With the holidays around the corner, are you wondering how to make extra money during the holidays?
The other day I was in the craft store, and along with Halloween decor was the Christmas decor. I know many people are annoyed that holiday items come out so soon. Personally, I love the sights, sounds and scents of Christmas, so it doesn’t bother me to see holiday stuff in October (or even September).
The truth is, as fall turns cooler, people recognize that the holidays are around the corner and start making plans. This makes the holidays an ideal time to make extra money or start a new career from home, since people are buying and need help at this busy time. Here are 10 ideas on how to make extra money, and even save money during the holidays.
1) Clean the Clutter and Sell Your Stuff.
The holidays is often a time for guests, which means cleaning and decluttering your home. Why not make extra money from the unused and unwanted items you find as you clean?
There are may websites that will pay for your used books, clothing, electronics, accessories and more. A great option that handles the hassle of packing and shipping for you is Fulfillment by Amazon. Simply list your items for sale and ship them all to Amazon. When they sale, Amazon will take care of packing and shipping them to customers for you.
To learn more, check out WAHS’s article on How to Make Money with Fulfillment by Amazon. Also, check out Jessica Larrew’s free 7 Day Email Course: Everything You Need to Know to Start Selling on Amazon.
To get a list of commonly sold items and a list of over 50 places you can sell your used stuff online, check out, Spring Clean Your Home for Extra Cash
2) Seasonal Home Based Customer Service Work
Many companies are hiring extra help with customer service and order taking during the holidays. Many are flexible and part-time, allowing you to work around your current job or other commitments. If you do well, you might be able to turn a temp customer service job into something more permanent in the new year. For more information, check out Seasonal Work At Home Customer Service Jobs plus 9 companies that hire seasonal customer service agents. Here’s a few you can check out here:
3) Travel Planner
Many people travel over the holidays. You can help them out by becoming a travel planner where you’ll find the cheapest holiday flights, car rentals, and hotel accommodations, and even what attractions to check out. To get started, check companies like:
Or you can get work as reservations agent for hotels, airlines, cruises and car rental. Here are a few options to check out:
4) Do Mini-Tasks
Many businesses need extra help during the holidays as their workers take time off. Other businesses have an increased work load during the holidays. You can help them out by becoming a micro-worker. Your tasks can be varied from doing online research, data entry, writing, and more. Learn more about microwork plus get a list of 24 sites that offer microwork.
5) Start a Holiday Related Business.
The holidays are a busy time and many people and businesses hire extra help or need additional services to help them get through. A few holiday themed businesses you can start include:
- Holiday Decorating Service
- Holiday Cookie Business
- Holiday Craft and/or Gift Baskets – A great place to sell your items, besides local holiday craft fairs, is on Etsy.
For more ideas and tips, read 7 Holiday Business Ideas You Can Start Now
6) House/Pet Sit
Many people travel over the holidays and need someone to keep an eye on their home and their pets. If you plan to stay home during the holidays, consider house sitting or learn more about pet sitting.
7) Take Surveys
You won’t make a steady, regular income taking surveys, but they can be a nice way to make extra money or get gift cards to use for Christmas shopping or as gifts. Some great survey companies to check out include:
- e-Poll
- Global Test Market
- Inbox Dollars (surveys and more. $5 sign-up bonus too!)
- Harris Poll Online
- MySurvey
- Opinion Surveys
- Survey Junkie
- Survey Savvy
- Vindale
- VIP Voice
Check out WAHS’s article on How to Make Money with Surveys for more information and survey resources, including those outside of the United States.
8) Get Paid to Shop
The holidays is a big time of year for shopping. You can get paid for it in several ways. One option is to be a personal shopper. You can check out Safeway, Instacart and Shipt for openings.
Another option is to mystery shop, where you get paid to research stores and restaurants. A few places to check out include About Face, A Closer Look, and Call Center QA. You can learn more about mystery shopping and get more companies by checking out WAHS article Get Paid to Shop.
Finally, you save and earn money on your own holiday shopping through great resources such as
- Ebates – I especially like Ebates since it now offers in-store earning options as well as online earning.
- Ibotta
- Paribus
- Shopkick
- Swagbucks– I also love Swagbucks. Both Ebates and Swagbucks have browser extensions that will automatically popup and show you the rebates you can earn when you’re shopping online. Often, both pop up, giving you double the rebate!
Be sure to check out WAHS’s articles, Make and Save Money on Everyday Tasks and 58 Smartphone Apps that Pay for more resources that help you save or make money.
9) Get Paid to Drive Your Car
There are several ways to use your car from taxing people around to advertising on your vehicle. Check out this article on 8 Places that Will Pay You to Use Your Car. Also, Amazon is paying drivers $18-$25 per hour in its delivery program.
10) Start a direct sales business
Many people are leery of direct sales, but they offer a great opportunity to earn an income part-time from home. Plus, if you pick a business idea that naturally lends itself to the holiday (i.e. a product people would by as a holiday gift), starting a direct sales business during the holidays is great way to jump start your income. Before choosing a business opportunity, be sure to read 6 Criteria for Choosing a Home Business Opportunity and How to Build a Successful Direct Sales Business.
More Extra Income Ideas and Resources
Still want more ideas and resources on how to make extra money during the holidays? Here are few more articles to check out:
7 Fun Ways to Make Money from Home
9 Passive Income Ideas to Make Money While You Sleep
8 Ways to Make Extra Money on the Side
70+ Places to Make a Few Bucks
7 Work-At-Home Jobs You Can Do Part Time
Realistic Ways to Make $500 to $1,000 in 30 Days
Also check out the video on How to Make Money During the Holidays:
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