“I Made Money as a Naked Cleaner” – Reader Story

Could you have the guts to make money as a naked cleaner? That’s exactly what MoneyMagpie reader Jenny did! We love to hear your reader stories about the most interesting ways you’ve made money, and this one has to be up there with one of the most unusual we’ve had sent in so far.

Jenny saw an advert in the local newspaper. “Easy money for some light cleaning. Must be comfortable being naked.”

The money was excellent – £50 an hour – and she loved cleaning anyway. Why not get paid a great hourly rate to do so? As someone who has always been comfortable in her own skin, it didn’t take much persuasion to enquire about the job.

She set up a profile on the company’s cleaning site to get customers. After a short while, she managed to build a list of regular customers, too. Of course, there are safety concerns about a job like this, but she says she always let someone know where she was going, what time she was starting and ending the shift, and when she got home. Nothing ever got creepy for Jenny, but she said she’d have left any job the instant it got uncomfortable. There was one slightly awkward experience though, when she had been booked to clean for a man… and his mum was also home. “Thankfully I never saw her though, she was hiding upstairs!”.

There were some funny stories to be had, too. “Once, I had a guy book me to clean and his house was really dirty. I was desperate to start cleaning, but he wanted to talk and watch videos about space with me. When I did eventually get to clean and was done, he gave me a cactus as a gift.”

Jenny knew that some people would look down on the job because of their preconceptions, but she says, “It was a legitimate job, and so I always tried to challenge negative perceptions – it’s important to remain open minded.”

She says anyone wanting to be a naked cleaner needs to know some basic facts about cleaning – such as “dust first, then vacuum!”, and they need to be confident in their naked selves. There’s no hiding behind the mop and bucket!

Thanks to Jenny for sharing her story – and remember, if you have a story to share about a (legal) way you’ve made money, get in touch.

 

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Temp Jobs This Christmas: Christmas jobs are still available!

If you need a bit of extra cash for Christmas – and who doesn’t these days – then there are loads of seasonal jobs out there.  Fancy dressing up a bit for work, then why not sign up to be a Santa or Elf helper?  Or if your tastes are a little more conventional, then retail, pubs, bars and restaurants all need help to meet the festive rush. 

It definitely is the season to be earning so happy yuletide job hunting. 

 

• Christmas jobs with Royal Mail
• Work in retail – get paid to get discounts
• Deliver catalogues and brochures
• Christmas bar work
• Sell your stuff online
• More ways to make money at Christmas
• Find Christmas jobs available near you with our tool
• What are you doing to make money this Christmas?

 

Be a postie or sorter with Royal Mail

Millions of cards and presents will be winging their way across the world in the run up to Christmas Day so no surprise, it’s the busiest time of the year for the Royal Mail and that means that they need people like you. 

Take a look at jobs.royalmailgroup.com to check out what jobs they have in your area.  At the time of writing they were looking for mail sorters, parcel delivery drivers, LGV and MGV drivers and customer service staff in a variety of places across the country. 

 

Work in retail: get paid and get discounts 

There’s an added bonus to getting a job in retail, not only do you get paid an hourly rate but often there’s a pretty good staff discount too.  And that surely will go some way to help get through those Christmas tunes playing on constant repeat. 

SUPERMARKETS

Lots of supermarkets need what they call Festive Colleagues. These jobs can be really fun as you get to work in a team with people in a similar situation to yourself. There’s also all that Christmas spirit to soak up and as long as you can cope with Christmas tunes on repeat, you’re onto a winner!

Here are all the seasonal roles still available (at the time of writing):

Lidl and Aldi

Lidl and Aldi were voted the most popular supermarkets in the UK in 2023 so no surprise Aldi is hiring more than 1,000 temporary store colleagues over the Christmas period.  They have an hourly rate of £12.40 or £13.65 if you live inside the M25.  www.aldirecruitment.co.uk for more information and to apply.   

Tesco

Tesco are recruiting Festive Colleagues and hope to give applicants a bit of extra sparkle with their hourly rate of £12.02.  They have opportunities across the country and offer a variety of shift patterns.  You can sign up for job alerts or got to www.tesco-careers.com for more information.

