5 Profitable Side Hustles to Make Extra Cash During the Holidays

The holiday season is a great time to pick up a side hustle to earn extra money. Many of these jobs are easy to start, don’t require long-term commitments, and pay well.

Here are five ways you can bring in more income during the holidays.
 

1. Gift Wrapping

Gift wrapping is in high demand during the holidays. People often look for creative or unique wrapping styles, and they are willing to pay for this service.

The average pay for gift wrappers in the U.S. is about $21 per hour, but those with more experience or eye-catching styles can earn over $50 an hour, especially through freelance platforms.
 

2. Waiting in Line or Running Errands

Many people are busy during the holidays and may pay others to wait in long lines or run errands for them. Platforms like Taskrabbit offer these types of jobs.

Waiting in line can pay about $27 per hour, running errands can pay around $32 per hour, and holiday cleaning can earn about $48 per hour.

These jobs become especially popular during the busy holiday shopping season.
 

3. Hanging Christmas Lights

Another way to earn extra money is by offering holiday decorating services such as hanging Christmas lights.

This job pays an average of $54 per hour, and some jobs can pay hundreds of dollars for just a couple of hours of work.

Most light-hanging jobs only require basic tools and a ladder and can be done solo or with a small team.
 

4. Making Gift Guides on Social Media

If you have at least 1,000 followers on social media, you can make extra cash by creating and sharing gift guides through affiliate partnerships.

When people use your links to buy products, you earn a small commission. Commission rates vary, but programs from major online retailers can pay from 0% up to 20% per sale.

Having at least 500 followers and posting original content is often enough to get started.
 

5. Dressing Up as Santa Claus

Dressing up as Santa Claus is a classic holiday job. It can include attending in-person events or making personalized holiday videos online.

In-person gigs for Santa typically pay about $60 per hour, while creating videos can sometimes allow you to earn even more per hour, especially during the peak season.

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