Making money for Christmas

@Humbug25 (12540)
August 29, 2010 9:19am CST
Christmas can be an expensive old time especially for me with 3 boys as I am on my own. I am selling what I can on ebay at the moment, getting some online surveys done and of course spending time on mylot just trying to make present buying a bit easier on my purse. I would love to be able to make stuff and sell it on ebay but really don't have a clue where to start, what could I make that is quick, easy and cheap to do? What do you do to make extra pennies for Christmas? Do you make things to sell on ebay?
6 people like this
27 responses
@nrn2003 (661)
• United States
30 Aug 10
I am glad that you are online doing these things to help to pay for your christmas holiday. Are these additional things other than a full or part time job? I would recommend that you do these things plus try to find some steady employment. Also remember that christmas is important holiday for children, but you dont have to spend a million dollars per child. Give them a few meaningful gifts a piece and help them to understand what the holiday is truly all about. Money and toys cannot buy love and fulfillment in life. Have a wonderful luck in making additional money online. I am working hard at it as well. I hope that you can fulfill your goal.
@Humbug25 (12540)
31 Aug 10
Hi there nrn2003 Thank you for your support and understanding. I am a single full time mum so it would do me no justice to my financial situation to get a part time job to be honest. I would have to pay for childminding and all sorts and would probably be worse off! I would love to start a buisness up selling stuff on ebay but have no clue what I could make or buy to sell. Thanks for your response
@Memnon (2170)
31 Aug 10
Christmas clip art - Christmas clip art main page
I work nigh shifts, so during my down time I'll visit sites like myLot and survey sites. Several pf them pay out at different earning levels - £10- £50 or vouchers. So far this year I have built up about £60 in my Amazon account, and vouchers from other sites amounting to nearer £80. I will expect to have possibly £50 in Paypal from here by Christmas. None of it's a fortune, but it all helps! Here's an index if you are interested.... http://www.internetpaidsurveys.com/
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
31 Aug 10
Hi there Memnon Blimey £50 from mylot? What on earth am I doing wrong then haha Thanks for your response
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
1 Sep 10
Still that is a fair amount and not easy to reach! Mind you, you did say by Christmas you should have that, so that is a fair target to reach but not without the worn fingers!!
@Memnon (2170)
1 Sep 10
Boohoo! £50 from myLot. That should have been $50: bit of a difference. And some worn fingers!
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
29 Aug 10
happily, all my family is now grown, and clothes are an acceptable gift, so I get ready made clothes and then stitch something cool on them, I've already got most of my gifts made...
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
29 Aug 10
probably doesn't hurt that for last Christmas I got gift cards for a place I never shop at, so I went there and got clothes for the family with the xmas presents and had them made by March!
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@Humbug25 (12540)
29 Aug 10
Hi there ElicBxn Wow you really are on the ball then huh? Well done you! Thanks for your response
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@chillpill90 (1936)
29 Aug 10
I am also selling things on ebay but books at the moment. What you could try and do is make like some xmas cards at home and sell them online. Or just some normal cards as these could be easy and not expensive to make as long as you are creative you could make these and sell them for a profit.
1 person likes this
29 Aug 10
Alternatively you could try selling avon stuff, or if you want you could try selling mobile phones and get paid on commission if your interested message me and i can send you the information you need for this.
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
29 Aug 10
Hi chillpill90 Yeah Avon is a good thing to get into the only trouble is that there are at least 4 reps that I know of in this town and it is a small town!! Thanks for the offer of selling phones, will give it some thought Thanks for your response
@oldchem1 (8132)
29 Aug 10
I help Santa by helping him out sending personalised replies to children! This will be my ninth year doing it and I have loads of orders each from the same names.
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@Humbug25 (12540)
29 Aug 10
Hey oldchem1 What do you mean you help santa? Does he not send out all those replies himself haha. I would love to know more about that could you pm me with some info? That would be great, thanks. Thanks for your response
• United States
29 Aug 10
That sounds like so much fun. Is there a company that you work for that pays you to do this. I'm a huge Christmas fan and would love doing something like that!
1 person likes this
@oldchem1 (8132)
29 Aug 10
It is actually my own company - Oldchem's Santa Letters -= this is my 9th year of doing the letters and the orders come in from past customers each year. There is a link to my website on my profile page. And naturally I am only helping the big man with the adminstration side of the mail - he likes to keep his eye on the whole procedure!
