the problem. The National Union of Students recently released data showing that 73% of students supported the strikes and 69% of these would be willing to take part in some form of action, whether that be a demonstration or a walkout.  So if the strikes keep happening, why not find out what your lecturers are planning and join in, draw more attention to it and see if that will help solve the problem.

There is of course one thing that you can do that will annoy universities if most students do it – demand a refund.

How can you get your fees refunded?

Find out about your universities complaints procedure and go from there. Some may have a time limit on how quickly after an incident you have to put in a complaint so check that out too. Then start to make a clear list of what you’re complaining about – in this case, disruption to teaching caused by the strike action taken by the UCU. You need to know what you want from this complaint, either a tuition fee reduction or a cash settlement put together clear demands that will compensate you. Collect your evidence – make a note of the teaching you lost out on due to the strikes and include this in your formal complaint. You’re not ready to submit your complaint, after which you should receive a “Completion of Procedures” letter outlining their final decision.

What do you do if the university doesn’t give you the outcome you wanted? Well, you can contact the Ombudsmen for student complaints, in England and Wales it’s the OIA, in Scotland the SPSO and in Northern Ireland, it’s the NIPSO. If the ombudsmen think your complaint is justified, they will advise your university on what to do next.

 

If you think you should be compensated for the strikes, speak to your university first and if you are dissatisfied approach the ombudsmen.

 

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