The holidays are creeping up on us again. They can be stressful, especially if you’re tight on cash.
Not knowing how you’ll pay for presents is anxiety-inducing. Fortunately, there are ways to make extra money before Christmas.
In many cases, the opportunities don’t expire when St. Nick arrives. You can use them to make ends meet throughout the year.
Legit Ways to Make Extra Money Before Christmas
Thanks to side hustles, it is easier than you might think to earn Christmas spending money.
If you have a few extra hours each week, you can make money on the side to help with holiday shopping and avoid debt.
| Job | Avg. Hourly Pay | Pay Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| DoorDash | $23 | Weekly + instant |
| Instacart Shopper | $20 | Weekly + instant |
| Rover | $13 | Weekly |
| Babysitting | $10+ | Varies |
Here are some of the top choices to earn cash this holiday season.
1. Deliver Meals for DoorDash
One of the best side hustle ideas to earn extra money for Christmas is to work for an on-demand food delivery service. Courier jobs are an increasingly popular side gig and offer flexible schedules.
DoorDash is a leading delivery gig app that focuses on meal delivery from local restaurants. When you become a Dasher, you pick up meals from restaurants and deliver them to customers.
The platform pays drivers weekly, though there is an option to cash out instantly for a small fee. Better yet, you can set your own schedule.
DoorDash drivers can get paid $23 per hour while on a delivery. Like other delivery jobs, you keep 100 percent of your base pay and tips.
You must be at least 18 years old, pass a background check, and have a valid driver’s license to deliver for DoorDash.
If you need money for Christmas, this is a terrific opportunity since people order more meals as the holidays approach.
Learn more: DoorDash Driver Review
Earning potential: $23 per hour
2. Deliver With Uber Eats
If you want to work with multiple courier apps, driving with Uber Eats is a fantastic choice to earn more money as an independent contractor.
The company operates similarly to DoorDash and is in 6,000+ cities throughout 60+ countries worldwide.
You must be at least 19 years old to drive with Uber Eats. In addition, your car must be no older than 20 years and have a minimum of two doors.
As long as you have at least one year of driving experience, a government-issued ID, and valid auto insurance, you can deliver meals once you are approved by the service.
The income potential with Uber Eats is $500 per month. You can also earn tips.
Pay is weekly, but you can request an instant cash out for a $0.50 fee. The fee is waived if you use the Uber Debit Card.
If you don’t want to deliver food or would like to earn more, you can drive with Uber Driver as well. This lets you drive riders to a chosen destination.
*As of 7/18/22, Uber is migrating to a combined Driver & Delivery program that will allow a user to select how they want to earn with Uber, i.e., driving, delivering, or both! This consolidated program will be named Uber “One Earner.” Under this new model, whether a user lands on a Driver or a Delivery page, they’ll have the option to self-select which type of earning opportunity they want.
Learn more: Jobs like Uber Eats
Earning potential: Up to $15 an hour
Get started: Sign up to deliver with Uber Eats
3. Work for Instacart Shopper
Grocery delivery is a convenient way for people to manage their shopping needs. It also creates a side gig opportunity by letting you deliver groceries to earn extra cash for Christmas.
Instacart Shopper is the largest grocery delivery app and is available in over 6,000 cities nationwide.
*Related: If you’re looking for other food delivery jobs, read our guide on side hustles like DoorDash here to find additional income opportunities.
You accept orders through the platform, go to the designated grocery store, buy the groceries, and deliver them to customers.
As an Instacart Shopper, you earn a commission based on the size of the order. Plus, you keep 100 percent of your tips.
Shoppers must be able to lift up to 30 pounds and meet other requirements common to delivery gig apps.
