7 side hustles you could start before Christmas to earn extra money
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From homemade Christmas gifts and weekend market stalls to baking and pet sitting, these seven side hustles could help boost your festive budget, with a clever way to get paid using just your phone.
With Christmas fast approaching and household budgets under pressure, the prospect of earning a little extra money in the run-up to the festive season is particularly appealing.
But you don't necessarily need to find a second job, invest thousands of pounds or even leave your home to start bringing in some extra cash.
From homemade gifts to weekend market stalls, there are plenty of ways to turn an existing hobby or skill into a small money-making venture.
And thanks to technology that allows you to accept card payments using just your smartphone, getting paid for your efforts could be simpler than you imagine.
Here are seven ideas worth considering.
1. Bake cakes, brownies and Christmas treats
If friends and family regularly praise your baking, why not see whether other people would pay for it?
Brownie boxes, decorated cupcakes, festive biscuits and homemade Christmas cakes could all appeal to customers looking for something special.
You could start by taking advance orders before exploring Christmas fairs or local markets.
Remember that selling food from home generally requires registering your food business with your local authority at least 28 days before trading, as well as meeting relevant food safety requirements.
2. Make Christmas decorations and personalised gifts
Handmade decorations, personalised baubles, wreaths and Christmas table centrepieces could be popular with shoppers looking for something different.
Craft fairs and festive markets offer opportunities to showcase your creations, while social media can help you reach potential customers.
Start with a small selection rather than spending a fortune on materials before you know what sells.
3. Sell unwanted clothes and vintage finds
Most of us have clothes, shoes or accessories gathering dust in cupboards.
Selling unwanted belongings through second-hand marketplaces is one way to raise extra cash, while people with an eye for fashion might consider sourcing vintage pieces to resell.
Just remember that regularly buying items specifically to resell for a profit can have different tax implications from simply clearing out your wardrobe.
4. Turn your gardening skills into extra income
Autumn brings plenty of jobs that homeowners might be happy to pay somebody else to tackle.
Leaf clearing, garden tidying and preparing outdoor spaces for winter could provide opportunities for anyone with the necessary equipment and experience.
You could begin by offering your services locally, ensuring you have appropriate insurance and understand any requirements for the work you're undertaking.
5. Make handmade candles, jewellery or gifts
If you enjoy making things, Christmas offers an opportunity to find customers for your creations.
Handmade jewellery, knitted accessories, soaps and scented candles are all possibilities for a small craft business.
Check the relevant product safety rules before selling, particularly for candles and cosmetics.
6. Offer pet sitting or dog walking
Pet owners heading away over Christmas may need somebody reliable to look after their animals.
Dog walking and pet sitting could suit people who love animals and have spare time during evenings or weekends.
However, some activities, particularly boarding dogs in your own home, require licences, so check the rules before offering services.
7. Set up a weekend Christmas market stall
For anyone who already makes or sells products, a local Christmas market could be an opportunity to reach new customers.
Whether you're selling crafts, festive decorations or handmade gifts, a stall allows shoppers to see what you're offering before buying.
But there's one potential obstacle that can cost small sellers a sale: customers who don't carry cash.
The clever way to take card payments without buying a machine
Fortunately, you no longer need expensive equipment to accept payments from customers.
Payment technology company SumUp offers a feature called Tap to Pay, which turns a compatible smartphone into a contactless card reader.
Using SumUp's Tap to Pay feature, you can accept contactless card and supported digital wallet payments directly on your phone, without purchasing a separate machine.
That could be particularly useful for people selling at occasional Christmas fairs, running pop-up stalls or providing services in customers' homes.
There's no additional hardware to buy or monthly subscription required for Tap to Pay, although transaction fees apply.
For those hoping to grow their side hustle, SumUp also offers a compact Solo Lite card reader, priced at £25 excluding VAT before any promotional discounts.
It connects to your smartphone and accepts contactless and chip-and-PIN payments, providing another option for sellers who start taking regular orders.
Before you start making extra money
Whatever you decide to try, it's worth starting small and keeping a close eye on your costs.
Check whether you need insurance, licences or registrations, and remember that money earned from a side hustle may need to be declared to HMRC. The £1,000 trading allowance can apply to qualifying income, but it doesn't mean every seller can ignore tax reporting requirements.
Most importantly, choose something you genuinely enjoy. A hobby that brings in a little extra cash could be a welcome boost to your Christmas budget, and perhaps the beginning of something bigger.