If you need Christmas cash, one of the best ways to raise it is to tap into your talents and passions.

Of course, you want to focus on doing things that will raise cash fast since Christmas is now just a few short months away. Save slow but steady income streams for after the Christmas season. We will be talking more about those in the last post planned for this series.

Knowing what is going to be a quick cash generator for you is going to take some brainstorming–after all, we were each born with unique talents.

Hopefully my list below will get those wheels of creativity turning in your head and spark an idea that will help you raise the money you need for the holiday season.

How To Use Your Talents & Passions To Generate Christmas Cash

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Retail

There are stores that hire just for the Christmas season and if you can fit it into your schedule, love working with people, and don’t mind crowds this might be a great option for you.

Crafts

The simplest way to sell your crafts

There are so many ways to sell crafts during the holiday season. A great place to start is to search your area’s classifieds for local craft fairs still offering booths for sale. Most of the BIG sales are usually booked up months before Christmas, but smaller sales can still generate good returns.

Of course, there are plenty of other ways to sell your crafts at Christmas time. You could hold an open house craft sale in your home. Take pictures of your work and share them with your friends on Facebook and let them know that they can purchase your work during your open house. You can also sell directly on Facebook or Instagram to your friends.

Manual Labor

Pet sitting, leaf raking, snow shoveling, top to bottom cleaning of homes for the holidays, seasonal decorating. What service are you pretty good at that someone could pay you for? Once you’ve decided what it is and how much you want to charge start spreading the word.

Holiday Baking

This one requires knowing how strict the rules are in your area for baking goods for pay. It could mean you will need a food safe course and perhaps even a professional kitchen which would mean this isn’t something you could get into in a hurry. However, I know in some areas rules are not as strict and if you have people raving about your sugar cookies perhaps you could turn a profit from them.

Point programs and surveys

Stick with fast earning companies like the ones found in this list that I shared earlier in this series. Spend at least 30 minutes per site familiarizing yourself with all the different ways to earn with that company. Figure out which ways to earn work best for you. Make yourself a daily goal for points and start working it. I have readers who email me saying they earn up to $100 a month with these programs.

Where To Resell Your Items Online For Quick Christmas Cash

Reselling for others

Reselling Tips Page: Full of tips to help you sell whatever wherever

Last week I shared with you 3 places online where you can sell your stuff for quick Christmas cash. If you find you are really good at doing this you might want to consider selling other people’s items for them and taking a percentage of the sales for your pay.

Instead of Earning, Practice Stretching Your Dollars Further

As the saying goes, “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

Not all of us are great at earning extra money–some of us are better at making it stretch further.

I know when I had little ones my biggest help to the family finances was making our income go farther. I did bring a bit of money in here and there–mostly through reselling and point programs, but for the most part I put the time I had between changing diapers and feeding little ones into stretching a dollar.

If this too is your talent then here are a few great ways to save at Christmas time.

3 Fun Challenges That Will Help You Reach Your Financial Goals

Go over every line of your budget and set belt tightening challenges

Could you spend $10 less a week on groceries from now until Christmas and use that for gifts?

Could you avoid eating out or going to the movies and use that for Christmas money?

Could you better organize your errands, perhaps even walk to a few and shave a few dollars off the gas budget each week and use that for Christmas money?

Could you not buy a single personal product from now until Christmas and use up every half used boxed and bottle of products until then and use the money you save for Christmas money? (this is where that free sample stash comes in handy)

Do not over buy

The One Questions That Saves Thrifty People The Most Money

A real thrifty ninja knows that taking advantage of a great deal can still be money wasted if you didn’t need it in the first place. Always think before you buy. Who is this for? Does it really meet a need on my prioritized Christmas list? Will the person I want it for really love it or am I just in love with the price?

Repurpose what you already own into gifts

Instead of selling crafts, just make enough for people on your list using supplies you already have. To do this you might have to get creative. I like using Pinterest for this. I enter the materials I have on hand into the Pinterest search box and see what comes up. Usually what I find is enough to get my creative brain going and come up with something that works with what I have.

Play Jenga with discounts

Once Black Friday arrives, the Christmas sales begin. Know how to make the deals even sweeter by stacking coupons, discount codes, cashback sites, coupon apps, and discounted gift cards. These can shave easily ten percent or more off an already marked down item. In general I save an additional 20% this way. (and in case you are wondering what Jenga is…)

Whether you choose to earn money or stretch your current dollar–or perhaps a bit of both–it will depend on your talents, time and resources available. The best way to decide is to spend a morning, afternoon, or evening brainstorming what you can do. When you are done circle the ideas that you think will go best and start pursuing them.

Click here to catch up on the How To Plan A Christmas To Remember On A Super Tight Budget series. Make sure you don’t miss the rest of the series by signing up for my weekly newsletter below.