Five Ways To Generate Some Cash Before Christmas
Everyone loves Christmas, but we don’t love how much it costs. Gift buying, work Christmas parties, stocking up on food and drink: the prices of these things all add up over the holidays, wreaking havoc on our bank balances. Well, it’s that time of year again, so we thought it would be a good idea to share a few ways to give yourself a bit of a cash boost just in time for Christmas.
Get cashback on gifts
There are loads of cashback sites out there, such as TopCashback and Quidco, that actually pay you to buy products via their site. All you have to do is sign up for free and make purchases through the site’s links. The cashback site you use gets paid for sending traffic through to the retailer and they share a portion of this with you. Simply buy things you normally would through one of these sites and cash will be added to your account at the end of each payment period. These vary between sites but typically take a month or two to become available.
Try your hand at risk-free betting
An increasingly popular way for people to get a bit of extra cash is a technique known as matched betting. Even if you’ve never gambled before or have no idea about sports, this strategy can net you some spending money in time for Christmas. By making use of the free bet offers that bookmakers promote to attract new customers, matched betting companies use maths to make guaranteed returns. If you have never placed a bet before, there will be a little bit to learn. But, once you’ve gotten to grips with it, you’ll be wondering why you haven’t done this for years. If you’d like to find out more, have a look at this great guide to matched betting by OddsMonkey.
Sell stuff you don’t need anymore
With websites like eBay and Gumtree, as well as local groups on Facebook, it has never been easier to sell some of that stuff you’ve been hanging on to for a bit of extra cash. This has the added bonus of also clearing some extra space in your home. Go through your house and pick out anything you’ve not used since last Christmas. Do you really need it? If the answer is no, flog it! The beauty of the internet is that you have access to a global marketplace — and people will buy all sorts of seemingly useless things.
Switch bank accounts
It has never been easier to switch bank accounts and doing so could net you more than £100 in time for Christmas. Since 2013, the Current Account Switch Service has been helping customers switch bank accounts within seven working days. Your salary will automatically get paid into your new bank account, and all your direct debits and standing orders will get switched over as well. Any payments made to your old account will get redirected to your new one for at least three years. The process really is that simple and very little work is required on your part. To have a look at the best deals at the moment, MoneySavingExpert has you covered.
Monetise your skills
In the digital age, it’s become even easier to monetize our skills for a little bit of extra cash— welcome to the world of online freelancing. PeoplePerHour is an online freelancing platform that connects businesses with freelancers for a wide range of projects, from writing and design, to marketing and web development. It’s totally free to join and apply for jobs, but the platform will take a cut of each successful job. If you’re a bit more arts and craftsy, you could try selling your creations on Etsy instead. If you can find something that no one else is doing, you can rake in loads of cash.
Whether you follow one or all of our pieces of advice, you’ll be able to get some quick cash in time for the festive season. The beauty of these tips is that they’re not just for Christmas — they work all year round, which means they can help to generate extra income whenever you might need it!
