Christmas is soon upon us, and of course, when this time comes, it means one thing — spending money on gifts.

If you’re looking for some extra cash this Christmas season, I wanted to recommend a variety of ways you can earn money.  From part-time gigs to working whenever you please, there are a lot of options out there.

As in all of my guides, I’m 100% honest, only recommending what works.  Whether you want to make $10 or $1,000, I hope one of these ideas work for you.

Let’s begin!

How to Make Money at Christmas

NOTE:  I see so many blogs offering ideas that only make them money.  In fact, some are so ridiculous it will take you months before you see any cash.  In this guide, I showcase options that can earn you money now or in the next week or two.

Deliver Food with DoorDash, Uber and/or Grubhub

As long as you have a car, this is one of my favorite options — delivering food.  It’s as easy as turning on an app, accepting any requests that make sense to you and then delivering it to where it needs to go.  The most popular options include Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub.  These have almost 99% of the market share in almost every U.S. city.

Seeing people always need to eat, these apps are often very busy during the lunch and dinner rushes.  I do it in my spare time, particularly during dinner, and I can always earn $25+ per hour gross.  Of course, you have to deduct your gas mileage and wear and tear, but if your car is older, the depreciation isn’t as much as you think.

The great thing about these apps is that you can work whenever you want and there’s very little interaction with anyone.  Most of the time, it’s just interacting with the restaurant staff and people while dropping off.  If there’s ever an issue, the company will take care of it.

Signing up is 100% free, and as long as you’re 18-19+ years old (depends on company) with a clean background check, you will be good to go.

Sign up for all of them, as you can work whichever one you please.

Drive with Uber or Lyft

This works a lot like delivering food, only that you will be driving people around.  By far, Uber and Lyft are your two best options.

If you’re the type that likes interacting with people and exploring the city you’re in, then this is a great opportunity to consider.  The great thing about these options is, again, you can work whenever you please.  Turn on the app, wait for requests and pick up people to take them to their destinations.

Depending on when and where you work, it’s not unheard of to earn $20 to $30+ per hour, sometimes much more if you work during a popular event.

To drive for these apps, you must have a 4-door car and be at least 21+ years old.  You must also agree to a background check.

The sign-up process is simple and you can be on the road in as little as 48 to 72 hours.

Deliver Groceries with Shipt or Instacart

Here’s yet another option that involves driving around using an app, only that you will shop for groceries.

The thing with Shipt and Instacart is that you can earn much more since each job will take a lot more than just delivering food.  I have done Instacart before and have earned more than $40+ per batch.

While the batches can take you up to an hour to complete, sometimes more, I have found myself earning about what I do on the food delivery apps, about $25 to $30+ per hour.

This is an option to consider as long as you like grocery shopping.  The app will tell you everything you need to buy, and in some cases, depending on the store, it will tell you where the product is located in the store.  Before you accept an order, the app will tell you how many items you need to shop for, as well as the price, giving you an idea if it’s worth your time or not.

If you like the idea of grocery shopping, check out the more than 7+ apps that work just like Instacart.

Answer Surveys

Granted, this one won’t make you a lot of money.  In fact, you will be lucky enough to make $10 in a day; however, it’s one you can start right now, and if you play around with these surveys for an hour or so, that’s about $5 to $10 per day or close to $300 for the month.  Of course, you can earn more, but you will have to invest more time.

Answering surveys is as simple as it sounds.  Just open a survey, answer the questions and get paid as long as you’re honest.  You won’t always qualify for all of the surveys you take nor will you always have invites, but it will greatly depend on your demographics.  Nonetheless, the process is simple.

If this is something that sounds of interest, then I would begin with Swagbucks, Superpay.me, Survey Junkie and Prolific.  These four are my favorite at the moment and can often earn me the most cash.

Again, go in with the mindset that you won’t earn much.  Instead, this is a way to earn a few dollars here and there while you’re on your phone/computer.

Sell Stuff Around the Home

There has to be something that you can sell from around the home, whether it’s some older clothing or electronics.  There has to be something with value that someone else will want to buy.

