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January has a habit of arriving with a nasty financial hangover. Christmas has been paid for, the sales are calling and suddenly it feels like there’s far too much month left at the end of the money.

 

It’s a familiar but uncomfortable feeling for many households in Spain. Rising rents, mortgage payments and food bills mean that covering the basics now takes a bigger chunk of the monthly budget, leaving little room to breathe. For plenty of families, juggling expenses has become the norm rather than the exception.

 

With that in mind, Bankinter Spain has shared a long list of ideas aimed at helping people earn a bit extra and claw back some financial breathing space. Some are practical, some are creative and a few might surprise you.

 

Before getting carried away, there is a catch. Many of these ideas would require registering as autónomo in Spain, which is neither cheap nor simple and definitely deserves its own article. Still, as inspiration goes, the list offers plenty to think about.

 

 

One of the simplest suggestions is renting out what you already own. If your car spends more time parked than moving, there are apps that let you rent it out when you are not using it. The same goes for parking spaces, which can bring in extra euros by the hour in busy areas. Bankinter even suggests renting out a private pool to neighbours looking to cool off.

 

There are also ideas for anyone happy to work online. Some websites pay users to test apps or products before they’re released. If photography is your thing, selling photos through stock image platforms could generate a steady trickle of income. Digital skills are another option, from offering online tutoring to photo and video editing, translations or community management for businesses.

 

For those who prefer something more hands on, looking after empty properties is high on the list. Spain has no shortage of second homes and holiday properties whose owners want someone to keep an eye on things. Pet sitting and babysitting are also popular ways to earn money locally, especially during weekends or school holidays.

 

If you know your city inside out, Bankinter suggests turning that knowledge into cash. Rental platforms now promote local experiences, allowing residents to organise walking tours, workshops or food based activities for visitors. Acting as a tour guide or even organising small local events could be more profitable than you might expect.

 

Some ideas are more unusual. Universities and research centres often pay participants for sleep studies, while hairdressing, beauty and cooking schools sometimes offer money or free treatments in exchange for being a model. Your home could even become a film set if it fits the brief.

 

The list also includes renting out sports equipment or motorhomes, moving rental cars between locations, running errands, offering digital services, selling second hand items, renting luxury clothes, writing and self publishing ebooks, creating online courses or monetising social media.

 

Other suggestions range from part time hospitality work and event hosting to being an extra actor, summer camp counsellor or freelance personal trainer. For the more financially minded, investing also makes the cut, though that one comes with its own risks.

 

Not every idea will suit everyone and some are clearly easier than others.

 

Still, with January stretching endlessly ahead and budgets already feeling tight, even one small extra income stream could help take the edge off. And if nothing else, it proves there are more options out there than most of us realise when that end of month balance starts looking a little too low.

 

Image: Freepik