Easy Ways to Make Extra Cash Before Christmas

Christmas is coming and you need to get ready for those presents! Unfortunately, too many overspend for the holidays and it leaves them in massive debt. This is not a time to go into debt, so we’ve put together a few ways for you to make extra money in time to buy Christmas presents!

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With the holidays getting closer, it’s time to start a budget for the gifts you plan to give. No matter if you have kids, significant other, family, friends, etc., you should be planning on how much you want to spend and how you will earn that money.

There is no point in going into debt for the holidays. While it’s a common practice to put everything on a credit card, you need to have the ability to pay off that balance when it comes due. Don’t be one of those where it takes years to pay off your holiday spending spree!

If you are looking for creative ways to earn some extra cash before the holidays, we have a list that can get you started as early as today earning real money you can spend on holiday gifts.

17 Simple and Great Ways to Make Money before Christmas

Most people focus on what they are going to buy, but not so much on how they are going to pay for it. Did you know credit card debt increases during the holiday season? It shouldn’t be a surprise really, but it also doesn’t have to be the norm. If you’d just save up some money over the course of a year, then Christmas shopping would be so much painless.

For this holiday season, you still have time to go out and earn some extra money to pay for the gifts you want to purchase. Why not stay out of credit card debt and just pay with the money you worked your butt off for? Let’s start hustling and make that money. Here are 17 ways to earn extra money before Christmas!

OK, here are 17 ways below, but how about over 100 ways to earn extra money? Not all of these can be done before Christmas, but you can put together a list of the ones that fit in your wheelhouse. Good luck!

Use Your Assets


Many of us have cars already, but that doesn’t mean we are using them each and every day. Did you know you can make money both using you car to drive people around, but also renting it out? Heck, Amazon is considering paying people to deliver packages with their cars. Don’t forget about your biggest asset either. People are making money with their homes more than ever before. Go make money!!

Rent Your Car – Use a service like Turo to rent out your car when your not using it. Their average members bring in an extra $200 a month just by renting out their car. That’s awesome!

Drive People – You’ve probably heard of or used Uber and/or Lyft. These two services allow you to become a driver and get paid for it. Pick people up, take them to a location, and get paid. They make it super easy and there are a lot of people earning good money. Check out The Rideshare Guy for more information.

Instacart – Do you mind shopping for goods or going to the grocery store? Then check out Instacart to be a shopper and deliver goods to people. Just like a personal shopper, this service helps you get jobs quicker. You only need to take on jobs you can do. How much you earn is up to you.

Airbnb – Have you ever stayed in an Airbnb location when traveling? It’s not a bad way to stay. If you have a home (or even an extra room) that you won’t be in for a weekend, then think about listing it for rent on Airbnb. This is a great service, which is extremely popular. I know a few people who pay their mortgage every month by renting out a room or their house a few times each month. Nice!

Take on One-time Jobs


If you only have time to take on one task here and there, that is OK, here are some ways to bring in extra money by using the time you do have to provide some type of service. There is no commitment to any of these money making methods, so the earning potential is completely up to you.

Test Websites – Oh yes, you can test websites. I’ve written about this before and people really think it’s cool. You can use the site, usertesting.com to find opportunities. You really can get started with this in one day and start making money.

TaskRabbit – Depending on where you live, you might have access to this service. It allows you to jump online and perform tasks for people when they need it. There are a number of tasks you can do, but they are all relatively easy. You might need to pick up something at the store, go find something for someone, and a number of other tasks. You can quickly become someone on TaskRabbit that people trust. Check out TaskRabbit to see if it will work for you.

Swagbucks – How often do you search the web and look through emails? Why not earn something for it in the process? That’s what Swagbucks is all about. You can search the web, earn points, and then cash those in for gifts cards and other “swag” depending on your needs. They even have Amazon gift cards!! Start earning on Swagbucks now.

Amazon Mechanical Turk – Much like other sites, Amazon  has it’s own task oriented service, but this is all for online service. You can apply for a “HIT” as they call them and get the task done and then get paid. They aren’t the biggest payouts, but if you have some free time, you can complete quite a few. Check out my detailed review.

