How to Make Extra Cash During the Holidays

If you're anything like the average, middle class, American consumer, you've likely begun to experience the financial stress associated with holiday shopping. In fact, you probably found yourself beginning to worry somewhere around the first of December. Let's face it: Finding the perfect gifts for friends and family can not only be a frustrating experience, but a punch in the wallet as well. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways you can make a little extra income this Christmas season to aid in purchasing those smaller odds-and-ends gifts. After all, why spend a lot of money on those annoying relatives you only see once year anyway?

1. Charge People for Quality Gift Wrapping

For countless talented and creative women, and some men, this couldn't be simpler. Before wrapping your family's gifts, make some phone calls to friends, neighbors, co-workers and/or church members. Let them know you've decided to set up your own holiday home gift-wrapping service. Charge whatever small and reasonable amount you deem necessary and offer to provide quality gift wrapping (complete with bows, bags and all the cute trimmings) at an affordable price. You might even try developing your own slogan. Have some fun with this one. After all, you'll not only be making some extra cash, but may be able to provide some Christmas cheer as well.

Before engaging in this small business venture, be certain you first can afford the necessary wrapping and accessory materials and that your profit will outweigh these initial expenses.

2. Babysit Children for Couple's Holiday Dates & Shopping

If you're good with kids, this one should come easy. The Christmas season tends to be a peak time for several married couples to seek time together away from the stress of their smaller children, particularly for date nights and holiday shopping. If you know of such couples, perhaps through your job or church, offer your babysitting services at the outset of December. Be certain to exchange contact information and learn any specific needs of the child you will be watching. This will give the parents a chance to shop in secret for their child and still keep all those holiday gifts a surprise on Christmas morning.

3. Cook Gourmet Holiday Meals for Friends and/or Neighbors

If you're a supermom, wife or woman when it comes to the world of the kitchen and cooking, this one is for you. Countless mothers would love to avoid the stress and time of cooking a quality holiday meal for their family. Here's where you come in. Offer your culinary services for a small and affordable price, one which you deem reasonable based on your customer base. Naturally, you may feel obligated to charge less for a close friend or relative. Either way, a little extra cash is a handy thing during the holiday season.

Besides, you'll be cooking for your own family anyway. While you're out collecting all the goodies at the grocery store, why not double up on a few items, dessert ingredients in particular? If cooking full course meals is outside your league or price range, narrow it to a few delectable sweets instead. Everyone loves a good batch of brownies or a holiday cake.

4. Offer to Redesign a Church or Small Business Website with a December Holiday Theme

For all of you geeks out there in tech world, this one is for you. Countless churches, corporations and local small businesses would love to pay a web design nerd a considerable amount to give their web page an official overhaul for the holidays. Speaking from personal experience, such a redesign is not only simple, but fun and rewarding at the same time. If you're well-versed in programs such as Dreamweaver® and HTML and XHTML, you're already halfway there.

A Few Tips:

a. Be sure to select a color scheme/theme and graphics appropriate to the site. In other words, try to avoid throwing an image of Santa Clause onto a church web site without the permission of the senior pastor or other staff member in charge. Similarly, you wouldn't place a nativity image onto a secular organization's web page unless asked or content appropriate.

b. Offer to maintain the site throughout the month of December and revert it back to the original on January 1^st. This may not only increase your pay for the job, but depending on the quality of your holiday redesign, may secure a future redesign job for the original site.

5. Write Holiday-Themed Articles for Associated Content

Last but not least, there is always money to be made here at Associated Content during the Christmas season, whether through upfront payments or performance payments based on page views. Either way, it's money in the bank. Try your hand at some holiday how-to articles, especially those based on personal experience and/or expertise, such as Christmas decorating ideas/tips and holiday food recipes. You may have a little extra holiday spending cash before you know it.

So whatever your financial lot this Christmas season, remember there are always way to make extra income on the side. Don't start cutting people from your holiday shopping list just yet. Get creative and utilize your talents and time.