This holiday season there were hundreds of requests for assistance for this Christmas. Many are single mothers who are barely making ends meet. For one reason or another, there simply wasn’t enough money to make ends meet, not to mention buying gifts and food for Christmas. Some moms are sick, disabled, or underemployed. The tragedy is that their children faced a bleak Christmas and it was not their fault.

Fortunately, there were many good Samaritans who helped these families facing difficult times. Most children will wake up on Christmas morning with toys and clothes under the tree and a table full of hot food thanks to the kindness of others. It will be a memorable vacation for everyone, but that single mom still has to face the reality of the other 364 days of the year. How will you do the remaining days of the year? What will the next year bring? What can I do to improve my life and that of my children?

The answer is to find a way to earn extra money either by getting a second (or third) part-time job or by finding a way to earn money at home using the skill you already have. Here are seven side hustle or ways to earn extra money for temporary or long-term financial needs.

Baked goods – Most moms can bake cookies, brownies or other desserts. Use your skills to make some profit by baking your special items and selling them to the people around you. A lot of people don’t know how to bake and would pay you to do so, especially for the holiday season.

vacation helper – Christmas season is party season and the party hosts need your help. You can hire yourself to help with party organization, decorations, and cleanup after the party. Place an ad on Craigslist, your local penny-buyer newspaper, or in the newspaper that offers your services. You can hire your services throughout the year for upcoming holidays.

errand service – People are busy and often need a second pair of hands and feet to take care of their basic needs. Picking up and dropping off dry cleaning, paying bills that require in-person contact, ordering party supplies, personal needs, or for a sick relative. Buying food, gifts or tickets are also valuable services. Let everyone know you offer this service and/or place an ad in the newspaper. Hang flyers at the local grocery store, gym, or anywhere the pros hang out.

pet services – If you like pets, you can provide a valuable service to people who need to walk dogs, take care of pets or manage waste. Pets are like part of the family, so people will pay a premium to make sure their pets are well cared for. Walking the dog is essential for the health and well-being of the animal. When owners go away for the weekend they don’t always want to leave their pets in a boarding house. You can keep the pet at home or go to the owner’s house. Waste management is something that no one particularly cares about, but it has to be done. Whether it’s for a backyard dog, cat litter box, hamster cage, or bird cage, your pet waste removal service would be an easy way to earn extra money.

Special Cleaning – When people think of cleaning service, they think of cleaning an entire house or office. What most people considering this service don’t realize is that most cleaning services don’t clean everything. There are some things that require a special person to tackle. Cleaning a refrigerator, oven, garage, or attic can be a monumental task. It is likely that the client requesting the service has put it off for some time and would be happy to pay you handsomely to take care of it. You can outsource your work to cleaning services, tell your family and friends about it, or place an advertisement and flyers in the appropriate places.

beauty service – If you have talent in the area of ​​beauty you can earn a considerable amount of money. Women all over the world are in constant search for beauty. Your hair, nail or makeup talents are in demand. You can specialize and cater only to the elderly (they want to be beautiful too), children, or certain types of hair or skin. The options are endless.

typing – As simple as it sounds, writing is not a skill that everyone possesses. If they have the ability, they may be too busy to hit the keyboard right now. Typing jobs can range from very simple to very complex. If you have a computer and a printer, then you are in business. Clients can be students (at any level), small businesses, individuals, and professionals (lawyers, doctors, and many others). You can write directly from notes or fix the content by formatting, revising, or editing. Charge more for extra services as well as for fast delivery service. If you must print and deliver a hard copy, that’s another fee to collect. In tough economic times you don’t have to suffer in silence. Put on your thinking cap and start thinking of ways to earn extra money. Not only does he help himself, but he shows his kids how to be creative, innovative, and self-sufficient too!