Vacations are more fun when you’re not worried about how to pay for them. Between gifts, travel, decorations, and family events, Christmas expenses add up quickly. The good news? You can still bring in extra money quicklyeven if you’re starting late in the season.
This year is more challenging than ever – and for many, earning a little extra money for Christmas can make a big difference.
I don’t know about you, but time seems to go by faster for me once the holiday seasons come around. This means that these 10 weeks will be over before we know it. If you haven’t saved anything for Christmas yet, you still have time to earn some money to spend at Christmas.
Whether you’re trying to avoid more debt, save and earn money to buy something larger than usual, or do something unexpected for your family, now is a good time to get down to business!
Below 23 practical, beginner-friendly ways to make extra money before Christmas – Including difficulty ratings, pros and cons, and how quickly each can realistically start yielding results. Pick one, take action today, and you’ll be surprised at how much you can earn by the time the holidays roll around.
How to use this list
To keep things simple, each idea includes the following:
- difficulty: Easy/Medium/Skilled
- Time to start: Same day / 1-3 days / 1 week
- Best for: Who benefits more?
- Pros and cons: Honest breakdown
- Quick start tip: Action step you can follow now
Ways to earn extra cash for Christmas
Here is the list.
1. Food delivery
difficulty: easy
Time to start: 1-3 days
Best for: Anyone with a car, scooter or bike
Pros:
- High demand during evenings + weekends
- You choose your hours
- Instant payment options are available
Cons:
- Income varies by city/weather
- Peak hours can be competitive
Quick start tip: Record with multiple apps so you can switch if one is slow. Get started with DoorDash here >>
2. Make holiday deliveries
difficulty: easy
Time to start: 3-5 days
Pros:
- High demand for groceries during the holidays
- Tips often increase in December
Cons:
- Requires carrying groceries
- Peak shopping times can be crowded
Quick start tip: Accept orders near dense residential buildings to get faster payouts.
One of the most popular ways to deliver groceries is Instacart. The great thing about Instacart is that you can see a list of all your orders and how much you can earn before Take any gigs on. This is really helpful to plan ahead.
Check out Instacart here >>
3. Sell unused items on Facebook Marketplace
difficulty: easy
Time to start: Same day
Pros:
- The fastest way to get instant cash
- No need to charge
Cons:
- It can be difficult to find items for sale
- Flaky buyers
- They must meet in public places
Quick start tip: Take photos in daylight with a neutral background to sell faster.
4. Resell items for profit
difficulty: moderate
Time to start: 1-3 days
Pros:
- High profit margins on electronics, gadgets and toys
- Flexible schedule
Cons:
- Requires some product knowledge
- Inventory storage
Quick start tip: Start with categories you personally understand (video games, sneakers, etc.).
5. Providing gift wrapping services
difficulty: easy
Time to start: Same day
Pros:
- High demand in December
- Low start-up cost
Cons:
- It requires some creativity
- seasonal
Quick start tip: Promote in neighborhood groups and offer home pickup/delivery.
6. Hang Christmas lights
difficulty: moderate
Time to start: 1-3 days
Pros:
- Demand is very high
- Premium pricing
Cons:
- Ladder required
- Depends on the weather
Quick start tip: Offer a fixed price for “roofline only” to simplify pricing.
7. Pets sit or walk dogs
Use Rover or Wag! Or your own local network.
difficulty: easy
Time to start: 1-3 days
Pros:
- High demand for holiday travel
- Great for animal lovers
Cons:
- Depends on time
- Pet emergencies must be dealt with
Quick start tip: Create a Rover profile with photos and detailed experience.
Check out Rover or Wag and see if you can find people to walk dogs there.
8. Sitting at home during the holidays
difficulty: easy
Time to start: 1 week
Pros:
- Low employment
- They often include additional “care tasks” that pay an additional fee
Cons:
- Requires reliability
- It could interfere with your vacation plans
Quick start tip: Offer extra jobs like receiving mail, watering plants, and shoveling snow.
9. Teaching before finals
difficulty: Maher
Time to start: 1 week
Pros:
- High hourly wages
- Peak demand from Thanksgiving → Christmas
Cons:
- Requires subject matter expertise
Quick start tip: Offering bundled “Final Exam Preparation” packages to parents.
10. Become a virtual assistant
difficulty: moderate
Time to start: 3-7 days
Pros:
- Quite far
- Flexible hours
Cons:
- Requires organization + communication skills
Quick start tip: Start with administrative tasks (email sorting, scheduling) that have low learning curves.
