Simply Drop by the Royal Mail is an excellent website that gives you money for recycling your old mp3 players, mobile phones and digital cameras.

How Does it Work?

You simply register the items that you wish to recycle and the Royal Mail will send you a free postage bag.  You then send off your items and they will send you your reward via PayPal or Postal Order and you can even donate the money to charity.

How Much Could I Make?

This varies depending on the age of your goods, however for an average mp3 player such as a 3rd generation iPod Nano, you would get £10. This isn’t much, but it’s probably better than leaving it lying around gathering dust.

Summary

Simply Drop is a good and easy way to make some quick cash and recycle your old unwanted goods. However, be sure to check other sites such as ebay to see how much your stuff is worth, as you may get a higher price if you sell them yourself.

Link: Simply Drop

© 2009 Money Saving Student

Got a few old mobile phones hanging around?  A new website helps you to get the best return from them, so you can make some quick cash.

About MobilePhoneRecycling.co.uk

MobilePhoneRecycling.co.uk is a new comparison website that helps you to get the best deal when you sell your old mobile phones.

It helps you to quickly compare  prices offered by 6 of the UK’s leading mobile phone trade-in companies.

How It Works

Just type in your phones model number and it will show you how much the various companies will give you for your old phone.  Then simply click through to the website of your choice.

Example

Who They Compare

The companies they compare are:

• Envirofone.com

• Fonebank.com

• Mazumamobile.co.uk

• Mobilephonexchange.co.uk

• money4urmobile.com

• mopay.co.uk

Most notably the new Love2Recycle (which is supported by MoneySupermarket.com) is missing from the list, which is disappointing as it has a reputation for being a high payer.  Cex is also missing.

Final Thoughts

One thing to note is that they make their money through linking with these sites, however they are providing you with a service and this does not effect you in anyway.

If you have a spare mobile or two lying around it’s definitely worth giving this website a go to make some quick cash.  But also be sure to check out other sites that it does not compare.

Don’t forget to check out my previous article Recycle Your Old Mobiles For Dosh.

Link: MobilePhoneRecycling.co.uk

© 2009 Money Saving Student

For most students the amount that they receive from their student loan is simply not enough, however you may be entitled to a bursary to help you out.

What Is A Bursary?

A bursary is non-repayable support available from your Higher Education institution which is available to a wide a range of students.

Source: Bursary Map

How Can I Find Out If I Am Entitled To A Bursary?

Simply visit the Bursary Map and select the region in which you study and then your institution. A link will then take you to your institutions website with information on what bursaries are available to you and how you can receive them. Most bursaries are dependent on your household income.

Link: Bursary Map

What Other Support Is There Available?

Many universities also offer scholarships which are dependant on a number of factors. It is worth checking out your universities website to find out if any are available to you.

For more information on what student finance support is available check out the governments website.

Top Tip

Always check if you are entitled to any bursaries or scholarships at your university, as after all it’s free money!

© 2009 Money Saving Student

Photo by mrlins

By now you have probably finished all your exams and have a long summer ahead of you. Lack of dosh can be a problem in the summer, therefore I have constructed a Money Saving Student checklist to help ease your money troubles.

1) Get A Summer Job

To get a decent summer job you better apply quickly, as usually all the good jobs go fast.

There are a number of websites where you can check for jobs online:

• Job Centre
• e4s
• Just Jobs 4 Students

Also check out your local newspapers, job centres and temping agencies (which usually pay more and probably better suited to students).

If you’re stuck try your local supermarkets, as they usually have plenty of vacancies and don’t pay too badly.

2) Sell Your Old Textbooks

You probably have a number of textbooks left over from the past semester that you will never use again, which can be easily turned into cash.

See Selling Old Textbooks for tips on the best places to sell.

3) Sell Your Old Junk

Another easy way to earn alittle cash this summer is to sell some of your junk. It is possible to earn a decent amount on ebay if you follow my eBay Selling Tips.

