Make $250 for Christmas (or anytime) – Money Making Ideas
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Christmas time can be such a fun time of the year…Greeting family, delectable food, and let’s not forget the yearly gift exchange. However, not everyone can enjoy this splendid season because of financial woes and worries.
So many of us feel the financial strains and stresses this (suppose to be beautiful) season brings!! We want to shower our loved ones with nice gifts but do not always have the financial means to do so! If you are in this boat, I’m here to help!
I’ve compiled a list to help save an upwards of $250 in the next month to help out with Christmas shopping (or anything else you need)! I’m using many of these myself and am proud of the fact my husband won’t have to buy his own gift this year. Furthermore, I’m wishing everyone the best now and for years to come! Let’s go out there and make this Christmas shopping “thing” happen! Read on…
Money Making Ideas
1. Poshmark App (clean out your closet)-This is the main way I have personally earned extra money for Christmas shopping! All you need is a good picture of your item. You can sell woman’s, men’s and children’s clothing on this site. Print off your pre-paid shipping label and send it on its way. If you don’t like selling and shipping, you can send your stuff to Poshmark concierge and they will do the work for you. Sign up now using my code NXUIA and you will get a $5 credit to spend on your first purchase. (keep your eye open for a related post-what sells on posh) – I made $170 selling my old clothing and shoes.
2. Mercari-This site is not just for clothing. You can sell anything and ship it to the buyer (kind of like an online garage sale). You can use Mercari’s prepaid shipping or use your own. Use my code UYYBUS to sign up and get a $2 credit on your first purchase.
3. eBay – This has always been a good way to sell your unwanted items. You can use a “buy now” option or put your items up for auction. You can also do a prepaid shipping option on eBay or ship on your own. I find the prepaid shipping works easier and give you a better price. I use the ebay app right from my phone to make things easier. Take a picture and upload your product.
4. Thred-up App. – I’m just getting into this one. You send in your gently used clothing and they will list and sell it for you. Anything that is deemed unsellable will be sent back or donated if you choose. Sit back and collect your money or credits. Click here to sign up.
5. Mom to Mom Sales – These are great if you are a mom or a dad that has a growing kid! You can clear out toys, clothing and baby accessories you no longer need. Most sales charge around $20 to rent a spot and table.
6. Ebates – Ebates is a money-saving site that rewards you for doing something you already do: shop online. Click through Ebates before you shop online and you will receive a percentage back of what you spent. How it works: They make money by referring you to shop at a store and then share their commission with you. The best part is it costs you nothing. Also, they have thousands of the BEST stores to choose from including Target, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Priceline, Macy’s, Petco, Bed Bath & Beyond, Groupon, Amazon and so much more. Sign up through my link and receive a $10 bonus just for signing up! Read my Ebates Money-Saving Review here.
7. Cardpool – Got a gift card you didn’t really want? Cardpool will buy it back from you at a lower cost and resell it. This is a great place to buy discounted gift cards too. They send you a prepaid label and after they receive the card, you get a check! It’s as easy as that! There are other sites that buy & sell gift cards but Cardpool is the one I personally use.
8. Babysitting – Do you like kids? Babysitting is a great way to earn extra money and get a playmate for your own kid. Check Mom to Mom sites and post your availability and fees.
9. Dog walk or Pet Sit – Walking your furry friends is another great way to earn extra money. Again, post your information on mom to mom sites or check around with your neighborhoods that have pooches.
10. Pinecone Research – Pinecone is my all-time favorite of all the survey companies. Pinecone research is a company that pays $3 per survey, most taking around 20 minutes to complete. They also have higher paying surveys and I have made up to $10 for one longer survey that took around 40 minutes. This is the company I have made the most money using; however, they close their survey sign-ups for long periods of time, so sign up now because it is now open. Sign up for Pinecone Research and start earning!
Suggested Reading: How I Earn Extra Money – 7 Best Survey Sites
Suggested Reading: Side Hustles: My Ultimate List of 75 Ways to Earn More Money
More Great Making Money Ideas…
11. Swagbucks – This is my second choice money-making site. There are so many easy ways to earn money with Swagbucks. You can choose to take surveys you qualify for or earn points by searching the Internet plus more. Redeem points for gift cards for amazing stores, my favorite being Target but Amazon is also an option plus way more. The payout if $5.00 so it is totally obtainable. One reason I love Swagbucks is that it is easy to earn points. You can complete the daily poll, watch videos, sign up for offers, or find Swagbucks codes to earn even more. Sign up for Swagbucks here.
