Blue Monday falls today – whether you believe in it or not, is another matter is supposedly the most depressing day of the year – and that day is today.
It’s meant to be the day where Brits feel most miserable about the long wait until , after being paid early before Christmas, combined with feeling down about debts and the bleak UK weather.
But it was actually devised by psychologist Dr Cliff Arnall in 2004 as a way to help travel companies sell holidays.
Blue Monday traditionally falls on the third Monday of January.
Whether you believe in it or not, or you’re simply worried generally about making it to payday, we’ve rounded up eight ways to . We round up ways to make extra cash Make extra extra money
There are plenty of ways to make extra cash – and sometimes you don’t even need to leave your home.
If you’re unhappy with your bank, get paid to switch and move elsewhere.
The top-paying bank bribe right now is from First Direct, which is offering £175 for new customers.
Read the small print carefully though, as there are certain terms and conditions you need to meet first.
To get the money, you need switch your current account to the 1st Account and pay in £1,000 within three months.
You can’t have ever had an account with First Direct before, or have opened a current account with sister bank HSBC since January 2019.
You could also be paid to enter surveys online and watch TV.
The start of the New Year is also a good time to have a clear out and sell your unwanted stuff.
Or see if you can make money by renting out your spare room or driveway.
Read our guide on 20 ways to make extra money here. Sell your unwanted belongings or give them to charity Start a side hustle
Can you use your skills to make a bit of extra money?
For example, you could look to sell your art or photography, or if you’re brilliant at writing, you could look at ways to make money from blogging.
How much you could earn through a side hustle depends on how much time you have to put into it.
Start off small, so you can test the waters before investing money into what could potentially become a small business.Keep in mind that if you’re making extra money – particularly if you’re doing it as a regular side hustle or selling for profit – you might need to pay .There is a trading allowance which means you have to report anything over £1,000 in additional income. Seefor more information. Go through your bills There are probably some bills where you’re paying more than you should be.Go through your bank statements for the last three months and highlight any recurring payments – then see if you can cut costs.Are you out of contract on your broadband and mobile? Or are there any subscription services you can do without?If you have any insurance policies, make a note in your diary now for when they’re due to expire, then make sure you compare prices nearer the time. Warm up for cheap Make sure your home is as insulated as it can be – and that doesn’t need to cost you a fortune.There are plenty of home improvements you can make yourself that don’t require spending lots of money.For example, buying a thick, heavy-duty rugs if you have floorboards, or making your own draught excluder.Finally, check you’re receiving all the energy help that is available to you.There is a £400 rebate, being handed out in six instalments until April. You need to physically claim this if you’re a prepayment customer.Other schemes include the Warm Home Discount, worth £150, , worth £25 each, and Winter Fuel Payments, worth up to £600.Many energy providers also offer free cash grants that you don’t need to pay back. British Gas runs a hardship fund for anyone – not just its customers – where you could get £1,500. Cut your supermarket shop Food prices have risen dramatically over the last year – so now is a good time to slash your supermarket shop.One trick to try out is the Downshift Challenge. This is where you swap branded labels for supermarket own-brand goods – and it could save you 30%.Other tips include never shopping when hungry, always use a basket instead of a trolley, hunt out yellow stickers and avoid expensive convenience stores.Finally, take advantage of new customer offers when shopping online.gives new customers £10 […]
source Everything you can do to survive until payday and boost your finances to beat Blue Monday