by Ben Sweiry ·
Modified on 1 December, 2022
The Christmas period can be an expensive time for Americans, and money is often the cause of stress, especially if it is tight.
On average, Americans are expected to spend $932 during Christmas 2022, just on gifts, which is almost $100 more than last year.
The cost of living has gone up all over the US and around the world, and so making that bit of extra cash could be the solution to tide you over to the new year.
Sell Any Junk
Maybe you’ve picked up a few gifts over the year, or picked up some items of clothing that looked nice at the time but you since have changed your mind. Maybe you got a few Christmas presents last year that, in all honesty, are just sitting and gathering dust. Selling things you don’t need is one of the quickest and easiest ways to get cash.
This can be old DVDs, CDs or video games – even old vinyl records are now back in fashion and are often worth a bomb! If you’ve got bags of clothes piled up that you no longer need, online marketplaces are built just for that – list them up for a fair price and watch the money come in.
Get a Side Hustle
These days there is an abundance of part-time jobs, especially during the Christmas period where the number of people looking to go out for a coffee or a meal with friends increases massively.
One of the best side hustle ideas to earn extra money for Christmas 2022 is to work for an on-demand food delivery service. Courier jobs are an increasingly popular side gig and offer flexible schedules. The job is simple too – all it involves is picking up meals from restaurants and delivering them to customers, and all you need to do so is a car or a bike.
Also, if you live in a city where on-demand ride shares are popular and you have a car you can drive for a ridesharing company in your spare time, which comes with a strong minimum wage and great bonuses too.
Failing that, have a look to see if your local coffee shop or convenience store is hiring. The hours are usually quite flexible, the pay is decent and it often comes with a lot of free coffee!
Use Cashback Sites
Whatever you’re planning to buy for Christmas there’s definitely a way to get it cheaper than retail.
Using a cashback site means you get back some of the money you spend on the purchases you make, which really seems like a no-brainer!
Shop Around For Gifts
Whilst your kids may have big Christmas wishlists, and we all want to fulfil our kids’ every hopes and dreams, there’s no reason why you can’t look at cheaper alternatives.
Say your 5-year old wants a big toy monster truck which costs $80 brand new. Before you go out and buy it at the RRP, make sure you look at marketplaces like eBay and Craigslist to see if an independent seller is offering it for a lower price.
Or even better, check if the product is being sold second-hand. Marketplaces like eBay allow sellers to sell nearly-new products and these can be far cheaper than when buying brand new and they’re often barely used!
Get a Payday Loan
Lastly, if you’re really struggling to make ends meet and your next paycheck isn’t coming in until after the festive period, or if you have an emergency bill to take care of on top of your Christmas spending, then a payday loan may be the right option for you.
When you apply with Dime Alley, we connect your application to a panel of lenders who can provide you with a loan to suit your specific needs.
When you apply with us, we don’t take a cent from you – instead, our lenders pay us a commission if your application is successful.
However, before you apply to take out a loan with us, you should ensure that you have a clear plan on how you are going to repay your loan on-time and in full on the date you agree with your lender, in order to avoid any complications.