The holiday season is often a joyous and exciting time of the year. However, many people end up short on cash for many reasons, whether it’s paying for Thanksgiving dinner, traveling, or the added costs of holiday shopping.
Luckily, there are a ton of ways to earn a few extra dollars during the holidays to cover these expenses. Pursuing a few of these could stretch your budget much further than you thought possible. This article will dive into five ways you can get more cash for Christmas shopping and other expenses this winter.
The holidays are a great time for you to declutter because you can make physical and financial room for new gifts by selling unused or unwanted items. You can use sites like eBay or Facebook Marketplace to sell general items, helping you reach a wider audience. But keep in mind that you’re in charge of setting prices and shipping items.
Alternatively, you can look at sites that specialize in certain items. You may not get the best prices, but these sites handle more of the selling process for you. You can also hold a garage sale at your home if that’s possible.
Getting a side hustle is easier than ever, thanks to the Internet. For example, if you have a particular skill, such as writing or programming, you can pick up some freelance work online.
Another idea, if you have a car, might be rideshare services and delivery driving. These side hustles let you control the hours you’re driving and delivering, which is great for scheduling around the busy holiday season.
Spend an hour one day this holiday season looking over your budget and picking out expenses you can either cut or eliminate completely. For instance, you might be paying for a few subscriptions that you don’t use much or at all. Dropping to a lower plan or canceling your subscription can put a few dollars back into your pockets monthly.
If your cash shortfall is temporary, you could also cut discretionary expenses you don’t need for a while. For example, you might dine out less for a couple of months to shift more money toward the holiday budget.
Many credit cards pay rewards points redeemable for cash or airline miles. These essentially offer you a small discount on every purchase if you redeem them for cash, or you can save them up and go shopping or travel. Cashback rates can range from 1% to 5% on your purchases. Higher rates tend to come with specific categories, such as groceries or entertainment.
Many cards also offer sign-up bonuses, such as a $200 statement credit for spending $3,000 in three months. This is great for holiday shopping or large purchases — both scenarios help you hit the bonus threshold easily, and it’s shopping you would have done anyways.
Cashback rewards sites pay out cashback points simply for shopping at your favorite brands through the site’s links. Many of these sites have browser extensions as well that let you skip the cashback site. Simply visit a valid website, and the extension will prompt you to activate it, then track your purchase automatically to reward you with cashback points.
Plus, some of these sites let you link credit cards and shop online or in-store for easier earnings. Combine these sites with rewards credit cards, and you’ll save a fair bit of money on any shopping — holiday gifts or otherwise.
Whether you need more money for gift shopping, travel, or everyday expenses, there are plenty of ways to find a few more dollars during the holidays. Start by selling your unwanted or unused items to clean out your house and make some money. Then, look into side hustles, like freelancing and ridesharing, to add an income stream. Meanwhile, look over your budget and trim expenses.
Finally, shop with rewards credit cards and use cashback rewards sites to earn money on every purchase. Following these tips will help you bank more money and make holiday costs a bit more affordable.
Name: Keyonda Goosby Email: keyonda.goosby@iquanti.com Job Title: Consultant
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