There are many legitimate ways to make money on the Internet. In the following post, we’ll talk about 7 ways to easily make free money for Christmas in the coming weeks and months.
Sound good?
The stats tell us that most Americans spend copious amounts of money on Christmas each year. One study indicates the average American consumer spends close to $1,000. The upshot of this is that many consumers start the New Year in debt. But there are ways to avoid that scenario by learning how to make extra money for Christmas.
The methods below will certainly not make you rich. But they can make your holidays a little jollier without taking quite as big a bite out of your wallet. What’s more, these are things that anyone can do because they don’t require any special skills or any investment beyond a bit of your downtime.
So, let’s talk about how you can be better prepared for the Christmas holidays this year, shall we?
7 Easy Ways to Make Free Money For Christmas
Here’s a list of websites or apps that I personally use to routinely make some extra income. My regular readers are aware that I’m a huge believer in the value of side hustles. You can’t support yourself with the activities below. But getting some free money for Christmas or other special events during the year is very possible.
My list includes a variety of GPT sites, dedicated survey sites, and shopping or receipt-scanning applications. I urge you to sign up for everything to give yourself the best chance of earning incremental income.
GPT Sites
1. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a premier GPT (Get-Paid-To) website that offers a range of ways to earn. Consumers can get paid to perform simple tasks like complete polling questions, watch videos, play games, search the Internet, or refer friends.
Moreover, there are multiple ways to save on both everyday purchases and holiday gifts for friends or family members. Earn cashback on purchases from popular online vendors or print coupons for use when you buy in-store.
Swagbucks members earn virtual currency called Swag Bucks (SB), which are redeemable for Paypal cash or dozens of different electronic gift cards. SBs are equal to 1 cent each. The threshold payout through PayPal is $5 or 500 SB. Gift cards may be redeemed for as little as $3 with no penalty.
2. Rewarding Ways
Rewarding Ways is another free membership site where consumers can get paid to perform simple tasks online. Earn money by answering surveys, completing trial offers, downloading apps, watching videos, and competing in cash contests. The Rewarding Ways GPT website is smaller than Swagbucks but unique enough to warrant joining.
There are several things I really like about Rewarding Ways. Firstly, there are hundreds of surveys available at all times from reputable providers. Secondly, Rewarding Ways partners with a dozen or more offer walls to provide tons of engaging opportunities.
Finally, I like the minimum threshold payout of $1, one of the lowest thresholds you will find. If you choose, it’s possible to cash out daily. You will certainly never experience the long delays that are common on many other rewards sites where you might have to accumulate $25 or even $30 before you can cash out.
Some activities on this site get rewarded in cash while others earn proprietary points. But you can readily convert points to cash (each point is equal to 1 cent) or vice versa. Redeem cash balances via PayPal or points for Tango gift cards.
Survey Sites
3. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is a paid survey site that claims to be “the most popular site online to feed your wallet.”The website boasts of 10 million members and is open to residents of the US, Canada, and Australia. If you’re someone who holds strong opinions and likes having their voice heard, Survey Junkie may be an ideal choice.
Unlike GPT sites that offer various tasks, answering surveys is the sole purpose of Survey Junkie members. I appreciate the fact that this platform is very upfront about the nature and benefits of paid surveys.
All surveys have a specific target market or demographic in mind. No one will qualify for all surveys. In fact, you can expect to qualify for about 1 in 5 surveys that you attempt. No one is getting rich here. But you can make your downtime a bit more productive.
Complete polling questions to earn points, which are each the equivalent of 1 cent. Points are redeemable once you have earned 500 ($5). All members can request cash via PayPal. US members may also choose electronic gift cards from several leading retailers.
4. Crowdtap
Crowdtap is an influencer marketing program launched in 2009. As consumers, we have a chance to share our opinions and influence product decisions for major brands by joining this platform. Crowdtap’s theory is that everyone needs a good side hustle, and I’m totally on board with that idea.
Crowdtap is one of my favorite survey apps because the design is quite unique. There are no lengthy questionnaires to get bogged down in, and you won’t ever be disqualified. Typically, you answer one multiple choice question at a time and earn 3 points. Occasionally, you may see a set of 3 or 4 related questions, but it’s never more than that.
