About Me

I’m Corinne, and I started this blog with one very practical question: can I actually make money from my phone during nap times?

That was 2021. I’d just had my son, I was on maternity leave, and my income had dropped off a cliff in the way it does when you go from a full salary to statutory mat pay. I wasn’t in crisis or anything, but I was suddenly very aware of every pound going out of the account, and I had a lot of quiet hours that felt like they should be doing something useful.

So I started testing things. Cashback apps, survey sites, walking apps that promise you’ll earn just by going about your day, matched betting, selling on Vinted, money-making app reviews — anything that looked like it might actually put real money in the bank rather than just generate affiliate income for whoever wrote about it.

Turns out, a lot of it works. Some of it really doesn’t. And the difference between the two isn’t always obvious from the outside.

I documented it all here, and over the next couple of years I built up enough of a blogging and side hustle income that I left my day job to do this full-time. That’s not me bragging — honestly it took a lot longer and was a lot scrappier than it sounds. But it is the reason I think this blog is worth reading: I’ve actually done the things I write about, I’ve had the payouts hit my bank account (and dealt with the ones that didn’t), and I’ve got no interest in sending you towards something that’s a waste of your time.

I’ve been blogging for over a decade — I also run skinnedcartree.com, a lifestyle blog I’ve had since around 2012 — so the writing side isn’t new to me. But this blog has always been a bit different. It’s more focused, more numbers-driven, and more rooted in the specific reality of being a mum trying to be smart with money without it becoming a second job.

The things I cover most here are:

Side hustles you can do from home — and honest takes on which ones are actually worth your time
Money-making and cashback apps that pay real money, not just Amazon vouchers nobody wants
UK freebies and benefits — pregnancy freebies, Blue Light Card, Santander Boosts, that kind of thing
Savings tools and mortgage overpayment apps like Sprive and Moneybox
Budgeting tips that work for real families, not imaginary ones with no subscriptions and a perfectly organised spreadsheet

Everything on here is written from personal experience. If I haven’t tried it, I won’t review it. If something stopped working or the terms changed, I try to update the post. I’m not a financial adviser and nothing here is financial advice — just one mum telling another what she’s actually found.

If you want to get in touch, you can reach me at corinne@skinnedcartree.com. I read everything, even when I’m slow to reply.

A note on financial information

I’m not a financial adviser, and nothing on this blog should be taken as regulated financial advice. Everything I write is based on my own personal experience and research — what’s worked for me, what hasn’t, and what I’d tell a friend if she asked.

Before making any significant financial decisions — whether that’s investing, taking out a loan, changing your mortgage, or anything else that affects your money in a serious way — please speak to a qualified financial adviser who can look at your individual circumstances. The Money Advice Service (moneyhelper.org.uk) is a great free starting point if you’re not sure where to begin.

Some posts on this blog contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you sign up or purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services I’ve actually used or that I genuinely think are worth your time. Any sponsored content is clearly labelled.

The information on this site is accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing, but things change — interest rates, app terms, cashback offers — so always double-check anything time-sensitive before acting on it.