Most of the time, the holidays come at a bad time for your budget. It can be hard to find extra money for gifts, holiday parties, and other things. If you want to have the holiday season you want, you may need to make extra money first. But it can be hard to figure out how to make extra money. Experts have some ideas on how to make extra money, and some of them are pretty out of the way. All of them will get your creative juices flowing, and if you’re lucky, the money will follow.
10 Crazy Ways to Make Extra Money During the Holidays
You can rent out your car through Turo.
Dallin Hales, a financial blogger, says you should join Turo if your car is in good shape and easy to drive. Turo is like Airbnb for cars. He said, “This is a great way to make some extra money during the holiday season by renting out your own car or a car you don’t use.” People will look for rental cars near them more often because they will be traveling more. “Turo hosts can easily make more than $1,000 a month.”
Sell Animal Horns
Michael Morris, who runs a website for men called Rough and Tumble Gentleman, says that people who live in the country and have access to animals like deer and elk can corner a VERY unique market. You can use the fact that these animals lose their antlers. “People will pay a lot of money for them.” They can be used for everything from crafts to home decor to dog chews, and you can sell them on Etsy. Morris said that bigger antlers, like those on an adult elk, can sell for as much as $1,500.
Sell homemade beard and face oils that smell like Christmas.
Morris said that beard oil is an unusual but popular product for men who want to look good. “In the last ten years, beards have become very popular, and many men with beards need beard oil to keep them healthy. Luckily, beard oil is very easy to make. Most of the time, all you need is a carrier oil to keep the beard moist and an essential oil to give the oil a nice smell. If you mix sunflower oil with a scent that reminds you of Christmas, like fir balsam or peppermint, you can make a great beard oil.
He explained that you can buy both of these things in bulk and put them together. Then, you can buy a sticker logo from Upwork for $20 and sell the stickers at farmers markets, craft fairs, or online.
Hire out to help during the holidays
Hamza Usmani, head of content at Believe Money, said that people are busy with things like Christmas shopping, traveling, and holiday parties. This is a chance for you to make money. “Because everyone is so busy, it will be easy for you to find work as a holiday helper. Offer services like pet sitting, house sitting, laundry, meal preparation, walking dogs, cleaning houses, doing laundry, watering plants, shopping for groceries, and running errands.
Assembling
Gerrid Smith, director of e-commerce at Joy Organics, said that one of the most unusual ways to make some extra money for the holidays is to do some kind of arranging job where you help people put things together.
“Anyone with even simple skills can make some extra money for the holidays by helping others put together products. This could be anything from furniture to toys. You can put up ads online, tell people in your area, or look in the classifieds. By posting your services on websites like Angi or app-based platforms like Task Rabbit, you can offer them locally and at your own pace.
Hang Holiday Lights
If you’ve ever had to put up holiday lights, you know how much of a pain it can be. “Over the past few years, this has become more popular as a home-based business,” says Leonidas Sfyris, CTO of Need a Fixer. Putting up holiday lights outside takes a lot of physical work and time. If you don’t have a fear of heights, this can be a fun and rewarding way to make extra money for the holidays. You’ll need a truck and a ladder, among other things. Talk to your insurance agent to make sure you are covered in case of an accident.”
Switch Things
Sam Underwood of Bingo Card Creator said, “If you’re good with tools and crafts, you can make extra money by flipping things. You can flip anything, from cars to toys to furniture to old things. If you want to do this, it could turn into more than just a quick way to make some money. I know an amazing couple who make a living selling things they buy at flea markets. With this, they can make up to $60,000 a year. A seasonal job can help you start a business that does well.
Wrap Gifts
Tom Koesternen, a chartered financial analyst at TheGuaranteedLoans.com, said that if people always comment on how nicely you wrap your gifts, you might want to hire someone to do it for you. “During the holidays, a lot of gifts are given, and not everyone has enough time or likes to wrap them. You can ask stores in your area if they need help wrapping gifts, or you can advertise your services to homeowners.”
Work in a factory or a warehouse
During the holidays, many businesses need more people to help out in their warehouses, which are getting more and more busy. Emily Saunders, the chief revenue officer for eLuxury, said, “Like any other business, we get a lot of orders around the holidays, and we often need extra hands to make sure all of our packages go out on time. You work long hours and are always on your feet, just like at a retail job, but the hourly pay is usually higher and you don’t have to deal with crowds of eager shoppers. It would be a great job for a high school or college student to do over the Christmas break.”
Property Manager as a Temp
One industry that might not come to mind as needing help during the holidays is real estate, according to Richard Harless, owner of AZ Flat Fee and a realtor. “You can take over for property managers when they go on vacation, which happens a lot these days. This gives you a way to make money during the holidays. The tasks aren’t that hard. All you have to do is keep an eye on the renters and make sure they’re following the rules and regulations of the building, as well as answer any small questions or solve any small problems they might have. You just need time and a general understanding of building rules to do this.
