7 Ways to Earn Extra Money During the Holidays

Whether you want to boost your gift budget or just want to end the year with a little more money in the bank, here are some temporary gigs you can sign up for at this time of year.

1. TAKE FAMILY PORTRAITS.

The last few months of the year are a popular time for families to don matching sweaters and get their pictures taken. Many portrait studios hire temporary photographers to take those photos, and sometimes they don’t even require any formal photography experience. Customer service skills—a.k.a. the ability to coax a crying child into smiling at the camera—can be more important.

2. WORK AS A CASHIER.

The holidays are the busiest time of year for retail stores, and there are rarely enough year-round staff members to support the influx of shoppers. Find a retail outlet near you and see if they’re hiring temporary employees for the holiday season. The work will likely be hectic, but you’ll have a nice cushion of cash to take with you into the new year.

3. MAKE DELIVERIES.

Package delivery is another sector that sees a huge spike in business around the holidays. If you have a driver's license, apply to be a delivery driver and help transport the many gifts being ordered and mailed around the country this season. And even if you’re not a licensed driver, delivery companies may still be interested in you. Some also hire drivers’ helpers to carry packages from the truck to customers’ doorsteps.

4. PET-SIT.

As people leave town for the holidays, the furry members of their families must often get left behind. You can keep these animals company by becoming a pet sitter. There are several apps that connect pet parents to sitters. And if the pet owner is fine with dropping off Fido at your place, you can earn some extra holiday cash without leaving home (not counting walks, of course).

5. SELL YOUR CRAFTS.

The holidays are a great time for you to profit off your creative skills. If you make something that can be given as a gift—whether it’s a print of your artwork, handmade jewelry, or a hand-knitted scarf—find a platform to sell it online. Many consumers would be happy to give their money to an independent artist when doing their holiday shopping this year.

6. HELP CATER PARTIES.

The holiday season is party season. In between having fun at parties you’re invited to, you can lend a hand at parties around town as a server. A catering company’s wait staff is responsible for arranging place settings, taking guests’ orders, serving food, and bussing tables. You can sign up for catering jobs on a gig-by-gig basis, and from now through New Year's, there will be plenty of jobs to go around.

7. WRAP GIFTS.

If you have a gift-wrapping technique you’ve perfected at home, it’s time to share your talents with the world. This holiday season, retail stores around the country will be looking for professional wrappers to make gifts look pretty before they’re handed off to customers. And if you’ve always wanted to give your loved ones beautifully-wrapped gifts but haven’t had time to master the skill, this is the perfect opportunity to practice.

Having a few extra dollars in your pocket during the holidays is always a good idea—and getting a few extra dollars from your credit card is a great idea. Discover automatically matches the cash back you earn, dollar for dollar, at the end of your first year. Terms apply. Learn more at Discover.