 Sainsbury’s 

Sainsbury’s temporary workers will be employed on fixed term contracts ranging from three to 12 weeks starting at £12 an hour. There is also a high demand for Christmas delivery drivers, including for Argos, starting at £13 an hour.  Visit sainsburys.jobs/christmas 

Morrisons

Morrisons too are hiring for seasonal retail, logistics and manufacturing roles across the UK.  www.morrisons.jobs 

 

John Lewis

Their Christmas advert has become one of the most anticipated on our TVs so perhaps not surprising for a company that puts so much into the festive period, their website www.jlpjobs.com says they are looking to recruit, with retail assistant roles starting at £11.55 an hour.  Whether you want to find something in sales, stock or catering, you only have to make one application on their site. 

 

Marks and Spencer

M&S has announced it will be recruiting 10,000 customer assistant roles in its stores over Christmas.  Successful applicants also get a 20% colleague discount in addition to the average hourly rate of £12.  jobs.marksandspencer.com 

Boots

Boots are quick to point out that while their Christmas recruitment drive may be temporary, it could lead to a permanent role later on depending on the opportunities in your area.  It’s a great confidence boost, helps you gain experience and some money in your pocket.  www.boots.jobs will help you find what roles are local to you. 

 

Amazon

Whether you are starting out in the job market or just looking to get out of the house, all of these retailers will provide training. 

With their massive warehouses a part of the UK landscape these days, Amazon are always on the lookout for staff in their distribution centres which pay, on average, £§3.50 an hour.  www.jobsatamazon.co.uk provides a handy search tool to see what is available in your area. 

 

Deliver catalogues and brochures

Yet another potential Christmas gig. If you don’t mind getting out and about, there’s definitely money to be made delivering catalogues and brochures over the festive season.

The great thing about this sort of work is that you can do it in your own time. Perhaps run some deliveries before going into your other job or when you have a spare moment from preparing for Christmas.

If that’s something you’d like to pursue, check out websites such as:

• Indeed
• Gumtree

And take a look at your local papers and newsagents for work opportunities.

One thing to note is that you should watch out for companies asking for cash deposits for the items you’re delivering. Avoid those because they’re likely to be scams.

Check out our article here which has a lot more information on how to get work delivering leaflets and catalogues in your area.

Christmas Bar Work

Pubs and restaurants will be hoping for a bumper Christmas with office parties and celebrations and that means they need extra staff.  Check your local bars and eateries.  If you are willing to work Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve then you can expect to earn double the hourly rate of pay which will be a big boost to your finances. 

Find out how to get bar work and restaurant work in our article here.

 

Promote clubs at Christmas

If you have a good network of friends and a wide social media presence, you could get paid to party by bringing in extra punters to clubs in cities all over the country.  Admittedly, they might not have too much trouble getting people through the doors at the weekend but what about those quieter Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights? 

And with added crowds they’ll need more doormen, bar staff and hosts and hostesses.  

For more tips, read our article here with info on how to make money by partying!

 

Sell your stuff online

Now for some more home-based activities to help you make extra cash ahead of Christmas.

Start with selling. If you have a spare moment, why not upload all the things you don’t want to various online selling sites and use that money to buy presents. While it isn’t strictly a Christmas job, it’s a great way to make some money. You could even buy gifts on the same sites you’re selling your stuff. Very convenient!

Here on MoneyMagpie we have a whole section of our website dedicated to selling your stuff online. Just go to make money and then click on ‘sell your stuff’, you’ll be amazed at what you make money from!

 

ebay

If you really want a job that sticks closer to home then why not see what you could sell?  A good clear out could unearth loads of stuff you never use or have been meaning to get rid of. 

eBay is always a good place to start and you could even pick up some cheap gifts when you’re selling your own stuff. 

We have loads of tips on our site on how to sell your stuff so check it out and you could make a Christmas bundle.  

It’s simple to use.  Prepare your stuff, upload photos, set your price and wait for bids. You no longer have to pay selling fees either, so that’s more in your pocket!

More ways to make money at Christmas

Still need to fill your pockets for the Christmas budget? Try these ideas…

Make Christmas hampers to sell

Hampers make for a thoughtful gift everyone loves but they can be pretty expensive.

