Christmas Money: 28 Real Ways to Get More

Christmas money is in short supply but this article shares 28 real ways to make more even for those who already have jobs. There’s everything from selling used stuff to earning money nights and weekends to weird opportunities that pop up in the months before Christmas.

The list has suggestions like garage sales, selling used stuff on Amazon and using peer-to-peer websites to find people who need errands done. There are also hundreds in bonuses for opening checking accounts, virtual call centers and unexpected work just talking on the phone to students. The list is current as of 10/26/16.

1. Sell Used Stuff on Amazon for More Christmas Money

This is our favorite way to make Christmas money because almost everyone can do it fast. It blends nicely with the holiday season because lots of people look for bargain gifts this time of year. Used books, old appliances and gifts from last year that got put in a box in the basement can all turn into ready money. It’s actually kind of fun too. Take some time and hunt around the house for anything that’s outlived its usefulness. Then see our how to sell stuff on Amazon post for tips on how to turn those things to cash.

christmas-money-garage-sale

2. Have a Garage Sale

Our second favorite way to make quick extra Christmas money is the garage sale. Garage sales and yard sales are ideal for things that are too cheap or outdated to sell on Amazon. Candlesticks, clothing, flatware, old books, boardgames and children’s toys, all of these things can be turned into easy money at a garage sale. Best of all, it doesn’t take much time. Most people are surprised how much money they rake in at the end of a few hours’ work.

3. Ask for Christmas Money on a GoFundMe Page

Many people will shy away from our third favorite way to make extra Christmas money because it seems like begging. Well, it is begging. But it can be done in a good natured way. People start GoFundMe pages for everything from college parties to operations, home flood damage and replacement of stolen items. A Christmas fund is an excellent reason to start a GoFundMe page, and if the asker isn’t greedy the effort can easily return an extra $500 to $1,000 for holiday shopping.

christmas-money-errands

Also see: Kim Kardashian Net Worth

4. Run Errands the Easy Way

Running errands is an excellent way to make Christmas money because it doesn’t have to take up a ton of time. A website called TaskRabbit hooks up people who need things done with people who need money. Think of it like Uber or Airbnb for errands. Just go to the site and register as a “tasker.” Name the jobs you’re willing to do like packing boxes, running errands, fixing stuff or cleaning. Define your rates and schedule and the TaskRabbit app will notify you of jobs in your area. It’s kind of like being Batman, but instead of fighting crime, taskers fight grime or deliver groceries. It’s quick and easy and it can fit into anyone’s schedule.

All 26 Christmas Money Methods

All 26 of our Christmas money methods are listed below for easy searching. Some are embarrassing, some are easy and many can fit into an existing schedule. Probably the simplest is opening a checking account and getting a free signup bonus in handy cash. The most embarrassing are delivering Christmas greetings (dressed as an elf?) and starting a GoFundMe page (basically begging online). Some of the most relaxed methods include making deliveries with TaskRabbit or doing online freelance transcription.

Ways to Make Extra Christmas Money
Christmas Money MethodNotes
1Sell used stuff on AmazonGenerate Christmas money through things you own but don't use.
2Garage saleSame as #1 except it works for junkier items.
3GoFundMe pageThis is basically begging online but it can work.
4Run errands with TaskRabbit.comFill in spare time to make Christmas money.
5Cash in old gift cardsChristmas money from last year - is there some in plastic form in a drawer?
6Make deliveries for DoorDash.comTurn spare hours into Christmas money by signing up online.
7Baby sitPut a shout out on Facebook or with friends and neighbors.
8Pet sit with Rover.comChristmas money for animal lovers with free time.
9Shovel snowThis one is for the young and fit.
10Clean for others with TaskRabbit.com or by local word of mouthTaskRabbit makes it easy to get short-term cleaning gigs around Christmas.
11Paint, rake, bake, cook, walk dogs, clean guttersAnything people need done around Christmas can turn into money.
12Open a savings account with a sign-up bonusEasy Christmas money just for opening a checking account.
13Side work in a department storeDepartment stores need more hands around Christmas.
14Drive for UPSUPS hires millions of extra part-timers before the holidays.
15Seasonal work from home with AmazonAmazon needs extra hands around Christmas.
16Fill in at a Christmas tree lotChristmas money in spare hours for hocking trees.
17Driver for UberSpare hours can always turn into money with Uber.
18Sell handcrafts on EtsyHandy people can get Christmas money by making and selling almost anything on Etsy.
19Work from home in a virtual call centerHave spare hours during the week? Turn them to Christmas money.
20Chat with English students for Cambly.comPeople learning English need to talk to native speakers. Easy Christmas money for chatting.
21Deliver holiday greetings for GigMaster.comA slightly embarrassing Christmas money method.
22Sign up for a paid focus groupThis takes a little digging but can turn into real money.
23Take on catering workMany catering firms need extra low-level employees nights and weekends before Christmas.
24Do freelance transcriptionThis isn't fun work but it fits into spare hours.
25Join a paid clinical trialThis Christmas money method doesn't have to mean taking potentially harmful drugs.
26Donate plasmaA slightly grisly Christmas money method.

