Thursday, March 28, 2024

Survey Results: More Money for the Holidays
by Scott Bilker
Scott Bilker is the author of the best-selling books, Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt, Credit Card and Debt Management, and How to be more Credit Card and Debt Smart. He's also the founder of DebtSmart.com. More about and DebtSmart can be found in the online media kit.

Scott BilkerThis survey originally ran in the 12/18/02 DebtSmart Email Newsletter.

Hey, we all wouldn't mind having more money! Many people are doing extra things this holiday season to earn more money. From working overtime to selling stuff online, it seems there's always a need for more cash this time of year. DebtSmart Readers responded to last issue’s survey with their own strategies for making some extra money. These impressive suggestions for earning more are truly motivating as well as being quite effective.

READER RESPONSES

Doing to make more: 
"I babysit."
Made so far: 
"I make $200 extra a month"
Try in the future: 
"Shop for people. Run peoples errands. Help an elderly person."
--Cecily

Doing to make more: 
"selling books on amazon"
Made so far: 
"$215"
Try in the future:
"sell things on ebay auctions"
My friends are: 
"they have "real" jobs, no problems there"
--Anonymous

Doing to make more: 
"Mystery shopping and selling on ebay."
Made so far:
"$150 - $200"
--Anonymous

Doing to make more: 
"taking surveys"
Made so far: "$90"
Try in the future: "sell stuff on ebay"
My friends are: "Quixtar"
--Anonymous

Doing to make more: 
"Getting a part time job at our local PC World. Although I have a salary of approx £50k, about $90k, most of it goes on paying off my debts (I really don't know how they got there - I think I've compounded interest over the past twenty years), a part time job paying $10 an hour really focusses the brain on NOT SPENDING MONEY. Period!"
Made so far: 
"£250 (approx $480)"
Try in the future: 
"spend less! Shop around more for bargains.....here in the UK, shops are losing out to Interbet deals so the Xmas sales started in late November."
My friends are: 
"Nothing."
--Nick

Doing to make more:  
"Picked up a PT job at a craft store teaching a craft that I love to do. Easy money, easy work doing something I like 3 days a week."
Made so far: 
"Average about $300-400 a month after taxes."
--Anonymous

Doing to make more:  
"Recently accepted a part time job. Set up an internet store. AnniesOutletMall.com"
Made so far: 
"Haven't started the job yet. About $100 thru my store."
Try in the future: 
"none"
My friends are: 
"I don't know"
--Anne

Doing to make more:  
"Selling our unwanted junk on eBay. Tightening our household budget to make room for Christmas gifts."
Made so far: 
"$30"
Try in the future: 
"eBay, seasonal job, pick pennies up off of the ground"
My friends are: 
"Working extra jobs."
--Angela

Doing to make more:  
"Working part time during the holidays and weekends."
Made so far: 
"$1,700"
Try in the future: 
"Selling on Ebay and helping out at a local fireworks stand over Christmas and New Years holiday."
My friends are: 
"Nothing."
--Annette

Doing to make more:  
"Demos...you know, when you go shopping and the lady is handing out samples of popcorn or pea soup or whatever in those little containers...well I am one of those ladies!"
Made so far: 
"about $500 since beginning of September"
Try in the future: 
"Well I stumbled onto this demo idea by accident but so far it has worked out fine and I like it a lot. "
My friends are: 
"Hmm, mostly working overtime. There are a couple of them who have asked me to put them in touch with my scheduler and now they are also doing demonstrations."
--Elizabeth

Doing to make more:  
"I'm selling stuff online at Ebay, Amazon, and Half.com."
Made so far: 
"$74.44"
Try in the future: 
"Find a part-time seasonal job."
My friends are: 
"Working overtime, double-shifts, and holidays."
--Sophia

Doing to make more:  
"Selling unused clothing, jewelry, handbags and shoes. A few fur coats also."
Made so far: 
"$2,500"
--Marcia

Doing to make more:  
"Mystery shopping."
Made so far:
"I have been buying Christmas presents or stocking up on Christmas foods when I mystery shop and the company covers it!"
--Lisa

Doing to make more:  
"Selling extra items. Working overtime"
Made so far: 
"$97"
Try in the future: 
"Selling things on Ebay"
My friends are: 
"Don't know"
--Betina

