Business & Finance, Lifestyle

How to Make Fast Cash Before the Holidays

As the holidays draw closer, that awful realization will begin to hit you: you somehow have to find a way to pay for all those holiday gifts. Since gifts are not something that’s part of your regular budget, it’s good to be able to earn some extra money to help offset these annual expenses. To help you navigate this financially stressful time of year, then, here are a few great ways to earn some fast cash before the holidays.

Get a Seasonal Job

If you have some extra time on your hands, the holiday season makes for a great time to score a seasonal job. Companies that create, ship, and sell any type of holiday gifts tend to do a big hiring push around the holidays to ensure they can keep up with demand. Take advantage of this need for extra assistance, then, by helping make other people’s holiday dreams come true while you earn some extra cash.

Sell Unneeded Items

If you don’t want to give your family and friends secondhand gifts by gifting items from around your home, you can still put these unwanted items to good use. You can sell these items using various online platforms to make money to buy gifts for those on your list. Just about anything can be profitable, from getting money for junk cars to selling old sports memorabilia and everything else in between.  It’s important, however, that you ensure you’re using a legitimate selling platform to ensure you receive payment for the items you sell.

Babysit

If you’ve got a knack for keeping children entertained, you could offer your services to others in exchange for cold, hard cash. Many people will be heading out to holiday parties where kids aren’t welcome, so the demand for quality babysitters is usually quite high. Depending on your experience, you can charge a decent premium, meaning you’ll be able to hit your earnings goals faster than you expected.

Rent Out a Room

If you have an unused room in your house, why not rent it out to holiday travelers to earn some extra money? People are always seeking comfortable and inexpensive accommodations for their time away from home, meaning you can earn their business by charging less than the hotels in your area. Just be sure that you check local laws regarding these types of businesses before you take the plunge.

Keep it Simple

Of course, if you’re seeking to “wow” your friends and family with big, elaborate gifts, perhaps the best course of action to take is to scale back your expectations. Instead of expensive, mass-produced gifts, you can surprise those closest to you with personalized gifts that they can truly use. In this way, you’ll still find gifts everyone will love but you won’t have to stress out with the thought of how you’re going to pay for it all.

 

Addy Reeds is a freelance writer from Eugene, Oregon. She discovered her passion for journalism while attending the University of Oregon. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @addyreeds1; https://www.facebook.com/addy.reeds