Sammie Ellard King, 36, has revealed how he paid off £24,000 in debt within 18 months, after his credit score became so damaged he couldn't rent a flat or get a mobile phone contract in his own name.
How the debt built up
Ellard King racked up his debt after being given a credit card and student overdraft at university, saying he used it to keep up appearances and make it seem like he had more money than he actually did. By 25, a third of his wages were going toward interest repayments, and he described being rejected for a flat due to his credit score as "a slap in the face" that pushed him to make a change.
The side hustles that helped him clear it
Despite earning £50,000 a year in a marketing job in London, Ellard King dedicated up to six hours some evenings to additional income streams to speed up paying off his debt. These included website testing, completing paid surveys, reselling limited-edition items, and tutoring, together bringing in an extra £2,000 a month. He described buying newly released Nike trainers and reselling them on eBay for four or five times the price once they sold out, and using short pockets of downtime, such as train journeys, to complete paid surveys, saying: "If I'm sitting on a train and I have 45 minutes to kill, I'll do a few surveys and make some money. For me, that's better than Netflix."
What he did after clearing his debt
Once his debt reached zero, Ellard King moved into investing, saving his first £10,000 through methods including a stocks and shares ISA. In 2021, he launched Up the Gains, a website, podcast, and social media platform sharing financial advice, which he says has since helped over a million people, alongside personal profits exceeding £100,000. In June, he launched a budgeting app to help people track their spending, which has grown to more than 13,000 users, saying the tool has resonated given the current cost of living pressures.
How to try these side hustles yourself
Surveys — Some companies pay members of the public for their opinions on products, politics, and lifestyle topics. MoneySavingExpert lists some of the best-paying survey websites, with people reportedly earning up to £200 a year.
Website testing — People can earn hundreds of pounds a month testing websites and apps through platforms such as Utest.
Tutoring — The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority lists a number of online tutoring platforms where people can earn extra income.
