The holidays are coming and with it, the need to purchase a variety of gifts for friends and family. In fact, a recent survey showed that the average person spends around $1,000 just on gifts for the holiday season - which doesn't even cover travel costs, food, alcohol, decorations and more.
Naturally, no one WANTS to overspend when the holidays roll around, but the cost of buying all those gifts can add up quick. Since the goal should be paying off credit cards and not add to the balance, we've found several places where you can add to your income by taking surveys, watching commercials, or even use an Amazon Affiliate link to make a quick buck or two before your next credit card bill comes in the mail.
Earn Giftcards by Taking Surveys, Watching Videos, Shopping Online and More with Swagbucks
If you're having trouble coming up with a gift idea for one of your friends and family, you can't go wrong with gift cards! Fortunately, there's a site that allows you to earn points by taking surveys, watching videos and shopping online which you can redeem for gift cards to your favorite retailers, including Target, Amazon and you can even earn cash back from Paypal.
All you have to do is sign up at Swagbucks.com and participate in their surveys, playing games or by watching videos posted on their site. Swagbucks says they've already given back $175,999,999 in rewards to customers who've signed up in the past. So, if you have a free afternoon or two, you can spend it by earning points for gift cards worth between $5 and $25. It's free to sign up!
Gain.gg
Another good option for people to earn money by taking surveys online is Gain.gg. Gain.gg allows users to complete offers, watch videos and complete surveys to earn "coins" which can be withdrawn to your Paypal account, or be redeemed for certain types of gift cards. For those cryptocurrency enthusiasts, you can even withdraw your earnings in Bitcoin, ETH, Litecoin and more.
Postmates, Doordash, Uber, or Lyft driver
Do you have a reliable source of transportation? Depending on the model, your perfect after-hours job could be waiting for you. While the process to become a Lyft or Uber driver can take some time, drivers can earn good money by driving people where they need to go.
If your car doesn't qualify for Uber or Lyft (or, maybe you hate the idea of other people in your vehicle), you can always deliver food for all those hungry holiday shoppers who are out there. Doordash and Postmates are great options for people who need a quick secondary source of income and don't have a lot of time.
Amazon Affiliates
If you have a strong social media following (and hey, this is Southern California, most people do), you can always apply to become an Amazon Affiliate. You could earn up to 10% in advertising fees for every person who clicks on your affiliate link and purchases something online. A 'Bounty Program' also allows affiliates to goose their income by earning fixed advertising fees when visitors sign up for Amazon services and programs.
House Sit and/or Pet Sit
Plenty of people go on vacation around the holidays, which means they probably need someone to watch their place, or their beloved pet while they're gone. If you're a fan of hanging out at someone else's house or you like animals, house and/or pet sitting is a GREAT way to make some quick cash before or during the holidays just in time before your credit card bills come due.
Sell things that you don't use around your home
They say one person's trash is another person's treasure and that includes your stuff. One of the best and easiest ways to make a little money ahead of the holidays is getting rid of some of the stuff you don't use or need around the house any longer. Fortunately, thanks to a slew of online marketplaces, it's never been easier to make extra money for Christmas and other holidays. Between Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay and Thrift stores, you have plenty of options online to sell your wares.
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