The holidays are a lot more fun when you’re not worried about how you’ll pay for them. Between gifts, travel, decorations, and family events, Christmas expenses add up fast. The good news? You can still bring in extra cash quickly, even if you’re starting late in the season.
This year is more challenging than ever – and for many, earning a little extra money for Christmas can make a big difference.
I don’t know about you, but time seems to go much faster for me once the holiday seasons hits. That means these ten weeks are going to be up before we know it. If you’ve yet to save anything for Christmas, you still have plenty of time to earn some Christmas spending money.
Whether you’re trying to avoid more debt, save and earn to buy something bigger than usual, or do something unexpected for your family, now’s the time to get to work!
Below are 23 practical, beginner-friendly ways to earn extra money before Christmas — including difficulty ratings, pros and cons, and how fast each one can realistically start paying off. Pick one, take action today, and you’ll be surprised how much you can earn by the time the holidays arrive.
How to Use This List
To make things simple, every idea includes:
- Difficulty: Easy / Moderate / Skilled
- Time to Start: Same day / 1–3 days / 1 week
- Best For: Who benefits most
- Pros & Cons: Honest breakdown
- Quick Start Tip: Action step you can follow now
Ways to Earn Extra Cash for Christmas
Here’s the list.
1. Food Delivery
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: 1–3 days
Best For: Anyone with a car, scooter, or bike
Pros:
- High demand during evenings + weekends
- You choose your hours
- Instant payout options available
Cons:
- Income varies by city / weather
- Peak hours can be competitive
Quick Start Tip: Sign up with multiple apps so you can switch if one is slow. Get started with DoorDash here >>
2. Make Holiday Deliveries
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: 3–5 days
Pros:
- Holiday grocery demand spikes
- Tips often increase in December
Cons:
- Requires carrying groceries
- Peak shopping times can be crowded
Quick Start Tip: Accept orders near dense apartment buildings for faster batches.
One of the most popular ways to deliver groceries is with Instacart. What’s great about Instacart is that you can see a list of all the orders and how much you can earn before you take any gigs on. This is really helpful to plan in advance.
3. Sell Unused Items On Facebook Marketplace
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: Same day
Pros:
- Fastest way to get immediate cash
- No shipping required
Cons:
- It can be challenging to find items to sell
- Flaky buyers
- Must meet in public places
Quick Start Tip: Take photos in daylight with a neutral background to sell faster.
4. Resell Items For Profit
Difficulty: Moderate
Time to Start: 1–3 days
Pros:
- High profit margins on electronics, tools, and toys
- Flexible schedule
Cons:
- Requires some product knowledge
- Inventory storage
Quick Start Tip: Start with categories you personally understand (video games, sneakers, etc.).
5. Offer Gift-Wrapping Services
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: Same day
Pros:
- High demand in December
- Low start-up cost
Cons:
- Requires some creativity
- Seasonal
Quick Start Tip: Promote on neighborhood groups and offer at-home pickup/dropoff.
6. Hang Christmas Lights
Difficulty: Moderate
Time to Start: 1–3 days
Pros:
- Very high demand
- Premium pricing
Cons:
- Ladder required
- Weather-dependent
Quick Start Tip: Offer a flat rate for “roofline only” to simplify pricing.
7. Pet Sit or Walk Dogs
Use Rover, Wag!, or your own local network.
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: 1–3 days
Pros:
- High holiday travel demand
- Great for animal lovers
Cons:
- Time-dependent
- Must handle pet emergencies
Quick Start Tip: Create a Rover profile with photos and detailed experience.
Check out Rover or Wag and see if you can find people to dog walk on there.
8. House Sitting During The Holidays
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: 1 week
Pros:
- Low labor
- Often includes additional “care tasks” that pay extra
Cons:
- Requires reliability
- Can overlap with your holiday plans
Quick Start Tip: Offer add-ons like mail pickup, plant watering, and snow shoveling.
9. Tutoring Before Finals
Difficulty: Skilled
Time to Start: 1 week
Pros:
- High hourly pay
- Peak demand from Thanksgiving → Christmas
Cons:
- Requires subject expertise
Quick Start Tip: Offer bundled “final exam prep” packages to parents.
10. Become A Virtual Assistant
Difficulty: Moderate
Time to Start: 3–7 days
Pros:
- Fully remote
- Flexible hours
Cons:
- Requires organization + communication skills
Quick Start Tip: Start with admin tasks (email sorting, scheduling) which have low learning curves.