5. Cash in Old Gift Cards

Scare up a little extra Christmas money by finding old gift cards squirreled away around the house. Old Amazon or Walmart gift cards, gift cards for sporting good stores or other retail outlets often get put on a shelf or in a drawer and forgotten about. Those cards can be used to buy the presents or traded for cash money online. Sites like GiftCardGranny and CardPool that will buy old gift cards for cash.

delivery-christmas-money

6. Be an Online Delivery Driver to Make Christmas Money

This way to make Christmas money fits into nights and weekends. A website called DoorDash lets people sign up to earn money for making restaurant deliveries. “Dashers” need a valid driver’s license and a vehicle. Just sign up for a DoorDash account, define your hours and wait for a notification. Drivers get paid decent money and keep 100% of the tips. The service is available in over 250 cities across the U.S.

7. Baby Sit

Our #7 way to make Christmas money is babysitting. Sound old fashioned? That’s because it never goes out of style. Daycare notwithstanding, people always need fill-ins. Babysitters need to be good with children and trustworthy. This job can be as easy as putting out a shout on Facebook to let friends know you’re available, or putting word out in a circle of friends. Babysitting might mean missing a few Friday nights, but it’s a sure way to get quick Christmas cash.

pet-sit-for-christmas-money

Also see: How Much Money Do MBAs Make?

8. Pet Sit

Pet sitting is a great way to make Christmas money for people who aren’t good with kids. Pet lovers can pick up extra money on short notice by taking care of a neighbor’s critters while they’re away on vacation. This one’s as easy as a Facebook post or telling friends in person. Or check out Rover.com for pet sitting opportunities in your area.

9. Shovel Snow

This Christmas money method isn’t for everyone but the young and the fit can make it work really well. It starts with a Facebook post, word of mouth or a classified ad or Craigslist ad. It’s geographically limited, but under the right conditions it can be a gold mine. Even walking around and knocking on doors with a shovel in hand can win clients.

christmas-money-from-cleaning

10. Clean for Others

Somewhat surprisingly, there’s no slam-dunk peer to peer website for this Christmas money source. We mentioned TaskRabbit above in the “errands” section and they do connect cleaners with people who need cleaning done. At the risk of beating a dead horse, cleaners for hire can post on Facebook once every week or so about availability. It doesn’t need to turn into a full time job and can be discontinued after the money goal is reached.

11. Do Other Things People Need Done

In the interest of not saying “Facebook” every time we say “Christmas money,” here are a few other odd jobs people need done. They all make good Christmas cash sources because they all pop up before or around the holidays on nights and weekends.

  • Paint rooms for people who need nurseries painted or other painting work done. A great source of Christmas money.
  • Rake leaves for busy people with trees in the months before Christmas.
  • Bake or cook Christmas goodies.
  • Walk dogs.
  • Clean gutters.

christmas-money

Also see: How Much Money Do NFL Players Make?

12. Open a Savings or Checking Account

Shoppers can get $150 in extra Christmas money in 2016 by opening a checking account. Chase offers a $150 bonus just for opening a checking account and setting up direct deposit. Below is a list of other banks that pay money for opening an account. Warning: watch out for fees on accounts that can gobble up the bonus.

department-store-christmas-money

13. Get Side Work in a Department Store

People with spare time can earn extra Christmas money by working in a store that needs help. Lots of stores need more labor hours around the holidays. Those stores hire a month or so in advance to get the fill-in workers up to speed. A walk in the mall or in stores like L.L. Bean, Target, Walmart, Belk, Kohl’s and so on can scare up a handful of applications.

14. Drive for UPS or FedEx

This is another great part time job that makes Christmas money and then some. Think UPS holiday jobs are just a rumor? In 2015, UPS hired 95,000 seasonal employees to deal with holiday delivery demand. Peak season work opportunities with UPS can be found at the UPS jobs portal. Can’t drive? No worries. Shipping companies need help doing other things around Christmas besides driving.

Also see: Kardashian Net Worth: Fame, Fortune and Family

15. Get Seasonal Work with Amazon

Like department stores and UPS, Amazon can be a great seasonal source of quick Christmas money. Some Amazon seasonal employees can even work from home. Check out Amazon jobs here and virtual locations Amazon jobs here for work-from-home opportunities. In the fall and early winter, several good seasonal part time work-from-home positions pop up on the site.

