Turning spare moments into real growth
Another way I’ve been trying to earn a bit of free side cash is through surveys. Basically, there are a bunch of apps that pay you to share your opinions—consumer habits, brand preferences, that sort of thing. I first came across it through side hustle content on TikTok, and funnily enough, my mum was already doing it and having great success.
I’ll be honest though, I found it hard work for very little return at first. A lot of the survey apps have high withdrawal thresholds or clunky payout systems that don’t fit easily with how I spend. After trying a few, the one that actually stuck was QMEE. And yes, ChatGPT (or Caleum, as he has named himself) was the one that found it for me.
The best part? There’s no withdrawal minimum, and you can cash out straight to PayPal and then to your bank account. I even opened a separate banking app just for my earnings and chose Revolut. This was because they were offering a £20 welcome bonus, but also because their savings vaults pay daily interest, which is surprisingly satisfying to check each morning.
When I first got going, I went a bit wild, earning around £10 a day for a few days straight. I don’t necessarily recommend that (burnout is real), but I did find QMEE more stable than other apps. Dropouts and survey crashes are fewer, and when I did run into issues, their customer service was quick to credit missing payments. There’s even a cheeky 10% streak bonus if you complete surveys regularly.
Now, I’ve settled into a steady rhythm: around £10 a week, which I transfer to my Trading212 pie every Wednesday. It feels realistic and sustainable. That adds up to £520 a year, and if you factor in an 8% growth rate (assuming the markets behave themselves, which is perhaps unlikely in the short term), that becomes roughly £561 next year, then £606 the year after, and so on. Slow and steady, but it adds up.
One of my favourite moments from this whole survey experiment came from a £3 Dove study about beauty standards. The task was to listen to a podcast episode featuring Pamela Anderson talking about three of her “failures.” (Link below, apologies I can’t pay you!). I put down what I was doing, wrapped myself in a throw, and actually listened. It was unexpectedly moving, and they paid £20 for it, plus two follow-up surveys worth £10 each.
I used the earnings for Amazon vouchers, but the real reward was the reflection. Pamela, in her natural beauty era, spoke about acceptance and resilience—something I’ve been trying to work on myself. It’s funny how a side hustle can sneak in a life lesson when you least expect it.
So, where am I now? A few weeks in, my total survey earnings sit at £73.12 from QMEE, plus another £40 from “Aunty Pam’s” podcast. Not bad for spare time scrolling. And that Revolut pot? It’s slowly growing into a tidy little fund I can reinvest, earn interest on, and maybe use to test new side hustles.
The quest continues—one survey, one pint of beer money, one good habit at a time.
🧾 Sidequest Stats
Beer Money Earned (Surveys): £113.12 total Sidequest Portfolio Value: Growing weekly via Trading212 deposits Progress Towards Early Retirement: +£10/week momentum achieved
If you want to try QMEE you can use this link and receive £1 https://qm.ee/GUG7HNF5UDFZM
Or if you are feeling kind split it 50/50 with my with https://qm.ee/AKWD7CKL47IIS
Pamala Anderson: Redefining Beauty, Fame & Finding Self-Worth –
https://youtu.be/ZpflT6PI4ns?si=7MLTqRfbxRBXG0LH
⚠️ Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are referral links — meaning if you sign up or make a purchase through them, I may receive a small reward or bonus at no extra cost to you. I only share links to apps and tools I personally use, trust, and have found genuinely useful on my own Side Hustle Sidequest. These small perks help keep the project running (and the coffee flowing), but they never influence my opinions or what I choose to feature.
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