11. Perform freelance work on Fiverr or Upwork
difficulty: Maher
Time to start: 1-3 days
Pros:
- Unlimited earning potential
- Seasonal demand: holiday cards, ads, editorial, social posts
Cons:
Quick start tip: Create “holiday-themed” party packages for quick sales.
12. Take paid surveys online
Use popular platforms like Swagbucks, InboxDollars, or Survey Junkie.
difficulty: easy
Time to start: Same day
Pros:
- Very low barrier to entry
- It can be done while watching TV
Cons:
Quick start tip: Focus on high-value surveys; Skip anything under $0.50 – $1. Check out the full list of the best paid survey sites here.
13. Testing websites and applications
difficulty: easy
Time to start: 1-3 days
Pros:
- Higher pay than most surveys
- Interesting tasks
Cons:
Quick start tip: Register on multiple platforms (UserTesting, UserFeel, TryMyUI).
14. Rent a room or space on Airbnb
difficulty: moderate
Time to start: 3-7 days
Pros:
- High demand for holiday travel
- Great income potential
Cons:
- Cleaning and guest management
Quick start tip: Offer “winter stay discounts” to stand out.
15. Providing snow removal services
difficulty: moderate
Time to start: Same day
Pros:
- Essential service
- High demand after storms
Cons:
- Physical labor
- Depends on the weather
Quick start tip: Use a fixed “per lane” price to make quick yes/no decisions.
16. Babysitting
difficulty: easy
Time to start: 1-3 days
Pros:
- Families need event coverage
- Great hourly pay
Cons:
- Requires patience/attention
Quick start tip: Introducing a “Holiday Party Babysitting Package”. See if you can coordinate with multiple families who may be attending the same event.
17. Selling baked goods or holiday sweets
difficulty: moderate
Time to start: 2-4 days
Pros:
- High seasonal demand
- A creative outlet
Cons:
- Component costs
- You should check your local household food laws
Quick start tip: Market via local groups and pre-sale batches.
18. Work seasonal retail or warehouse shifts
difficulty: easy
Time to start: 1 week
Pros:
- Guaranteed hours
- Discounts for employees during peak season
Cons:
Quick start tip: Check out the big retailers – many are hiring on an urgent basis in November/December.
19. Selling handmade gifts
difficulty: Maher
Time to start: 1-2 weeks
Pros:
- High margins
- Creative work
Cons:
- Production time required
- Shipping deadlines
Quick start tip: Sell digital items (holiday signs, printable gifts) for immediate delivery.
20. Old cash gift cards
Use sites like Raise or Cardcash.
difficulty: easy
Time to start: Same day
Pros:
- Instant money
- Minimal effort
Cons:
- Payment is less than face value
Quick start tip: Compare offers across multiple platforms to maximize cash.
21. Participation in research studies
difficulty: moderate
Time to start: 1 week
Pros:
- High hourly wages
- A lot can be done online
Cons:
- The application process varies
Quick start tip: Check local universities and online study boards.
22. Turn furniture or appliances over
difficulty: difficult
Time to start: 3-5 days
Pros:
- Great profit margins
- High demand in December
Cons:
- Requires space + transportation
Quick start tip: Start with small items that you can clean up and resell quickly.
23. Providing quick cleaning or organizing services
difficulty: easy
Time to start: Same day
Pros:
- Families prepare guests during the holidays
- Minimum supplies needed
Cons:
- Some homes may be more work than expected
Quick start tip: Offer a “2-Hour Vacation Update” package at a fixed price.
How much can you earn before Christmas?
It depends on which method you choose and how many hours you spend. But some basic profits could be:
- $200-500 Sell items
- $300-800 Driving/delivery
- $500 – $1500+ In self-employment or skilled work
- 50-200 dollars Of small tasks
Choose one “fast cash” option and one “higher earnings” option, and you can easily cover gifts, travel, or extra savings for the holiday season.
You still have time to earn cash for Christmas
There are millions of ways to earn extra income. If you take any of these ideas and spend a few hours a week on them, you should be able to earn enough cash to cover your Christmas expenses this year.
If you’re looking for something long-term, check out this list of high-paying side gigs that can earn you over $1,000 per month!
Also remember that you can use a Credit card cash back To earn extra cash on the gifts you normally buy. I bring this up because some credit cards sweeten the deal right before the holiday season. Check these out Top cashback credit cards To see if it makes sense.
Are you earning extra money for Christmas or saving all year round?
