How to Make £500 by Christmas
For years, I have been sharing my adventures in making money and have whittled down a list of the very best side hustles. I have earned £1,000s in additional income over the course of the last 5 years and helped you make £100,000s towards your own financial goals.
As we approach the end of the year, it is time to start thinking about Christmas (less than 100 days away now). The most wonderful time of the year is also often the most expensive for families across the UK. To ease the financial burden of this, I thought I would compile the best way to earn £500 in time for the big day.
Best Side Hustles (UK)
One of the best ways to earn some extra cash in the run-up to Christmas can be to explore one of the various side hustles that actually drive results. Here are the side hustles that I have tried and tested over the last 5 years.
Some of these ideas can earn you £500 individually but I would recommend a mixture to enhance your earnings in the run-up to Christmas.
Bank Switching (UK)
Potential Earnings: £175 - £200 per hour (£725 in offers available right now)
Time to Learn: 5 minutes
This is my most recommended side hustle, that most people don’t realise can be a side hustle, and the money available is phenomenal. Banks pay bribes to get new customers to move to them ranging from £175 to £200 a time. However, you can get hold of these bonuses without moving your main bank account.
I have done this 12+ times across all banks that pay a bonus without ever moving my main current account. This has netted me over £1,500+ over the last 5 years and if you haven’t done this then you could be missing out!
The only downside to this is a slight mark on your credit score for opening a number of bank accounts in short succession but this generally drops off after 6-12 months, so unless you are looking to mortgage, re-mortgage or apply for any other finance this could be well worthwhile.
It sounds too good to be true, and it’s actually pretty easy as long as you know how to game the system. That is why I have put together this free guide!
Matched Betting (UK)
Potential Earnings: ~£20+ per hour (£1,000+ available in new customer offers)
Time to Learn: 1 hour upfront
This was my first original side hustle and works by taking advantage of promotional offers on betting sites. These promotional offers can be used in conjunction with betting on various outcomes of events to ensure you make a profit.
Initially, this may sound confusing but that is why I have written a comprehensive free guide on exactly how this works and how to get started. This can be found here.
The best part about this side hustle is that the earnings are tax-free so you can keep the profits you make.
Mystery Shopping (UK)
Potential Earnings: ~£15+ per hour (depends on location, can be more)
Time to Learn: Varies depending on job availability but can learn as you go
This is a generalised income stream title as I very rarely do mystery shops in the way that you might expect. Nine times out of ten, I am heading into a shop, taking a few quick photos and getting paid for it. This is my current favourite way to make money as it is quick, easy and generally pays pretty well for the simplicity of it.
I have made £1,000s from this side hustle alone and whilst it is reliant on you being near supermarkets and shops to maximise your earning potential, it can be combined with a shopping trip to add up over time.
Here is my free guide on exactly how to make money from mystery shopping, including all of the very best apps to do this with.
Market Research (UK)
Potential Earnings: ~£30+ per hour
Time to Learn: None
This is the easiest possible side hustle for anyone to pick up as you are getting paid to talk about your opinions, which you can’t really get wrong!
Market research is typically video calls that you can join from home on a laptop and can pay very well depending on the topic you are discussing. It isn’t a very consistent income stream as it depends on the demand for calls and whether you fit into the categories of people researchers are looking for!
However, it is well worth applying for studies on my favourite apps (Dscout and Askable) on the off-chance you get accepted. Here is a rough free guide on how to make money from market research in the UK.
Sign-Up Offers (UK)
Potential Earnings: Varies
Time to Learn: None
Just like banks pay “bribes” lots of other companies (mainly finance apps) will pay you to download their app or open an account of some sort. These aren’t usually as extravagant as the amounts the big banks are offering, but can still be worth your time as you can earn quite a lot for short tasks.
As of 17 September 2025, these are my very favourite sign-up or UK referral offers that are available:
Zopa Referral Scheme
Cash available: £10 (Instant)
Time taken: 5 - 10 minutes
How the Zopa referral scheme works
Zopa is a bank that offers a current account with a number of perks. The £10 referral bonus is available when signing up via a referral link and opening this account.
Cheddar Referral Code
Cash available: £5 (Instant)
Time taken: 5 - 10 minutes
How the Cheddar referral scheme works
Cheddar is a cashback app that pays you cashback when you buy gift vouchers for UK shops. Tesco is currently available with 4% cashback.
Mettle Referral Code
Cash available: £50 (Takes up to 30 days)
Time taken: 10 - 15 minutes
How the Mettle referral scheme works
Mettle is a business bank operated by NatWest. £50 is available using my referral code and is available for new customers.
Trading 212 Promo Code
Cash available: ~£8 - £100 (Instant but withdrawable after 30 days)
Time taken: 5 - 10 minutes
How the Trading 212 referral scheme works
Trading 212 is one of Europe’s largest investing apps with no commission charges. Open a new investment account and deposit £1 for a free share worth up to £100.
Robinhood Referral Scheme
Cash available: $7 - $175 (Instant but withdrawable after 30 days)
Time taken: 5 - 10 minutes
How the Robinhood referral scheme works
Robinhood is one of the USA’s largest investing apps with no commission charges. Open a new investment account and deposit £1 for a free share worth up to $175.