Learn more: Instacart driver review
Earning potential: $15 – $20 per hour
You can compare the above three on-demand delivery apps with the other players in the space below.
| App | Avg. Hourly Pay | Pay Frequency | Bike/Motorcycle? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postmates | Up to $20 | Weekly + instant | Yes |
| DoorDash | $23 | Weekly + instant | Yes |
| Uber Eats | Up to $15 | Weekly + instant | Yes |
| Instacart | $20 | Weekly + instant | No |
| Shipt Shopper | $22 | Weekly + instant | No |
| GrubHub | $19 | Weekly + instant | No |
| Saucey | $12 | Weekly | No |
| Caviar | $25 | Weekly + instant | Yes |
| Favor | $14 | Daily | No |
4. Become A Dog Walker or Dog Sitter
There are apps to make money on the side that go beyond simply delivering food. If you’re an animal lover, you can supplement your income by walking or boarding dogs.
Many dog owners are willing to pay contractors to walk their dogs while they are at work. Plus, if you can board dogs in your home when their owners travel, you can earn even more.
The Rover dog sitting app is an excellent resource to find gigs near you and connect with local clients. They let you create a profile to showcase your experience and locate jobs.
The company claims that you can earn up to $1,000 per month through its platform, making it one of the top high-paying apps in the animal care niche.
That can go a long way to help with Christmas expenses.
Learn more: Best dog walking apps
Earning potential: Up to $1,000 per month
5. Fill Out Online Surveys
A part-time job isn’t the only way to make extra money before the holidays. You can also take surveys for cash to pad your wallet.
While you won’t get rich with paid surveys, they’re an easy way to earn Christmas money with minimal effort.
You can take surveys on your phone while waiting for an appointment or when watching TV at night. It’s easy to fill them out when you have free time since they don’t take long to complete.
Survey Junkie is our favorite online survey site since you can redeem earnings once you reach a $10 balance. Earnings can be redeemed via PayPal or gift cards to popular retailers.
Furthermore, Survey Junkie pays at least $1 per survey.
Learn more: Review of Survey Junkie
Earning potential: $50+ per month
6. Search the Web
If you don’t want to take surveys for money, micro-jobs are an excellent alternative to earn extra cash for Christmas.
Get-paid-to (GPT) sites like Swagbucks let you earn money for your search activity. When you set Swagbucks as your default search engine, you earn points to get gift cards or cash.
Your search activity isn’t the only way to earn money either. Swagbucks offers multiple ways to earn cash, including:
- Using their online shopping portal
- Watching sponsored videos
- Playing online games
- Completing various online jobs
- Reading sponsored emails
Swagbucks gives users a free $5 when they open an account. You can redeem earnings starting as low as $1 for an Amazon gift card.
You must have at least $10 to redeem earnings for cash.
Like survey sites, you can complete easy jobs in your free time. This makes Swagbucks a fantastic option to earn cash for Christmas expenses and make money from your phone.
Learn more: Review of Swagbucks
Earning potential: Varies
7. Start A Blog
Blogging is one of the best small business ideas to earn extra income and make money online. It may not earn you loads of cash before the holidays, but it can be lucrative in the long run.
You can start a blog on any topic. Keep in mind that finance, health, and relationships tend to be the most profitable niches.
Blogging allows you to earn cash in various ways, including display ads, affiliate marketing, and sponsored campaigns.
You don’t need to be a technical whiz to start a website. For just $2.95 per month, which is a 67 percent discount from its standard price, you can start a site with Bluehost.
Bluehost will launch the site for you and provide 24/7 support for any technical issues.
Learn more: How to make money blogging
Earning potential: Varies and is unlimited
8. Become A Virtual Assistant
Do you have strong administrative skills and enjoy working on multiple projects at once? If so, becoming a virtual assistant (VA) is a perfect way to earn money for the holidays.
VAs help small businesses manage workflow and can include anything from project management to social media marketing.
You don’t need to be technically inclined to do the work, though it can help you earn more.
Being a VA can be a good option if you want to make money without leaving your home. Plus, it’s a fantastic opportunity if you want to work remotely year-round.
If you don’t know where to start or how to succeed, check out our friend Kayla Sloan’s $10K VA free webinar to get started.
Learn more: Guide on how to become a VA
Earning potential: $25+ per hour
Get started: Sign up for $10K VA
9. Get Paid to Lose Weight
What better way to earn Christmas spending money than to improve your health? Believe it or not, you can earn cash while you get fit.
