***New*** Thrifty Gifty Money Making for Christmas and all occasions 2011***

jena

Hi everyone. Would love to join you this year. I have had fun today reading all the posts - you are all so friendly! I tried out Bingoport today - did some games and a couple of posts on the forum. Would appreciate if someone could pm me with instructions - I think I got a bit confused! I had to keep adding letters to get a username accepted so I'm jenannee there!

I have been doing surveys for a few years now on and off. I keep getting screened out of Toluna and Global Test Market (I'm over 5o with no kids at home) but I like Pinecone - I opt for the £3 paypal - it's paid within a week. I also like Consumer Voice - though it's £45 to redeem so still a bit to go there. GFK WSID is a monthly survey on your phone and shopping trends which enters you into a prize draw. They are quick to do and I have had quite a few £2 Amazon vouchers from this. It is certainly worth signing up for as many as you can to see what works for you. Onepoll seems good too.

Sleep well everyone.

elysia2003

Challenge 1: January 2011.

1. THE AIM IS TO MAKE £50 ON EBAY. (after all ebay/paypal fees and postage has been taken into account).

Have a sort out and see if there's any presents you received that you don't like and can re-gift. If there's something you wouldn't give to your worst enemy. List that.

Have a sort through the kids toys and list anything they haven't played with in a while.

Have a general de-clutter and see what else you can find. You may be amazed. If you've not done eBay before give it a go - it's a bit addictive.

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2. OPEN A SEPARATE CHRISTMAS SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
If you haven't already, can you open a separate savings account for Christmas money? It will be so much easier for you.


Go through quidco and there's an RBS current account that you can join online and it only takes 5 minutes. No cash back for it though sadly.

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3.SAVE UPTO £5 WHEN YOU DO YOUR SHOPPING

When you do your shopping, at the bottom of the till receipt it says 'You have saved' sometimes it might say £20 and sometimes if you only go in for a few bits it might say £1.28

Put the amount you have saved into your Christmas savings account - upto a maximum of £5.

For example - if you save £20 - put in £5 and if you save £1.28 put in that.


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4. Save for January sales!

Find a sealed money box, and everytime you come home from shopping, empty your purse of all the coppers (silver too if you want to save more), but make sure you have put the money aside for the challenge above first.

This is not to be opened UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES - this will be opened on the 17th December (a week before Christmas) in readiness for the Sales. :j
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This seems like a lot, but the hard work is going to be the eBay one. Remember you have a whole month to complete it, so don't rush. Take your time!!!

List a few items a week, and let it run it's course. Then list a few more. This is not a competition who can earn the most - it's a challenge to see if YOU can earn £50 by turning unwanted stuff into money.

elysia2003

My Quick Guide to selling on eBay.

To sell on ebay you must first have registered, and you must also have a paypal account.

To sell you click 'Sell' at the top left hand corner. This is really quick as all the categories are chosen for you. You just have to choose which one is better suited to your product and highlight it. It’s really simple and self explanatory.

At this point, you can choose to pay an extra 6p to have you listing finish at a time which is convenient to you AND people are at home, (potentially placing last minute bids). If you are listing your items during the daytime, this is recommended as you will get much more than 6p if you item sells. The best time for listings to end is on a Sunday, anywhere between 6.30 and 10pm. The last minute bids can really bump up the prices.

You have the option to place the item on 'buy it now' this means that a buyer can purchase (at your stated price) at any time they require, without having to wait for the listing to end.

You need to have items weighed and get some idea of postal charges. I get my information from www.royalmail.co.uk.

In the My EBay 'Selling' section of the site, this is where all your information is held. You can know see your items listed in red, and when it turns green you have a bid. Next to each listing is a counter of how many people are watching the item (with a view to placing a last minute bid of either just comparing to see if they can get it cheaper).

Once the listing has gone green, the item will sell, whether or not you get further bids is whether or not other people require that item and are willing to pay more.

When the listing ends, in 'My EBay' section you will now have the option to send the winning bidder an invoice. Once they have paid the £ sign icon will turn blue.

You are now able to parcel up your package and post it. I like to put a little note in there, thanking them for their purchase. At this point you may leave feedback for them and mark the item as dispatched.

You have now posted your parcels, and left feedback. You can now sit back and await the positive feedback.

If an item does not sell, you are able to re-list again. Re-listing is much more straightforward than starting the whole process again. In 'My EBay', on the item that did not sell, you will find the tag - re-list this item, press that and the process starts again, as if by magic!

pammyj74

great posts Julie, blimey you are working really hard on this thread, its greatly appreciated
I already do 1, 3 and 4 of the posts above
the save on shopping is a good idea, I also tend to try and buy whoopsies, do they count as well?

elysia2003

Hi Jena - you are most welcome to join in. The more the merrier.

Hi Twinklestar - I thought I recognised the name on BP but I couldn't be sure. How's your mum , OH and the kids?

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There is a challenge to make extra money above - If you already are doing ebay (I know Pammy does it regularly) Please TRY and make £50 over and above your usual amount.

I have promised to pm a simple guide to bingoport to a couple of you but I haven't had chance - I will do it tomorrow - I promise. Today has been hectic.

elysia2003

Thanks Pammy - I'm just trying to give back some of what I have received from this site. :A

And it's not just me - we are a team!!!!!!

mum2one

Just a quickie point picked up from telly re Ebay. (one of those money making BBC1 daytime jobbies), the theory is most people will have time spare on a sunday, and be more willing to put in last minute bids.

The best time is to end a listing on a Sunday anytime from afternoon to 10pm.

if you did a 10 day listing - that goes on a Thurs - ends on the Sunday
7 day listing - Sunday to Sunday.

Can't believe how fast the thread has gone, love the challenge, thou I have to cheat slightly on the loose change challenge, as Miss Hoodie gets the change, and the 50ps....... she would have the £1 coins and the notes if she had her way (any there was any!!).

def looking forward to the £50 ebay challenge - got a few things to list xx

elysia2003

I do the same ones as you too Pammy. Have only sold bits here and there on ebay though lately. It'll be good to have a good sort out.

The grocery one came in a flash of inspiration the other day when I realised I had saved almost as much as I had spent.

If you're only doing a bit of shopping I would add the whoopsies too. Remember the max amount to put in, in any one shopping trip is £5.

elysia2003

The eBay make £50 challenge was the January challenge last year too - I thought it would be great, as it gets you going money making really quickly, and you get more motivated when you can actually see the money mounting up. On the plus side it also de-clutters the house, which is always a good thing.

It IS acheiveable I promise you - I made £138 last year (after all fees where taken into account). I'm hoping I can beat that this year. :j

Right - I'm off. Night all xxxx

zangels

I just did my shopping on line and i saved about £7 at the end. I think I will start a supermarket savings card instead of a bank account and will put the money saved that trip onto the savers card (up to £5 each time) and do it this way instead if thats ok?
If i shop on line i will add that times total during the next in store visit.
Im doing the sealed pot challenge aswell so i will keep putting into that with change and split between christmas and january sales.
Cant wait for the ebay challenge i will try and set this target for an average each month until all my stuff is gone:T