Wondering how to make extra money for Christmas? That’s understandable, it’s an expensive time of year.
Lucky for you, the holiday season is the ideal time to pick up extra work and bring extra cash into your household.
Think about it – retail stores are going nuts, people are shopping online like never before and there’s an upward sentiment in the economy around the holiday season.
What that means for you is that if you’re a little bit savvy, and prepared to invest some of your time, you can make extra money this Christmas by applying these tips.
Table of Contents
- 12 Simple Ways to Make Extra Cash For Christmas
- 1. Take paid online surveys
- 2. Use cashback sites for all your Christmas shopping
- 3. Watch videos to earn gift cards
- 4. Get a casual retail job
- 5. Become a mystery shopper
- 6. Offer an online service
- 7. Sell your kids’ old toys
- 8. Offer to work your regular job through the holiday season
- 9. Make Crafts You Can Sell for Profit
- 10. Sell your junk
- 11. Tend bar or work as a waiter at Christmas functions
- 12. Sell pictures of your feet
12 Simple Ways to Make Extra Cash For Christmas
Use these money-making ideas to boost your holiday budget – get started now.
1. Take paid online surveys
One of the best ways for me to make extra money has always been taking paid online surveys.
Online surveys are a quick and easy way to stash cash or gift cards for the holidays.
I can easily earn $20-$50 a month by answering surveys online, which is plenty for my frugal family Christmas.
Our Readers Love These Survey Sites:
Pureprofile get paid cash and vouchers for completing offers and surveys.
Opinion World online survey heavy-weight with a worldwide presence.
Octopus Group frequently rated the highest-paying surveys.
Each survey site has different requirements, so make sure you find the best fit for you.
Some pay you in reward points, and others in cash via PayPal or with gift vouchers.
You can click through to our complete guide: .14 Best Paid Online Survey Sites in New Zealand
2. Use cashback sites for all your Christmas shopping
Whatever you’re planning to buy for Christmas, there’s definitely a way to get it cheaper than retail.
Using a cashback site like Cashrewards or Kiwiwallet means you get back some of the money you spend on the purchases you make. It’s a no-brainer, really.
Cashrewards is the best Australian cashback site to ensure you’re getting maximum bang for your buck. You can read our Cashrewards review here.
Or sign up to Cashrewards here and get $10 FREE
3. Watch videos to earn gift cards
Swagbucks lets you earn free gift cards for taking surveys, watching videos, shopping online and more!
Join for free with this link and you’ll receive a $5 sign-up bonus: Join Swagbucks Today
4. Get a casual retail job
Wondering how to make extra money before Christmas?
Capitalise on the crazy retail rush and get yourself a casual retail job.
Casual Christmas jobs aren’t just for students. They’re an excellent way to work on the weekends and evenings and bring extra money in for a short period of time.
I know it’s not fun to give up your weekend and evenings, but it’s only usually for the 8-12 weeks in the lead-up to Christmas and gift-giving season, so knowing you have a time limit helps.
You might even qualify for a staff discount to help lower your gift spending.
Prominent New Zealand retailers like The Warehouse, Mitre 10, Bunnings, Countdown and Pak’n Save all hire Christmas casuals.
5. Become a mystery shopper
Mystery shopping is a fun way to earn money at the shops.
Mystery shopping companies will pay you to carry out various tasks and report back to them.
This could mean purchasing an item in-store, making enquiries about the availability of items or even online shopping.
Check out this article for more information on how to become a mystery shopper in New Zealand.
6. Offer an online service
Offering one-off services like data entry, graphic design, or freelance writing can be a great way to make extra money for the holidays.
I made over $400 in October just from taking freelance writing gigs on Upwork.
It’s now my go-to option when I need extra cash.
7. Sell your kids’ old toys
Buying used is becoming more popular.
It’s an excellent way for families to lessen their environmental impact, whilst also saving money. It’s a win-win!
If you have some gently used toys (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?) that still have life in them, consider selling them online.
8. Offer to work your regular job through the holiday season
If you have the option to work throughout the holidays, say yes!
I’ve always chosen to work in my office job over the holidays as I would usually get paid time off for the public holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day) and found the office is quieter, so it’s a great time to get work done.
9. Make Crafts You Can Sell for Profit
People love to decorate their homes and give gifts with meaning, making the holiday season the perfect time to sell handmade and homemade wares.
You can sell your crafts online, at local artisan markets or through your own website.
If you don’t know which craft items would make the most money, we’ve got a handy article with 20 craft ideas you can make and sell for profit.
Etsy is a great place to sell crafty items; these are the most popular items to make and sell on Etsy for maximum profit.
Alternatively, you can make digital downloads for a more passive income stream. Trina describes how she makes a living doing exactly this here.
10. Sell your junk
A really good way to make cash when you need extra money for Christmas is by selling your unwanted stuff.
If you’re anything like me, you have some things lying around the house that you are keeping for a future project.
Or perhaps you’ve received a gift that you didn’t use, and it’s still in the original packaging.
Remember the saying, ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure’.
Get onto selling your unused or unwanted potential gifts early, to maximise your opportunity for a sale.
Here are some tips for selling on Trademe to get you the most coin for your collection.
11. Tend bar or work as a waiter at Christmas functions
Do you know how to pull a pint? Or pour champagne? Can you hold three plates?
If so, seasonal function work might be for you if you need extra cash for Christmas.
Get in touch with local catering companies or labour supply agencies asap to register your interest in casual function work.
It’s a great way to earn money, meet new people and sometimes if you’re lucky you get a free meal.
12. Sell pictures of your feet
Would you believe that you can earn serious Christmas money by taking pictures of your feet and selling them online?
It sounds kind of crazy, but it’s really a thing.
So much of a thing that we wrote a whole guide on how to get started selling feet pics online.
If you need extra cash for the holidays, there are plenty of ways to make extra money for Christmas if you think outside the box.
You might even get discounted goods or free meals if you’re lucky, as well as having an extra income stream during the most expensive time of the year. Happy holidays!
