5 Side Hustles That Could Make Your Holiday Season a Lot Brighter

The holiday season brings extra expenses for shoppers and extra traffic for businesses. Both these things on their own can be problematic, but there is a way for the two groups to help each other: seasonal jobs. Employers hire workers, often part-time, during the holiday season when they need extra staff, and seasonal employees can use their checks to fatten their bank accounts.

If you're interested in making a little extra cash this holiday season, here are five seasonal jobs worth considering.

1. Mall Santa

The average mall Santa makes about $23.56 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter. But as with most jobs, actual pay rates vary depending on location. Those in large cities tend to get paid more, though there might also be increased competition for positions there.

Many malls try to hire mall Santas around this time, so start looking right away if you're interested in this. Some businesses prefer to work with a staffing agency, so consider reaching out to one of these if you have no previous experience working as a mall Santa. You could also try contacting malls directly to see if they need any help this holiday season.

Obviously, you need to be good with children to take on this role, and you also have to be comfortable sitting for several hours. You may need your own outfit as well. Check with your employer to see if this is necessary.

2. Delivery driver

If you're comfortable behind the wheel, look into delivery driver jobs. You have a few options here. Companies like UPS often hire seasonal drivers to work specific routes during certain hours. This might be the way to go if you want something predictable. Pay rates start at $21 to $23 per hour for seasonal workers, according to UPS's website.

But working for a service like Instacart might be a better fit if you want something you can tailor to your schedule. You can do other people's holiday shopping for them and drop items off at their homes. This enables you to take on as much or as little work as you want, which can also give you more control over how much you add to your personal finances.

3. Retail work

A lot of stores need extra employees to stock shelves and ring up customers, so there's no shortage of retail jobs available right now. Pay varies by location and retailer, but these positions pay about $13.89 per hour on average, per ZipRecruiter.

You may be able to make more than this by working extra shifts or working weekends or evenings. Previous retail experience will be beneficial when seeking out these jobs, but most companies are willing to train you if you don't have any.

4. House sitter

People travel a lot during the holidays, and some go away for a month or more in the winter. This creates openings for house sitters so those traveling can be sure their plants get watered and their mail gets picked up.

There are several house sitting job boards online, like TrustedHousesitters.com. You may also be able to find these jobs by checking social media groups for your area. Prices for house sitting vary depending on the duties required and the homeowner's budget. Make sure you ask questions of the homeowner before agreeing to take the job to clarify what your duties will be and when and how you'll get paid for your services.

5. Pet sitter

Similar to house sitters, those traveling for the holidays might be in need of pet sitters. Having prior experience owning or caring for a pet will be helpful here. There are online job boards for this as well, and social media might also help you turn up leads. Again, costs will vary depending on how many pets you're watching and how much care they require.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. You may be able to find other seasonal jobs in your area by searching online or inquiring with local businesses. Think about your availability and how much you hope to make this holiday season and use this information to guide you to the best seasonal position for you.