4) Mystery Shopping

Another good easy way to make some cash this summer is to become a mystery shopper.

See Like Shopping? Get Paid To Shop for more information.

5) Cheap Holiday

You will probably want to go on holiday this summer, but may not have much cash. However, it is possible to go away for very little.

You could go camping for almost nothing. For example, we often go away surfing in north devon which at our favourite site costs just £5 a night per pitch.

Another option is to go CouchSurfing. Using this site you can get free accommodation almost anywhere in the world and meet lots of new people.

Have a brilliant summer:-)!

© 2009 Money Saving Student

If you are a budding photographer then it is possible to make some extra dosh by selling your best photographs online through microstock websites.

How Does It Work?

You simply upload your best photos to a mircostock website and an approval team will check them. Then if approved you can start earning money from each photograph sold. Easy…

How Much Can I Earn?

It very much depends on the quality of your photographs, however some people do earn a decent amount.

What Sites Can I Sell From?

There are a large number of sites that you can sell from. Some of the most well known are:

• Shutterstock
• Photobox
• Fotolia
• iStockphoto
• Dreamstime

Starting Out

Before signing up for any of these sites you should have at least 10 decent photographs at the best picture quality your camera can take (most sites require at least 2MP or above). You should also check out what pictures they actually need. For example, iStockphoto have a needed photos page and Fotolia have a top sales section.

Probably the best site to start off with is Fotolia, as you can immediately upload your photos and the approval team seems to be not very strict.

For more information on selling your photographs, check out Microstock Diaries, which is a blog written by someone who makes money in this way.

Little Earner Rating

© 2009 Money Saving Student

Photo by CarbonNYC

Everybody knows that eBay can be an easy way to make some extra cash by selling your old junk. However, not everybody knows how to sell their items for their full potential.

Below are 11 tips on how to make your eBay items sell for more:

1. Make Your Item Title Stand Out

The title of your item is seen by all buyers when they are searching through lists of items, therefore it is one of the most important parts of your listing. You only have 55 characters to play with, so you have to make the most of them. Make sure your title is spelt correctly, gives a good concise description of your item and that it stands out.

2. Choose The Right Category

Some buyers search for items by category, therefore it is important that your item is listed where it should be to get maximum exposure. You can find the right category for your item simply by searching for similar items already listed on eBay.

3. What Extras Should I Choose?

There are many extras on eBay that you can add to your listing, however they cost you money. Therefore, you should try to reduce the amount of extras you choose and ideally if suited to your item, don’t use any at all. The best extra is schedule start time (which currently costs 6p), however if you have the time and are organised, this is not necessary.

4. The Picture

The picture like the title is very important if you want you item to sell well.

• It should be in focus

• Have a plain background

• Have a 10% border around the item

Cheeky Bonus: Although eBay lets you only have one picture for free you can get extra pictures for free by uploading pictures to sites like Photobucket and copying the images into your eBay template.

5. Listing Time

The time that you start your listing is the same time that your listing ends (unless you pay for the schedule start time extra), therefore it is important that you choose the right time.

The best time to choose is in the evening when most people are on the internet between 9-11 pm. Also, it is generally considered that the best day to end on is a Sunday, however, this depends on what type of item you are selling.

6. Listing Length

The longer you make your listing, the greater the chance that people will be able to find your item and bid on it. Therefore, on average items on 7 and 10 day listing sell for more.

7. Description

Your description helps potential buyers decide whether they will bid on you item, therefore you should make it clear and informative. If you are stuck on what to write, check out the manufacturer of your items website.

8. Listing Template

The template of your listing can have a big overall impact on how well your item sells, therefore you should spend a little time on making it look good. If you have no knowledge of html you can get free templates from sites like Auctiva.

9. Payment Methods

You should always accept paypal in all your listing, as this is the most widely used form of payment on eBay.

Also, if you can, you should try to accept as many types of payment as possible to maximise your availability to buyers.

