Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Making money is definitely an art form when you pose for a living.

Phillipa Irving from Cardiff works in an office during the day, but when she's not canvassing clients she poses for art students. She explained why it's the ideal job for her.

"Well, I needed some extra money. A family friend of mine is an artist so I started private modelling for her. It just snowballed from there really.

"It's working in leisure rather than a high-stress job, so it's quite a nice way of earning extra money."

Phillipa usually models for around 11 hours a week. But the work isn't constant or guaranteed. Her pay also varies, depending on the type of modelling she does.

"The portrait work starts at about Β£7.40 an hour," she said. "But there's not much demand for that kind of work. There's a lot more demand for the life and the nude modelling, so you can generally get higher pay for that work."

If part-time modelling appeals to you, you need to leave plenty of time between your day job and your night job. You don't want to overburden yourself and jeopardise your career for the sake of a few extra pounds.

If you decide to take the plunge, contact your local arts centre which will be able to put you in touch with art groups looking for subjects.

If you decide to take on extra work, remember to let your employer know. It's vital to check your employment contract, because some companies will not allow you to work for direct competitors. If you do, you may well get the sack.

Of course the more you earn the more tax you pay. In the next tax year the first Β£6,475 of your income won't get taxed.

The next Β£37,400 will get taxed at 20% and anything you earn over Β£43,875 will get taxed at 40%. And of course your national insurance contributions will also go up.

Check whether your second employer pays tax on your behalf. If they don't, then you'll be classed as self-employed and will have to inform the tax man of your extra earnings. And remember to keep some money aside so that you can pay that tax bill.

Getting a second job may affect any tax credits you get. If you're working hours change, then you should inform the tax office straight away.

If you fail to do so within one month, you could face a fine of Β£300.

And if you want a bit of excitement, why not earn some extra cash by becoming a TV extra? Maggie Powell works as a drama teacher in Cardiff but when she's not teaching she acts in TV adverts and dramas.

You don't need acting experience to become an extra, but you will need to sign up with an agency, as Maggie explained.

"Television companies tend to use agencies rather than approach people outside of an agency," she said.

"I think there's a lot of security involved in that for the actor. You can earn roughly Β£80 a day, but that would be not the amount you take home. You need to take out of that a Β£15 fee, plus any tax and national insurance that needs to be paid out."

Reputable agents will not charge an upfront fee, but will take their percentage from your earnings. As well as her work as an extra, Maggie has extra income from running her own training business and from hosting foreign students.

She told us that in her opinion everyone has a skill that can be used to make money.

"There's so much scope out there, every individual has so much to offer", she said "There will be opportunities out there and I think you have to go and look and make those opportunities happen."

So, holding down a second job may not be as difficult as you think. As well as being fun, you'll be helping keep your head above water!