Christmas is right around the corner and I think we are all feeling that way with the large dump of snow we have had today in the Okanagan.
Today we want to get you to start thinking about a Christmas budget and with COVID this year some of us may have less income coming in than we are used. If you don’t celebrate the Christmas then this blog can help in ways to increase other areas of your budget.
We are going to give you 5 ways to MAKE SOME EXTRA MONEY
- Sell household Items that you no longer need or want.
All the purging and cleaning you might have done during COVID, do may have a pile somewhere you still need to sell or get rid of? Go to your local buy and sell or Facebook Marketplace and list any items for sale you may no longer need. Even if you get $20 it is something to go towards your budget.
- Sell Clothing or Jackets
Go through your winter clothes do you have anything you didn’t wear or don’t feel good wearing and it is still hanging in your closet. Give that item to someone who will enjoy it and wear it. Don’t feel guilty if you have bought it not worn it (maybe it still has tags on it). Give yourself permission to let it go and get rid of the guilt. Trust me you will feel better once you do!
- Sell Seasonal Items
Go through any Halloween or Christmas decorations that you don’t use or need any longer. For example, I just decorated my front door with my 13-year-old son and we have three bins of Halloween decorations for outside. We used to purchase on new item a year for decorating and my oldest is 16 so that tells you how we got to three bins. While decorating this year we used one bin and it looks great. So, I asked my son what do you think about getting rid of the other two bins he said “lets do it Mom this is all we need we are all grown up”. I had been holding on to all this stuff thinking the kids wanted it but all I needed was their permission to let it go.
- Trade a Service
Do you have a skill you can trade with someone else to save money? Maybe you have a neighbor that is an amazing baker but they need help shoveling the driveway or yard work. Think about a trade it might be worth it if you can get some Christmas baking. Another example, maybe you have a friend that is a photographer and they need some up with something such as social media and you can trade services. Don’t be afraid to approach someone if you think you have something they need and vice versa. It can help to save on your budget by not spending extra and just using some of your time.
- Change Jar and Bottle/Can Returns
Well most of us have somewhere we have a stash of loose change. Go to the dollar store get some rollers and take that change to the bank. This could be $5-$100 added to your budget.
Bottles and cans well we all can accumulate these and taking them to the bottle recycle facility can get you come extra money for sure in the budget. See how much you get that can start you off in saving for that expense time of year.
Happy Selling! Keep checking the website for future blogs on productivity, holiday budgeting, things to do during the holiday that cost very little!