Contributed by Debbie Fletcher
The holiday season is one of the best times of the year, filled with gingerbread lattes, Christmas ads on TV, carol singers knocking on doors, and Christmas songs on the radio. While many of us look forward to the snowy season, it’s also a time of year where many people can struggle financially while trying to keep up with all the social events and Christmas shopping.
However, by being organised early and putting some smart measures in place, you could benefit from multiple sources of income during the holidays. So, if you’re panicking about your Christmas budget this year, take a look at some of the below ways you could earn a little extra cash this festive season.
#1 Teach English
If you’re a native English speaker then your English skills could be in demand. As the most widely spoken language in the world, there’s a huge demand for English teachers for children and adults across the non-English speaking world. To teach English online or in a local teaching centre, you will need to obtain an industry qualification such as TEFL or CELTA.
These qualifications are easy to obtain through an online course and can be completed in as little as 30 days if you put your mind to it. Once qualified, have a browse of some online TEFL job boards as there’s usually a range of jobs available. TEFL teachers can earn anywhere from £10-£20 an hour.
#2 Start up an Etsy Shop
Are you good at crafts? Why not start up your own Etsy shop and begin selling your work. The Etsy platform is incredibly easy to use, providing the set-up so you don’t need to worry about creating your website or ecommerce store.
The more unique the item, the better it will sell on Etsy and many people use the platform to look for unique gifts that can’t be found on the high street. Think unique candles, personalised keyrings, notebooks, cross stitch patterns and other trinkets or crafts that make ideal Christmas presents.
If you’ve got talent, use it!
#3 Get cashback when shopping for presents
Cashback rewards are one of the easiest ways to make a little extra money for Christmas and could make your Christmas shopping budget stretch a little further. Cashback sites provide a small percentage of your payment back every time you shop with a qualifying partner.
Some of the top rewards programmes include Quidco, TopCashback and Airtime Rewards, enabling shoppers to earn what is essentially free money. These sites get paid for sending shoppers through to the retailer, while you also benefit as a customer. It’s a win, win situation.
#4 Sell upcycled furniture
Furniture has become incredibly expensive in recent years, especially if it’s vintage. You could make a great source of income by buying vintage furniture from local charity shops and antique stores and then upcycling them and selling them on.
For example, take a plain old set of Ikea draws – you could get out the paint and turn it into a more colourful and unique piece of furniture that’s worth much more than you bought it for.
#5 Complete surveys for money
If you have a little extra time in the evenings, why not complete a few surveys for money? There are several market research companies out there that are looking to collect data on consumer behaviour, and they’re willing to pay handsomely for it. The data collected from these surveys is often sold to companies to help influence their festive marketing campaigns, TV ads and much more.
Some of the best survey websites include Prolific Academic, Viewsbank, Global Test Market and MySurvey.
#6 Become a mystery shopper
Becoming a mystery shopper means you could be getting paid to do your Christmas shopping. Many sites will give you some or all of the money back for purchases too, meaning your Christmas budget could be stretching a lot further than you first thought.
Some of the best mystery shopper sites include Market Force, Grassroots Mystery Shopping and Amber Arch.
#7 Become an influencer
If you don’t mind appearing in videos and enjoy talking to others about your latest purchases, good reads or best bargain finds then you could be an ideal influencer. If you’ve managed to build up a healthy social media following, then you may be able to apply with some of your favourite brands to become an ambassador. Ambassadors usually get money off or free products which they must post on their social media accounts in return, influencing followers to also buy the product.
Overall, there are several ways to create extra income this festive season. So, if you’re already worried about breaking the bank, why not take a look at some of the above options. You’ll thank yourself for it when your stress-free and have a clear credit card balance in January.
