Christmas is the one time of year where people scramble to find gifts for their loved ones and decorate their homes. These can be rather challenging tasks to accomplish while also having to go to work/school and all of the other things that life can throw at them. What is even worse is if they need to come up with some extra money for Christmas gifts or other seasonal needs. Sometimes it is a little difficult finding side jobs, therefore a list of creative ways to make an extra buck or two is helpful this Christmas.
*Pet care. If you love animals, then advertise dog walking or pet sitting services for people when they are at work or out of town. Just because it is cold outside does not mean that dogs do not have to be walked or just allowed to go outside and play. This can be a great Christmas time job because you earn money and get to have fun too! The other side to this one is the people that travel throughout the Christmas season are often forced to check their beloved pets into a kennel. By offering to pet sit, the pet can remain in their own home with someone that will care for them.
*Baker. If you have a love of baking Christmas goodies, then advertise for it! Be careful that you do not get in over your head though, do not take on more clients than you can handle. One way to go about this is to decide on a few different treats that you will make and then put them up for sale. A fun and festive way to do this is by having a cookie/treat party in your home or even open up a booth at the local flea market (if they have indoor stalls).
*Christmas decorator. This is a little unusual, but can actually be a good way to make some extra cash for Christmas. Many people enjoy Christmas trees, lights and the pretty decorations but they dread actually getting them out and putting them up. Some people do not really have the time to decorate due to busy work schedules. If you have free weekends or free time during the week, then offer to decorate or at least help decorate people’s trees and homes. You might really be able to rake in some extra cash if you are willing to do outdoor decorating and hanging up lights.
*Card maker/sender. This one can fun and bring in a little extra money at the same time. Offer to print out Christmas cards for people. Many people seem to feel as though the whole Christmas card process is a hassle and are less likely to do it. If you have a printer, then you can create some nice card designs and then sell them. You can offer to send out cards for people too. People that already have their cards made out, but have not had the time to send them yet, might appreciate your handy little service! This can also lead to mailing packages for people too.
*Gift wrapper. This can be a very handy service for people who dislike the hassle of wrapping Christmas gifts. Some people have such a hectic holiday schedule may really see this service as a blessing in disguise! If you have a flare for gift wrapping (which includes tags, bows, ribbons and gift bags with decorations and tissue paper), then give this idea a shot and advertise! One thing to consider is that you may have people watching you wrap their precious gifts. Do not take this as an insult, they are simply trying to ensure the safety of their loved ones’ gifts (not to mention all the money they spent!).
*Shopper. You might be able to make some extra money and offer a valuable service for all sorts of people at the same time. Some people who work, find it very difficult to make time to get their Christmas shopping done, some elderly people have a hard time going shopping and some stay at home parents have a rough time shopping with their children in tow. Offering to do the shopping for these people can take a lot of stress off of their minds. On the flip side, you might be asked to babysit kids while the parents go shopping; this is not a bad deal either!
A word of warning: in any advertising you make public, be clear about how much you charge for the service you are providing to customers. If you do not make your fees clear, some people may hire you under the impression that you are working for free or just for tips/donations.
As you can see, there are many creative ways to make some extra Christmas time cash. Get creative and advertise for whatever service you are good at like pet care, or baking awesome goodies.