Need quick cash for the holidays?

The calendar is slowly meandering its way towards Christmas, but it is a well-known fact that the closer it gets to the holiday, the more quickly the time evaporates.

You may have made your shopping list- but have you fully decided how you are going to pay for all these shiny new things? While your intentions may be great, your funding may be a little short.

Leave that plastic in your wallet. With a little ingenuity you might be able to drum up a pre-holiday cash injection.

Your trash, their treasure

What do you have that someone else might want? Set to purging your home of unwanted goods, and you can get the cash flow going.

Pay particular attention to toys (toy sets are great at this time of year), sporting equipment, gently used furniture and outdoor clothing that is in good shape. Perhaps you can help someone else get their holiday shopping done at the same time.

Jewellery can be great as well, but make sure know what it is worth before you sell it- you don’t want to undercut yourself.

Cash in Gift Cards

While they may have been intended for you, you can use gift cards to buy presents for others. While this doesn’t actually put cash in your wallet, it doesn’t take it out of it either.

Seasonal Work

If you can fit in a part-time job, this is the season to do it. Stores and services everywhere ramp up for the holiday season, and will hire help on a short-term (or even one-time) basis.

Beyond the retailers, check out some service industries, like catering and florists- all who could use an extra pair of hands right now.

Paper Route

Paper routes are not just for your ten-year-old neighbour. In fact, newspapers (and flyer distributors) are all about grownups with wheels who can pick the papers up (and who are reliable).

I have a friend who does this year round, walking her way through the neighbourhood. She discovered she could combine earning a little extra cash with exercise. Talk about budgetary and time management!