• Canada
29 Aug 10
I'm doing this as well. My money problems will be starting in a few weeks if I can't find a job by then. And I will be relying on my online earnings to help me out. I will be saving them for Christmas too.. Actually I have more of a problem than just that. First comes my boyfriends birthday, then right after that it's Christmas, then comes my mom's birthday, then Valentines day.. That sounds like a lot of money troubles all lined up for me.
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
29 Aug 10
Hi for3verfamous And I thought I had problems haha! One of son's birthdays is straight after Christmas too and then March hits which is a really busy month for me but at least I get February to take a breather! Good luck in finding a job and earning some cash too. Thanks for responding
• Canada
29 Aug 10
Lucky you! I get no breather, I just get hit with 2 birthdays and 2 holidays if I can call them that.. And I just remembered 2 of my good friends birthdays are in January as well. This is going to be a bad year.
@34momma (13882)
• United States
30 Aug 10
i am not the creative type when it comes to making things. What I am doing to make more money is working with the website I create Road2Freedom.ws. I launched it back in june and so far it's doing pretty well. I think there are plenty of ways to make extra money. you have to first either see what other people are doing and join them, or if you are a creative person make something and get out there and push it! As a mother of three I totally understand where you are coming from!
@Humbug25 (12540)
31 Aug 10
Hi 34momma So what is Road2Freedom all about then? I am happy that it is going well for you and hope you have continued success with it. Thanks for your response
@Bd200789 (2994)
• United States
2 Sep 10
I'm trying to do some stuff online. I'm not having u=much luck with it though,
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
2 Sep 10
Hi ya Bd200789 Neither am I haha Thanks for your response
• Jamaica
31 Aug 10
Hi humbug, that suggestion about Avon was a good one. I live in a small area as well but I still have a few clients. What I do is save all the profit and then buy my christmas and birthday gifts from Avon when they have sales. It works out. A cousin of mine, with her nose in the air, when I asked her if she was interested in Avon said, 'I never buy Avon' At Christmas she came to me and said, ' Where did you get that lovely cologne you gave my son, it really smells nice' With a big grin om my face I said 'From Avon'.
@Humbug25 (12540)
31 Aug 10
Hi carol2532001 and welcome to mylot Yes it is a very good suggestion about Avon and buy regularly from my own rep! Hahaha will have to stop for a while though to save some money haha. I am glad you had the upper hand with your cousin haha Thanks for your response
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
31 Aug 10
Nothing. I don't like Americanized Christmas. Christmas was supposed to be a day we celebrate the love of G-d for us. A time when we celebrated our families, and hung out together, talking and eating, and playing games. Now because most families are broken, we see Christmas, more of being about gift giving, and trying to makeup for the lack of having a real family. And now getting the almighty gift, is more important than the love of G-d for us. My own story is not much better. For a number of years I was flat broke. I made some mistakes, and I simply didn't have any money. So I couldn't buy presents for people. It wasn't that I didn't want to, I simply couldn't. Well, my parents jumped on that. My mother actually said "well you are part of the family, so you have to get gifts". Suddenly borrowing money I didn't have, to buy gifts I couldn't afford, to give to people who didn't need them... was now a matter of being part of the family or not. What a pathetic American holiday. As if they couldn't make things worse, when I still didn't buy any gifts, my parents bought gifts for me, put my name on them, and gave them to people. Now I had the humiliating situation of having people go "oh wow! What a great gift! Where did you find that? How much was it?". Of course I had no answer, because I didn't even know what the gift was, that had my name on it. No, I don't hate Christmas. I hate American Christmas. I hate the stupid appearances, and 'looking the part' without actually being the part. I hate the 'we gotta get people what they want' deal. Since when do you take orders for gifts, like a short-order cook at a fast food joint? A gift is a gift, not a menu item request. I've already decided that when my parents pass away, there will be no more American Christmas for me. Too fake. I want something real. Hopefully you don't have the same problem in the UK.
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
31 Aug 10
Hi andy77e Well firstly I think my family are a lot more understanding than yours! LOL My family would so understand if I had made them a gift because I really couldn't afford to buy any. I wouldn't not be able to give them a gift of some discription but it would be of little value in the monatary sense. I never ask people what they would like for Christams either because I will not bow to their demands and they usually ask for something ridiculous anyway! I always go all out to get a good gift for my mother because she is great and I like to get my kids something decent. for the rest of my family and friends I will go as cheap as I have to! Thanks for your response
@RachelleNH (1396)
• United States
30 Aug 10
I really should be thinking about it myself..I'm also a single mom of 2...it can get expensive and hard to do! I do the surveys, mypoints, mylot..whatever I can to pull it all together LOL I don't make things to sell on ebay..we usually sell whatever I think is worthy..but it's been rare that I do. I was thinking about it..you could do homemade soaps-but there are so many doing that-you'd have to set yourself apart..how about a flavor like Chocolate mint? Something unique. Jewelry is also and idea if you're good at it. I'm out of ideas now-hope it helps
@Humbug25 (12540)
31 Aug 10
Hi ya RachelleNH Hmm soap that sounds like a good idea or even candles. I am in the UK and could check out the market for such like. Thanks for the ideas, am going to look into it Thanks for your helpful response
• United States
30 Aug 10
Try looking at the following sites for ideas: http://www.satisfiedscrapbooking.com and http://www.satisfiedscrapbookingblog.com. There are free sites to download projects and sites where you can purchase inexpensive items. The blog lists great ideas. Hope that this helps!