That’s actually good news for you. If you’re creative, you could make hampers and sell them at car boot sales, markets and even through local independent shops. It’s something you can easily do in your spare time at home. Perhaps you could even get your kids involved in getting the hampers ready?

To help you out, we’ve put together a detailed guide including information and links to products in our article on how to make hampers to sell.

So, let your imagination run wild and make hampers using boxes, pots and even watering cans. Perhaps have a look around your house and you might find other creative containers.

So long as you know how to make things look pretty, you can use things such as:

• cosmetics and foods from pound shops
• home-made cakes and sweets
• artisan oils, spices and vinegars
• home-made cosmetics and toiletries (learn how to make them here)
• anything else that looks cool!

Get creative and whatever doesn’t sell, you can recycle as presents for your friends and family.

What are you doing to make money for Christmas?

Christmas is known as a time you tend to spend more cash than usual but with a Christmas job sorted, you might just balance things out. So, make the most out of the festive season. Perhaps think of it as a great opportunity to bag yourself a great job so you really can have a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Let us know in the comments below if you have come up with your own ideas for this season!

 

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The Psychological Impact of Debt: How to Cope and Take Control – Your Friendly Guide to Financial Well-being

Debt can be a heavy burden, affecting not just your finances but your mental wellbeing too. Many people struggle with feelings of anxiety, stress, and shame when faced with mounting bills and credit card balances. Understanding the psychological impact of debt is crucial for taking control of your finances and improving your overall quality of life.

You’re not alone if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by debt. It’s a common experience that can leave you feeling trapped and powerless. But there are ways to cope with these difficult emotions and take positive steps towards financial freedom.

Learning practical strategies to manage debt can help ease the psychological strain. From creating a budget to seeking professional advice, there are many tools at your disposal. By tackling debt head-on, you can regain a sense of control and work towards a more stable financial future.

• Understanding Debt and Its Emotional Burden
• Recognising the Signs of Debt-Related Stress
• Strategies for Managing Debt Stress
• Taking Control of Your Finances
• Moving Forward: Life After Debt

Understanding Debt and Its Emotional Burden

Debt can weigh heavily on your mind, causing stress and anxiety. You might feel overwhelmed, ashamed, or even hopeless when facing financial obligations you struggle to meet.

These feelings are common and valid. Financial strain can impact your self-esteem, relationships, and overall well-being. You may experience:

• Constant worry about money • Difficulty sleeping • Irritability or mood swings • Avoidance of financial matters

It’s crucial to recognise that debt is not a reflection of your worth as a person. Many factors contribute to financial difficulties, including unexpected life events, economic downturns, or lack of financial education.

Acknowledging the emotional impact of debt is an important step towards taking control. By understanding your feelings, you can begin to address both the financial and psychological aspects of your situation.

Remember, you’re not alone in this struggle. Millions of people worldwide face similar challenges. Seeking support from loved ones or professional counsellors can provide comfort and guidance.

Taking small steps to manage your debt can also improve your emotional state. Creating a budget, speaking with creditors, or seeking advice from financial experts can help you feel more in control and optimistic about your future.

Recognising the Signs of Debt-Related Stress

Debt-related stress can manifest in various ways, affecting your physical health, emotional well-being, and daily behaviours. Being aware of these signs can help you address the issue early and seek appropriate support.

Physical Symptoms and Health Risks

Chronic stress from debt can take a toll on your body. You might experience frequent headaches, muscle tension, or digestive issues. Sleep problems are common, ranging from insomnia to oversleeping. Your immune system may weaken, making you more susceptible to colds and infections.

High blood pressure and rapid heart rate are serious concerns linked to financial stress. These can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Some people may develop skin problems like acne or eczema flare-ups.

Weight changes are another sign to watch for. You might lose appetite or turn to comfort eating, leading to significant weight loss or gain.

Emotional and Psychological Effects

Debt-related stress often triggers intense emotions. You may feel overwhelming anxiety, especially when thinking about bills or financial obligations. Persistent worry can lead to panic attacks in some cases.

Depression is a common response to mounting debt. You might lose interest in activities you once enjoyed or feel hopeless about your financial situation. Mood swings, irritability, and angry outbursts can strain your relationships.

Feelings of shame or embarrassment about your debt may cause you to withdraw from social interactions. This isolation can worsen your emotional state and make it harder to seek help.

