Expenses tend to spike towards the end of the year, starting from Halloween and through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year. This struggle can cause financial stress, especially if your “regular” budget is already stretched thin because of inflation.

But instead of worrying about money, which is exhausting and unproductive, think of solutions. Here are some ways to earn emergency holiday cash, so you have enough to cover both seasonal expenses and financial emergencies.

How To Get Emergency Holiday Cash This Season

Work Part-Time

Hotels, restaurants, and event organizers are all looking for extra help during the holidays. Luckily, their busiest hours are usually at night or on weekends, so you can sign up for shifts after your regular workday ends.

You can get hired even without prior experience since the jobs are relatively simple: service crew, assistants, drivers, backstage workers, etc. But if you have special skills relevant to the job, mention them in your resume—they may be willing to give you a higher salary, which means more emergency holiday cash.

Get A Job In Retail

Aside from the food and hospitality industry, the retail sector can be a goldmine for earning emergency holiday cash. On average, US malls and stores hire an additional 750,000 seasonal workers during the months leading up to Christmas, culminating in the Black Friday sale.

The best thing about retail jobs is that you don’t need prior experience, and you may even get additional employee discounts for your purchases. Call your local malls and stores to inquire about job openings since they won’t always post online ads.

Resell Things You Don’t Need (But Others Will Love)

There may be thousands of dollars worth of emergency holiday cash in your closet or attic right now:

• Clothes you never wear.
• Wedding gifts you never used.
• Old furniture that needs a little upcycling before it can be sold at a reasonable price.

You can resell items on big e-commerce sites like Amazon and eBay or go to specialty sites for specific items. For example:

• Old clothes, shoes, and accessories. ThredUP, Poshmark.
• Old furniture and home décor. Apartment Therapy Marketplace, LetGo, AptDeco, Sotheby’s Home.
• Electronics and gadgets. Decluttr, Gadget Gone, Gazelle, Gizmogo.
• Old toys and baby items. Toycycle, GoodBuy Gear.

Aside from raising emergency holiday cash, reselling items is good for the environment since less trash ends up in landfills.

Make And Sell Items

Are you good at cooking, sewing, crafting, or carpentry? Do people always say, “You’re so creative!” and praise what you make?

Look at your talent (ex: sewing) and then think of a product people would buy. Then turn this talent into a source of income to gain emergency holiday cash. You can go to places like Etsy to find out what’s trending or popular or ask friends and family for ideas or feedback.

Make a few items and do a test run before mass-producing so you can identify what sells and what customers want. Your search for emergency holiday cash may lead you to start a successful home business.

Take Odd Jobs

The holidays are a hectic time, and many people are willing to pay a lot for someone to help with errands or do odd jobs. These can include:

• Holiday errands like buying and wrapping gifts, delivering items.
• Cleaning and decorating the house.
• Shoveling snow.
• Pet sitting/House sitting /Babysitting.
• Driving individuals to events or driving them home after a party.

You can find job postings on Craigslist, SnagaJob, CoolWorks, and more. You can also check your local community papers or websites or go by word of mouth. For example, visit the neighborhood pet store and leave a poster that you offer pet sitting.

Look For Online Gigs

Thanks to the Internet, you can earn emergency holiday cash without leaving home. Sign up for freelancing sites like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer to find jobs like writing, video editing, translation, virtual assistant, web design, etc.

You will need to have a strong Internet connection and a computer, but other than that, the only thing you need to invest is your time and hard work.

Get An Emergency Installment Loan

If you need emergency holiday money ASAP (meaning today or tomorrow), selling items or getting a job may take too long.

In this case, you can get the money faster by applying for an emergency installment loan. At Delaware Title Loans, Inc., you can borrow up to $1,500 and pay it off in affordable monthly installments. Our application is easy, and our approval process is fast and simple. Here's how it works:

• Fill out the online form. The information is only used to contact you, so you don’t have to be put on hold or wait in line.
• Talk to a loan representative. They will explain how the installment loan works and see if you qualify.
• Visit the branch. Bring a driver’s license or state-issued ID, your most recent pay stub, and the latest statement from a checking account in your name.
• A loan representative will review your documents and ask you to sign a few forms. This whole process can take as little as 30 minutes.
• Get your cash. If your loan is approved, you will receive your emergency holiday cash on the same day or the following business day.

Don’t wait another minute. Delaware Title Loans, Inc. is here to help! Apply now today.

Enjoyed this article? We have plenty more tips on how to handle your money wisely during the holidays!

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.