Doing to make more:  
"I am an outerwear designer make stylish capes and ponchos for Plus sized ladies, with fabric that I bought all year long from fabric mill outlets at rock bottom prices."
Made so far: 
"$1,000"
Try in the future: 
"Use whatever your skills, talents, and hobbies already are."
My friends are: 
"Baking, catering, and performing many assorted service (light carpentry) etc related tasks."
--SewAmazing

What are you doing to make more: "selling covered calls, and puts"
How much have you made so far: "about $800+/-"
Ideas for the future: "Sell things on auction"
--Anonymous

What are you doing to make more: "Selling a toy on ebay that is in high demand this year, one of the "hot" toys for Christmas this year that is almost impossible to find in stores. I started by doing research in early October and started selling mid October. I made enough to pay off my new car--paid off in one year instead of 3 years, paid off $2,500 in credit card debt, plus about $1,000 more which will help in closing costs on the refinancing of my mortgage."
How much have you made so far: "$6,000"
--Anonymous

What are you doing to make more: "I have been doing mystery shopping."
How much have you made so far: "After I finish all the jobs for the month it will be a little over $500 since October."
Ideas for the future: "Just to keep doing the mystery shopping and get as many shops as I can."
--Cathy

What are you doing to make more: "I have one full time job, a part time job and I also work for myself being a distributor."
Ideas for the future: "Focusing more time and effort on my home-based business to get it growing."
My friends are: "Things like small side jobs and errands."
--Anonymous

What are you doing to make more: "Cleaning snow off cars and moving them when parking lot needs to be plowed at senior residence. Charge $8.00. car"
How much have you made so far: "$500"
Ideas for the future: "Clean apartments at $10.00/hr"
--Anonymous

What are you doing to make more: "Working a second job--it's not much, but what little comes in does make a difference!"
How much have you made so far: "$500+"
Ideas for the future: "Sell items that I have lying around, exchange items with other people and stuff like that--little by little, it all adds up to real money!"
--Lucy

What are you doing to make more: " I mow someone's grass in the summer and use that $ for Christmas. My wife cleans 2 apartments in the summer for Christmas $$$. This only takes up about 1/2 hour of our time each week. As an extra bonus we bike there to get some exercise too."
How much have you made so far: "$800 for this year."
Ideas for the future: "This isn't for everyone, but one time I used a credit card that gave me rewards at Amazon.com. I had close to $1,000 at Amazon to use for Christmas, birthdays, etc. This works if you pay off the card each month so you don't get charged any interest."
--John

What are you doing to make more: "Working extra side jobs in the home"
How much have you made so far: "$1,000"
Ideas for the future: "Run errands for people. Do side jobs with your regular profession at home (my favorite!)"
My friends are: "The friends in my field are also doing the side jobs a home."
--Michelle

What are you doing to make more: "Selling books on Amazon.com, Half.com and eBay."
How much have you made so far: "Probably about $800 in 18 months"
Ideas for the future: "Paper route, Part-time job, Garage sale, Baby-sitting"
My friends are: "All of the above"
--Meredith

What are you doing to make more: "Writing Santa Claus letters to children."
How much have you ma
de so far: "$30"
Ideas for the future: "Find something you're good at then market yourself to people who would use your services."
--Anonymous

READER COMMENTS

"This is a really helpful."
--Cecily

"Great ideas for people who need them! I love it!"
--Anonymous

"Great resource, always a fascinating read, and more importantly the site and the letter make those of us trying to claw our way sloooooooowly out of the slippery well of debt (and its twin sister, despair) feel less alone."
--Nick

"I look forward to the stories and solutions provided to various readers. I have gained quite a bit of valuable information."
--Anonymous

"Useful information."
--Anne

"I love it!"
--Angela

"The newsletter is really kind of fun to read and I must say that I have learned a thing or two."
--Elizabeth

"I love the DebtSmart Email Newsletter. I would like to see it done in video again."
--Marcia

"Love it!"
--Lisa

"So far, so good. At least I got the math quiz right."
--Anonymous

"I love this newsletter. Keep up the GREAT work!!!"
--Cathy

"Love it! Keep it coming!"
--Lucy

"Great!"
--Michelle

"I always read it, and have never deleted it without going through it. The articles are informative and give me good ideas."
--Anonymous

"At least I know that I'm not the only one in debt."
--Azmir


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