Behavioural Changes

Financial stress can significantly alter your daily habits and behaviours. You might find yourself constantly checking your bank balance or obsessing over expenses. Procrastination in dealing with financial matters is common, as is avoiding phone calls or letters from creditors.

Some people resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms like excessive drinking or gambling. These behaviours can create a vicious cycle, worsening both your financial situation and stress levels.

Changes in spending habits are often noticeable. You might become overly frugal, denying yourself basic necessities. Alternatively, some individuals engage in impulsive spending as a form of escape or self-soothing.

Work performance may suffer due to preoccupation with financial worries. You might struggle to concentrate or take more sick days than usual.

Strategies for Managing Debt Stress

Dealing with debt can be overwhelming, but there are effective ways to manage the associated stress and regain control of your finances.

Creating a Financial Plan

Start by assessing your current financial situation. List all your debts, including credit cards, loans, and bills. Prioritise these debts based on interest rates and urgency.

Create a realistic budget that covers essential expenses and debt repayments. Look for areas where you can cut back on spending to free up more money for debt repayment.

Consider using the ‘snowball’ or ‘avalanche’ method for tackling your debts. The snowball method involves paying off the smallest debts first, while the avalanche method focuses on debts with the highest interest rates.

Set achievable financial goals and track your progress regularly. This can help you stay motivated and see the positive impact of your efforts over time.

Building a Support System

Don’t hesitate to reach out to friends and family for emotional support. Talking about your financial concerns can help alleviate stress and provide new perspectives.

Consider joining a support group for people dealing with debt. These groups can offer valuable advice, encouragement, and a sense of community.

Seek professional help if needed. Financial advisors can provide expert guidance on managing your debts and creating a solid financial plan. Many charities and organisations also offer free debt advice services.

Be open with your partner or spouse about your financial situation. Working together can strengthen your relationship and make tackling debt a shared goal.

Stress Reduction Techniques

Practice mindfulness and meditation to help manage anxiety related to debt. Even a few minutes of deep breathing exercises each day can make a significant difference.

Engage in regular physical exercise. Activities like walking, jogging, or yoga can help reduce stress levels and improve your overall well-being.

Maintain a healthy sleep schedule. Adequate rest is crucial for managing stress and making sound financial decisions.

Find low-cost or free hobbies and activities that bring you joy. This can help take your mind off financial worries and provide a sense of fulfilment.

Limit your exposure to stressful financial news or social media content that might trigger anxiety about your debt situation.

Taking Control of Your Finances

Managing your money effectively can reduce financial stress and improve your overall well-being. By implementing smart strategies, you can gain better control over your finances and work towards a more secure future.

Budgeting and Saving

Creating a budget is a crucial first step in taking control of your finances. Start by tracking your income and expenses for a month. This will give you a clear picture of your spending habits.

Next, categorise your expenses into essentials (like rent and groceries) and non-essentials (such as entertainment). Look for areas where you can cut back on spending.

Set realistic savings goals and allocate a portion of your income towards them. Consider using the 50/30/20 rule: 50% for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings and debt repayment.

Automate your savings by setting up regular transfers to a separate savings account. This ‘pay yourself first’ approach ensures you prioritise saving.

Debt Repayment Methods

Tackling debt is essential for financial health. Two popular methods are the snowball and avalanche approaches.

The snowball method involves paying off your smallest debts first, regardless of interest rates. This can provide quick wins and motivation to continue.

The avalanche method focuses on paying off debts with the highest interest rates first. This approach can save you more money in the long run.

Whichever method you choose, make sure to pay at least the minimum on all debts to avoid penalties. Consider consolidating high-interest debts into a lower-interest loan or balance transfer credit card.

Professional Financial Advice

Seeking professional help can provide valuable insights and strategies tailored to your situation. A financial adviser can help you create a comprehensive plan to manage your money and achieve your goals.

They can offer guidance on investments, retirement planning, and tax strategies. This expert advice can be particularly useful if you have complex financial needs or significant debt and can help you understand solutions such as debt management plans.

When choosing an adviser, look for qualifications such as Chartered Financial Planner status. Check their fees and ensure they’re registered with the Financial Conduct Authority.