11. Do Freelance Gigs On Fiverr or Upwork
Difficulty: Skilled
Time to Start: 1–3 days
Pros:
- Unlimited earning potential
- Seasonal demand: holiday cards, ads, editing, social posts
Cons:
Quick Start Tip: Create “holiday-themed” gig packages for fast sales.
12. Do Paid Surveys Online
Using popular platforms like Swagbucks, InboxDollars, or Survey Junkie.
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: Same day
Pros:
- Very low barrier to entry
- Can be done while watching TV
Cons:
Quick Start Tip: Focus on high-value surveys; skip anything under $0.50–$1. Check out the full list of the best paid survey sites here.
13. Test Websites And Apps
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: 1–3 days
Pros:
- Higher pay than most surveys
- Interesting tasks
Cons:
Quick Start Tip: Sign up for multiple platforms (UserTesting, UserFeel, TryMyUI).
14. Rent a Room or Space on Airbnb
Difficulty: Moderate
Time to Start: 3–7 days
Pros:
- High holiday travel demand
- Significant income potential
Cons:
- Cleaning and guest management
Quick Start Tip: Offer “winter stay discounts” to stand out.
15. Offer Snow Removal Services
Difficulty: Moderate
Time to Start: Same day
Pros:
- Essential service
- High demand after storms
Cons:
- Physical labor
- Weather-dependent
Quick Start Tip: Use a flat “per driveway” price for quick yes/no decisions.
16. Babysitting
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: 1–3 days
Pros:
- Families need coverage for events
- Great hourly pay
Cons:
- Requires patience / attention
Quick Start Tip: Offer a “holiday party babysitting bundle.” See if you can coordinate for multiple families who may be attending the same event.
17. Sell Baked Goods or Holiday Treats
Difficulty: Moderate
Time to Start: 2–4 days
Pros:
- High seasonal demand
- Creative outlet
Cons:
- Ingredient costs
- Must check local cottage food laws
Quick Start Tip: Market via local groups and pre-sell batches.
18. Work Seasonal Retail or Warehouse Shifts
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: 1 week
Pros:
- Guaranteed hours
- Employee discounts during peak season
Cons:
Quick Start Tip: Check big-box retailers — many hire urgently in November/December.
19. Sell Handmade Gifts
Difficulty: Skilled
Time to Start: 1–2 weeks
Pros:
- High margins
- Creative work
Cons:
- Requires production time
- Shipping deadlines
Quick Start Tip: Sell digital items (holiday tags, printable gifts) for instant delivery.
20. Cash In Old Giftcards
Use sites like Raise or CardCash.
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: Same day
Pros:
- Immediate money
- Minimal effort
Cons:
- Payout is less than face value
Quick Start Tip: Compare offers across multiple platforms to maximize cash.
21. Participate In Research Studies
Difficulty: Moderate
Time to Start: 1 week
Pros:
- High hourly pay
- Many can be done online
Cons:
- Application process varies
Quick Start Tip: Check local universities and online study boards.
22. Flip Furniture or Appliances
Difficulty: Difficult
Time to Start: 3–5 days
Pros:
- Large profit margins
- High December demand
Cons:
- Requires space + transport
Quick Start Tip: Start with small items you can clean and resell quickly.
23. Offer Quick Cleanup or Organization Services
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Start: Same day
Pros:
- Households prep for guests during holidays
- Minimal supplies needed
Cons:
- Some houses may be more work than expected
Quick Start Tip: Offer a “2-hour holiday refresh” package with a fixed price.
How Much Can You Earn Before Christmas?
It depends on the method you choose and how many hours you put in. But some baseline earnings could be:
- $200–$500 selling items
- $300–$800 driving/delivery
- $500–$1,500+ in freelance or skilled work
- $50–$200 from microtasks
Pick one “fast cash” option and one “higher-earning” option and you can easily cover gifts, travel, or extra savings for the holiday season.
You Still Have Time to Earn Cash for Christmas
There are millions of way to earn extra income. If you took any some of these ideas and spend a few hours per week on them you should be able to earn enough cash to cover your Christmas expenses this year.
If you’re looking for something a little longer term, check out this list of high paying side gigs that can earn you over $1,000 per month!
Also, remember, you can use a cashback credit card to earn extra cash on the gifts you’d normally be buying. I bring this up because some credit cards sweeten the deal right before the holiday season. Check out these top cashback credit cards to see if it makes sense.
Do you actively earn extra cash for Christmas or save all year?
