After losing her job, Londoner Kate Winney found clever ways to pay the bills – from TikTok to Vinted, freelance gigs and a secret money-spinner in market research.
When Kate Winney suddenly lost her job, panic wasn’t an option. Instead, the 34-year-old from London hustled hard – and found herself making up to £1,000 in just five weeks.
Her secret weapon? A little-known side hustle that’s been paying her £60 an hour, and sometimes more.
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“I went back to something I used to do years ago – market research,” Kate explained. “I’d been signed up as a student, so when I lost my job I reached out again. Not many people know about it, but it’s such an easy way to get pretty immediate cash.”
One recent project paid her £215 for three hours’ work plus a pre-task in-store visit. “It’s one of the best side hustles I’ve ever done,” she said.
Kate, who usually works in digital marketing, didn’t stop there. She’s also sold clothes on Vinted, clearing £350 after a big wardrobe purge.
Renting out her dresses for weddings and events is next on the list.
She’s also tapped into TikTok, where a few viral videos have earned her £600 in just six weeks through brand deals and user-generated content gigs.
“I didn’t expect it, but brands started reaching out,” she said.
Alongside that, Kate is putting her journalism and videography skills to use with freelance work. The combined effort has eased the financial shock – and kept her from dipping too far into her savings.
Still, she’s frank about the bigger picture. “It’s heartbreaking that so many people with full-time jobs also need side hustles now because salaries haven’t kept up with inflation,” she said.
Kate’s advice? Don’t gatekeep – and just give things a try. “Google was my best friend. And TikTok is packed with free advice from people sharing their side hustles. I recommend Focus Force, iPoint Research and Inspired Opinions for market research.”
Her practical approach has earned huge praise online, with one commenter calling her “a Queen” and another saying she was “killing it.” Others admitted she’d inspired them to rethink their own job search.
As one TikToker put it: “You’ve inspired me! Unemployed super suddenly & feeling wildly lost!”
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