Need to earn some extra money for the holidays? Christmas is less than 2 months away, but with a little side hustle, there are definitely options to earn extra money to tide you through the holidays and hopefully set yourself up for the start of a Holly, Jolly New Year as well.
Disclosure: There are some affiliate links below and I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
1. Become an Uber or Lyft driver.
With both car services, you can be your own boss and set your own hours. I use both services here in Los Angeles and when I’m traveling, and I love the convenience of someone else driving me around.
I don’t have to worry about parking or navigating the traffic. That’s especially nice when I’m in a new city.
I’ve had several drivers tell me they do so well that they’ve left their 9 to 5 jobs and have pursued Uber or Lyft full time.
Both companies typically offer sign up bonuses. Go to their websites for further information and to get started: Uber.com and Lyft.com.
2. Sell items on eBay that you know longer want.
Depending on what you have to sell, eBay can bring in some quick cash while clearing out some items you no longer need.
First, you’ll set up an eBay seller account. Then you’ll need to create a listing, price your items, and set up a payment method. Get started at www.eBay.com
3. Rakuten (formerly eBates)
Rakuten allows you to make up to 40% Cash Back on your purchases at over 2,500 stores. Right now, you can sign up and get a $10 Bonus at Rakuten by clicking here.
Payment is made to you by check or through your PayPal account.
4. Show me the money! Shop and get paid.
Ibotta: Ibotta is a free app that pays you cash for everyday purchases. Ibotta has exclusive offers at your favorite grocery stores, retailers, and shops.
You can receive your earnings back by PayPal, Venmo, or have it converted into a gift card. Start saving today.
5. Cut back on your grocery spending.
I’ve found that the quickest way for me to earn some extra cash is to not spend what I already have to start with.
My grocery bill is a prime example. Thanks to budgeting, I’ve gotten this under control, but my grocery bills used to be through the roof.
6. Sell your stuff on decluttr.com
Many of us could benefit from a more minimalist living environment. Have you ever purchased something, only to find out that you already have the very item? I am so guilty of that.
On decluttr.com, you can make some quick cash and declutter at the same time. They accept phones, CDs, DVDs, games, books, and more.
7. Do Surveys.
Get paid for your honest opinion by completing online surveys and polls.
Some of the most popular survey sites are swagbucks.com, surveyjunkie.com, InboxDollars.com, and MyPoints.com, and Pinecone Research.
8. Participate in Focus Groups
Companies hire people in certain diverse demographics to get feedback and reactions on new products.
Participating in a Focus Group is one of my favorite ways of making some extra money on the side, and can be one of the most interesting and enjoyable ways to make extra cash in a short amount of time.
I’ve participated in several focus groups over the years. I usually make from $75 to upwards of $300 or more for a couple of hours of my time to provide my opinion on a product or service.
Recently, I was selected for a food focus group that ended up being about a new yogurt product.
The incentive for 2 hours was $150 in the form of a Visa debit card, and we were each given product to take home and enjoy afterward (yogurt and smoothie drinks).
Often, I’ve received my payment in hard, cold, cash. Nice either way.
One of the biggest differences in Surveys and Focus Groups that I’ve found is that Focus Groups are usually done in person and pay a higher rate.
How do you find a local focus group? A great start is to perform a GOOGLE search for focus group marketers in your area.
Give them a call or log onto their website to register as a possible participant in a future research study.
9. Rent out a room or entire home on Airbnb.
Earn Extra Income with Airbnb
Have an extra room or space that you can rent out?
Perhaps you can rent out your entire house and stay with a friend.
Either way, Airbnb provides a nice source of rental income. I have been an Airbnb host for over 3 years.
Check out my story here on how being an Airbnb host contributed to my saving over $30,000 in 6 months.
Thanks in advance for using my referral code if you’re interested in getting started.
10. Special Offers.
Special offers are a great way to earn some extra cash or a gift card. Signing up with PersonalCapital.com is a great way to start.
They have a free budget tool, as well as a paid option. If you sign up and get a friend to sign up, you both get a $20 Amazon gift card, and I’ve recently seen a signup bonus of $100 with them.
I’ve also received sign-up bonuses by opening a new bank savings or checking account.
These are plentiful around the end of the year, and you can usually find bonuses of $100 to $500.
Most have restrictions and you often have to deposit a substantial amount of money for a period of time, so be sure to carefully read the fine print.
BONUS WAY TO EARN CASH
Do you have a change jar at your house? Time to cash it in.
Instead of counting and rolling the money into those little paper sleeves, just take your change to your local grocery store that has a Coinstar machine.
They’ll take a percentage of your change cashed in. 
The Coinstar website states “ an 11.9% service fee applies. Fees may vary by location.”
You can bypass being charged a fee by opting to get an e-gift card.
Depending on the machine location, you’re able to select an Amazon e-gift card, Game Stop, Best Buy, and even Southwest Airlines.
There you have it! Ten ways to bring in some extra money before Christmas, or really, any time of the year.
What better way to start the year off than bringing in some extra cash to get your finances in order… or help them stay in order.
Let me know what other options for making extra holiday cash you would suggest in the comments below.
Wow, Who knew! I’m so glad I was directed to your site. I have been using Coinstar for years. I’m always complaining about the amount they charge. I never opt for the egift card because I assumed, you know what they say about assume, there was a charge for that too. This little bit of knowledge is going to allow a few more people to be added to my Christmas list.
I just signed up at Focusgroup.com They are in several states.