And, in today’s technological era, it’s easier than ever to make a sale.  You can use the many selling apps such as OfferUp or the Facebook Marketplace.  If you want to sell in person, then a garage sale can work as well.  Best of all, if you don’t want to sell at all, that’s fine, as companies like Decluttr will offer you instant quotes for your electronics and toys such as Legos.

Start collecting what you haven’t used in a while and start researching the price.  If it’s small enough to ship, consider eBay.  If not, use one of the many apps linked in this guide.

Pet Sitting

During the holidays, many pet owners leave town to visit family and/or vacation, and this is where you can come in to watch their pets.  It’s a topic I have covered before and it’s a great way to make $50+ per night, sometimes more if you’re willing to stay overnight at the house.

If you’re interested, there are so many websites that can connect you with people who need your services.  Rover, for example, is one of the bigger ones, but I have covered 5+ more in this post.  Most of the time, it’s as simple as creating a profile and then waiting for people to contact you.  In some cases, you can message people if they post a job.  It just depends on which company you sign up for.

Pet sitting is in demand year round and can easily net you four figures a month once you get reviews and gather repeat client work.

Babysit

This is another one like pet sitting, but as the name implies, you will be watching children instead.  Popular sites like Care.com can help connect you with people who need help in your area right now.

And, like Rover, you will just need to create a profile and wait for people to contact you or you can bid on jobs if you’d like.  You won’t get jobs right away, but if you have the right credentials and you meet what the other people need, then you could have something in a few days.  Your results will vary.

Craigslist Gigs

Checking out the Craigslist gigs section is one that isn’t mentioned much and I find it to be a great way to earn money right now in your area.

As long as you don’t mind meeting someone in person and performing some tasks, such as moving items or yard work, for example, then it’s a way to earn a quick $100+ in a day.

To find these gigs, head to Craigslist and look for the gigs section, as seen above.  Click on it and then see what kind of jobs are available for the day.  Most of the time, the jobs are legit, but some scams slip through the crack.  Just make sure you trust your gut and talk with the person ahead of time to know what’s expected of you to get paid.

TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit is another on-demand app that works similar to Uber and DoorDash, etc.  The biggest difference here, however, is that you never know what kind of task you may perform, as it can be anything from assembling furniture to picking something up at a local hardware store.

On TaskRabbit, you can browse an active list of jobs in your area, which can, again, be just about anything.  If anything catches your eye, you can submit a bid to see if they accept it.  If so, you work out the payment details and arrange the time to complete the job.

And, like those apps mentioned, you get to work when you want and you can set whatever rates you deem fair for yourself.  To get started, follows this link and sign up for a profile to start working jobs in your area.  There is a small registration fee to verify your eligibility.

Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping is another one I have mentioned so many times.  In short, as a mystery shopper, it will be your job to shop undercover and answer any questions that were given you ahead of time.

In the mystery shopping world, there are so many companies you can sign up for, many of which I cover here.  From shopping at grocery stores to eating out, jobs can pay anywhere from $5 to $100+ and you get a stipend in some cases to eat out, etc.  It’s a great way to make a few hundred dollars a month and work on your own time.

Be sure to follow this list and sign up for as many companies as possible.  Once you’re active, you can browse the active list of  jobs and choose the ones that make the most sense to you.

Donate Plasma

Donating plasma for the first time can earn you a few bonuses, allowing you to earn up to $500 in a month.

As long as you don’t mind needles, it’s a great way to get paid in as little as 24 hours.  It’s as simple as looking for a plasma center near you and then registering to set up an appointment.

To learn more about how donating plasma works, this guide can help you out.

Rent Out a Room

Airbnb is a great way to rent out an empty room in your house for a day, week or even a month+.  As long as you don’t mind having a stranger in your home, this is one of the quickest ways to earn $50+ per night sometimes more depending on where you live.

If you were to live in a touristy area, for example, then you could earn much more.  I know it may be uncomfortable for some, and I understand that, but as long as you don’t mind having someone over for a night here and there, it’s a very quick way to earn a few hundred dollars.  Keep in mind that most people who stay with you are treating your place like a hotel, so there’s a good chance they won’t want to be bothered anyway.

