Have you just retired or are you a pensioners looking for a side hustle that fits around your life? Buying and selling on eBay and Vinted is one of the most popular, and you’ll see plenty of claims online that it can earn you an extra £200 a week, at your own pace.
I spent around 15 years as a mortgage broker and consumer finance adviser, and my rule never changed: don’t take anything at face value, read the small print and make sure the numbers add up. So here are the honest numbers.
The short answer is yes, £200 a week is possible. But this side hustle for pensioners is a small business, it’s taxable, and it can affect Pension Credit. And for many of us the real reward isn’t the money. It’s the purpose, the routine and the company.
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Is Selling Online a Good Side Hustle for Pensioners?
For the right person, it really is. You need a smartphone, a little space and an eye for value. Decades of buying clothes, tools and kitchenware give you a genuine edge.
I’ve tried plenty of ways to make money over the years, and car boots were among the most enjoyable. I bought stock from a wholesaler in Manchester, arrived early, set up my stall, then went on a buying trip around the other pitches before the crowds arrived. That’s when you get the best choice, and most sellers are only too happy to do a deal early because it gets their costs back. Whatever I bought, I sold on my stall and if it was still there when I finished I would put it on eBay. I regularly turned over a few hundred pounds at a car boot sale on a Sunday.
Today eBay and Vinted put millions of buyers in front of the items your selling, 24 hours a day.
Getting Paid: The Honest Maths Behind £200 a Week
So how much can a side hustle for pensioners really pay? £200 a week is £10,400 a year in profit, after stock, packaging, fees and fuel. Most resellers of everyday items make £8 to £15 profit per sale, so you need to sell around 20 items a week. That means a few hundred items listed at once, and around 15 hours a week finding, photographing, listing, packing and posting.
Here is an illustrative year, using rounded figures:
| One year of reselling (illustrative) | Amount |
| 1,000 items sold at an average of £20 | £20,000 |
| Stock bought (average £6 per item) | − £6,000 |
| eBay business seller fees on 500 items | − £2,000 |
| Vinted seller fees on 500 items | £0 |
| Packaging, fuel, listing boosts and equipment | − £1,500 |
| Profit before tax | £10,500 |
| Income Tax at 20% | − £2,096 |
| Profit after tax | £8,404 |
| Per week after tax | £162 |
So £200 a week becomes about £160 in your pocket, or roughly £10 to £11 an hour. Not a fortune, but you’re the boss and can stop and start whenever you like.
Tax: Why £200 a Week Becomes £160
Since January 2024, eBay, Vinted and other marketplaces must report sellers to HMRC who make 30 or more sales, or more than about £1,700, in a calendar year. At 20 sales a week, you pass that within a fortnight.
Being reported isn’t the same as owing tax. Selling your own unwanted belongings for less than you paid is generally tax-free. Buying things to resell at a profit is trading, and that profit is taxable.
The £1,000 trading allowance
The first £1,000 of gross trading income each tax year is covered by the trading allowance. Above that, you must register for Self Assessment by 5 October after the tax year ends, then deduct either the allowance or your real costs. For resellers, real costs usually win, so keep every receipt.
Here’s the catch with any side hustle for pensioners. From April 2026 the full new State Pension is £241.30 a week, about £12,548 a year, against a personal allowance of £12,570. That leaves just £22 unused, so almost every pound of profit is taxed at 20%. The good news is that over State Pension age you pay no National Insurance on it. Put 20% of each week’s profit aside and January’s bill won’t hurt.
Pension Credit: Check This Before Any Side Hustle for Pensioners
If you get Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction, this matters more than anything else here. Self-employed profit counts as income, with only £5 a week ignored for a single person or £10 for a couple. Extra earnings can reduce your Pension Credit, and losing it can mean losing Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction and a free TV licence at 75 or over.
You must report the change or risk an overpayment you have to repay. Get a free benefits check from Citizens Advice or Age UK first. For some people, a small hobby income is a smarter way to make money in retirement than chasing £200 a week.
Which Side Hustle for Pensioners Suits You: eBay, Vinted or Car Boots?
Vinted is best for clothing, shoes and accessories. Sellers pay no selling fees, as the buyer pays a protection fee at checkout.
eBay covers almost everything and works well for tools, collectables and higher-value items. Private sellers pay no selling fees on most items, but once you buy stock to resell you should register as a business seller. Fees then range from about 7% to 13% depending on the category, charged on the item price plus postage, with a small charge per order on top.
Car boot sales are still the best place to find stock. Get there early with cash, check eBay’s sold listings before you buy, and look for outdoor gear, quality tools, vintage kitchenware and older games consoles.
Facebook Marketplace suits bulky items buyers collect. Never take payment off the platform, and read our guide to phone scams for warning signs that apply online too.
Plenty of hustles for seniors promise more than they deliver. A good side hustle for pensioners lets you start small: sell your own clutter first, learn the apps, then buy stock once you know what sells.
Less Sitting, Sell More: The Purpose and Mental Health Benefits
The biggest benefit of this side hustle for pensioners may not be the money. Retirement takes away routine, daily company and the feeling of being useful. Reselling puts all three back: a reason to get up on a Saturday, a puzzle with every item, and small wins as things sell.
Research backs this up, with a catch. A review for the What Works Centre for Wellbeing found part-time work later in life improves life satisfaction when people choose it, but wellbeing drops when they work out of financial strain. A University of Cambridge study found even about eight hours of work a week helped mental health.
My wife and I deliver parcels a few days a week, not for the money but for the exercise and the chats with regular customers. Car boots were the same. I got to know the other regulars, and there was always a bit of banter between booters.
So keep it something you choose and control. Take weeks off when the grandchildren visit, and don’t let a £200 target turn pleasure into pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to earn extra money when retired?
Popular options include selling on eBay and Vinted, car boot sales, seasonal work, pet sitting and tutoring. Whatever you choose, check how it affects your tax and any means-tested benefits first.
What to do to earn extra income?
Start with what you already own. Selling unwanted items costs nothing to try, and shows you whether this side hustle for pensioners suits you before you spend money on stock.
Does reselling affect my State Pension?
No, the State Pension isn’t means-tested. But because it uses up most of your personal allowance, your profit is likely to be taxed.
The Honest Pensioner Verdict
As a side hustle for pensioners, selling on eBay and Vinted can genuinely add £200 a week, but it’s a small business: around 20 sales and 15 hours a week, with records to keep and tax to pay. Budget for £160, check your benefits first, and above all do it because you enjoy it. The purpose and company may be worth even more than the money.
