As a child, the wonder of the holidays is something we look forward to all year. As adults, we still anticipate the joy of spending time with loved ones and partaking in our favorite traditions, but there’s stress and expectation, too. We want to give our children holidays that are as special as our most beloved memories, but gifts and other holiday expenses can send you into the new year with a mounting pile of debt. No one should have to go broke just to celebrate the holiday season. While the most important piece of advice is to remember this is a season about love, not material goods, we know that gifts do play a big role in many families’ celebrations. To help you buy some gifts your little ones and loved ones have on their wish lists, here are five ways you can get some extra money for holiday shopping.
Work from Home as a Customer Service Rep
Amazon and Apple are two of the world’s most successful businesses, and they’re always actively hiring new, remote customer service representatives. There are also many seasonal customer service jobs you can work from home for all sorts of different companies. You can learn more about the application process and check out some companies here.
Becoming a Shopper for the Season
Holiday shoppers fulfill grocery orders in local supermarkets, then package them for delivery. Others are drivers who both shop and deliver orders to customers’ doorsteps. An in-store shopper doesn’t need their own vehicle, and their schedules tend to be more stable. Search “in-store shopper jobs near me” to browse local listings; you may wind up scoring a position that pays anywhere between $9 to $17 an hour.
Sell Old Items Online
Use Amazon and/or eBay to sell off old items. Used books, DVDs, old video games and even boxes of gently worn clothes can fetch you some extra cash for the holidays. Just make sure you practice internet safety, such as not including your real full name or address to the buyer. This can be a profitable way to declutter your home and get a head start to spring cleaning.
Refinance Your Loans
Loan refinancing can give you more money now and plenty more to come. It’s also a great way to start modifying your budget for the new year. Student loan debt is one of the most common, and you can refinance a parent PLUS loan with a private lender to lower your monthly costs. You can also look into credit card debt consolidation, which will put all your outstanding balances into a single loan payment agreement.
Take Surveys
Online surveys are a great way to earn money from home on your downtime. Swagbucks and InboxDollars are two of the most popular and legitimate survey companies to try out. You can earn sign-up bonuses, score coupons and free gift cards to popular stores, such as Amazon. On InboxDollars, you can also get paid to use coupons, watch videos and even earn cashback playing online games.