Rent Out Your Car

Like Airbnb for houses, Turo is designed for cars.  It’s a marketplace where you can put your car up for rent and make $20 to $50+ per day allowing someone to drive your car around town.  You get to set the rates as well as set mileage limits.  It’s a great platform that many people use to find rental cars when traveling.

The nice thing about Turo is that they provide you insurance in case of an accident, so there’s no worry there.  And, from what I found, renters are much more likely to treat your car with respect since they know they are renting from a human, not a corporation.

Check out the website to see how it works if you’re interested in renting out your car for an extended period of time.

Become a Freelance Writer

Can you write?

If so, you may want to consider freelance writing. And, no, you don’t have to be a best-selling author, either.  You just need to know basic grammar, and of course, have decent spelling.

Websites like Textbroker and iWriter find the work for you, but there are many options that can help connect you with clients.  I mentioned a lot of them here.

If you’re just starting out, you won’t make much, maybe $1 to $2 per 500 words, but this rate can greatly increase as you connect with clients.  If you choose some of the platforms mentioned in my guide, you can start writing in as little as a few days.

Consider Fiverr

Fiverr is one that will take you the most time to make some money, but I wanted to mention it here as some people have had great success with it.

With Fiverr, you can list a digital service for just about anything you can do online.  From editing videos to writing, if you can do it online, you can offer the service on Fiverr.   And, even if you don’t have skills, you can still make money.  Brainstorm some ideas and post a job to see if there are any takers.  As long as your services are priced right, you may get a client in as little as a few days.  You never know.

Again, it can take some time to succeed, but as long as you’re willing to work hard and offer a service in demand, the sky is the limit.

Get a Part-Time Job

During the holidays, so many retailers are in need of part-time temporary workers.  And, as long as you don’t mind working a traditional job in a sense, it’s a nice way to earn a few hundred a week.

To find these jobs, it’s as easy as heading to Indeed and searching for “temporary help” or “seasonal help.”  Depending on where you live, you could see hundreds, maybe thousands of results.

This is one of the better options, but of course, you will have to commit to a schedule.  To some, it can be a burden, but others don’t mind at all.

Amazon Mechanical Turk

Amazon Mechanical Turk is another one where you can start working almost immediately.  It’s powered by Amazon and it’s a platform where you can complete smaller tasks, most of which pay $0.05 to $0.25+ each.

Now, before you get upset and think, “$0.05?!?,” let me explain.

These are often smaller tasks that only take a minute at most to complete.  For example, you may be asked to get a phone number for a restaurant.  If you were to complete 40 tasks in an hour, that’s $10 at $0.25 each.  Again, this won’t make you rich but it’s one you can work whenever you please, similar to that of surveys, and there’s almost always thousands of jobs available.

Sign up and at least look at the jobs available.  It can take some time to learn which “HITs” are worth your time, but I created a guide on how to succeed on the platform and earn more than $50 in a day.

Retail Arbitrage/Flip Stuff

Flipping items will take an investment of sorts, but it won’t take as much as you think.  $100 can start earning you cash in as little as 24 hours.

Retail arbitrage or flipping items is as simple as finding an item, either on clearance at a local retailer or at a local garage sale.  You will then want to turn around and sell the item online via an app or eBay, for example.

This is another one that will have a learning curve, so I recommend you check out the many YouTube videos online.  I don’t have many guides written on this topic just yet, but I may add some in the future.  Stay tuned…

Take Advantage of Credit Card Bonuses

Lastly, if you’re going to be buying Christmas gifts, why not take advantage of credit card bonuses?  Some credit cards will pay you up to $800 if you sign up for a credit card and meet the minimum spending requirement.

For example, if you spend $1,000 in 90 days after opening an account, a card may give you a $200 credit.  This can work out to your advantage as long as you planned on spending this money and you paid your bill on time.

There are always a ton of offers, and I highly recommend you check out the Doctor of Credit page as he does a great job keeping the post updated with the best credit card bonuses as of today.

Final Thoughts

If you want help with money this Christmas, I’m sure one of these ideas can help.  As you can see, it’s entirely possible to earn $10, $100 or even $1,000+.  How much you make will greatly depend on how much effort you’re willing to put into it, of course.

As always, if you want to add to my list, you’re more than welcome to do so via the comment section below.

Thanks for stopping by!