11 Ways to Make Easy Money Over Winter Break

It’s almost winter break, which is why it’s one of our favourite times of the year. (See: Why winter is the best season. You have the luxury of winter break, and you can make use of it in many ways. One way is to make some extra money to help you get through the spring semester.)

Every college student we know wants more money. With a little effort, you can turn a profit on your vacation. These are my top tips for making money during winter break.

11 Easy Ways to Make Money Over Winter Break

• Babysitting

This is a classic choice for college students and with good reason. Winter break is a time when many kids are not at school and most parents still need to work. This makes it an amazing opportunity for babysitting.

Babysitters who are good at looking after children can earn up to $30 per hour (rates will vary depending on where you live). It’s also great fun to spend time with the little ones! It’s a win-win situation. You will have fun and make some extra money.

If you don’t know of any families in need, you can post your services to local Facebook groups, Care.com and moms groups for your area. You may also find specific babysitting groups in your area on Facebook. Just do a search to see if you can find plenty of gigs.

• Shop Retail

Another classic. The best thing about these jobs is that they don’t require any retail experience. You’ll find signs advertising openings in your local shopping center or mall.

• Sell your stuff (or sell it for others!)

This is a favorite one, as it allows you to make a lot of money quickly. All you need is a good camera phone, and some eBay skills.

Minimalism is in. So go through your home and collect items that may have value. Then search for them on eBay. To see the actual selling price of your item and get a template to help you list it, try sorting by “completed listings”.

Once you are comfortable selling your items, you can list items for others and take a commission. 20-40% is the standard commission — keep in mind that eBay takes its own commission so you will need to pay that. There are many opportunities for older adults to sell items on eBay, but they don’t know how.

• Make use of your artistic talent

You can use your art and craft skills to sell your work. This is a great way to make extra income doing something you enjoy, whether you sell your goods at craft fairs or Etsy.

This one is all about you and your abilities. However, there are some options for selling printables. You can also make your own jewelry, personalized tumblers, and knitted or crocheted items.

• Get rid of your clutter

You probably have a lot of clothes that you don’t need anymore, just like many people. This winter, make a vow to get rid of them. You can list them online to enjoy more closet space and extra money.

• Shovel Snow

You can make money this winter break by shoveling snow if you live in colder climates. It’s even better to work with friends and get the whole community involved.

• Create a blog or an Instagram account

It’s a longer game, and the money you invest now may not be immediately repaid. If you are dedicated, this can be a great way to make extra income while doing what you love.

• Write for a living

You can freelance write during winter break if you are a writer but don’t plan to start your own blog. This gig is great because you can work from anywhere and whenever you want.

Contena and Problogger are great places to find gigs as a freelance writer.

• Pet-sit (or house sitting)

Many families go on extended vacations during the holidays, so there is a huge demand for housesitters and pet sitters. You can also advertise on Thumbtack or Rover if you are a pet lover. There are many websites that allow you to house sit such as Trusted House Sitters and House Sitters America. You can also post to the Facebook page of your city.

Another great tip is to advertise your services as a housesitter in a town or city you love (within driving distance). It’s almost like a vacation!

• Hold a garage sale

This is a great opportunity to work together with your family and friends. Garage sales are an easy way of making extra money. The holidays are also a great time for a house clean out to make space for your new items.

• Participate in Online Surveys

Although we don’t have time these days, it is a great go-to source of extra cash during winter break or whenever we had the opportunity.

Many online survey sites are looking for consumer opinions. They pay real money if you fill out the survey. Although you won’t make a lot of money from these surveys, it is a great way to help college students.