Stuffing Envelopes at Home Jobs
This side hustle at a glance
| Earning Potential | Time to Start | Set-Up Cost | Location | Time Commitment | Skill Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | Quick | Low | Home-Based | Low | Beginner |
🎧 Listen Now: Sidehustles.co.uk One-Minute Podcast: Stuffing Envelopes at Home Jobs.
Stuffing Envelopes at Home Jobs: Why To Stay Away in 2023
Stuffing envelopes at home can be a way to make some extra income. However, is this side hustle really worth getting into in 2023? We’re going to say no.
Read on to learn more about why you should stay away from this side hustle. Also, read on to the end to see what other side hustles you can get into that don’t involve stamps and piles of envelopes.
Let’s get into it!
key takeaways
| Detail | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| Nature of the Side Hustle | Envelope stuffing involves packing and mailing leaflets, notes, and brochures for companies, typically done from home. |
| Why to Avoid | High risk of being a scam due to automation in mailing tasks. Often requires upfront payments, leading to potential losses. Offers low pay, usually near or just above minimum wage. |
| Identifying Scams | Check for website security, like SSL certificates. Look for comprehensive company information. Be wary of offers with pay that seems too good to be true. |
| Viable Alternatives | Transcribing: Converting spoken words into text. Online Surveys: Platforms like YouGov and SwagBucks. Social Media Management: Managing social media accounts for businesses. |
What’s Envelope Stuffing?
Envelope stuffing at home is exactly what it sounds like. Companies send you leaflets, notes, and brochures to be sent to several customers at once. Your job is to pack all of these items into envelopes and mail them to recipients.
Like many side hustles, stuffing envelopes is a work-from-home gig. As such, it gives many people an opportunity to make an extra quid or two from the comfort of their homes or flats.
How Does a Job Stuffing Envelopes at Home Work?
Companies will often have mailing lists consisting of numerous customers. While these companies can automate emails, some prefer giving their mailing list members the “personal touch.” For this reason, these companies send their recipients physical mail, often in the form of leaflets, coupons, brochures, or similar published materials.
As a person who stuffs envelopes at home, you’ll get offers from companies to pack their materials and mail them to recipients. The job will pay a certain amount. Also, since stuffing envelopes at home is a work-from-home gig, you don’t need to go to the company’s office to fulfil your tasks.
Why It’s Best To Stay Away From Stuffing Envelopes at Home
While stuffing envelopes at home was historically a good way to make some extra cash, we recommend you stay away and consider other more legitimate side hustle opportunities, based on the following reasons.
It’s Likely a Scam
First of all, we’ll go out and say that not all envelope stuffing jobs are scams. However, machines and AI give companies the ability to automate numerous tasks these days, including sending mail.
For this reason, if you get an email from a company that wishes to pay you for stuffing envelopes at home, it will likely be a scam.
You’ll Have To “Pay To Work”
You find work to get paid. It shouldn’t be the other way around, which is almost always the case with stuffing envelopes at home.
Some companies will ask you to sign up for a platform and pay before they send you work. If it’s a scam (which it likely is), the company you’ve paid will leave you out to dry, never to be heard from again.
There’s also having to pay for the things you need to fulfil your tasks. Sometimes, you’ll be asked to purchase a starter kit from the company, and the price may be higher than what you get after a job.
Even Legit Job Offers Won’t Pay You Much
At the end of the day, stuffing envelopes at home is an unskilled job. For this reason, companies won’t pay freelancers much for completing work.
You’ll be lucky just to receive pay that’s a few percentages above the UK minimum wage rate. You’d be better off being a Gopher courier or mowing lawns for your neighbours.
How To Tell If an Offer Is a Scam
We won’t stop you if you’re set on stuffing envelopes at home to make some extra cash. Nevertheless, allow us to share some tips on how to quickly identify a scammer.
No Web Security on the Site or Platform
An easy way to tell if a company is scamming you is by looking at its website. Legitimate websites must be complete with several security certificates. These certificates and badges like SSL certificates must appear somewhere on the homepage for all users to see.
If you can’t locate these security badges or certificates, steer clear of the site and the job offer.
Another way to tell if a site is secure is by looking at its web address. Secure websites have web addresses containing “https://” in the URL (check the address bar at the top of this website; you'll see https in front of our domain). A URL that lacks a “https” is likely an unsecured site.
A Lack of Information About the Company
Another way to identify scammers is by looking for any company information. Legitimate companies will have their corporate details in various places like their corporate site, social media accounts, and online directories.
Any company with no information is likely a scammer looking to grab your hard-earned pounds.
Pay That’s Too Good To Be True
Once again, stuffing envelopes at home is unskilled work, meaning you’re not likely to receive any amount above the UK minimum wage.
As of April 2023, the UK minimum wage is about £10.42. If a company says it will offer you much more than that to stuff envelopes at home, see it as a red flag.
REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE: THE ENVELOPE STUFFING SIDE HUSTLE OF THE 1990S
In the early 1990s, my mum, like many others, was enticed by the idea of a simple side hustle that promised easy earnings from home: envelope stuffing. The concept seemed straightforward and appealing. She came across an advertisement that promised a steady income for stuffing and mailing envelopes. Eager to supplement her income, she signed up, paying a 'joining fee' to receive her starter pack of materials.
However, the reality turned out to be starkly different from the promise. After paying the initial fee, she eagerly awaited the arrival of materials to start her new side hustle. Days turned into weeks, and the only thing that arrived was disappointment. No envelopes, no leaflets, nothing. It became clear that the promised work was never going to materialise.
This experience from the 90s is a telling reminder that while times have changed, some side hustles, unfortunately, haven't. The envelope stuffing scheme remains a prevalent example of how individuals can be lured into paying upfront fees for work that never comes. It's a cautionary tale that emphasises the need for vigilance and research before diving into any side hustle, especially those that require an initial investment.
Other Safer and More Lucrative Side Hustles
There are safer and more profitable ways to make some extra cash. As a bonus, these side hustles are also work-from-home jobs with reasonable entry requirements.
Transcribing
As an online transcriber, you’ll be typing spoken words (often from an audio file) into a readable text for various purposes. All you need is a good set of ears, attention to detail, and a computer. As a transcriber, you’ll also be able to work flexible hours from the comfort of your home.
Completing Surveys Online
Have you always wanted to voice your opinions on several subjects? You can — and make money for your efforts — by completing online surveys.
Online surveys offered by YouGov and SwagBucks are legitimate platforms that pay you to complete surveys. To learn more, read our guide to making money from paid surveys.
Social Media Management
Turn your love for social media into a lucrative side hustle by being a social media manager. As a social media manager, you’ll be handling social media accounts of companies, posting content and engaging with users for maximum conversions.
All you need is a computer, a stable internet connection, and your passion for posting content that gets likes and shares.
FAQs
Is stuffing envelopes a Good Side Hustle?
While the idea of stuffing envelopes at home might seem like a straightforward way to earn extra income, it's important to be aware of the potential pitfalls and limitations of this particular side hustle. In today's digital age, numerous other work-from-home opportunities offer not only ease of starting but also greater legitimacy and earning potential.
The landscape of side hustles has expanded far beyond the traditional tasks of handling stamps and envelopes. Embrace the diverse array of options available to you. Check out these other side hustles and earn more with confidence!
BEFORE YOU GO...
As we wrap up our discussion about envelope stuffing, it's worth remembering that this is just one option among many in the world of home-based side hustles. It's like the first step in a much larger journey. Just as one would carefully choose the right tools for a job, selecting a side hustle that aligns with your skills and lifestyle is key.
Before you move on, we invite you to check out our next article: 'MAKE MONEY TRANSCRIBING FROM HOME'. In this piece, we'll explore transcription as a practical and accessible alternative to envelope stuffing, offering flexibility and a real potential for earning. It's a straightforward, no-nonsense guide, perfect for anyone looking to make the most out of working from home. Stay tuned for insights and tips on how to get started!
sidehustles.co.uk one-minute podcast
🎧 Listen Now: Sidehustles.co.uk One-Minute Podcast
Stuffing Envelopes at Home Jobs.
Welcome to the Sidehustles.co.uk One Minute Podcast. In the next 60 seconds, we're sharing a real-world insight from our network of seasoned side hustlers. This quick tip is designed to offer you practical advice that you can apply immediately in your side hustle journey.
Today, we're talking about Stuffing Envelopes at Home Jobs. Here's a quick, valuable tip from a real-world story that echoes through time. Remember the envelope stuffing side hustle from the 1990s? My mum once signed up for it, paid a 'joining fee' for a starter pack, and then... nothing. No envelopes, no work, just silence. This tale from the past holds a crucial lesson for today’s side hustlers: Always be wary of upfront costs in home-based jobs. If a side hustle requires you to pay before you earn, tread carefully. It's a red flag, often indicating more risk than reward. This insight isn't just about avoiding scams; it's about recognising the value of your investment, be it time or money. Remember, a legitimate opportunity doesn't ask you to pay first to earn later. Keep this in mind, and you'll navigate the world of side hustles with a sharper eye and a safer approach.
That's your one-minute real-world insight. Stay tuned for more!
ARTICLE SOURCES
https://www.sidehustles.co.uk/side-hustles
https://novoresume.com/career-blog/job-scams
https://www.sidehustles.co.uk/become-a-gophr-self-employed-courier
https://www.sidehustles.co.uk/start-a-lawn-mowing-business
https://www.123-reg.co.uk/ssl-certificates/
https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates
https://www.sidehustles.co.uk/work-from-home
https://www.sidehustles.co.uk/make-money-from-paid-surveys#legitimatesites
https://www.sidehustles.co.uk/become-a-social-media-manager-ultimate-guide
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