Written by: Jenny Gattinger, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Ah, Christmas! A time of family get-togethers, office parties, decorating the tree, watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” and last-minute shopping, if you’re anything like me. Speaking of Christmas shopping, the National Retail Federation reports that the average person spent $1,048 on gifts and other holiday-related expenses in 2019. That’s a pretty good chunk of change. If you find yourself wondering how you can come up with some extra cash to help with this year’s expenses, read on to discover 8 ways to make extra money before Christmas.
Here are 8 ways to make extra money before Christmas:
1. Declutter your home and sell your things
Watch the Marie Kondo or Minimalist videos on Netflix to inspire you and get to work!
Go through your things 1 by 1 and ask yourself when is the last time you’ve used them and if they add any value to your life. Has it been more than a year? Are you actually getting something out of them, or are they simply just taking up space?
Going through and unloading unwanted items on Ebay, Craigslist, Poshmark or Facebook Marketplace can not only put extra money in your pocket, but have you kicking off the new year with a fresh and lighter start!
2. Teach ESL online
Are you a native English speaker? Do you hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher? Do you have 1yr+ experience working with kids? If you’ve answered “yes” to these 3 questions, you could consider teaching English as a second language to children online.
VIPKid and QKids are a couple of the leaders in the game, paying their teachers between $14-22/hour.If you have a TEFL/TESOL certificate and teaching experience, you may want to check out BlingABC which claims to pay amongst the highest rates, varying between $21-27/hour.
3. Teach your passion online
Like teaching, but not necessarily ESL? Referred to as the Netflix of learning, Outschool is another platform that allows teachers to offer small-group classes for K-12 students in everything from academic subjects, such as math and science, to more entertaining subjects, like Harry Potter and French braiding.
Teachers on Outschool set their own prices and Outschool keeps 30%. While subject expertise is required, formal teaching credentials and previous teaching experience are not.
4. Drive with Uber or Lyft
Holidays are a busy time with people constantly coming and going. If you enjoy driving and meeting others, you could sign up as a driver with Uber or Lyft. This could especially be profitable if you live in a metropolitan area and can take travelers to/from the airport. As a driver, you have the freedom to set your own hours via the apps.
In the case that socializing with strangers is not your thing, you can also look into delivery services Postmates, Uber Eats or Door Dash.
5. Put your extra room and car up for rent
If you find yourself with an extra room in your home, you may want to turn that into a money generator over the next few months by renting it out on Airbnb. You can follow this guide to get started.
Similarly, if you notice your car spending too much time sitting in the garage, you may want to consider renting it out to Turo's visitors. Again, this can be especially profitable for those living in a large metropolitan area. Check out Turo’s carculator to see just how profitable renting out your car could be.
6. Open an Etsy shop
A marketplace for handmade items, Etsy is a popular stop among gift-givers at all times of the year, but especially before the holidays. If you’ve got a bit of a creative side, you may want to think about creating and selling items such as jewelry, customized shirts, embroidery or digital prints to name a few. Once you’ve got your products, opening an Etsy shop literally takes minutes.
7. Pet sit
With the holidays come travel. In many cases, it’s hard for pet owners to bring their beloved pets with them, so this may be the perfect time to start a pet sitting gig. With pet sitters charging anywhere between $45-75/night, this could turn into not only a lucrative but fun gig for animal lovers. Check out Rover to get started.
8. Find one-off gigs
Maybe you only have a bit of time and want to scroll through one-off gigs on Craigslist or even in your local Facebook groups. Helping your neighbors with small jobs such as shoveling snow, hanging up Christmas lights, babysitting, etc. can help put extra money into your pocket instantly.
There you have it. Not only can these hustles help you generate extra money for the holidays, but carrying them into the new year can have you kicking off 2021 with a financial bang!
Want to get a head start on getting your finances organized and working for you in 2021? Sign up for our upcoming group coaching program here.
Jenny Gattinger, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jenny is a personal financial coach, with a passion for helping millennials reach their financial goals. Having completed a degree in Economics, along with Dave Ramsey’s Financial Coach Master Training, she teaches them how to organize their money and put it to work so that one day, sooner rather than later, they won’t have to. A millennial herself, Jenny’s financial savviness has allowed her to follow her dreams of travel and visit 50+ countries as well as compete internationally in two different sports, all while maintaining a sense of financial wellbeing.
