3 Free Ways to Make Extra Cash from Home for the Holidays

by Leslie Truex

Home Business / Other Business Opportunities

Published on this site: October 7th, 2011 - See more articles from this month

The holidays are fast approaching and with it, come additional expenses from travel, gifts and decorating. For many families who are already barely getting by, the holidays are a time of financial stress; however, they can offset the expenses of the holidays by earning extra income on the side. Here are three ways you make money without incurring upfront expenses.

1. Sell Your Unused / Unwanted Items on eBay or Amazon: Frugal families are visiting eBay and Amazon to do their holiday shopping, so now is a great time to get rid of stuff you don't want that could be of value to others. eBay is great for clothing, toys, electronics, household items and novelty gifts. To get the most from your eBay sales, take great photos and write descriptions that accurately describe the item. Amazon is perfect for selling books and DVDs and is easy because you don't have to take pictures. Simply enter the item's name, write a description of its condition, pick a price and list. eBay and Amazon are not free, but you don't have to pay anything until your item sells and the fees are reasonable. In terms of how quickly you can make money, eBay and Amazon lead the pack.
   
   
2. Provide a service: The holidays involve a lot of extra work for families and businesses, which means many opportunities to make some extra cash. Ideas include babysitting while families shop or while the kids are on break but the parents have to work, home or business decorating and tree trimming, handyman or cleaning services, photography, baking and addressing cards.
   
   
3. Get a seasonal job: Many businesses pick up during the holidays and need additional help. For example, many mail order businesses hire extra customer service reps during the holidays. Other types of help include virtual support to manage inventory or customer contacts or subs to fill in while other workers are a way. Use sites such as CareerBuilder and Craigslist to find seasonal work that can be done at home.

The trick to making extra money during the holidays is to know what you can offer and be proactive in offering it. Work-at-home opportunities don't show up on your doorstep. You need to create the opportunities yourself. And with the holidays right around the corner, now is a great time to get started.

Leslie Truex is the author of The Work-At-Home Success Bible and Jobs Online: How to Find and Get Hired to a Work-At-Home Job. She has been telecommuting and running home businesses for over 15 years and helping others to work at home since 1998. Get free work-at-home jobs , resources and a newsletter at http://www.WorkAtHomeSuccess.com.