Here we take 3 popular pastimes – shopping, photography and walking the dog – and examine how they could earn you a profit.

If you love to shop…

How do you fancy getting paid to hit the shops? If that sounds good, mystery shopping could be the perfect side line for you. Mystery shoppers visit businesses, commonly shops and restaurants, and behave like a genuine customer while secretly testing the quality of the service they receive. The businesses use this feedback to identify areas for improvement. You don’t need any special qualifications to be a mystery shopper, but you’ll need to be discreet when on an assignment. Benefits

  • Freebies – including products, restaurant meals and overnight stays.
  • Fun – knowing you’re on an undercover mission can be exciting!
  • Variety – almost every type of business uses mystery shoppers, from shops and hotels, to banks and local councils.
  • Your input makes a difference – your feedback will be used to help improve the business.

Points to consider

  • Mystery shopping’s not a full-time occupation for most people, as assignments can be irregular.
  • Earnings vary depending on the job – some pay up to £25, or you may be rewarded with vouchers or freebies.  Check if your expenses will be reimbursed.

How to get involved The first step is to sign up with a reputable agency; be suspicious if they ask for an upfront fee just to add you to their books. They’ll match you with assignments and ensure you’re fully briefed before a job. You can find out more from the Mystery Shopping Providers Association. photos

If you enjoy taking photos…

You don’t have to be Mario Testino to sell your snaps. There’s a huge online market for good quality, original photos. The easiest way to sell photos online is by registering with an online agency, such as Fotolia or iStockphoto, who sell the images all over the world, mainly to business websites and news agencies. You’ll be asked to upload a test batch of your pictures so that the agency can check their quality and content. You may not be accepted by the first agency you try, but try not to be disheartened. Take any feedback they give you onboard and don’t be afraid to try other agencies. Benefits

  • You could generate a regular profit if your photos become popular.
  • As it can all be done online, once you’ve been accepted by an agency and uploaded your photos, you can sit back and wait for them to earn you commission.
  • You can network online with other photographers, picking up tips to improve your skills.

Points to consider

  • You photos must meet the standards and acceptance criteria of an online photo agency before you can sell through their site.
  • Every online agency has its own commission structure – do some research and compare what’s on offer.
  • Each agency will also have its own technical requirements for submissions but images generally need to be high resolution and in RGB JPEG format.
  • Look at the kind of images each agency already offers on their website to get a flavour of the subject matter they prefer.

How to get started As you’ll be entering an online market, begin with some internet research as suggested above. If you specialise in a particular style or subject matter, try an internet search for niche agencies you could join.

 

If you’re a dog lover…dogwalking

If you like nothing better than a bracing stroll with a canine companion, perhaps you could offer your services as a professional dog walker. Many busy dog owners are willing to pay someone trustworthy to exercise their pets – the going rate is around £10 an hour. A typical walk lasts between 30 minutes and an hour and walkers are expected to pick up and drop off their charge at the owner’s home. Benefits

  • It’s fantastic exercise – good for your health and your figure!
  • Flexibility – it’s up to you how many customers you take on.
  • It’s sociable – regular dog-walkers often get chatting. Who knows, you could even meet a potential partner…

Points to consider

  • You’ll be responsible for the dogs while they’re in your care, including clearing up any mess they make. Also consider what you’d do if a dog ran away, had an accident or injured someone while in your care.
  • You may be confident with your own pet, but feel out of your depth when you’re in charge of an unfamiliar dog. Don’t take on too much, too soon.
  • Can you commit yourself to fitting in with others’ routines? Your customers – and their dogs – will be relying on you to turn up regularly and punctually.
  • Insurance may be required.

How to get started Try chatting to friends and neighbours who own dogs to find out if they, or someone they know, would be interested in paying you to walk their dogs. This type of work relies very much on your reputation – build up trust and grow your customer base through personal recommendations. If you want to cast your net wider, local vets, newsagents and libraries are good places to advertise your dog-walking service, as are Facebook and sites like Gumtree.com. You can get more information from the National Association of Pet Sitters & Dog Walkers. If you're a dog-lover, make sure you read about Wilson, an Agent’s dog with a nose for reuniting lost pets with their owners. If you’ve got a funny, dramatic or touching story about your pet that you’d like to share with other Parklife readers, we’d love to hear it – email us at [email protected]. This article is intended to be of generic interest only. Readers should carry out their own research if they wish to pursue any of the options mentioned.