Remember, good financial advice can pay for itself by helping you make better decisions and avoid costly mistakes.

Moving Forward: Life After Debt

Becoming debt-free opens up new opportunities for financial growth and stability. You can focus on rebuilding your credit and developing healthy money habits for a secure future.

Rebuilding Credit Rating

After paying off debt, you’ll want to improve your credit score. Start by checking your credit report for errors and disputing any inaccuracies. Pay all bills on time, as payment history significantly impacts your score. Keep credit card balances low, ideally below 30% of your limit.

Consider becoming an authorised user on a family member’s credit card with a good payment history. This can boost your score. Avoid closing old credit accounts, as the length of your credit history matters. Instead, use them occasionally for small purchases and pay off the balance each month.

Developing Healthy Financial Habits

Create a realistic budget to track income and expenses. Aim to save at least 10-20% of your earnings. Set up automatic transfers to a savings account on payday.

Build an emergency fund covering 3-6 months of expenses. This protects you from future debt if unexpected costs arise.

Educate yourself about personal finance through books, podcasts, or workshops. Learn about investing for long-term wealth building. Start small with low-risk options like index funds.

Review your insurance coverage to ensure you’re adequately protected. This includes health, life, and property insurance.

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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ALDI OFFERS £1,000 WORTH OF VOUCHERS TO THE SCARIEST HOUSE IN BRITAIN

Get ready for a frightfully fun Halloween, because Aldi is on the hunt for Britain’s Scariest House – and the winner will bag a spook-tacular £1,000 in Aldi vouchers!

If you think your haunted home has what it takes, you’ve got until 22nd October to enter. Just snap a photo of your eerie exterior (even from last year’s display) and send it in with your full name and proof of age to aldiscariesthouse@clarioncomms.co.uk. The competition is open to anyone over 18, so why not give it a go?

Aldi’s teamed up with Darren Butler, the brains behind the House of Halloween in Warwickshire, to judge this ghoulish contest. Darren will be on the lookout for homes that are not just creepy, but also creative and unique. So whether your house sends shivers down spines or simply delights the neighbours, you could be in with a chance!

Julie Ashfield, Aldi’s Managing Director of Buying, said: “Halloween is always a huge hit with our customers, and we love seeing the effort they put into their displays. We’re thrilled to offer this fantastic £1,000 prize for the best decorated house this year!”

And Darren Butler? He can’t wait to see the spooky setups: “I’ve been transforming my home into a haunted masterpiece for the last three years, so I’m excited to see how others bring the scare factor to their houses!”

So, what are you waiting for? Get decorating and you could be Aldi’s next Halloween champion!

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These Free Courses Could Change Your Life

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Recyle Week 2024: Things you didn’t know you could recycle for money

Now in its 21st year, Recycle Week is Recycle Now’s flagship annual event. A celebration of recycling across the nation, galvanising the public into recycling more of the right things, more often.

So here we are to help you realise that recycling is not only great for the planet, but also a way to help you make some money.

Sometimes you find yourself in a financial pickle with no quick fix on the horizon. Don’t worry, it happens to all of us at some point. The good news is the answer you’re looking for could be lurking in your trash can. Or the back of your wardrobe. Or maybe in your bathroom cabinet.

Here are 10 items you might not know that you can recycle for money:

• Clothes
• Ink cartridges
• Wine Corks
• Hair
• Cell phones
• Beauty product containers
• Broken crockery
• Loo roll
• Lego
• Underwear

 

Clothes

One of the reasons you may find yourself in said financial pickle is the fact you can’t resist a good old fashion sale. Once again – we’re not judging you!

But how many of the items in your wardrobe do you actually love to wear, if at all?

Instead of just hoarding a whole bunch of perfectly good clothes, you can recycle them and even make a quick little buck.

There are two main ways to do this:

Set up a second-hand online shop

There’s a huge market on eBay, Instagram and Etsy for second-hand clothes. Spend some time browsing through other online stores to see what other people ask for items then set up your own!

Read this article for a few tips on how to get started.

Cash in on in-store recycling plans

In an effort to up their sustainability ante, many large clothing retailers have launched recycling schemes.

