So you want to make a bit of extra spending money, but not sure how? If you are a stay at home parent then this idea is perfect for you. It seems these days that making money is all revolved around the internet and making money online, but here’s a simple idea that, although the cash is not guaranteed, you can earn a few extra pounds here and there and it doesn’t take up much time or effort.

I buy weekly women’s magazines, you know the sort, with real women’s stories, photos, jokes and puzzles, fashion and beauty items and tips. It dawned on me that the majority of the features in these magazines are all sent in by the readers and the magazine pays it’s readers for supplying the content.

You can earn money by sending in letters, photos, funny stories, real life stories, fiction, tips and jokes, you can earn anything from £10 upwards for a letter or a tip, up to a few hundred pounds for a two page story.

Everyone knows at least one joke, or has a few household tips up their sleeve, probably things you just automatically do to save yourself money or time – why not share it with others and earn some cash.

If you have an unusual story to tell, it could be one of love, heartbreak, sadness, happy times, funny situations or anything as long as it will draw readers in, you could be paid up to £500.

So, you’ve submitted a tip, or a joke or letter, photos etc, just sit and wait. I’ve had a few rejection letters, but also some success, and it is a nice feeling when a cheque for £20 comes through your letterbox for a letter you sent them a few months ago, as it’s totally unexpected and a nice surprise.

Why not have a go at the puzzles, they only take a few minutes each and you can enter them all or just the ones you like. They are usually simple puzzles such as wordsearches, easy crosswords and sudokus. The prizes are great, anything from £50 up to a holiday or a car or £5000 for example. Surely that’s got to be worth a few minutes, having a go at these while you sit in front of the telly, after all as they say, you’ve got to be in it to win it, and believe it or not, some people actually make a living from doing competitions – Ok, on a much larger scale than a few crosswords and wordsearches a week, but that’s a good way to start.

So, it’s not going to make you a millionaire, but a few extra pounds here and there for sharing your stories and photos with other readers has got to be worth it, and the competitions are an extra bit of fun, that you could be lucky with too.