Get 18 first class stamps a month

Help the Royal Mail in their quality assurance research and grab 18 first class stamps a month. You will be required to send and receive test items. This is a great way to save on stamps for doing very little work - you may need to make up to two trips to your local post box or post office a week (ok, so maybe not so great if you don't live near one).

With first class stamps costing 36p, you are effectively being paid £6.48 or to look at it another way you are saving £6.48 which you could now use to invest in something more beneficial, such your ISA or a tracker fund. Please note that these stamps do not have the price on so they are inflation-proof!

You can find out more information and sign up here. Let me know how you get on by posting a comment below.

Make money trading domain names

Domain names can be a lucrative investment. Names such as pizza.com have sold for over £1 million.

I have a portfolio of 20 domain names and over the last 3 years have sold 4 domain names totaling almost £1000. I deal exclusively in .co.uk domain names which cost around £7 for two years (I purchase mine from 1&1). That is nothing compared to the big boys in domain trading who typically have a portfolio of thousands of domain names and make millions of pounds annually from domain sales.

There are two main steps to trading in domain names.

Step 1: Buy the right domain name.
You need to find a name that is not already taken but a name that is attractive to potential buyers. Keep up-to-date with the media for ideas, such as emerging hobbies, foods and holiday destinations. Read the dnjournal weekly domain name sales article for some inspiration (this is a compilation of the highest sales for that week).

Be careful not to buy names protected by a trademark (start by doing a search here) or that may fall foul to a passing-off claim such as the recent Wayne Rooney case. Just use your common sense really.

Step 2: Park the domain and wait for the buyer
I park my domain names at Sedo where visitors to the domain name are presented with a list of links associated with the site. When they click on a link then you earn some money per click. This is a great way to earn money from the domain. Sedo is free to join and will handle the transaction when a buyer approaches.

You may alternatively choose to develop the site to get more visitors and thus increase the value of the domain. You can still list the domain for sale on Sedo (free) even if you don't choose to park it.

The tricky part in all of this is of course finding a profitable domain name, but it is very similar in investing in shares (you need to pick the right shares!). Domain names can be much more lucrative and cost way less (£7 is unlikely to meet a broker fee).

I will keep this article updated with advice as I learn more and develop my skills in domain trading. If you have any hints and tips then please comment below.

Top Resources: DNJournal - DNForum

Make money matched betting

Not as risky as it sounds, matched betting is a low-risk method of legally taking advantage of gambling loopholes that are available on the internet. It does not involve conventional betting or the many 'guaranteed' gambling systems available to buy online.

The method takes a while to grasp (at least an hour or so) but will soon become an enjoyable and very profitable hobby providing you with an extra stream of income.

I am not going to spend time explaining the method of matched betting to you when there is an outstanding guide available to read for free at moneysavingexpert.com. For some idea of how much money you can make take a look at Donglemouse's diary. At the time of writing this post he had made £39,865 in 155 weeks. That is an average £257 per week. You would need to spend around 1-2 hours a day to achieve this amount. On this basis you could easily use matched betting to meet the £300 a month needed to maximise your ISA.

It is worth mentioning that everything you earn from matched betting is tax-free

Two free audiobooks and £4 profit

Both Quidco and TCB are offering £4 cash back for signing up to Audible's free trial. You receive 2 free audiobooks of your choice and may cancel whenever you want. If you don't want to carry on the subscription then cancel before the free trial ends and pocket the £4 cash back and 2 free audiobooks.

£5.80 profit from free magazine subscription

You can earn £5.80 cash back by subscribing to a free 6-issue trial of The Week. Remember to cancel the direct debit before the end of the free trial and you will not be charged.

Go via Quidco or TCB.