Things to Do Online This Week That Might Actually Pay Off

Most "things to do online" lists read like they were written by someone who's never actually been bored on the internet. Watch a documentary. Try a new recipe. Learn origami. Thanks for that.

The truth is, UK adults now spend an average of four and a half hours online every day outside of work. That's a serious chunk of time, and most of it disappears into scrolling, half-watching videos and refreshing the same three apps. But some of those hours could genuinely work in your favour if you point them in the right direction. Let's take a closer look at what's actually worth your time this week.

Take a Free Course That Leads Somewhere

You've probably heard this advice before, but the quality of free online learning has quietly improved over the last couple of years. Platforms like OpenLearn from The Open University, Google Digital Garage and FutureLearn offer courses that carry real weight on a CV.

The trick is to pick something specific instead of something broad. A four-hour course on Google Analytics will do more for your career than a vague "Introduction to Business" module. If you run a small business, a short course on bookkeeping basics or digital marketing can save you money you'd otherwise spend on outsourcing. It's also worth checking whether your local council offers funded digital skills training, as many do and they're surprisingly underused.

Clear Out Your Digital Life

This one sounds boring, but the payoff is real. Most people have email inboxes with thousands of unread messages, cloud storage full of duplicates and subscription services they forgot they signed up for.

Start with your subscriptions. Go through your bank statements from the last three months and cancel anything you haven't used. The average UK household spends around £40 a month on digital subscriptions, and it's common to find at least one or two you'd forgotten about entirely. Then tackle your inbox. Unsubscribe from marketing emails using a tool like Cleanfox or just do it manually over a cup of tea. You'll be surprised how much lighter your phone feels afterwards.

Enter Low-Cost Competitions With a Genuine Upside

If you're going to spend an evening on your phone anyway, you might as well give yourself a chance of winning something. Raffle competitions have grown in popularity across the UK, with tickets starting from as little as 10p and prizes ranging from tech bundles and watches to cars and cash. It's a low-stakes way to turn idle screen time into something with a potential return, and most draws are quick to enter.

The key is to treat it as entertainment with a bonus, not as a financial strategy. Set a small budget, stick to it and enjoy the process. Some sites also support charities through their entries, which adds another reason to give it a go.

Start a Side Project You've Been Putting Off

Everyone has one. A blog idea, a print-on-demand shop, a newsletter, a podcast concept scribbled on the back of an envelope. The internet has made it cheaper than ever to actually start these things, and an evening or two is usually enough to get the basics in place.

WordPress or Substack will have you publishing within an hour. Canva handles the design side without needing a graphic designer. And if you're thinking about selling products, platforms like Etsy or Shopify offer free trials that give you enough time to test the water. The worst that happens is you learn something. The best is that it turns into a second income.

Update Your LinkedIn and Online Profiles

This is the digital equivalent of tidying your front garden before putting the house on the market. Your LinkedIn profile is often the first thing a recruiter, client or potential partner will see, and most people haven't touched theirs in years.

Spend 30 minutes updating your headline, adding recent projects and requesting a couple of recommendations. If you're a business owner, make sure your Google Business Profile is current too. Outdated opening hours, old photos and missing reviews can quietly cost you customers without you ever knowing.

Sell What You Don't Need

Your home is probably full of things that are worth money to someone else. Clothes, electronics, books, furniture. Platforms like Vinted, eBay and Facebook Marketplace make it easy to list items and reach local buyers.

A decent evening session of photographing and listing items can realistically bring in £50 to £200, depending on what you've got lying around. Old phones and tablets are particularly good earners, even if they're a few years old. It's money you already have, just sitting in a drawer.

Learn a Skill You Can Monetise Quickly

Some skills translate into paid work faster than others. Basic video editing, for example, is in high demand from small businesses and content creators. So is copywriting, social media management and simple web design using tools like Squarespace or Wix.

• Video editing: Free tools like DaVinci Resolve are professional-grade and have plenty of YouTube tutorials.
• Copywriting: Practice by rewriting bad product descriptions you find online.
• Social media management: Offer to run a local business's Instagram for a month as a trial.
• Basic web design: Build a simple portfolio site and use it to attract freelance work.

You don't need to become an expert. You just need to be good enough to help someone who knows less than you, and there are plenty of those people out there.

Points to Remember

A lot of what we do online doesn't leave us with much to show for it. But with a bit of intention, even a couple of hours in the evening can lead to new skills, extra cash or a project that takes on a life of its own.

The suggestions above won't all suit everyone, but pick one or two that fit your situation and give them a proper go this week. You'll get a lot more out of your screen time than another three hours of social media ever will.