I will frequently check-in and answer a few questions as I relax with my morning cup of coffee. At times, there are only a few questions available. On other days, I can respond to dozens of individual questions if I choose. There’s a mobile app available, which is ideal for earning on the go when you only have a few minutes.
The Crowdtap platform is only available in the US. One downside is that they don’t offer cash through PayPal. You can only redeem your points for electronic gift cards. But, they offer Amazon gift cards, which always work for me because I’m an avid Amazon shopper.
You will only need 1,000 points to redeem a $5 gift card, which doesn’t take long.
Shopping/Receipt-Scanning Apps
5. BeFrugal
BeFrugal is a shopping portal that not only offers cash back on purchases at more than 5,000 online stores but guarantees the highest cashback rates. Beyond cashback, BeFrugal also offers deals and coupons that are good at over 50,000 stores.
As we all do more and more of our shopping from the comfort and safety of home, it only makes good sense to start your online shopping trips at BeFrugal. Using the site is free, so you have nothing to lose. And, if you intend to purchase the item anyway, you could see substantial savings.
BeFrugal earns revenue through both affiliate marketing commissions and advertising fees. The revenue earned is then shared with the members who make such earnings possible. Consumers can stretch their holiday dollars further by getting great deals on Christmas gifts and also accumulating savings on everyday purchases throughout the year.
Once cash is available in your account for distribution, you can request cash via PayPal or a direct deposit to a US bank with as little as 1 cent in your account. Electronic gift cards may also be requested started at $5. Be aware that cashback on purchases is typically pending for 30 to 90 days, depending on the vendor.
Vendors hold commissions until the refund window has closed on a purchase. Once BeFrugal receives payment, pending funds become available for distribution to members. BeFrugal also offers a $10 sign-up bonus, which becomes distributable once you earn $10 in cash back.
6. Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards is one of the best ways I know of for turning my otherwise useless grocery receipts into a little stash of free money. Scanning your grocery receipts with this mobile app is a quick and painless process, and the points can add up in a snap.
If you already use a grocery app like Ibotta, adding Fetch Rewards to your arsenal is even better.
Why?
Notice I recommended adding Fetch to your current shopping routine rather than switching apps. There is nothing to prevent you from using multiple apps at once, thereby double or even triple-dipping. Furthermore. employing Fetch only adds a few seconds to your shopping routine.
Unlike some other apps, you don’t have to select products in advance or shop at certain stores to save money with Fetch. This super app works at any grocery or convenience store. You can also upload receipts from big box stores like Costco or Sam’s Club.
If your receipt contains an item from one of the many everyday brands that Fetch Rewards partners with (think household names like General Mills, Kraft, or Heinz), you earn points. It’s really just that simple. In fact, you get at least 25 points for every receipt you snap a picture of even you didn’t purchase anything from the more than 300 brands Fetch promotes.
That said, it never hurts to scroll through the specials for the week because you can potentially earn thousands of points by choosing a featured product or brand rather than a comparable item.
One downside to the Fetch Rewards app is that you can’t cash out to PayPal. That said, there are dozens of electronic gift cards that you can choose from, including grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and retail shops. I view these cards as cash equivalents.
Claim your first reward with as few as 5,000 points ($5).
7. Coinout
Coinout is becoming an increasingly handy and versatile app for those of us who love to save money. On the one hand, Coinout is a receipt scanning app like Fetch, except that it accepts a lot more than grocery receipts. Almost any retail slip, including haircuts, dog grooming, or restaurant takeout, will earn rewards.
Coinout does not fool around with points. Rather, they award cash for each receipt you snap and upload through the app. Your award is a randomized amount for each receipt submitted that supposedly changes daily. My experience includes rewards from 1 cent to 18 cents per invoice (although some people report receiving as much as 70 cents).
But Coinout is much more than a receipt scanning application. They also offer cashback when you shop at many retail establishments, both online and in-store. It seems like every time I open the application. There’s a new and interesting offer. For example, I can now earn 2.5% cashback at Safeway, my favorite grocery store. Sweet!
Moreover, there are lots of Offers you can complete for rewards, including buying retail products and financial products like insurance or Debit cards for your kids.