10. Cheap Listing Days

eBay usually has at least one day a month on which it is cheaper to list your items, you should make the most of these days.

11. Low Starting Prices

Research has shown that setting low starting prices on average helps an item sell for more, because it encourages people to bid and to get into a bidding war.

Little Earner Rating

Feel free to add your own selling tips by adding a comment below.

© 2009 Money Saving Student

Photo by Mike Warren

A fairly easy way of making money if you are strapped for cash is becoming a mystery shopper. There are a number of mystery shopper agencies such as Grass Roots and Gapbuster, but the best one that I have found is Retaileyes.

What Does Mystery Shopping Involve?

All that mystery shopping entails is purchasing an item from a shop and filling in a questionnaire and a few sentences about your shopping experience. Shops then use this information to improve their customer service.

How Much Can I Earn?

How much you earn per assignment depends, however you usually get around £3 to spend in the shop and around £7-9 for completing the assignment. Last summer I managed to earn around £150 in a couple of weeks.

Can I Choose My Own Assignments?

Usually you choose all your own assignments; however you will have to keep checking the assignment lists, as the best ones go pretty quickly.

Little Earner Rating

© 2009 Money Saving Student

What Do They Do?

These agencies will pay you to put various size advertisements on your car, for usually between 3 months and a year, depending on the length of the advertising campaign.

Pros

• Money!
• Thieves are unlikely to steal a car covered in advertisements.
• You can usually decline any adverts that you do not want on your car.

Cons

• Makes your car look ugly.
• Not many people have made money in this way.

How Much Can You Earn?

Apparently you can earn up to £200 a month depending on what type of ad you have on your car or you can choose to get free petrol (which is pretty much worth the same). However, I do not know of anyone that has earned this amount.

Alternatives

You could go to local businesses and make your own sponsored advertisements. This way you keep all the money:-).

Little Earner Rating

© 2009 Money Saving Student

What can you review?

You can review pretty much anything, as long as they have it listed on their sites. For example in the past I have reviewed thatchers cider and Leeds United football club.

How much can you earn?

On dooyoo you collect dooyoomiles by writing reviews (1000 dooyoomiles is equal to £1). You get paid 500 dooyoomiles (50p) for every review you write over 150 words, which is a good amount for not much effort. In addition to that you get 15 dooyoomiles (1.5p) for every rating your review receives, which soon builds up.

On ciao the amount you earn is a little more complicated. You do not get paid for writing a review, however you receive money based on your reviews ratings and viewers. You get paid more for being the first to write a review on a particular subject.

How much you earn is very much dependent on how much effort you are willing to put into the sites.

How do they earn money?

The review sites themselves make money through advertising and having affiliate links to other sites.

Which site is better?

Dooyoo is by far the better of the two sites, as you can earn a lot more money quickly. It also has a much better looking and easier to use interface than ciao, which is very complicated. However, it is advisable to use both, as you can paste your dooyoo reviews onto ciao and earn a little more money for no extra effort.

Little Earner Rating

© 2009 Money Saving Student

Photo by ndrwfgg

Companies like envirophone and cex will now buy your old mobile phones for money. They make their money by then selling these phones on, usually to parts of Asia.

Before you sell your phone there are a few things to consider:

Phone Checklist

1. It must turn on
2. It must have no significant damage
3. It must have its battery
4. It must not be barred or be water damaged
5. It must be of UK or european specification
6. Remove your simcard before you send off your phone

Potential Earnings

How much you earn by selling off your old phones very much depends on your phone model and therefore could be anything between £5 and over £100. Although its never going to be a big earner, its a handy bit of cash.

What if My Phone is Damaged?

If your phone is damaged, envirofone may still offer you anything between 30%-70% of the value of the phone.

Other Places to Consider

You may find that you may make more money on ebay or simply flogging it to a mate, therefore always look around to see where you can make the most money.

Little Earner Rating

© 2009 Money Saving Student