H&M, Monki and Marks & Spencer allow customers to drop off bags old clothes – any brand is acceptable – in store. In return, they offer discount vouchers you can put toward your next purchase. Okay, so you’re not making money, but this is a great way to build up some credit for an occasion that absolutely calls for a new dress.

 

Ink Cartridges

Every year an estimated 57 million ink cartridges find their way into UK landfills, rubbish dumps and incinerators. Considering it can take just one cartridge up to 1,000 years to decompose, these figures are very alarming. It’s easy to recycle cartridges so don’t contribute to the problem – sell them to a recycling company and you’ll also make yourself some money.

There are a whole host of companies that will pay up to £4.50 per empty cartridge! Here are a few you can check out:

• Printer Cartridge Recycling
• Cash for Cartridges
• Ink2Cash
• The Recycling Factory
• Recycle Ink

 

Wine Corks

Unless you’re fond of arts and crafts, you’ve probably never given a second thought to throwing the cork away after polishing off a bottle of chardonnay.

Well, best stop doing that and recycle them for cash instead.

Believe it or not, wine corks are a super hot commodity among crafty folks. In fact, there is a whole section dedicated to used wine corks on eBay where bundles of between 50 and 100 go for up to £8.00.

 

Hair

We know this may sound slightly creepy, but recycling your hair is – in fact – a thing. But, it’s also mostly for a good cause.

Hair Harvest is one of the companies that buys human hair and then turns it into wigs for vulnerable patients who have lost their own hair for one reason or another.

The amount they pay depends on the length of hair you are able to part with. Here’s a rough guide:

14-15 inches – £25 – £60
16-18 inches – £50 – £150
19 inches and above- £60 – £200

You can visit the Hair Harvest website for the rules and regulations around the process of recycling your hair.

Read our article to find out more about selling your hair.

 

Mobile phones

Make anything from £5-£600 for your old, battered phone.

Did you know there are over 80 million mobiles in the UK just lying around doing nothing?

So if you’ve got a few languishing in a drawer or under your bed, now is the time to opt for recycling and get some cash in return!

Visit the Compare and Recycle website for comparisons on how much you can make selling your phone on different platforms.

While you can get around £600 for an iPhone XS with 64g memory, you will probably be more willing to sell an older model. According to the site, you can get up to £194 for an iPhone 6 and up to £350 for an iPhone 7 Plus.

 

Beauty product containers

Still have mascara from two years ago tucked away in the bottom of your make-up bag? Or that lipstick you thought you’d rock on nights out, but were never brave enough to wear? Perhaps it’s time you let go.

Fortunately, John Lewis & Partners recently launched a beauty recycling trial, called BeautyCycle, which offers members of its loyalty programme the chance to recycle empty makeup and skincare beauty products from any brand.

The programme offers members £5 off a beauty purchase when they bring empty beauty products and packaging from any brand into a shop. While it’s not cold, hard cash, it will definitely help you save!

 

Broken crockery

Like wine bottle corks, broken plates, saucers, cups, tiles and even mirrors are popular items amongst crafters. Especially those who like making mosaics.

If you have a pile of defunct crockery or building materials, make up ‘surprise’ hampers of between 20 and 150 pieces and sell them on eBay or Etsy.

Boxes of 20 pieces can go for about £8, while boxes of 150 can get you up to £15.

 

Loo roll

Oh, and another thing popular with crafters is old toilet rolls.

They often need more toilet rolls than they can produce, so are willing to pay for them on sites such as eBay and Gumtree.

Okay, you won’t make a fortune, but £7 for 50 rolls is better than just throwing them away!

Find out more about making money selling your loo roll here. 

 

Lego

If your child has outgrown their love of Lego, don’t even think about letting those colourful little blocks gather dust on some nursery room shelf. Instead, you can make a decent bit of pocket money by selling them on eBay!

Currently, 1kg bundles of average blocks can go for up to £20. Of course, if you have limited release figurines, you can make quite a bit more.

Read more about making money with Lego!

 

Underwear

Yes, there are people out there (well, mostly men) who are willing to pay for your used knickers!

It’s weird, you might find it a bit distasteful, but it can be quite lucrative.