@Humbug25 (12540)
31 Aug 10
Hi ya supergrandma49 Thanks for the suggestion I will look into them. Thanks for your response
@deve_annrn (1856)
• Philippines
30 Aug 10
i love to start saving some pennies in order for me to get each on my six siblings and parents a Christmas present.., U don't do any ebay earnings but i am starting to find any ways of earning both online and offline.. Hope to earn enough to bring smiles on the most important people of my life..=)
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
31 Aug 10
Hi ya deve_annrn Thats alot of faces to put smiles on huh? Good luck with search for earnings off and online. Thanks for your response
• India
30 Aug 10
Christmas is big festival: yes that is very big festival for all world christians . that day all very happy in face
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
30 Aug 10
Hello again jayapal025 Yes it is a big festival for Christians but how do you prepare for it financially?
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
29 Aug 10
hi humbug why do I k eep getting all my responses removed here grrrrrrrrrrrrrr I started to say make one of a kind jewelery and sell it on ebay which would be easy if you are artistic, greeting cards are another seller and easy to do too. I am not a bit craftymyslef s so it would not do for me at all. I like to make what I call care packages for friends for chirstmas with their favorite food stuffs in them, each varies according to the persons likes and dislikes.
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
29 Aug 10
Hi Hatley I have a friend who has just started making jewellery and I would be interested in doing that and she might be able to show me how. I want to know how to make rugs out of rags so I can give them as gifts or even sell them if they are easy and quick to make but again I need to find out how. I have made up care packages too I love making them for my mum because I know just what she likes which helps!! Thanks for your response
@JOIEMARVIC (2335)
• Philippines
30 Aug 10
I am also trying and working really hard to be able to save funds for Christmas. I would really want to buy a sofa set for my mother. She has been asking me to buy her a new one since I started working. I would like to give her that gift this year. I know my online earnings will not be enough to buy her this item so I am working ovetime at my day job to be able to save for it. Our sofa has been with us for already 10 years, my mother really deserves a new one. I am also planning to repaint our house so I really have to save a lot. I am pretty sure my parents would be really happy with this Christmas gift. I hope I raise enough funds to do so.
@Humbug25 (12540)
30 Aug 10
Hi there JOIEMARVIC Wow that is a lot to do to save there and what a nice gift to give and I do wish you all the best to bring for you what you want to give your parents for Christmas. Thanks for your response
• Philippines
30 Aug 10
I know, ber months are already here and I can already how big my expenses would be this coming christmas holidays. Generally during these months, I try to be more active in my online stuff, I try to work longer hours just to be more active, cause I really need the extra cash. Hehehe. And I do hope to reward myself big this coming Christmas so I need to work hard. I have never really tried selling on ebay, only because I really don't have anything to sell. Hehehe.
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
30 Aug 10
Hi there Ingkingderders You'll be surprised what you have lying around that you could sell on ebay, things you no longer need or want but someone else is looking for! Thanks for your response
@babyEj (1522)
• Philippines
30 Aug 10
Wow! I do a lot here in mylot to earn a little penny for Christmas. I love Christmas and I hope I'll have a piece of gift to everybody around me. I also do my blogs as often as possible .
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
30 Aug 10
Hi babyEj I don't really understand about blogs and how you make money from them. Thanks for responding
@akopoaysi (739)
• Philippines
30 Aug 10
my friend bakes brownies during holiday season. she makes quite good from it. :)
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
30 Aug 10
Hi there akopoaysi That does sound like a good idea, shame I am a rubbish cook! haha Thanks for your response
• India
30 Aug 10
amazon: this is forest .it have inside so many animals and birds and ancient human means red mans
1 person likes this
@Humbug25 (12540)
30 Aug 10
Hi jayapal025 I am sorry but I really have no clue what you are talking about and what relavence it has to my discussion! Thanks for your response though