9 Ways to Increase Your Income Before the Holidays
Posts contain affiliate links, see disclosure for more details.
As Christmas approaches, you might be wondering how you will pay for all of those gifts. For some, this might result in unwanted credit card debt or other methods of borrowing money including dipping into that emergency fund. For others, you might have budgeted the holidays into your finances, but you’re still looking to boost your income on your journey to financial freedom.
In this post, I’ll explain several methods of increasing your income before the holidays to keep your finances in check. Let’s get started.
Make Money Selling Candles from Home
You might think making candles would be difficult, but you’ll be surprised by how easy it really is! By learning how to make candles to sell, you can quickly turn this side hustle into a full-time business. You’ll need a few items to get started, all of which cost less than a few hundred dollars combined.
And what better time to get started than when the holidays are coming up. These seasonal scents can help your candle business to grow rapidly as people purchase their favorite pine, peppermint, and cinnamon candles for their homes.
Flip Furniture to Make Money
Flipping furniture can be an excellent source of income for those with even the smallest amount of creativity. The process involves finding an old (or distressed) piece of furniture that you can restore to make money.
You can often find these pieces at local thrift stores or online through various classifieds like Facebook Marketplace. Once you find your piece, you’ll want to refurbish it giving it a unique look that you can sell for a profit. If you’re looking for inspiration for your pieces, you can browse Pinterest for some help!
Pick Up A Side Gig
If you need a quick way to give your income a boost before the holidays, consider picking up a side gig like driving for a meal delivery service or rideshare service. While these aren’t the most fun jobs, they’re a great way to make money in your free time.
Some of my favorite side gigs include:
- Restaurant delivery driver
- Ride-share driver
- Dog walking and pet sitting
As a bonus, you’ll be capable of setting your own hours, allowing you to work only when you want to.
Use a 3D Printer to Make Money
This might seem like an odd gig, but it can be extremely profitable. If you want to make money with a 3D printer, you’ll need to invest a few hundred dollars in purchasing a 3D printer and some basic supplies to get started.
Your options are limitless when it comes to using your printer to make money. One of my favorite ways to make money is producing products and selling them online via Amazon, eBay, or an Etsy shop.
Learning how to use a 3D printer is quite simple today with many resources available online. A quick YouTube video should suffice to help you get started.
Work Extra Hours
Not everyone will have this option, but if you’re paid hourly, getting a few extra hours each week can be an easy way to make more money. Even if it’s just a few hours each week, this can easily add up to a few hundred dollars per month or more.
Start Freelancing
Freelancing can be a great way to turn your skills into cash. Best of all, freelancing can be completed for almost any skill and people are constantly in search of quality candidates.
To find work as a freelancer, you can browse freelance websites, post your availability online, or ask friends and family if they know anyone in need of your services.
Freelancing can bring almost limitless income for you and your family, making it an excellent choice to increase your income before the holidays!
Some popular freelance services offered are:
- Writing
- Web Development
- Social Media Management
- Graphic Design
- Translation
Work as a Virtual Assistant
Similar to several of the other methods on this list, working as a virtual assistant can be done with any free time you have, making it a great option for nights and weekends.
As a virtual assistant, you’ll likely work with website and business owners to complete smaller tasks. These tasks can include anything from responding to emails to creating social media graphics and much more.
Start a Service Business
Service businesses can be a great way to make money without a massive investment upfront. Because your service is the product, you won’t have to worry about inventory costs. Instead, you’ll likely need a few products and pieces of equipment to get started.
There are hundreds of service businesses you can start. Some of my favorite include:
- Starting a car detailing business
- Starting a pressure washing business
- Starting a landscaping business
- Starting a cleaning business
To market these businesses, you can post your offerings on social media and ask friends or family for referrals.
Start a Blog
Starting a blog can be a great way to generate semi-passive income. But there is one catch, it’s not the fastest way to make money. For those with a little more time, investing in a blog can be worthwhile. While the first 6 months might be sluggish, after the one-year mark you’ll be sure to see your traffic and earnings increase.
When starting a blog, you’ll want to consider your target audience and craft your writing towards those people. For example, if your blog is devoted to helping moms organize their life, you’ll likely want to keep your posts shorter to accommodate a busy mom’s life.
Conclusion
Increasing your income can be difficult, but I encourage you to give some of these ideas a try. While you won’t find any “get rich quick” schemes here, these methods are tried and true when it comes to making some extra money.
Whether you choose to flip furniture, work as a virtual assistant, start a cleaning business, or making money with a truck, increasing your income can help you to pave your path towards financial freedom.
Have you tried any of these methods? Comment your thoughts below!
Also read: 15 Money Saving Tips For Christmas On A Budget >>