twenty fifth Apr 2025
Studying Time: 15 minutes
Except you be a part of the Navy or work for an airline, you’ll most likely battle to earn cash whereas travelling.
Scrounging free flights and lodge stays is getting more and more tough within the post-lockdown, post-‘influencer’ world, and even skilled journey writers now battle to journey the world without spending a dime like they used to.
However there are nonetheless some methods to recoup the price of your vacation, from renting out your house and driveway to taking care of another person’s pet whilst you sightsee.
Minimize by means of the hype and uncover what suggestions do and don’t work now, with our knowledgeable information.
Proceed Work on Vacation
OK, OK, so being on vacation means taking annual go away or time away out of your freelance job. However should you can negotiate working no less than a few days per week remotely whilst you’re away, you received’t eat into your go away days or vacation fund fairly a lot. With distant work so frequent in a post-Covid world, it’s simpler than ever to barter an extended vacation total, should you can prepare to work remotely just a few days per week.
Communicate to your boss about how you would work whilst you’re away, and ensure clear boundaries are set about if you find yourself working and if you find yourself on vacation. In case you are travelling to a rustic that has an workplace to your firm or shoppers, take into account providing to spend a day finishing up in-person conferences (and a few smooth-tongued staff may even use this to ask for bills in direction of air journey and a lodge for a portion of the journey).
Freelancers can often work from anyplace, which implies it’s straightforward to up sticks for per week or two with out dipping into your financial savings an excessive amount of. Working a few hours a day ensures the earnings continues to roll in, however you may benefit from doing it by a seaside or in a phenomenal historic metropolis! And bear in mind, should you can tie your journey to work someway, equivalent to a analysis journey, a few of your bills might be offset in your Self Evaluation.
Earn Cash Renting Out Your DwellingÂ
Renting out your home out whilst you’re away is a straightforward – and fairly profitable – manner of recouping the price of your vacation, particularly should you stay in a vacationer hotspot.
Airbnb has clearly cornered the market in informal vacation lets, however there are an entire host of apps and web sites on the market which you can sign-up to, together with Vacation Lettings, Vrbo, and Reserving.com, all of that are fairly straightforward to create and handle an inventory on.
Basic rental websites like Spare Room or Monday to Friday are one other great way of discovering individuals who may desire a full two weeks in a metropolis, the place, let’s face it, most Airbnb friends solely wish to keep for a day or three.
Which web site is finest?
Spare Room and Monday to Friday tenants are often younger adults or enterprise individuals in search of a stopgap whereas they discover extra long-term lodging. Websites like Reserving.com and Air BnB allow you to checklist for short-term lets, which may give you additional cash should you’re going away at a peak time.
There are only a few legalities to examine earlier than letting out your house, like whether or not you’ll want to up your insurance coverage. Airbnb, for example, covers you for as much as $1m in insurance coverage, however your personal residence insurance coverage supplier might also want you to pay a small payment to incorporate renters to your coverage.
You probably have a mortgage, you’ll want to examine if it’s okay with them too, as not all lenders can help you supply your house out for short-term lets.
Dwelling Swap
If you happen to don’t wish to hire out your house – or doing so would imply costly modifications to your insurance coverage coverage – you would take into account a house swap with a good friend or vetted individual, as an alternative. That is the place you turn houses for the time frame: you reside of their home, they stay in yours. This was made widespread with the Christmas movie, The Vacation with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz. We are able to’t assure you’ll discover the love of your life, however you may uncover an affordable method to commonly go to a spot that you simply love!
There are fully free residence swap providers, however going by means of an company like HomeExchange with a small annual payment means you should have extra safety insurance coverage and different help as a part of your membership. Dwelling swaps prevent a lot cash on journey, it may be a method to discover the world on a restricted finances – so paying an company payment, the place individuals are vetted to hitch, might be properly price it.
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Lease Out Your DriveÂ
In case your mortgage dealer doesn’t can help you allow you to hire out your home, or possibly you simply don’t fancy having another person keep in your house whilst you’re not there, you would at all times hire out your empty driveway as an alternative.