16. Get Side Work in a Pumpkin or Christmas Tree Farm or Lot

One good way to make Christmas money is to look for side work at a place that only needs people some of the time, just before Christmas. Some jobs like working in a Christmas tree lot offer night and weekend work ideal for someone looking to pick up just a few quick bucks.

uber-money-for-christmas

17. Drive for Uber

This Christmas tree money making method requires a car and a valid license. Uber is a ride service that connects people who need rides with people who have cars and need money. Just sign up at Uber’s website, set your schedule and start driving. The extra Yule tide cash will be rolling in no time.

18. Sell Handcrafts on Etsy

Anyone who’s good at making things can earn a little extra Christmas money with an Etsy account. Etsy sellers make and sell anything from jewelry to furniture, quilts, blankets, clothing, crafts and supplies, toys, food and more. Etsy smooths out the gift gap by turning a particular talent for making any one thing into nice flexible money.

virtual-call-center-christmas-money

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19. Work from Home in a Virtual Call Center

One Christmas money option is working in a virtual call center. There’s no cubicle to report to, no full time status required and virtual call agents set their own hours. The pay isn’t stellar. A rough average of pay is 25 cents per minute of talk time. That may sound like it works out to $15 dollars per hour but it’s doubtful that anyone can log 60 minutes of talk time in an hour. Still, night and weekend work in this area can stir up a decent chunk of Christmas cheer.

20. Chat with English Students

There’s a website called Cambly that can help shoppers rake in a little extra Christmas money helping others learn English. Just log in to Cambly’s website and sign up as a tutor. Cambly tutors make $10.20 per hour and set their own hours. Tutors can work from home over the phone. Tutors don’t even need solid writing skills, since Cambly’s sales pitch centers around teaching customers to speak better.

christmas-money-for-singing-telegrams

21. Deliver Holiday Greetings

People who don’t mind a little embarrassment can make extra Christmas money delivering holiday greetings. P.J. from West Virginia tells us, “I delivered Christmas cards to doctor’s offices dressed as an elf. And sang.” Willing to do this one but not sure how to get work? Try GigMasters. Just sign up as a vendor on their website.

22. Sign up for a Paid Focus Group

We learned about this Christmas money making method from readers. Troy from Ohio says, “Andrea and I have done a few. The smallest was $25 to try a new cheeseburger at Wendy’s corporate office. The most recent was $100 to try a new app for an auto glass company. Ironically, my windshield got chipped right after.” Try FocusGroup online or do a Google search for the term “paid focus group” and your city or town.

catering-christmas-money

23. Take on Some Catering Work

Holiday parties mean a lot of extra work for the catering industry and that means Christmas money for those who work the shifts. Brian from Maine says the summer workforce has been cut down and the Christmas parties really amp up the demand. “It’s entry-level after-hours stuff,” says Brian, “so it’s not hard to do.”

24. Do Some Freelance Transcription

Another way to make extra Christmas money is freelance transcription. Julie from Maine says, “I do freelance transcription of small clips of audio on a transcription website. The pay is crap and the jobs go fast, but I like to type and can do it from home. I go through a reputable site that pays via PayPal every Monday, and I only work when I want to. That makes it handy for Christmas time or when we’re short on gas money.” To get this kind of work, try UpWork or any of several other transcription sites online.

clinical-trial-for-christmas-money

25. Join a Paid Clinical Trial

Paid clinical trials are another real Christmas money source. Casey from West Virginia says, “WVU and Mylan regularly hold paid clinical trials for healthy, non-tobacco users that are 18+. As long as you meet the qualifications set forth by the study, I’ve seen them pay anywhere from $1,200-$6,200 per study. Some are even psychologically based and don’t require that you take or test out new drugs. You always see ads for these studies start popping up in the papers around Thanksgiving.” Keep an eye on university websites in the fall and search classifieds and online.

26. Donate Plasma

This may sound like a creepy way to make Christmas money but it’s above-board and it works. Jo-Beth from West Virginia says, “I used to pay my rent when I lived in Harrisonburg by “donating” plasma. It was $20 the first time in a week and $30 the second. You had to have 2 days in between. They gave you a liter of saline after they spun the plasma and replaced everything else.”

27. Facebook Yard Sale

This way to make Christmas money is along the lines of the garage sale or sell on Amazon ideas listed above. Just about every city, town and municipality in the U.S. has a Facebook yard sale page. Just go on and list anything you don’t need, and we mean anything. Facebook yard sale pages are a great way to unload anything that’s too outdated or obscure to sell on Amazon.

28. Sell Used Texbooks for Christmas Money

Selling used textbooks is a good way to make extra Christmas money even for students who can’t stick around after finals. Books that are in good condition can be shilled at sites like Cash4Books, eCampus and Sell Back Your Book.

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