You need a balance of $20 to cash out via PayPal. But you can request an Amazon gift card in any amount. There are no minimum thresholds for a gift card.
Final Thoughts on Free Money For Christmas
There’s something magical about the holiday season. Everything about this festive year, including the decorations, the baking, the entertaining, and the gifts, can put a strain on our finances. So, I think we can all agree that a little extra free money for Christmas could come in very handy.
Why not try out any or all of the strategies listed above? They’re all free to try, so you really have nothing to lose. You can’t earn enough to quit the day job. But these methods can help with extra expenses.
Now, if you’re looking to earn a more substantial income online that might ultimately replace your full-time income, I may be able to help with that as well. I urge you to investigate building a website like mine and creating an online business. You won’t see immediate results from a business venture, but the rewards will come in time if you’re willing to work at it.
May your holidays be a little merrier this year!
Join the Conversation
Do you have experience with any of the websites or apps discussed above? Or, maybe you have another program you can recommend for earning a little extra spending money. Please share your experience in the comments below!
Like It? Please Share It!
It’s good to see a list of opportunities to make money online that aren’t scams. Although I’ve signed up with survey companies before, I didn’t know that grocery receipts offered the chance for a bit of extra money. It’s a shame that these are generally only available to US residents at the present time, but if they do well, they might soon become doable in other countries.
Yes, there are a number of receipt-scanning apps that are becoming very popular. Unfortunately, You’re right about them being primarily available in the US. But I would keep checking because some apps do expand after they get established.
Good luck and thanks for chiming in!
I didn’t know there were so many ways of getting free cash in a really easy way. Have to try some of them out. I have only seen some apps that look like lottery as they advertise all time in some other apps I use. I always thought they were just scam but wanted to search for some reviews of them to be sure.
Your list of platforms and apps is definitely very helpful, I think everyone can use these ways to get some extra money.
Hi Lenka,
Let me assure you that these are all legitimate websites or apps. I have used them all for years and they have all paid me multiple times. The extra money can come in handy.
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. I sure hope one or more of these platforms works out well for you!
The Christmas period is one that demands a lot of financial obligations and functions which is why people at that period in time specifically are always looking for ways to make more money so that they can make ends meet. I think your article will be especially useful to people in this category.
Hi Sean.
Yes, I think many of us feel a bit of a financial pinch over the holidays. I was happy to find solutions that help and pleased to share. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Hello there, thanks for sharing this wonderful article, and I feel happy to have been here to see such nice information. There are many ways to make money online and we all have been really interested in it and that is all that makes me really happy. Seeing these tips of how to make money for Christmas is very good and I’ll love to try it
Hi Reece,
I’m glad to hear you plan to take action. I hope these tips work out well for you. Thanks for chiming in!
Hello there, thanks a lot for sharing this beautiful piece of information here with us. I must say I really did enjoy going through your review as it contains valuable informations one needs to be aware of. Christmas is upon us again, any means one can make money from is highly appreciated so I am going to stick with this
Hi Philebur,
It’s great to hear you found the post useful. I hope these platforms work out well for you. I appreciate your feedback!
While most of these survey sites may be legitimate in that they will pay you what you have earned the payout amounts for each survey or task is so ridiculously low as it make doing them a waste of the time you could spend doing something more productive.
Do you really want to spend 20 minutes doing something that pays you a nickel or a dime?
Hi Neil,
You are correct that survey sites pay very small amounts which is why I advise my readers that it’s not possible to earn a living in this fashion. I recommend building a website and engaging in affiliate marketing for those who are interested in pursuing a more lucrative online activity. Affiliate marketing is my choice and my website is a testament to that. As a longer-term strategy, a website is an excellent solution.
However, affiliate marketing is not something that will start generating income in the next few weeks. It’s not a quick and easy solution for generating free cash for Christmas 2020 which at this point is less than 2 months away. I believe in total transparency. Most of us don’t start to see income from a website for 6 months or so. It takes time to create valuable content that potential readers are searching for online. We must also establish credibility with the search engines. In short, creating an online business takes effort and patience.
Have I found the effort to be worthwhile?
Absolutely!
And yet, I believe there is a place for survey, GPT, and shopping sites for short-term results.
