KNOWING how to ask for a pay rise can be one of the trickiest situations to negotiate at work.
But if you don't want to broach the conversation with your boss, there are other ways you can earn more money from your job.
As the cost of living gets more expensive and inflation rises to 10.1%, having a little extra cash will go a long way.
Latest stats from the Office for National Statistics, show that workers' salaries fell in real terms by 3% as inflation outstrips wage growth.
But what options are there besides simply asking your boss for a pay rise?
Ally Fekaiki, chief executive officer of employee wellbeing company Juno, has revealed his four top tips for getting a pay boost without actually having to ask for one.
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Claim your working from home rebate
Coronavirus meant working from home for a lot of people.
Not commuting to the office meant saving on travel and food costs for lots of workers – but you can also claim a tax break from the government.
HMRC encouraged employees to claim working from home tax relief, to make up for higher electricity and internet bills that come with a home office.
The maximum you can claim is around £140 per tax year.
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Ally said: "If you were instructed by your employer to work from home at some point over the last two years, and if you had to pay higher costs due to remote working, then you're likely to be eligible for this rebate."
The rebate offer has been wound down, but if you haven't claimed yet you can still apply – and you can backdate the payment too.
You have until April 5, 2025, to make a backdated claim for the 2020/21 tax year and until April 5, 2026, to make one for 2021/22.
If you think you might be eligible for a claim, you can visit the government's website.
Make the most of company benefits
A lot of employers offer benefits to staff, including gym discounts, cycle to work schemes, or childcare support.
But according to the BBC, millions of pounds worth of these go unclaimed every year.
Of course, what is on offer to you will depend on where you work, but it's worth investigating whether there are any perks available to you.
Ally said: "Speak to your employer or HR rep and ask to see a full list of the benefits a company offers."
And, if there are company benefits you don't want, Ally said to approach your bosses about switching things up and giving staff more choice about the benefits on offer.
He said: "In the era of the 'Great Resignation', most employers are keen to hear ideas that will help boost retention, so initiating that conversation could unlock even more benefits for you and your colleagues."
Some companies also offer staff discounts to their employees, including H&M, Starbucks, Superdrug and Wetherspoons.
H&M staff get 25% discount on full-price and sale items in-store and online, and Starbucks workers get 30% off food, drinks and merchandise in-store.
And in the middle of the cost of living crisis, a number of companies have offered staff one-off bonuses or pay rises.
Lloyds Banking Group is sending out a £1,000 bonus to staff this month, and Morrisons will give 80,000 store and manufacturing staff a 2% pay rise from October.
Check your contract
It might seem tedious, but checking your contract can shed light on whether you're entitled to extra pay or time off if you've worked overtime or outside normal office hours.
Ally said: "Check your current employment contract carefully to see what your rights are and make sure you claim any extra pay or leave you’re entitled to.
"This can help boost your monthly pay packet or, at the very least, score you some additional time off."
Your company contract may well tell you whether you're entitled to days off for volunteering as well, so it's worth checking that.
And check your tax code is correct – you could be owed hundreds.
You will start being taxed on pay over £12,570 a year, but it's worth checking with your employer if you are in the right tax code and save yourself paying too much.
You tax code will be displayed on your payslip, usually next to your National Insurance (NI) number.
Your company is supposed to provide you with a payslip, whether electronically or on paper, so ask them for more details.
And the government's online tax checker tool helps you view your tax code.
Brush up on pensions
Looking into the future at your pension pot might seem like a hard as, especially when there is so much to worry about just to pay this month's bills.
But it's always good to save for the future, and it's worth getting to know what your company's pension scheme entails.
Under auto-enrolment, at least 5% of your annual earnings, which includes 1% tax relief from HMRC, goes towards your pension.
You can opt out of workplace pension schemes, but it's probably worth sticking with it as you get the 1% bonus from the government, which is essentially free money.
Ally said: "Everyone who receives their salary via PAYE is now automatically enrolled into a pension scheme, where you and your employer each contribute a set amount each month.
"But some companies have more generous policies and offer perks such as matching your contributions up to a certain level."
Double check what your company offers and see if there are changes you can make to increase how much your employer contributes to your pension.
If you earn under the auto-enrolment threshold, you can ask to join the company pension scheme.
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If you don't want to do any of the four tips above, remember, you can always just ask for a pay rise, if you think you're working hard enough and deserve one.
We previously revealed an HR expert's top tips for having the chat with your boss.
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