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Help out during elections and get paid
Elections can be great opportunities to help make democracy work while earning some extra cash. Councils need help counting votes and staffing polling booths for general, local and mayoral elections.
What roles are available? The main tasks you're likely to see advertised are:
- Poll clerk – Help run polling stations, eg, setting up, and handing out ballot papers. You aren't allowed to leave during polling hours, to maintain the secrecy of the vote. This means a long day, as stations are open 7am-10pm, and you'll need to arrive around 6.30am to set up.
- Counting assistant – Count all the votes once polls have closed. The time it takes will depend on how many people vote and whether a recount is needed, so be prepared to stay as long as it takes – potentially overnight.
- Runner – Collect ballot boxes from polling stations and take them to be counted.
What are the eligibility requirements? Most roles don't require any particular experience. You DON'T need to be on the electoral roll either.
Crucially, you can't apply for these roles if you've worked for a political party or candidate in the election – the Electoral Commission says it shouldn't be a problem if you're just a member, though ultimately it's down to the discretion of the returning officer (the person responsible for employing polling station staff).
And working in the election doesn't stop you voting – yet you may need to apply for a postal vote if you're going to be working in a polling station other than the one you're registered to vote at.
How do I sign up? Contact your council or check its website to see if it's recruiting. Some councils keep a register of interested people and sign them up closer to election time.
It can be quicker to search online for jobs in your area, rather than hunting through your council's website (eg, 'Milton Keynes general election poll clerk jobs').
How much? It varies by job and council, but during June's general election we saw ads for count staff quoting £110-£170 and poll clerks £135-£245.
One forumite told us he earned about £180 in the past. Another said: "I got paid loads [for counting votes] – about £60 for a couple of hours' work, and it was great fun."
Find out more: Join the discussion, read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the election jobs thread.
Be a model
If you have the confidence to go nude (or semi-nude in some cases), life modelling is a fun way of earning extra cash. For a few hours work, you can usually get a very good rate of pay because it's very hard to recruit for this role.
All you have to do is make sure you're able to hold a pose. All shapes and sizes are desired, so don't be put off if you're not 'model' size.
My ex did this for ages, found a classified in the local paper (well, I found it for him!). Good money, gentle work... and he was pretty ugly.
- Badger_Lady
How much? Forumites report you generally get up to about £10-£20 per hour. Of course, wages vary depending where you work and some models are paid 'per job', earning more.
Find out more: Make enquiries at local colleges. Join the discussion, read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Life modelling discussion.
Be a TV extra
It can be a little more boring than Ricky Gervais makes it out to be, but the fun of seeing yourself in the background of shows can more than make up for it.
There are several legit online extras agencies which don't charge you for signing up, although they'll generally take an 'administration fee' out of your pay. If you're serious, you'll need to sign up to a few agencies to be in with a chance. You may have to pay your own travel expenses.
As there are a lot of agencies to choose from, it's well worth checking out forum feedback before you join to help you find the ones that are right for you.
How much? Most extras generally earn about £50 per day (it can be more), with overtime paid at about £10 per hour. It's a good idea, though, to have some professional (or at least professional-looking) photos taken in order to start off getting work.
Find out more: Join the discussion, read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the TV extra work thread.
Be a guinea pig
If you're fit, healthy and prepared to accept the risk of tests, you could earn up to £150 a day by taking part in medical trials.
Several big companies advertise for volunteers. See forumites' experiences in the medical trials discussion for ideas.
How much? Depending on what it is you're being tested for, forumites report earning up to £150 per day (it varies by trial). You may get your travel expenses refunded.
Find out more: Join the discussion, read other MoneySavers' suggestions and add your own in the medical trials discussion.
... or take part in psychological experiments
A less risky (though sometimes less lucrative) alternative is taking part in psychological experiments. These could be on anything from how sleep affects memory to how people identify information in "noisy videos". Many university psychology departments recruit participants of all ages to help with their research.
For example, the University of Bristol's School of Experimental Psychology is currently looking for participants aged 40+ to take part in a study "investigating food choices across the lifespan". You'll be paid £15 for a session lasting a maximum of 90 minutes. Age requirements for its other studies range from 18-70.
How much? You can expect to earn £7.50-£15 an hour for in-person experiments (watch out for online psychological experiments, as they're not always paid).
Find out more: Check your local university's website, or contact its psychology department to find out about current experiments and join its subject pool.
Bag a Christmas job
There are more likely to be temporary vacancies around the Christmas period in certain sectors. Check out Gov.uk's Universal Jobmatch and Gumtree.
Check which retailers are looking for extra staff to cope with the extra Christmas shoppers. Print out multiple copies of your CV, and then do a mail-drop on your local high street.
Ask catering agencies, restaurants, pubs, clubs and bars. Festive parties may mean more jobs. Royal Mail may also be worth checking at this time of year.
How much? Varies by sector.
Find out more: Join the discussion, read other MoneySavers' top suggestions or add your own in the Christmas jobs discussion.
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