Quick, simple and fun ways to make money as a family

Photo Credit: Rodrigo_Amorim via Compfight cc

After Christmas and New Year all families are forced to tighten their belts for a little while, no matter how big the family is. After splashing the cash on the elaborate and thoughtful gifts that Santa delivered, the bank account always looks empty and depressing by this time in January and the weather coupled with the removal of the decorations and going back to work certainly don’t do much to cheer us up either!

While the kids might be perfectly happy playing with all of their new toys and games or modelling their brand new clothes at every opportunity; we know deep down that we’ve got to find ways to either save money, or make some. With bills to pay and essential expenses like fuel, food shopping and the potential for new school uniform or car repairs that we have no choice but to pay; saving becomes difficult.

So how do we go about getting some much needed funds in the bank account? First things, first – you can’t do it on your own, no matter what you might think. Doing overtime at work is all well and good, but if it leaves you exhausted and with little or no time to spend with the family or doing your own thing, it’s not really that worthwhile. You need to find a way of getting the whole family involved.

The first thing you could try is using that fancy new iPad they got you for Christmas and playing your favourite games to try and win some money, (provided you’re over 18 of course!) There are tons of great online gaming sites and bingo comparison sites including Two Big Ladies who advise you on the best sites and games on the web that give you the chance to play your favourite games and, if you win, you can pocket some much-needed money with little or no effort – and all in your spare time, too.

Another option is to use the new clothes as a starting point for a bit of a clear-out. Get everybody to go through their wardrobes and drawers and to select the clothes they no longer wear or want, and then you can start to take pictures of them so you can sell them on the Internet through eBay or another online auction site.

It’s not the most fun of tasks getting rid of clothes, but if it means you make a bit of cash from them it’s totally worthwhile, plus you get more space in the bedroom which is always at a premium anyway and gives you somewhere to start your spring cleaning from in advance!

It doesn’t necessarily have to be clothes that you sell. You could look to unload your unwanted Christmas presents or any other items that you’re not particularly a fan of, like DVDs or games. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure and all that.

If you don’t fancy using the Internet to sell your unwanted items, you could either arrange a garage sale or look for a local car boot sale. While these are predominantly for bits and bobs, they’re great places to sell any unusual items that you no longer want or need and there’s normally someone on the lookout for things like chests of drawers, coffee tables and other household items you might be looking to cash-in on.

Whatever method you use to try and make or save some cash, don’t let it get you down if it doesn’t work straight away. Before you know it, pay day will be here again and those bills will be a thing of the past and summer will soon be here!

This is a collaborative post.