Having a automotive in your drive will even do extra to maintain away would-be burglars than that corridor lamp on a time change ever might! You may also make a good whack by merely letting another person park in your property for per week or two. Once more, the quantity you would earn depends upon the place you reside – should you’re stay in an enormous metropolis or close to a main sporting venue, like Wimbledon or Aintree the place parking is a significant drawback throughout sure weeks of the 12 months, your drive will clearly be extra in-demand than should you stay on Dartmoor.
There are a great deal of firms that specialise in driveway leases, together with JustPark.com, ParkOnMyDrive.com, Stashbee.com and YourParkingSpace.co.uk. You’ll additionally discover individuals listings their driveways on Gumtree, Fb and different less-specialist websites, so it’s price checking on these too to see should you might earn extra by promoting on certainly one of them.
Establishing an account solely takes a minute or so, and the websites then both take a small minimize from you, the leaser, or, within the case of JustPark.com, add an additional fee on to invoice which the individual renting your drive pays.
How a lot can I cost to hire out my drive?
The three cities most in-demand by space-shy parkers are London, Edinburgh and Brighton, the place parking close to the centre sometimes goes from £15 a day (should you exclude the chancers charging £50+). Even within the suburbs, the going-rate begins from £10 a day in Brighton, rising the nearer you reside to bus routes.
It might not sound an enormous quantity, however added up over a fortnight, you would (conservatively) look to make between £70 and £135 renting out your parking area – and that’s assuming you checklist on the very backside of the market. Most of these drives are usually not in essentially the most in-demand components of Brighton, like close to the seaside or station.
It’s an identical story with different touristy cities like York, the place metropolis centre parking has simply rocketed in April 2025, to a whopping £4.85 an hour in metropolis automotive parks (up from 80p an hour only a month earlier than!).
Will I earn extra in different cities?
If you happen to’re fortunate sufficient to stay in central London, Edinburgh, or York, your drive pays for various Magnums. You’ll be able to simply make £20+ a day for every parking area. If you happen to’ve a double drive or double storage, you’re £40+ a day – which provides as much as £560 in income throughout your two-week journey away. Have area for 3 automobiles? You possibly can earn £840 to place in direction of your spending cash.
Clearly, you’ll need to examine together with your residence insurance coverage supplier to make sure that renting out your driveway or storage doesn’t have an effect on your coverage, and any additional money you make over £1000 in a 12 months should be declared to HMRC in your tax return.
Can I Make Cash Pet Sitting?
In addition to renting out your personal home/drive to make some cash, you would attempt getting paid to remain within the place you’re staying – or, on the very least, keep there without spending a dime. Most individuals don’t pay for home sitting anymore – except you’re required to additionally take care of pets.
The apparent manner to do that is by providing your providers as a home sitter. Not everybody can get a home swap, equivalent to those that hire their houses moderately than personal them, however you may nonetheless register on a home sitting web site to remain in somebody’s home without spending a dime.
There are a selection of the explanation why somebody would need you to remain of their home rent-free.
An growing variety of individuals personal multiple property or spend lengthy intervals of time away on enterprise, and would moderately pay somebody to take care of the place than danger being burgled.
Housebreaking charges are highest throughout vacation intervals, which, let’s face it, might be if you find yourself in search of someplace too. Hiring a house-sitter additionally makes monetary sense for residence house owners with numerous priceless contents, like priceless artwork and memorabilia, so having you on-site might truly assist decrease their insurance coverage premiums.
What does house-sitting contain?
Home sitting is often very straightforward. Your job is to maintain issues dust-free and tidy, maybe carry on high of the backyard and water any vegetation, and, after all, it’s possible you’ll be required to take care of a pet too.
There’s fairly a requirement for many who are good with canines, cats and different animals, given many pet house owners don’t wish to ship their pets to costly kennels and catteries, so should you take pleasure in strolling and grooming animals, and might be trusted to maintain them alive for 2 weeks, you’ll be perfect.
Not all house-sitting firms pay, however you’ll save a whole bunch of kilos on resorts and B&B by taking over the roll of unpaid dog-walker/night-watchman while you’re not off exploring the native vacationer websites.