HealthyWage is a weight loss app that lets you bet on yourself to lose weight. You can compete against yourself or join a team challenge.
The app doesn’t offer a meal plan, but it will give you tools to improve your health.
If you give up on your goal or don’t reach it, you lose the money you bet. However, reaching your goal can be quite lucrative.
Learn more: Ways to get paid to lose weight
Earning potential: Average winnings are $1,400 per person but can be up to $10,000
10. Babysit
If you’re looking for quick ways to make money, babysitting is a classic side hustle to pursue. As the holidays approach, there is more demand for babysitters.
If you enjoy spending time with children, this is an excellent opportunity to make extra money for holiday shopping.
You can advertise your services on social media or through word of mouth.
Alternately, you can use a site like Care.com if you need help finding local gigs. The platform lets you create a profile to get reviews and expand your reach.
Learn more: N/A
Earning potential: $12+ per hour
Get started: Start an account with Care.com
11. Sell Used Electronics
Do you have old electronics that you no longer use? If they’re still in working condition, you could be sitting on hundreds of dollars.
You can sell those items and make easy money. While it’s possible to find buyers for used electronics locally, it’s usually best to sell items online.
SellCell is our top choice to sell electronics. They are a marketplace that connects users with 30+ companies that buy back used devices.
Related: Do you have items besides electronics to sell? Read our guide of the best apps to use here to learn how to make more on your used items.
You can sell various items, including:
- Phones
- Tablets
- Laptops
- Cameras
- Game consoles
Upon accepting an offer, the company sends you a shipping label. You then send the platform your items. When they receive them, they pay you via check or PayPal.
Learn more: Best sites to sell used electronics for cash
Earning potential: Varies
Get started: Get a quote at SellCell
12. Write Articles for Money
Freelance writing is one of the top gig economy jobs to earn cash before the holidays. You don’t need a specialized degree, and you can make money from home.
Many businesses outsource writing needs, and some assignments pay extremely well. Content can include blog posts, white papers, speeches, and more.
If you don’t know where to start as a freelance writer, check out our friend Holly Johnson’s free webinar, Earn More Writing.
Learn more: Ways to get paid to write articles
Earning potential: $100+ per article
Get started: Sign up for Earn More Writing
13. Become A Proofreader
All content written by freelance writers needs to be edited. Content that’s incorrect or has poor grammar can cost companies significant money.
This creates at-home jobs for proofreaders to make extra money on the side.
A proofreader reads through various forms of content to ensure everything is correct. You won’t copyedit, but proofreading is the final step before content is published to verify there are no errors.
Like writing, you don’t need a specialized degree to proofread. This work can be done from anywhere, so you can work from home if you want.
Not sure where to start as a freelance proofreader? Check out our friend Caitlin Pyle’s free workshop, Proofread Anywhere.
Learn more: How to become a proofreader
Earning potential: $25+ per hour
Get started: Sign up for Proofread Anywhere
14. Use A Rewards Credit Card
Credit cards can be a helpful tool to manage your finances if you pay them in full each month. At the end of the year, many rewards cards offer rewards categories at stores you might shop at for gifts.
You can amplify your earnings by selecting a card that offers a bonus or travel rewards. This is in addition to any bonuses you can potentially earn from your normal spending.
If you manage credit cards wisely, this is a terrific way to maximize your spending.
Learn more: N/A
Earning potential: Varies
Get started: Find a new rewards card
15. Get Cash Back on Your Shopping
What better way to get Christmas spending money than to receive cash back on your online purchases? You can do this with a rebate site like Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates).
Rakuten works with over 2,500 online retailers and gives you cash back when you make a qualifying purchase.
You shop online as you normally would. Then, after you make a purchase, your account will be credited with a rebate depending on your purchase category.
Rakuten also has an easy-to-use app if you’re shopping on the go.
As a bonus, you receive a $10 cash bonus when you open an account.
