13 weird but legit ways to earn extra cash in the UK

If you have ever sat staring at your online banking and thought, “there has to be an easier way to top this up,” you are not on your own.

Most people know about surveys, cashback and flogging stuff on Vinted. But there are some truly odd, funny and surprisingly decent ways to bring in extra money, without needing loads of time or skills.

From being paid to stand in a queue to selling loo roll tubes, here are 13 of the best “weird but legit” money makers, plus a few safety and tax tips so you do not land in trouble later.

1. Get paid to be a friend

Yes, people really do pay for company.

Sites like RentAFriend let people book a “friend” for things like going to a gig, showing them round a new city, or just having someone to chat to in person.

The site advertises rates of up to about $50 an hour worldwide, and works in the UK too, though pay is agreed between you and the person booking you.

You choose what you are happy to do. It is meant to be platonic, so you can set clear rules in your profile.

Quick tips:

• Meet in public places and tell someone where you are going.
• Stick to activities you actually enjoy, like coffee, museums or board games.
• If it feels dodgy, walk away. No extra cash is worth feeling unsafe.

2. Take part in paid clinical trials

Some medical research companies pay very well for healthy volunteers to test new treatments and vaccines.

For short residential trials, UK firms quote anything from around £200 per day, up to about £1,000 to £4,000 for more involved studies that run over several days.

You usually stay in a clinic, have regular checks, and are closely monitored.

What to know before you say yes:

• Read every bit of the information sheet and consent form.
• Check the company is properly regulated and approved by the MHRA or an NHS ethics committee.
• Side effects are possible, so never treat it as “free money”.

If you are not sure, speak to your GP first.

Read next: Highest paid clinical trials in the UK

3. Get paid to taste food

Being paid to eat crisps and chocolate sounds like a dream job, and it does exist.

Food research panels and consumer testing labs in the UK pay people for taste tests, focus groups and surveys. Some ask you to visit a test kitchen, others let you try products at home.

Rewards might be from around £5 for a quick online survey up to £40 or so for a longer in-person session.

How to start:

• Search for “food tasting panel UK” or “consumer food panel” and sign up to a few.
• Be honest on the screening forms, they need real feedback from real people.
• This is pocket money, not a full wage, so treat it as a bonus, not rent money.

4. Make money standing in a queue

In the UK, companies like TaskRabbit now list “waiting in line” as an official service. People who need the latest ticket or product but cannot stand around for hours will pay someone else to queue for them.

You can set your own hourly rate, then hand over the spot when they turn up.

Where this works well:

• Big product launches
• Ticket releases
• Popular food stalls or pop-ups in big cities

Quick tip:

Take a power bank and snacks, and be clear in the listing about when you will arrive and how long you are willing to stay.

Read next: Yes, you can earn cash just by queuing and some people make £20 an hour

5. Make money watching TV

You cannot earn money for just slumping in front of Netflix, but you can turn screen time into a small side earner.

Companies run TV and media focus groups where you give feedback on shows, adverts or streaming platforms. Some panels pay cash or vouchers for online groups, in-person discussions or at-home testing.

You can also:

• Review shows on a blog or YouTube channel and earn from ads and affiliate links over time.
• Use survey and study sites that sometimes run “media” themed projects, such as Prolific or specialist research agencies.

It is not huge money, but if you already watch, you may as well get paid for your opinions.

Read next: Yes, you can actually make money watching TV

6. Keep bees and sell honey

Beekeeping sounds very countryside and wholesome, but it can also bring in money once you know what you are doing.

Small scale beekeepers who sell honey directly to customers can charge well over £7 per kilo when selling in bulk, and sometimes £20 plus per kilo at farmers’ markets or local stalls, although there are costs for jars and equipment.

It takes time for a hive to build up, and you need training, protective clothing and possibly permission from your landlord or council if you are in a flat or shared space.

Good starting steps:

• Join a local beekeeping association and take a beginner’s course.
• Start with one or two hives and focus on learning, not profit, in year one.
• Sell honey, wax candles or even beekeeping experience days once you are confident.

7. Make money from your collections

You can turn “stuff you already like” into a side hustle.

Certain things hold value or even go up in price, such as:

• Lego sets and minifigures
• Retro games and consoles
• Disney DVDs and Blu-rays
• Comics, action figures and special edition toys

Collectors will often pay more than the original price for rare or boxed items. Sites like eBay, Vinted and specialist Facebook groups are full of people hunting for missing pieces for their collections.