How do I register?
Most the principle home sitting web sites cost would-be sitters a small payment to register on their web site. HouseSittersUK, for example, costs £29 a 12 months for entry to its portal, which, as its web site factors out is ‘a fraction of the worth of an evening’s lodge lodging’. As soon as registered, you may then start looking for residence house owners within the space you’re hoping to remain, and chat straight with them to barter what they need and want from you. In the event that they pay, they may sometimes point out this within the advert, however you may at all times ask about any remunerations or bills while you message them. In the event that they’re asking you to take care of pets or be conscious of specific errands that would price cash, be sure to have in writing that they may cowl any bills incurred (like pet food).
Can I house-sit overseas?
If you happen to’re in search of lodging overseas, MindMyHouse.com has listings throughout the US, Canada and Mexico, which account for over a 3rd of all advertisements, in addition to heaps in the remainder of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
Once more, you need to pay a small yearly membership payment of $29 (roughly £25) however there are many good trying listings in unique locations. In fact, the house house owners are usually in search of assistance on particular dates (often once they themselves are going away), so should you’re trying to go to California, for instance, it could make sense to lookup who’s listed in that vacation spot – and when they’re in search of house-sitters – and, organising your journey round that, moderately than reserving your flights first after which being upset while you uncover there are not any Californians in search of house-sitters the fortnight you’re going to be there.
Can I specify what I’ll and received’t do?Â
The attention-grabbing factor about this web site is home sitters and residential house owners signal an settlement detailing precisely what’s and isn’t included within the settlement, protecting all the things from cost (or in any other case) to the scenario concerning utility payments, damages, and any chores/obligations. The contract additionally ensures your keep, though every social gathering can cancel the settlement as much as seven days earlier than you’re on account of arrive, so there’s at all times an opportunity you’ll have to search out various lodging in the event that they cancel greater than per week out.
One other widespread web site is Trustedhousesitters, nonetheless its becoming a member of payment is much more costly, ranging from £119 a 12 months for a ‘primary’ membership. If you happen to go down this route, it might not be a nasty thought to improve to the £129 ‘normal sitter’ membership, which incorporates unintended and third social gathering legal responsibility insurance coverage, in case something goes unsuitable throughout your keep. The premium membership of £249 is good for these wanting to deal with sit greater than annually (it’s nonetheless cheaper than a lodge!) because it contains sit cancellation cowl.
If you happen to apply for 5 home sits and aren’t profitable with any of them, the usual and premium plan features a refund in your membership price.
Can I cost a payment to deal with sit?
Though funds are usually not the norm, it’s possible you’ll be capable of negotiate a small payment if there are pets to take care of or every other extra duties, so undoubtedly give it a attempt should you really feel you deserve a small every day quantity.
One girl we all know of at MoneyMagpie commonly makes £50 a day as a house-sitter. She solely spends the night and night time in the home, earlier than going to work the following day.
The explanation for this excessive price of pay is the truth that the proprietor of the home has seven canines.
It might price no less than £10 per canine per day to place these canines into kennels. By paying £50 to a house-sitter who is aware of the canines, the proprietor saves £20 a day.
Usually, although, pay is minimal and begins at £10 a day. Some sitters ask for a meals allowance of £10 a day, very like an worker can do when having to journey for his or her firm. These sitters will usually ask for 45p per mile for gasoline, once more very like staff receives a commission for utilizing their personal automobile for work. Each of these funds are non-taxable, not like any precise remunerations, which needs to be declared to the taxman should you meet the minimal threshold.
One other instance of when a Magpie has been paid to deal with sit was when the individual had a house enterprise that required numerous sending and receiving parcels. They paid £10 a day to cowl the journey to the put up workplace, and to verify the Magpie stayed at residence throughout the set supply occasions to absorb parcels.
In case you are extra targeted on incomes cash moderately than simply discovering someplace free to remain, you’re most likely higher a specialised pet-sitting web site, though you most likely should be an actual animal lover to hassle making use of to those. Most house owners aren’t going to go away their beloved pooch with any Tom, Dick or Harry.
