Christmas is right around the corner and while it is a joyous time with lots of festive fun with family and friends. As amazing as it is, it can also be a bit stressful because well…gifts add up. I would love to be able to buy the nicest gifts for every person in my life but sometimes my heart says yes and my wallet says “dream on”.
But it doesn’t have to be that way! Especially in the glorious age of the internet. The days of having to go out and get a second job to fund Christmas (or even vacations!) are gone if you have the determination it takes to dive in and keep going.
There are so many ways to make money from the comfort of your own home. As long as you have a computer and a good wifi connection, you have the essentials to get started. I know this because I did it myself! Back in 2019 I took my digital skills and grew a business from home (while nursing a baby or two) and replaced my income completely so I was able to quit my job.
Read about how exactly I did that here!
Needless to say, I know what it takes to make real money from home that can help you pay for Christmas, vacation, your mortgage, groceries, or even enough to entirely replace your income, and in this post, I’m sharing the top 5 ways to do it right now.
1. Become a Freelancer
Freelancing will always be my top recommendation for anyone looking to start a business or wondering how to make money from home. Why? It has the lowest start-up costs and you can start making real money pretty dang quick. When I started, I made enough to replace my full time income in less than 6 months. If you are just looking for some quick extra Christmas money, you can make that in less than a month if you buckle down and get it done.
As a freelancer, you offer online skills to businesses that need help. Some examples of skills that businesses are ready and willing to pay serious money for include virtual assistant work, copywriting, graphic design, podcast management, ads management, Pinterest management, social media management, or even online business management. The list goes on and on. You can get a free copy of my giant list of high-paying premium services you can offer as a freelancer here.
One of the best parts of being a freelancer is that you choose your prices and your hours. Decide how much you want to make and create a portfolio for free in Canva that showcases what you can do and how much you charge for it. When talking to businesses online (in Facebook groups or on LinkedIn), you can send them your portfolio and start a conversation with them about how they can work with you.
Once you have talked to the potential client and they think you’re a good fit, it’s time to send a contract, invoice for your services (how you’ll get paid), and get to work. It really is that simple!
2. Start an Etsy Shop
Etsy is a booming online platform where you can sell handmade items. These items can be physical or digital. When it comes to making extra money for Christmas, digital products are a great option because they cost little to no money to create and you can sell them on Etsy on repeat without having to handle inventory or shipping.
I have experience with an Etsy shop and make extra cash selling digital printables for kids. There are many things you can offer on Etsy that don’t require you to create a physical product.
Here are some digital product ideas that sell great on Etsy:
- Digital planners
- Print-on-demand t-shirts or bags (you create the design and send it to a dropshipping company like Printify to print and ship the item)
- Homeschool curriculum
- Budgeting spreadsheets
- Social media templates
- Portfolio templates
- Website templates for different platforms
- Business cards
- Digital journals and workbooks
- Kids printable crafts and activities
- Media kit templates
- Birthday printables
- Coloring pages
Almost all of these ideas can be created in Canva. If it’s a template, you just need to upload a PDF with the template link that the customer will receive when they purchase. For print-on-demand items, you can integrate your Etsy shop so that when someone purchases a t-shirt, for example, Printify automatically gets the order and prints and ships it to your customer based on the design you created.
When it comes to Etsy, you have to remember that using the right keywords and tags in your listing will help it get seen by others. You can also promote your products on social media or Pinterest to get more shoppers. It’s also always wise to utilize current trends or holidays!
If you are ready to start your own Etsy shop, you can use this link to get your first 40 listings for free!
3. Start Promoting Products on the TikTok Shop
Love it or hate it, people are making some serious money on TikTok Shop. If you don’t know what it is, it’s essentially when you share a product you love on TikTok while including a link to your product so people can buy it. Each time they buy something, you can earn a commission from what they buy.
It’s no secret that you can get a lot of visibility to whatever you are promoting on TikTok, so if you have a TikTok that goes viral that a lot of people end up purchasing from, you have the chance of making serious money.
Keep in mind, in order to be accepted into the TikTok shop, you have to have at least 5000 followers. This may sound a little scary, but compared to other platforms, it is easier to grow your following on TikTok. Just focus on creating content that provides value or entertains and always use good lighting!
4. Create a Digital Product
Digital products are huge right now, and for a good reason! You can create something that can be sold online over and over without having to maintain any inventory, physical products, or shipping. When your customer purchases your item, they receive a digital download instantly. You can create your product for free in Canva and sell it for any price you see fit. Here are some examples of profitable digital products you can create:
- E-books
- Courses
- Planners
- Workbooks
- Guides
- Templates (website, social media, business, etc.)
This is similar to products you can sell on Etsy, but it is delivered differently. You can create your own shop (website or even Stanstore) where people can purchase. This is beneficial because you have control over everything, and you don’t have to worry about any changes or rules like you do on Etsy. You host your own product and handle all of the marketing.
When it comes to helping people find your stuff, you want to market market market! Use Pinterest and social media like Instagram and TikTok to get more eyes on your product.
The income potential for creating your digital product and selling it from your own website is generally a lot higher than using websites like Etsy.
Wondering what to sell? Follow your passion! Make sure it addresses a pain point that people will pay to solve and show them how to solve it. It is more work upfront, but the income potential is off the charts.
5. Start a Coaching Program
Do you have a specific skill or knowledge that people really need help with? Don’t want to do freelancing or create digital products? Coaching might be for you. A coach is a mentor who supports, educates, and motivates their clients.
You can create a group or one-on-one coaching program around your area of expertise. Are you a business expert? You can be a business coach. Are you an expert in health and fitness? People hire health coaches all the time. Great at giving life advice? Life coaching may be perfect for you. Note, some coaches need specific certifications or qualifications so make sure to research what you want to do to make sure you do it right!
When it comes to income, coaches can make great money if they book out their services. The sky’s the limit!
I hope you found this post inspiring and that you are able to jump in and start making money! I know how amazing it is to relax and actually enjoy your holidays because you have done all of your shopping and don’t have to worry. These side hustles that you can do from home are the perfect way to make some extra cash and enjoy your holidays!
If you want to learn more about how you can make money from home as a stay-at-home mom, check out my post here all about services you can offer from your computer.
