Ways to Get Extra Holiday Cash for Gifts - Money Tip Tuesday

The holidays can be financially stressful, especially if you’re starting your holiday gift shopping but aren’t confident you’ll have enough to cover for what you’re planning to buy.  Luckily, there are still some things you can do to get some extra money for holiday gifts.  

Links:

• Try exploring some of the many places to sell items online like Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, OfferUp for ideas on what and how to sell
• Check out Triangle's Holiday Cash personal loan for low rate holiday borrowing
• Follow our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages!
• Learn more about Triangle Credit Union

Transcript:

Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast.  

If you haven’t been saving money over the past year for your holiday gift fund you need to start thinking about how you’re planning to pay for this year’s gift giving.  

If you’re looking for a few ways to bring in some extra money this season, here are a few ideas you can try. 

The first thing you can do is find some things around your home to sell online. If you have stuff hanging around that you don’t use anymore, try selling what you can on one of the many online selling platforms. With Ebay, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp and more, you could list your items and bring in some extra cash. Some of the most resalable items include home gym and workout equipment, sports memorabilia, Disney themed items, Star Wars themed items, designer clothing and handbags, Legos and popular kids' toys.  Look around to see if you have any unused items in good condition and you could make a little money from.  

Another thing you can do to make some extra cash for the holidays is pick up a part-time job or a side gig. Many companies are known to hire people for help during the holiday season. If you have some free weeknights or weekends, you can try getting a temporary position at one of these stores to bring in some extra cash for holiday gifts. If you’re up for something with a little more independence you could also consider a side gig like driving for Uber or Door Dash. These are flexible jobs where you have the freedom to pick up extra work on your own time.  

Another way to get extra cash is you can see about picking up some overtime at your work. If your company offers overtime for employees, working a few extra hours could be the perfect way to bring in enough additional cash to cover your gift expenses. Overtime is great because you’ll be paid more per hour so check with your company and see if that is an option for you. 

Another, pretty simple way to find money for gifts is to use your credit card points. If you’ve been building up credit card points all year trade them in for cash or other rewards that could help you purchase items. One of my cards lets me use points directly on Amazon so when I go to check out, I apply those points and save money immediately.  

A final thing you can do is borrow some money from a bank or credit union. Many financial institutions provide promotional personal loan programs with lower rates so you can borrow money specifically for the holiday season. At Triangle we offer our very popular Holiday Cash personal loan which is a great option to borrow enough money for any kind of holiday expense.  

If there are any other tips or topics, you’d like us to cover, let us know at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org.  Like and follow our Making Money Personal FB and IG page and look for our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union on social media to share your thoughts.  

Thanks for listening to today’s Money Tip Tuesday and be sure to check out our other tips and episodes on the Making Money Personal podcast.  

Have a great day!