Between gifts, food, hosting, and decorating, a lot of money is changing hands during the holiday season. You can make that work to your advantage by offering a product or service that people are willing to pay for to ease their holiday stress. Here are seven holiday side hustles that can put cash in your pocket quickly:
Baking & Catering
Food is an essential part of many holiday traditions, but whipping up delicious dishes and baked goods takes time. With everything else going on, many people would be happy to outsource this work. If you love cooking elaborate meals or painstakingly decorating scrumptious cookies, offer up your services. Make sure to check on your local food regulations first. Caterers may charge between $15-$120 per person depending on the type of catering. Don’t forget to account for the cost of food and supplies as well as your time when you are setting your rates.
Decorating
We all love a beautifully decorated house, but it can take hours of drudgery to achieve that joyful look. You can take that work off of someone else’s hands by putting up lights and decorating doors, walkways, mantles, and trees. Rates can vary widely depending on the type of decorating and the cost of materials, but charging $30/hr for the decorating service would be on the low end.
Cleaning
When company is coming, people have extra motivation to want a clean house. Even those who wouldn’t normally spring for housekeeping may be tempted. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, there could be some cash in it for you. A house cleaner could charge $20-$50/hr for a regular cleaning or $40-$100/hr for deep cleaning.
Organizing
The New Year is a prime time for people to start on their organizing goals. If your idea of fun is pulling everything out of your closet for to purge and reorganize it, there are a lot of people out there who could benefit from your skillset. The average professional organizer makes $30/hr.
Babysitting
‘Tis the season for holiday parties, and that means more childcare opportunities. You can make some quick cash by babysitting during those parents’ nights out over the holiday season. To find clients, talk to your neighbors, post on care websites and apps, or join local Facebook groups geared around the topic. One-off babysitting rates can run between $15-$30/hr depending on your location.
Dishwashing
One of the dreaded holiday chores after a big meal is the cleanup. The host is likely tired from prepping and running the event. The last thing they want to do is deal with the dishes. You can provide dishwashing services to keep up with the dishes during an event and make sure the host doesn’t have to lift a sponge after it’s over. As a dishwasher, you could charge $20-$30 per hour or set a flat fee for the event.
Sell Your Craft
People are always looking for unique gifts during this time of year. If you have a skill or craft that could make a good gift, set up a holiday Etsy shop or find local craft fairs to sell in person. The price you charge will depend on what you are selling, but you should set a price that accounts for both the cost of materials and your time.
