3 ways to earn an extra $500 for the holidays

(NerdWallet) - The holiday season can add up. On average, shoppers are expected to spend a record $902 per person on holiday purchases this year, according to the National Retail Federation. Holiday expenses include gifts, food, decorations and other seasonal items.

It’s important to set a reasonable budget for holiday spending. If you’re worried extra expenses will exceed your income, it might be time to cut back. Alternatively, you can try to find a side gig that’ll net you an extra 500 bucks.

Here are some ways to make extra money.

1. Work as a seasonal sales associate

An influx of consumer spending means retail stores need help this time of year. If you have the time, energy and interest, you can seek a gig as a seasonal sales associate. It's a part-time job, but you can still call it a side hustle, especially if your main hustle is going to school, taking care of the family or working a full-time job.

At the time of this writing, we found lots of openings nationwide. One example is a seasonal sales associate with Burlington Stores in Brooklyn, New York. It’s posted as part-time, seasonal work that pays $16 per hour. We also spotted an opportunity to work at a Levi Strauss & Co store in Seattle, Washington for up to $21 per hour.

At $16 an hour, you’ll need to put in 32 hours of work to hit the $500 mark — before taxes. But hey, you may like the customer interaction.

2. Become a gig delivery driver

Delivery gigs aren’t known for high pay, but driving for a service like DoorDash or Instacart is an accessible way to earn extra money. If you meet basic qualifications and have access to a vehicle, you could be delivering and earning before Christmas.

According to Glassdoor, the average pay range is between $22 and $33 per hour for a DoorDash Driver and between $19 and $27 per hour for an Instacart delivery driver. That sounds pretty good until you ask someone who’s given these gigs a shot.

I, your Nerdy writer, signed up and tried driving for both services as part of NerdWallet’s Side Hustle Stress Test series and didn’t quite hit the Glassdoor averages. I averaged just over $13 per hour driving for DoorDash and just under $11.50 per hour as an Instacart full-service shopper. In my defense, I didn’t do either gig long enough to master the method.

Let’s say you’re more efficient than me and can pull in $20 per hour doing delivery gig work this holiday season. You could hit $500 in 25 hours. But don’t forget about gas, wear and tear on your car, and the taxes you’ll pay as an independent contractor.

3. Start your freelance business

Go a big step further and start the online freelance business you’ve always wanted.

Julexy Lopez jumped into her side business back in 2016. She’s a graphic designer by trade and leverages the skills she uses daily to offer design work and email campaign management on the freelance marketplace Fiverr. While it took time to build her client base, it’s turned into a steady stream of side money.

“On average, I can count on at least $500 a month,” she says. “It’s money that I can use for savings or to splurge on that extra thing here and there.”

Soraya Ivette, a content marketing strategist who offers services on Fiverr, started freelancing part-time when she was home with her young children.

“It allowed me to have extra spending money and contribute to the household income,” she said in an email interview.

Ivette said she earned $20,000 in her first year and that her income has only increased in the time since.

“I believe it’s absolutely possible to earn between $500 and $1,000 monthly. With an optimized profile and skill you can start making $500 within your first month or two,” she said.

Keep in mind that freelance marketplaces like Fiverr, Upwork and Freelancer.com take a cut of each transaction. You can also find clients on your own. For example, Ivette uses her public-facing business website as another avenue to connect with clients.

Other ways to earn extra money this holiday season

Other ways to earn extra bucks are less prescriptive, but readily available.

Sell unwanted items from around the house: Apps like OfferUp and Facebook (for Facebook Marketplace) make it easy to post and sell stuff in your local community. Popular items to offload include furniture, video game consoles, computers and headphones. If you find the right items and put some effort into your listing, you might be able to put $100 in your pocket with one or two sales.

Take family portraits for holiday cards: Do you have a DSLR or mirrorless camera, a good lens and an eye for design? You could take family portraits for pay. Start with your own friends and family for less pressure on your first couple gigs. According to online task and service platform Airtasker, photographers can charge between $75 and $600 for family photo shoots. You may want to offer the friends and family discount for the first couple shoots.

Do odd jobs in your community: Online platforms like Airtasker and Taskrabbit can connect you to paying gigs for all sorts of local jobs. One seasonal example is raking leaves. According to Taskrabbit’s website, taskers on the platform provide yardwork services starting at $30 per hour. Other odd jobs can include cleaning houses, decorating for parties and assembling furniture.

While the idea of starting a side hustle is alluring, making it happen can be elusive. Don’t feel bad if things don’t pan out this season. Finding ways to save money can be as effective as earning a little more.

Also, the $902 holiday spending estimate is just that. Win the season by spending less.