There are whole sites set up to help you offer this service, such as:

Sites such as

• PantyDeal
• The Kinky Boutique
• Sofia Gray

You can sell your knickers from about £12 to a couple of hundred quid. One of our readers actually made over £4,500 doing this, so there is real money to be made.

Find out more about selling your knickers here. 

 

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Could your 50p coin make you £50?

Coins are a huge collectors’ item, with the Royal Mint often producing limited edition coins for people to buy and keep. The rarer the coin, the higher the value is likely to be. Recently, the Royal Mint revealed the top ten rarest 50 pence pieces in circulation. 

That got us thinking – could some of our readers have a small fortune stashed away in an old bag or purse? Since the move to ‘new money’ over 51 years ago, there have been a whopping 70 variations of the 50p coin. There have also been plenty of rare and unique designs, with collectors desperate to get their hands on them. 

What is so special about the 50p coin? Well, it has become the most values and collected coin in the UK. Because it is the largest British coin in circulation, it has the most space for special designs and artwork, with many pieces being used to celebrate historical moments over the years. 

50p coins are commonly used to commemorate important events. These include designs for events such as the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings, the 50th anniversary of the National Health Service and the 2012 Olympic Games. 

• What makes a coin valuable?
• The rarest 50p coins in the UK
• Other valuable 50p coins
• Are new coins worth anything?
• How to value your coin

 

What makes a coin valuable?

As mentioned, the rarer the coin, the higher the value is likely to be. This is the case with many collectibles. The mintage is the number of coins made in each design. The lower the mintage, the higher the value. A low mintage is hugely attractive to collectors and is often the greatest selling point. 

As with collectibles such as watches, gemstones and even handbags, the condition is fundamental when wanting to sell a coin. Misprints or errors in design can also make a coin more desirable to buyers. 

Of course, the design on the coin contributes greatly to how sought after a coin is.  

Interestingly, the value also depends on who you ask. If you get a valuation from a coin dealer and sell through them, you may get a more robust, fixed fee for your coin. However, selling at an auction house or on an online marketplace such as eBay could reduce the limits on the amount people will pay for a particular coin. Thus, you could get more money, as many coin collectors will bid highly during auctions. 

 

The rarest 50p coins in the UK

The Atlantic Salmon (2023)

As of 7^th October 2024: His Majesty King Charles III’s 50p coin has been officially crowned as the rarest 50p in active circulation, following the latest mintage figures published by The Royal Mint.

The coin depicting the Atlantic Salmon has knocked the highly collectable 2009 Kew Gardens 50p off the top spot for the first time, with just 200,000 released to UK banks and post offices at the end of last year. A total of 210,000 2009 Kew Gardens coins were released into circulation 15 years ago.

As the nation’s most collectable coin, the 50p has seen over 100 different designs appear on its reverse (tails) since its introduction. These include special designs for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games and milestone Royal occasions such as His Majesty King Charles III coronation.

Kew Gardens (2009)

The Kew Gardens 50p was originally released in 2009, and is the most sought-after 50 pence piece. Just 210,000 were put into circulation, with most of them falling into private hands. Kew Gardens is the most famous royal botanical garden in the nation, with the design featuring the famous Chinese Pagoda at Kew. 

The chances of getting your hands on one of these is slim. This is due to the low mintage due to the lack of demand for the 50p denomination in the UK at time of its release. 

Another version of the Kew Gardens 50p was released in 2019 to celebrate 50 years of the 50 pence piece. Released 10 years after the original design, the 2019 bears a slightly different effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and of course, a different date. 

This is the 50p piece that often sparks the interest of novice coin collectors. In the past, this coin has sold for as much as £895 on eBay previously. There are currently listings on eBay such as this ‘2009 Royal Mint Kew Gardens 50p Coin Presentation Pack’ for £375.  

Football (2011)

The Olympic Football coin was yet another coin designed in order to celebrate the prestigious 2012 Olympic Games. Just 1,125,500 of these coins were minted. This is the first of many Olympic Games 50 pence pieces to grace this list. 

Not only were the 2012 London games a huge event, with the country coming together for the historical occasion to celebrate sport. But football itself is an extremely popular sport in general, standing the test of time. Because of this, a coin collector, who is also a keen football fan, may be even more eager to get their hands on this piece. 