Learn more: Rakuten review
Earning potential: Up to 40 percent cash back on purchases
Get started: Get $10 from Rakuten
16. Be A Tasker
Online side hustles from home aren’t the only opportunity to earn extra income. If you have mechanical or technical skills, you can try making money doing odd jobs in your city.
Taskrabbit is the top platform to find handyman jobs near you. Money-making opportunities you can find on Taskrabbit include:
- Cleaning
- Delivery services
- Furniture assembly
- Heavy lifting
- Home repair (electrical/plumbing work)
- Moving help
- Wait in line
- Yardwork
- Painting
Similar to other gig economy apps, you create your own hours. You can also set your own rates.
Pay is distributed weekly. You get to keep 100 percent of your earnings, including tips.
The platform manages payments, so there is no exchange of cash with customers.
If you want to make money around town, Taskrabbit is a must-use resource.
Learn more: Apps like Taskrabbit to make money
Earning potential: Varies, though 15 percent of Taskers earn up to $7,000 per month
Get started: Sign up to be a Tasker
17. Do Work on Fiverr
Fiverr is the ultimate resource to make extra money before Christmas. You can earn cash by offering nearly any service, from writing a thank you note to programming a website.
Services start at $5. However, the real earning opportunity is in the add-ons you can offer since those have no set price.
Similar to other app-based job options, you will want to land a few clients who give good ratings to increase your chances of success.
Fiverr is free to join, and you can start earning money right now by claiming gigs.
Learn more: Best side hustle apps
Earning potential: Varies
Get started: Sign up with Fiverr
18. Test Products at Home
Market research companies pay significant sums of cash to learn consumers’ opinions about products. If you’re looking for ways to make extra money, you can test products at home.
Pinecone Research is a paid survey site, but they specialize in product testing. The company sends you the product. Then, you test it and provide your feedback via completing a survey.
This won’t earn you loads of cash, but it’s a good opportunity to help with Christmas expenses.
Learn more: Review of Pinecone Research
Earning potential: Up to $75 per product test
19. Get Rebates on Your Groceries
As the holidays approach, you will likely spend more money at the grocery store. Similar to shopping online, you can also receive rebates on your grocery shopping with Ibotta.
You can select rebates on items you plan to purchase before heading to the store. It’s also possible to scan your receipt after shopping to find additional rebates.
While you won’t earn much, this is a nice way to reduce spending at the end of the year.
The app gives new users $5 when they make their first purchase.
Learn more: Review of Ibotta
Earning potential: Varies
Bottom Line
This list only scratches the surface of ways to make extra money for the holidays. Some options may only score you a little extra pocket change, but others can add up to good money.
Don’t overlook the possibility of combining multiple opportunities to increase your earnings.
Additionally, as you plan for next year, aim to save money for Christmas each month so you can avoid debt.
What are some of your favorite gig jobs to earn cash?
*Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries completed, time of day, location, and expenses. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90 day period and includes compensation from peak pay, tips, and other incentives.
These are all great lists John! I’m planning to sell my pre-loved “used” clothes to have extra money for this coming holiday season.
Thanks Clarisse! That’s an awesome idea, we’ve done that ourselves in the past.
where’s the best place to sell pre owned clothing…especially kids clothes, without paying too much for shipping? thx
Poshmark is a good option Karen. They actually send a prepaid shipping label to send the clothes back to them.
These are great tips and more importantly it reminds us that it’s time to start planning for the holidays. Christmas is never an emergency!
Excellent point Natalie! I used to view it that way – the kicker is we know it’s going to come every year and thus NOT an emergency.
I do so much Christmas shopping on Amazon, I need to look into TopCashBack. Thanks for the tip!
Not a problem at all Kalie – might as well make something back from your shopping there. 🙂
“Sell bodily fluids.”
My brother in law paid for my sister’s engagement ring by donating plasma. Around this time every year he says that fall makes him think about the start of the new year and selling his blood for diamonds.
Wow! I did it to help pay off debt, but awesome he did it for such a reason – not to mention seeing the tangible result of it.
