Tuesday 26 November 2013

Finding Money For Christmas

   For a lot of people, Christmas is a difficult time of year. You want to buy so many things to make Christmas amazing - great food, awesome gifts, loads of decorations - but you can't always manage it. Some people take out loans, other people borrow from family and friends, some get an extra job or work longer shifts. Not all of these are great ways to find money, though. Afterall, you might enjoy Christmas, but on Boxing Day you'll remember the debt and you might find yourself paying it back, struggling for the next few months, trying to remember if it was worth it.

   There are other ways, though.
   First of all, take a look at yourself. Are you constantly saying you're not crafty or creative? It's probably a load of rubbish. Rather than just not being crafty, you probably just lack motivation or dedication, which means you probably just didn't enjoy anything you already tried. Getting creative, especially festively if you love Christmas that much, can really help the purse strings. Make things for Christmas - stockings, table runners, candles and so on - and sell them. Yes, it might hurt initially when you're buying the materials, and it might well be a risk, but it could well make you some good money. This, however, is something you're better off starting in the late summer. During August and September, buy some materials and start experimenting. Money won't be as tight then, and you have enough time to learn how to do what you're doing, you'll get used to it and be able to do it quicker, and you might find you're good at it. You can stock up over those few months and then open up an Etsy/Folksy account and start selling in October.

   Second of all, look around yourself. Are you a hoarder? A collector? Perhaps you're sitting on something worth a few bob without even realising it. Now, I'm not suggesting you sell your laptop, or a family heirloom - far from it. Perhaps you've got a few things that no one really cared about and you ended up with eventually, or you found something while thrifting that you just thought looked nice. Websites like Value My Stuff can give you a good estimate of...well, the value of your stuff! They give antiques valuations, art valuations, fashion and so on. So, there's a good chance that something around you could be worth a little bit. I've done this in the past myself just this year, and managed to sell items I never thought I would. It turns out, there's a buyer for everything, even old clothes and shoes that just don't fit anymore.

   Offer a service. Perhaps you love Christmas just that much - the shopping, the wrapping, the cooking. Well, as crazy as it is to  hear (or for me at least) there are people out there who hate that side of it. Parents who don't have enough time to shop for Christmas, cook and wrap, while trying to juggle two young kids and a job. You'd be their hero. And, what's more, the more creative you can be with such things, the better. Do you love wrapping presents? Do you challenge yourself, every year, to never wrap two things the same way? Do you consider it an art? Do you stare at pictures of wrapped up empty boxes on pinterest and feel a jolt of excitement about doing it yourself? I for one am putting off wrapping everything that I possible can until the decorations are up, because I love looking at Christmas while sitting in Christmas and eating Christmas and listening to Christmas.
   Perhaps people have always told you you have a way with sugar paste. Perhaps you can't decorate full cakes too well, perhaps buttercream is your worst nightmare, but you can create a kick-ass fondant puppy. Have you considered selling them? During this time of the year, cakes are abound, and the quickest way to give a store-bought cake a personal touch is with a fondant topper. Sure you can buy them in shops, but they're always small and not always perfect since they've been made in a hurry. If someone has one custom made, however, the attention payed is going to be far more precise, and the finished piece will be far nicer. You won't be payed to work X number of hours a day, but rather specifically to make a particular piece.


   There are plenty of ways to find money for Christmas that don't require working longer shifts, finding a new job or taking out a loan. You just have to be brave enough and imaginative enough to come up with it. And sitting on a few pricy pieces wouldn't hurt, either! You never know until you try!



2 comments:

  1. Ugh I need to get in gear and sell my old engagement ring, wedding band, and wedding dress. They're all sitting in storage right now and I'd rather just get rid of them and get a little extra money. Is that bad?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's the complete opposite of bad. You'll never wear any of that again, and that part of your life has passed. You're stepping into a new life now!

      Delete

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