Tips like these helped us pay off $127K in debt. You can read our story in Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.
Christmas is quickly descending upon us. Let me be honest, my heart for you would be saving all year long so when December 25th rolls around (as it does every year), you’d have the funds to cash flow Christmas without any worries at all and no adverse effects on your checking account. However, especially if you’re in the process of paying off debt, I’m the first to recognize that it feels a little overwhelming to bless all those you love with gifts, decorate, and celebrate the season without borrowing. This year, promise yourself to celebrate a Debt Free Christmas and then let’s work together to find some strategies to help you make money for Christmas!
Sell Gold
Begin by looking for broken jewelry and gold items. Dig through the drawer and find that bracelet you know you’re not going to wear or the chain that snapped in two. DO NOT sell something precious or an heirloom you might regret in later days. I’m talking about looking for items that you have little connection to or no hopes in repairing. It’s wise to shop items around at the Cash for Gold places and even reputable jewelers. Each has their own rate and you want to maximize your time and money.
Sell Something Else
Granted, I’m guessing you don’t have the Hope Diamond laying around in your jewelry box or the time to dredge the ocean for that necklace the old lady threw into the depths at the end of Titanic. We never had a yacht or Ferrari to sell when we were paying off $127K but we did occasionally sell a few things to both pay off debt and purchase our kids gifts at Christmastime. Work your social media channels. Take great photos of everything from exercise equipment to books or apparel. Price things competitively, remembering that you’d like for the transaction to occur quickly. You can also certainly sell on Craigslist but might have a better response with someone you already know.
Transfer Prescriptions
My pharmacist friends (believe it or not, close to a dozen which is kind of weird) are going to hate me for this one. I know of specific instance where we transferred standing prescriptions to get the gift card for switching pharmacies. The gift card might be specific to the retailer connected to the pharmacy so keep in mind what you’d like to purchase at that destination when you select your pharmacy switch.
Cash in Reward Points
Do you collect reward points anywhere? From Pampers to Coke to Disney Movie Rewards to Kelloggs, the programs abound. At the beginning of December, cash out all of the reward programs you can. For years, at Christmas I worked Swagbucks like nobody’s business doing online searches and clipping coupons and watching videos to get enough Swagbucks for a $5 Amazon Gift Card (only 500!). Whatever your chosen reward program, get in there and cash out your “earnings” to use toward spending at Christmas.
Offer Christmas Baby Sitting Services
During the holiday season, parents are in need of one thing more than any other – time. Whether it’s a stolen moment for a quiet date night or the opportunity to do some shopping without tiny eyes prying, moms and dads need a safe place for their kiddos to play for a few hours. Offer a Christmas night in for kids. Plan special activities, watch a classic holiday film, bake cookies, cut snowflakes out of paper. The parents will feel like the kids have a deluxe experience and you can quickly make some cash.
What do you do to quickly scratch together quickly at Christmas time? What would you suggest others do? Leave a comment let me know!
Don’t forget to take the Debt Free Christmas Pledge before you order anything by accessing Queen of Free.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
[…] Want to begin filling this account? Check out How to Make Money for Christmas! […]