Anyone can make extra money like you said and I really hate it when people limit themselves by saying they can’t
Exactly Stefanie! I hear excuses all the time. I used to be guilty of that myself, but there are just too many options to making extra income out there.
I don’t want to think about holidays yet, but it is that time. Having a plan in place is really the only way to avoid overspending.
Nor do I but crazy how close it is.
Those are all great tips. I plan on implementing a few of them before Christmas myself.
Very cool Jason!
I think if you’re selling your bodily fluid to have extra money for Christmas, then you need to sit down with people you are buying for an explain why maybe this Christmas there might be less or no presents. 🙂 Actually, in general, I think less is more. Granted I don’t have kids and I wouldn’t to rob them of the joy of Christmas, but I do think families tend to go overboard. I’m very fortunate I don’t have a demanding family who insist on gift giving. I think all (but the bodily fluids one) are great, but I’m just playing devil’s advocate and say that sometimes that takes away time…and sometimes time is more precious than gifts.
Oh, completely agreed Tonya. If I was selling plasma in order to buy gifts then it’d be high time to communicate the lack of presents. We typically don’t buy a whole lot for our kids – we usually hold back at least 75-80% of what we budget for them and put in their 529s as the grandparents get them more than enough as we see far too many go overboard. That being said, there are still ways to make extra income before the holidays that can be used for things/needs other than gifts. 🙂
Love this! I think EVERYONE can make extra money and making extra money for the holidays so that you don’t go into debt is a great idea.
Could not agree more Michelle! There are so many options out there that virtually anyone can make something off of.
These are some great suggestions, John. People always complain that they don’t have enough money but a little ingenuity and willingness to work some extra hours can make all the difference.
Thanks Shannon! Completely agreed, if you have the willingness to put in the time and are creative you can find many ways to earn more money.
Ha! This is an awesome list John! My hubby always ramps up his side hustling of tutoring around this time with the specific goal of paying for the holidays. I laughed when I saw give fluids, though, because I actually donated plasma when I was in college for money. If I actually had the time to sit there for it again, I would look into it. 🙂
That’s awesome he does that Shannon – great way to monetize something he does for his day job anyway. 🙂
Lol, I did the same exact thing – well to help pay off debt. I’d do it again if I had to.
Okay, I love cash back shopping as much as the next gal, but I don’t think you can count the cash back as making extra money, can you? Maybe that’s just me.
Fair point Abigail. As someone who does almost all of their holiday shopping on Amazon I would qualify it that way. That has the potential to make 8.5% back on your shopping there. Sure, it’s not a ton of money, but I’ll take the extra. 🙂
I’m sorry, but the amount of money some people spend on Christmas is just sickening to me. There is just no need for it. It’s frustrating to hear people always complain how they don’t have any money but then at Christmas, they spend ridiculous amounts. They get so caught up in trying to give their kids everything society says they NEED, plus think they need to give a gift to every person they come in contact with in their life. They end up stressed out and further in debt which is not what the holidays should be about.
Sorry for the rant, but love the list of ideas! Wish more people would do these things!
No apologies at all Danell! I completely agree with you. I see it as well and just don’t see the point. I know it’s easy to give into that temptation to buy for kids, but it’s just not worth it in the long run nor is that what the holidays are about.
Personally speaking, we take 75% or more of what we budget for our kids each year for the holidays and put it in their 529 accounts. They don’t notice what we spend, they still have something and the money gets put to much better use. Plus, with three sets of grandparents they already get too much as it is – it gets to be too overwhelming for the kids and a nightmare for us if we just buy them stuff without thought.
I started digit service right after reading this. Thanks for sharing this!
Awesome, glad to hear it Mary!
Hi John!
I do craft fairs starting in October to make Christmas money. I like all the information you shared, thank you!
Awesome, Gay! Sounds like a great idea to make some additional income this time of year.
Great post John, especially selling a bodily fluid, didn’t realize there was a market for that. That said it’s a win win, the recipient likely needs the fluid and you the money, so what better Christmas gift!
Thanks, Jim! Yep, there’s a market for pretty much anything. 😉