Blogging for Change

Earn more during the holidays

by Alexis Holloway on
12/1/2010
in Budgeting and Building Savings , Personal Finance

There are two ways to improve your financial situation: spend less or earn more. During the holiday season, however, when expenses tend to mount and no measure of frugality (like regifting or exchanging free printable gift certificates) will put your budget back in the black, earning more money may be your best option.

Consider some of the following ideas for supplementing your income this holiday season:

Work a second job. Holiday sales and Christmas shopping create an influx of consumers which can make retail locations border-line chaotic this time of year. This is a blessing for those looking to take on a part-time job since many stores need extra hands during the holiday season and look to hire part-time workers. While the rush of the holiday season will keep you busy, working retail offers perks like hours outside the typical 9 to 5 and employee discounts.

Show your value at your annual review. This time of year is when many companies work on budgeting and award merit increases and bonuses to employees. Preparing for your annual review can help showcase the value you bring to company and give your employer plenty of reasons why your work deserves an increase in salary. Before your review, make sure you have met all of your yearly goals and have the documentation to prove it. Emails from clients and coworkers praising your work as well as quantifiable measurements of how you have helped the company’s bottom line (for example, increasing sales by 10 percent) can tout your value to the company.

Sell assets. People are always interested in a getting a good deal, but they are especially interested in finding good deals during the holidays. If you need to earn some extra money, consider selling things you no longer need or use in a garage sale. For more valuable or specialty items that you are interested in selling, the online marketplace may be the best option for finding interested buyers and striking a deal that suites both you and the buyer.

Opportunities to earn extra income are available if you are willing to recognize them and take action. For more ideas on how to increase your income, check out MMI’s Earn More resources.

Alexis Holloway is a former copywriter and e-Commerce Coordinator for MMI.

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