How do I develop into a pet-sitter?
The pet-sitting platform Rover doesn’t cost you to register and as an alternative takes 15% of any cash you make, very like Airbnb does. Numerous the sitters on its web site are professionals who both personal boarding kennels and catteries, or run skilled canine walkers providers, and so they clearly cost massive bucks. That mentioned, there are others who supply a extra conventional house-sitting service, which is clearly most popular by many pet house owners whose animals are too nervous or outdated to go to a kennel or cattery, so that you may be capable of undercut the professionals, and internet your self an honest payment to assist offset a few of your different vacation prices. You probably have a police DBS examine and may get references from different pet house owners testifying to your dog-whispering prowess, you’ll additionally significantly enhance your possibilities of getting chosen.
Once more you’ll discover listings throughout the UK on Rover, in addition to in widespread vacationer locations just like the US, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden and Norway – the place resorts are notoriously costly.
If you happen to plan to take care of somebody’s pet, you actually should look into getting public legal responsibility cowl, in case the canine bites somebody whilst you’re out strolling them, for example. {Many professional} house-sitters take out public legal responsibility insurance coverage even when they by no means take care of pets. You by no means know what kind of any blow-back you may get from the house proprietor if issues go unsuitable, so it’s at all times higher to be protected than sued!
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Get Free Meals and Lodge Stays as a Thriller Diner and Customer
There are many businesses on the market that make use of individuals as thriller buyers for resorts and eating places. Some pay however most supply merely the bills again of the meal or lodging. They are going to usually stipulate whether or not you’ll want to order a specific factor, ask for assist (equivalent to ‘might I’ve an iron dropped at my room?’ to check room service), and different such issues. You have to to allocate a while to finish the duties – however it is going to lead to free stays and meals.
What is going to I’ve to do?
Usually, thriller diners are given a easy questionnaire to fill-in after their go to, asking them to price how pleasant the workers had been, how clear and presentable the restaurant seemed, and different maybe brand-specific questions, like did the meal arrive inside a sure time after ordering.
Plenty of college students and retired individuals do thriller buying or thriller eating work as a part-time job, however should you’re actually solely eager about doing it sometimes to cowl these dinners away, you would attempt signing up for a web site like MysteryDining.
Whereas most individuals who use the app assessment eating places of their native space, it let’s you replace your preferences should you’re travelling, which means you may choose to assessment eating places and resorts, for instance, whilst you’re elsewhere within the UK. They even have some worldwide partnerships, which means you would eat without spending a dime whereas on vacation in components of Europe, the Center East and America.
Can I receives a commission for opinions?
MysteryDining doesn’t pay you for every assessment, however gives ’capped reimbursements’ – ie. cash to pay for the meal or lodge room you’ve been requested to assessment. It really works on a tiered system (with bronze, silver, gold and platinum ranges, relying on what number of opinions you’ve carried out). Not surprisingly, the perfect gigs, like lodge stays, spa visits, meals at high-end eating places, and afternoon teas, are reserved for individuals with extra expertise – which you achieve, initially, by reviewing plenty of ‘fast service’ eateries, like Pret A Manger.
If dwelling it up without spending a dime isn’t sufficient, yow will discover paid gigs right here, though they require a bit extra dedication and energy, and, are frankly, extra of a job than one thing you may simply casually do whereas having fun with a much-needed break.
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Make Cash Promoting Your Vacation Pics
If you happen to’re travelling someplace a bit distinctive or off the overwhelmed monitor, nonetheless, and are newbie photographer with a DSLR digicam, you may as properly give it a go, because it’s shocking how few photographs the picture businesses have of huge swathes of Africa, for example.
What kind of photographs will promote?
Clearly there’s little or no demand for brand spanking new photographs of Desk Mountain or Kruger Nationwide Park. However you’d be stunned at simply how few photographs there are of different comparatively mainstream African locations on most image libraries.
As an example, should you sort ‘fisherman + Gabon’, ‘hyenas + Namib-Naukluft Nationwide Park’ or the title of a seaside in Zanzibar or Mozambique into a photograph library search bar (like an image editor trying to illustrate a narrative would do), only a few photographs will seemingly come up.