How to make it work:

• Learn which items actually sell, rather than hoarding everything.
• Keep things away from direct sunlight, clean, complete and, if possible, with boxes and instructions.
• Track sold prices, not asking prices, so you do not over or undercharge.

Read next: Why selling your stuff is one of the fastest ways to get cash

8. Get paid to do almost anything on Fiverr

On Fiverr and similar freelance marketplaces, people sell small jobs starting from around $5.

Yes, there are “normal” gigs like writing, editing and graphic design. But there are also stranger offers, such as:

• Recording a silly birthday message in a character voice
• Designing a funny pet portrait
• Writing a cheesy poem for anniversaries

There is a lot of competition, so the main trick is to find something you can do quickly that still feels a bit different.

Quick tips:

• Use clear, simple language and real examples in your profile.
• Deliver on time every time. Reviews matter a lot.
• Batch work and reuse templates so you are not working for pennies.

Do this: Start selling on Fiverr here

9. Sell toilet roll tubes and “rubbish” for crafts

It sounds like a joke, but people really do buy empty loo roll tubes, jam jars, bottle tops and other bits for craft projects.

Bundles of around 50 toilet roll tubes can sell for a few pounds on online marketplaces, especially if you group them with other craft bits.

Crafters use them for things like school projects, home-made Christmas crackers, as well as seed pots and bird feeders.

How to boost your listing:

• Sell in bulk and show a big pile in the photo.
• Offer local collection so you are not losing all the profit on postage.
• Add other freebies like cardboard, ribbon or small boxes to make it more tempting.

Read next: Make money with….your old loo roll!

10. Sell empty designer and tech boxes

That shiny Apple box or posh perfume box you were going to bin could be worth a few quid.

People really do pay for empty boxes for brands like Apple, Pandora, Gucci and popular perfumes.

Influencers, resellers and collectors sometimes buy packaging to store items or make gifts look more “luxury”.

What tends to sell:

• Apple and Samsung phone or laptop boxes
• Designer handbag and jewellery boxes
• Perfume and aftershave boxes
• Limited edition tech packaging
• High end retailer shopping bags

List them clearly as “box only, no product included” so you are not misleading anyone.

11. Turn cosplay and costumes into cash

Cosplay is where people dress up as characters from films, games, anime or comics. For most, it’s a hobby, but some people do turn it into an income.

Realistically, only a small share make big money from cosplay itself, but there are side routes, such as:

• Selling handmade costume pieces or props
• Taking paid commissions for full outfits
• Running beginners’ workshops
• Creating content on YouTube, TikTok or Instagram and earning from ads or sponsorships

If you already sew, paint or build props for fun, this can be a way to have a hobby that at least pays for its own materials.

12. Start a dog poo scooping service

Many dog owners hate dealing with the mess in their garden and are happy to pay someone else to do the dirty work.

Across the UK, specialist “poop scooper” companies charge from around £10 per week for regular visits, with some charging £30 to £80 or more for one-off deep cleans, depending on garden size.

You do not need fancy kit to start. You need:

• Gloves, bags and a sturdy scoop
• A way to dispose of waste safely following local rules
• Basic insurance and good hygiene

You could start locally by leafleting dog-heavy streets, posting in local Facebook groups and offering discounts for first-time customers.

13. Offer headstone and grave cleaning

This sounds unusual at first, but many families live far away from a loved one’s grave or struggle physically to maintain it.

Specialist grave and headstone cleaning services in the UK charge from around £50 for a basic clean, and over £100 for more detailed work or seasonal packages.

You can offer:

• Gentle cleaning of the stone with the right products
• Weeding and tidying the plot
• Placing flowers and sending before and after photos

You must treat it with respect and use proper cleaning methods so you do not damage the stone.

Training from a grave care or memorial company, even if it is just a short course or shadowing, is a good idea.

A quick word on tax and staying safe

Weird side hustle or not, tax rules still apply.

In the UK, you can usually earn up to £1,000 a year from trading or casual self-employment without having to report it, thanks to the trading allowance.

If your total side income goes over £1,000 in a tax year, you must tell HMRC. Government campaigns have made it very clear that people with side hustles need to report income, and there are fines if you do not.

Basic safety rules:

• Do not pay to join a “job” that sounds too good to be true.
• Avoid anything that needs you to hand over your bank login details.
• Meet people in public places for in-person gigs.
• Keep simple records of what you earn and any costs.