This coin was originally available to purchase from the Royal Mint in July 2010 for £2.99. According to Coin Hunter, over 12 years later, a circulated version of this coin could currently get you £13. A brand new, uncirculated coin in the original packaging could earn you a nice £26. This is nothing to be sniffed at – this is a price increase of 770%!  

Wrestling (2011)

The Olympic Wrestling 50p was made to commemorate the London 2012 Olympic games. This often attracts a lot of interest from collectors due to its rarity and subsequent value. Although this is just one of the 29 designs minted for the games, it is one of the rarest in circulation.  

Created over a decade ago, this coin has had plenty of time to filter through various hands and wallets through the years. Just 1,129,500 were put into circulation, with many spenders not realising this significance and worth of this coin. To put this number in context, there are approximately 200 million regular 50p coins in circulation, making this design highly valuable. 

This coin previously sold for £52.88 online, meaning your 50p could be worth over 100 times more than the face value. 

Judo (2011)

Judo may be a sport involving holding down your opponent, but these 50p pieces aren’t so easy to get your hands on. The coin was designed by a David Cornell, who won a competition which saw his design printed on just over one million 50p coins. 

There were 1,161,500 of these coins put into general circulation. These coins are selling from £11 on average, a value increase of 2,100% in the 11 years since they were first minted. If you have one of these coins in packaging with a cover, you could get £37. A nice bit of pocket money! 

Triathlon (2011)

In total, 1,163,500 of these coins were made in 2011. The triathlon is a popular part of the Olympic games. A coin seems the perfect way to celebrate the sport.  

Bids on online marketplace on eBay have reached £34 previously. However, Coin Hunter suggests uncirculated Triathlon 50p pieces in their original packaging could fetch approximately £79. 

 

Other valuable 50p coins

There are other 50p coins which could fetch you some cash. You may not even realise you have them lying around! Here are five more valuable and rare 50p pieces, including the year they were minted and their mintage – the number of them in circulation. 

• Peter Rabbit (2018) – 1,400,000 
• Flopsy Bunny (2018) – 1,400,000 
• Tennis (2011) – 1,454,000 
• Goalball (2011) – 1,615,000 
• Shooting (2011) – 1,656,500 

 

Are new coins worth anything?

It isn’t just old coins which catch the eye of collectors. New coins can collect a nice sum of cash too. In fact, just a few years ago in 2019, the Royal Mint re-released some of the rarest 50p coins. Five of the most popular coins were released to celebrate half a decade of the 50p coin, all surrounding British Culture. 

These new coins were made with old designs. However some of them featured a slightly different effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth than the original releases. One of these re-releases was the Kew Gardens piece, as discussed earlier. The other four re-releases in the set include 100 years of Girl Guiding, 100 years of Scouting for boys, the first sub-four-minute mile and a newly minted version of the old ‘New Pence’, featuring Britannia. 

In 2021, a new 50p piece came out to celebrate the achievements of Team GB. Bought new, they ranged from £11 to £102.50, depending on whether they came in a set, their colour and the rarity of them. The gold proof version was extremely rare, with only 250 minted, sold by the Royal Mint for £1,095 a piece. 

 

How to value your coin

Do you have a few coins lying around which you think could be worth a little something? If you are lucky enough to have picked up a rare coin or have had one in a penny pot for a few years, why not see if you could get more than face value for the piece?  

There are a few ways in which you can find out the value of your coin. Firstly, of course, you could check out online marketplaces such as eBay. Searching the full name of the coin and filtering the results to show ‘sold’ items will give you an idea of how much they have sold for previously. Similarly, you could refine your search to show the results from highest to lowest, so you can see the higher end of the price you could pocket. 

There are also useful online tools which can help you estimate the value of your 50p. Coin Hunter is a brilliant site which gives you estimations for your coin. This is based on the average of the most recent sales. It also gives you an estimate of the different prices circulated and uncirculated versions can sell for. Plus, how much the price has increased since it was first minted. 

Some websites, such as Change Checker have a scale which shows you just how rare a coin could be. The Scarcity Index gives you an idea of where your coin ranks. 

If you believe your coin is worth a decent sum of money, you could always visit an independent coin dealer. A pawn shop could also give a rough estimate. You may even wish to sell any very rare coins at auction.  

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