EditorJan 26

Swansea mum wipes £1,500 off her mortgage with a simple hack anyone can try

Neesha Craig, a Swansea money‑saving influencer with more than 70,000 followers, dug out her unused Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and traded it in for £300. Instead of spending it, she sent the cash straight to her mortgage provider — and the result was far bigger than she expected.

Neesha said:

Overpaying your mortgage might not be on your radar but even a small overpayment can have a huge impact. I traded in my old Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and received £300. I then sent the £300 straight to my mortgage provider which shaved two months off my mortgage term and saved me £1,510 in interest.

Her story comes as new research from musicMagpie shows more than one in three Brits have an unused smartphone tucked away at home — worth an average of £250 if traded in. The company has now teamed up with high‑street retailer Timpson to offer in‑person trade‑ins with near‑instant payouts.

Neesha, who runs TheFunMoneyClub on Instagram, is aiming to pay off her entire mortgage using only “side hustle” income. She says most people could boost their finances far more easily than they think.

Here are her top tips for making extra cash:

  • Cashback – Shoppers can earn money back on almost anything, from groceries and clothes to holidays and tech. Cashback is paid as a percentage of your spend, and the average person can save more than £300 a year.
  • Sell unwanted items – From DVDs and books to toys and homeware, Neesha says a good declutter can turn forgotten items into quick cash. She recommends using AI tools like Google Lens to check what similar items are selling for.
  • Complete surveys – One of the easiest side hustles to start. While the payouts are small, being consistent can make the earnings add up over time.
  • Switch your bank account – Bank switching incentives pay around £200 per switch. Neesha says you don’t need to move your main account — many “serial switchers” use separate accounts to collect bonuses.
  • Take part in market research – Neesha’s favourite side hustle, paying around £45 an hour for sharing your opinions as companies test new products and services.

    • She added:

    Whatever your financial goal is this year, there’s a side hustle for that. Happy side hustling!

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