Craigslist Gigs – Did you know Craigslist has a gigs section on their website? These are simple tasks or one-time needs from people in your area. You never know what you might find, but you can help someone move and earn money today. That’s the beauty of Craigslist, most people pay with cash (that’s what you want), so you can have money in your pocket today. This is probably the fastest ways to get paid.

Craigslist Gigs Section

Walk Dogs – If you like dogs and need some exercise, why not walk dogs and make some money? A great way is through Rover.com. This app and service connects you with someone who can walk dogs and take care of your pets when you need them. It’s a great way to make a little extra money on the side too. Getting exercise and getting paid, what a combination! My sister started on this platform and it has become her full time job now. It can be lucrative walking/boarding dogs.

Mystery Shopping – Having been a mystery shopper in college, I know you can earn money doing this. The big problem is there are so many scams out there about mystery shopping. Never pay any one for access to mystery shopping jobs. That’s a sign of a scam. In college, I would do a few shops a day and earn about $50. It was good money and really easy. Here is a rundown on how to make money mystery shopping.

Become a Freelancer


Freelance Writing – I used to make good money as a freelance writer. While I don’t write for other sites often anymore, it’s a nice little pick me up when I need extra cash. You still can make money before Christmas with this method. You might think I’m crazy, but this course will teach you how to make money in 30 days. Seriously, you can be making money by the end of the 30 day course and the investment is worth it. I talk more about how here. You can also check out this course which is from someone who makes over $200,000 per year freelance writing.

Virtual Assistant – Do you like helping people out with their tasks? Well, being a virtual assistant might be for you. You can also make money with this form of work. People are always looking for help with their email, putting up content, and a myriad of other tasks. The best part is you can do it all from the comfort of your home (or coffee shop if you’re so inclined 🙂 ).

Web Design – I’ve been building websites for a number of years. While it’s not my main business, I do make money from this type of venture. If you’re good with websites and design, then this might be a good idea for you. So many people need good websites, so jump on in!

Blog Creator – What is a blog creator? Just ask me! I offer this type of service as part of my business. I help new bloggers install and setup their blogs to get them started. I even offer blog coaching from a technical aspect to help a new blogger get started. This can be a really good thing if you’re familiar with WordPress or the other blogging platforms.

Fiverr – Have you heard of Fiverr before? If not, it’s basically a service where people offer something for $5. You can write an article for $5, shoot a quick video for $5, create a logo, and so much more. Prices start out at $5, but once you have a few sales, you can start charging for add-ons, which allow you to push your  prices and earnings higher.

Freelance Service Sites – If you have a skill, get your service in the front of many. That’s what services like Freelancer and Upwork. You can jump on these sites, create a profile of your service, and then start bidding on projects. It can be daunting since you’re competing against people all over the world, but it can be done. I actually have hired quite a few freelancers on Upwork with good success.

So, there you have it. There are 17 ways to earn extra money starting right now. Some will take longer than others, but you have enough time to make extra money before Christmas. If you can’t make it work, at least hustle with one of these long enough to pay off your credit cards after you rack them up with holiday spending. There are so many ways you can make extra money, it’s not even funny. Don’t think you can’t do it because everyone can.

Get out there, find something you like, and earn money doing it. It’s what we are supposed to do. Don’t just sit back watching those around you hustling for more cash, strap on those boots and make that money!!

Bonus Money Maker: Here is an extra way to make money while you just sit around. You can earn by filling out surveys. It won’t be game-changing money, but you can do it pretty quickly. We recommend Survey Junkie as one of the best (and legitimate) survey sites out there.

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4 Comments

  1. I remember reading an article about a guy, married with two kids, decided to test out the craigslist gigs section to make extra money. He ended up making $655 in one month from doing various gigs. Most of them were things like yard work and errands. It was freaking impressive!

    1. Yep, I was able to run a $1000 month one time doing those gigs. It’s possible, but you have to just know what to look for and be willing to hustle.

  2. Thanks for providing the great list. I am making good money as a freelance writer on Fiverr. And I also tried Airbnb and mystery shopper in past both are also a good option to make money.

  3. Aim Tashay says:

    I didn’t catch this post before Christmas, but these 17 tips are for all seasons. I have tried quite a few of these jobs. The one I have been most successful with is web design. Over time, that has become my primary business. Now thanks to your tips, I think I will add blog creation to my offering. I thought about it before, but now you have motivated me to actually take action to do it.