12. Ibotta – Ibotta is an awesome money-saving app that allows you to receive rebates for stuff you already buy. All you have to do is find your store and search the available rebates for that week. Once you find your rebates, start shopping. Next, send your receipt by taking a picture and uploading it which is super easy. I suggest doing this right when you get home from the store so you do not forget. It is as easy as taking a simple picture and clicking your rebates! Ibotta has recently added some online shopping to their app as well, so you have more options. Use my link and receive a $10 sign up bonus when you redeem your first rebate! Read more about Ibotta here: Ibotta, Awesome Rebate and Money Making App.
13. Checkout 51 – This rebate app is the same idea as Ibotta, except they pay out cash when you reach $20. It is great to use both Ibotta and Checkout 51 because you will find different rebates on each app.
14. House sit – Have any friends or neighbors going out of town? Offer up your services for a small fee! You can also find house sitting gigs on sites like Housesitter.com.
15. Craigslist – Use your local Craigslist to sell old stuff online. In fact, this is great if you have things you want to get rid of and don’t mind having people contact you or come check the item out. I sold a couch and a kitchen table on Craigslist with no problem; however, it is best to meet in a public location. This works well for items that are to larget to ship.
16. Blogging – Blogging is an amazing way to earn extra money. Sure, you may not make $100,000 a month like Michele Schroder-Gardner, but setting a goal of $1000-2000 is totally obtainable if you put in the work. Blogging is a great way to express your creative side and write about something you are passionate about; however, it is work and you will not make money quickly in the beginning, but over time it can add up.
Suggested Reading: How to Start a Money-Making Blog in 5 Easy Steps
17. Credit Card Rewards – Have a credit card with rewards? Cash them out to buy Christmas gifts. I’ve been using my Citibank rewards card for everything I do not buy at Target. However, I do pay it off every month. I have accumulated enough points to buy at least two Christmas gifts this year. Whoo hoo!
18. Coinstar-Cash in all that change you’ve been saving. It’s quick and easy but they do take a percentage of your money. Yet, it saves you the headache of rolling the coins out for the bank (my husband’s preferred method). Yet, some Coinstar locations now offer fee-free gift card options. I realize you could get more by just rolling them out yourself. I just don’t have time and time is money!
19. Coupons – Couponing won’t make you money but it sure will save a bunch. Nonetheless, certain stores like Kohl’s and JC Penny offer $10 off a single purchase coupon. I used one at Kohl’s today, to buy two shirts on sale for $6.49 for my two-year-old son. I used my $10 off one single purchase coupon (get on the mailing list to receive) and paid around $3.50 for two shirts! Great deal and Great gift!
20. Mom to Mom Facebook Sites – These sites are easy to use. You can upload pictures from your phone and either meet or let the buyer pick up the item on your porch and leave the money. Just search for your local page. Facebook also offers town garage sale groups. I have sold so many old toys on these sites and I have not had any issues except someone rescheduling to pick up the item due to illness.
In Conclusion…
I hope this post gave you some awesome money making ideas to help earn a little extra cash before Christmas arrives. Furthermore, start early and save yourself the stress of last-minute gift buying. Also, stock up ahead of time and make a budget or plan for your Christmas shopping, so you can be realistic about how much money you will actually need. As always, take care and enjoy every bit of time with your family and kids. Although we all love giving and getting gifts, the family is what this Holiday Season is all about!
How do you save extra money for Christmas? I would love to hear from you! Leave me a comment!
Related posts:
1. How to Save on Christmas shopping
2. 10 ways to save money every day
4. 7 Money-Saving Secrets to Dramatically Slash Your Grocery Bill
4 Comments on How I Earned an Extra $250 for Christmas Shopping
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Your slow cooker pork recipe sounds so good! I’ll have to try it.
Thank you for checking out my recipe! I hope you like it!😀
Great information! As a stay at home mom, I am always looking for ideas to make extra money for anything!
Thank you, Tiffany!