Even when there are just a few related photographs on the web site, there’s probability people who these images will have already got been used by the image editors at specialist publications (and even mainstream media homes), which means your snap may very well be precisely what they’re in search of subsequent time they search a type of phrases.
If you happen to’re going even additional off the vacationer path to go to relations in Nigeria, for instance, then you would actually clear up. You’d be shocked at how few good photographs there are of a rustic of 200 million individuals!
The place do I enroll?
There are many on-line businesses. Some widespread websites embrace:
While you register your particulars, the positioning will often ask you to ship between 5 to 10 images so it will possibly take a look at the standard and sort of images you ship them. In case your images don’t conform to the positioning’s necessities, they are going to be rejected.
If this occurs, don’t fear – simply attempt once more, taking their feedback into consideration. Typically it could simply be as a result of they have already got too most of the form of picture you’re sending.
After your footage have been checked and cleared you’ll be notified once they go stay on the web site, often after about 24 hours.
Then there’s nothing to do after that besides wait till individuals purchase your images. As soon as your account reaches a sure restrict you may get your fingers on the money.
Authorized points to think about
There are just a few authorized points to think about earlier than you add any pics on to a photograph library. As an example, footage of identifiable homes or fashions (any one that is within the picture) will most often want a launch kind. That is signed by the mannequin or home proprietor to quote that their permission has been given so that you can revenue from their private belongings. Every web site has a launch kind so that you can obtain should you want it.
You also needs to keep away from taking footage of automotive registration plates, firm logos (these could be Registered Commerce Marks) and something that may very well be thought of inflammatory (racist graffiti, for instance). You want to examine the legal guidelines of the nation you’re in to establish what you may and may’t take images of in a public area, too.
Journey for Free by Being a ‘Group Chief’
Numerous journey firms supply a reduction if a big group is reserving collectively. These embrace main manufacturers like Virgin Holidays and Eurostar, which will give massive teams of 10 or extra a ten% low cost. The apply can also be frequent amongst specialist tour ops that prepare snowboarding journeys, strolling holidays, biking excursions, golf breaks and safaris. These specialists usually permit the tour ‘chief’ or one that organized the group reserving to journey without spending a dime, as a thanks/incentive for organising the journey and to encourage them to rearrange extra sooner or later.
If you happen to arrange a bunch vacation for associates or household you would be rewarded to your effort by pocketing that low cost your self (agree it with your folks first after all).
Not solely will the travelling be cheaper, you may then be eligible for cheaper entry into sights, too. These could also be museums, amusement parks and so on. It’s primarily simply one other manner of shopping for in bulk.
Earn Cashback on Flight and Lodge Bookings
The opposite straightforward method to make free cash in your vacation is by paying for as a lot of your journey on a credit score or debit card that pays you a refund each time you spend. Even higher if you can too buy by way of a cashback web site like Quidco or Topcashback, to stack the rewards.
Numerous financial institution playing cards are actually de facto ‘reward playing cards’ that pay you each time you utilize your card to purchase items and providers. Usually this reward money is a flat share price, which you earn every time you utilize your card. Different banks might group up with particular firms, which frequently change on a month-to-month foundation, and supply a refund or additional a refund every time you purchase one thing with certainly one of their companions that month.
Clearly, should you’re travelling overseas, the small payment you earn every time you spend will (often) be offset by international transaction charges, however you would make a good chunk of cheddar should you use a reward card to ebook flights, pay for a bundle vacation, or should you ebook resorts and different vacation necessities by means of a UK web site earlier than your journey begins.
Earn Avios factors while you spend
An alternative choice to utilizing cashback is to earn Avois or Virgin Reward factors in your every day spending to save lots of all year long, for discounted flight, airport lounge, and lodge prices. The British Airways bank card and Virgin Reward card supply these – however try others like Amex Rewards as they might even be a part of a factors scheme.
You’ll be able to usually get additional bonuses too, equivalent to a free companion voucher when you’ve earned a sure degree of factors – which means you may take a good friend or companion in your journey without spending a dime, too.