Thanks for sharing your opinion!
Hi Linda. Nice to know that you are already getting your shopping done. What a great idea to save up for Christmas. The process seems very easy to sign up and earn coins. I have tried three of the seven ways that you have described. I will now look further into the other four.
What is your go-to Survey site?
What is the best way to promote your website?
This is very nice to know….
“The methods will certainly not make you rich. But they can make your holidays a little jollier without taking quite as big a bite out of your wallet. What’s more, these are things that anyone can do because they don’t require any special skills or any investment beyond a bit of your downtime.”
Thank you for pointing the above statement out. It tells me I need to take action!
Hi Rob,
You ask about my go-to survey site. I have several I use regularly but I think my favorite is Rewarding Ways. They always have a ton of surveys available and the rates are decent. I also like the fact that you only need $1 to cash out. I don’t usually redeem quite that quickly, but it’s nice to know that it’s not going to take forever to reach the minimum threshold.
You’ve also asked about the best way to promote a website. I’m not sure whether you have a site already or you are thinking about taking that leap. Either way, more information is always good. I primarily use SEO to promote my website by targeting keywords that my target audience is already searching for in Google and other search engines. I also use social media but I find that SEO does a better job of drawing in relevant readers.
When you’re ready to explore the online business world further, I hope you’ll check out Wealthy Affiliate. The training is second to none and you will find excellent training in promoting a website and growing your traffic.
Good luck and thanks for chiming in!
With Christmas fast approaching, it’s great to know there are so many ways to earn money from trusted sources. unfortunately a lot are only Available in America. I will have to keep checking the apps out to see if they have spread their wings to my neck of the woods. I have many friends in the US, i will share this post to help them to save some money. Thanks for the great information. 🙂
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for spreading the word! And, I hope your opportunities improve in the future.
You have provided a very thorough guide to earning for Christmas with reasonable variety in the type of things to be done. I am looking into two of them. What I like is that they are not get rich schemes, but rather ways to offer opinions and take surveys in exchange for some pay. I think I can put aside a reasonable amount if I work two hours a day.
Hi Anastazja,
I think you have a good plan and I hope it works out well for you. What I like about these methods is that they’re very flexible. I can offer opinions over my morning cup of coffee or while just relaxing on my sofa. And, the shopping and receipt-scanning apps pay me for doing stuff I do already.
Thanks for jumping in and joining the conversation!
I will admit, my favorite tip was “be frugal” it may sound so easy and so common, but we are so shocked to find out that there really aren’t a lot of people who practice this! I am someone who has been able to have a lot of money working for me, and it’s due to my frugalness. Aside from that though, I really appreciate this article and the other tips as well, I will be looking into them for sure and getting into them too. Thank you!
Hi Misael,
I’m thrilled to hear you found these tips helpful and that you plan to take action. Taking action makes all the difference. Good luck and thanks for stopping by!
Free money for Christmas. Now this is something I would definitely want and would love to want to learn how to do. Christmas is close by and I would definitely need to get some cash, either by working or saving, to buy gifts for my family members and friends. Well, here comes my saviours – this article and its author. Getting to know about these legitimate sources of free money will definitely help me make enough cash for the Christmas and New Year gifts and boxing extravaganza.
Hi Kelvin,
You’re not alone 🙂 Most of us could use a little extra cash to make the holiday season a little less stressful I hope you find these platforms helpful. You have nothing to lose by trying them all.
I wish you well and appreciate your taking the time to comment!
Fetch Rewards looks like the best option for me personally. It kind of reminds me a little bit of the Wal-Mart app that you could scan receipts in. The only difference is Fetch Rewards seems to be more akin to manufacturer coupons. You save some money and the manufacturer gets some marketing information on the products they sell. Where the Wal-Mart app used to automatically price match everything on your receipt and give you the difference back to apply for future purchases. Unfortunately, my girlfriend says they stopped doing that.
Hi Thomas,
I agree that Fetch Rewards is a very good option. I like that it’s so flexible. You can use it at Walmart or anywhere else you choose to shop for groceries. The scanning process also works flawlessly and takes less than a minute.
I hope Fetch works well for you. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
This is why I struggle with the concept of Christmas. So many get into debt, the pressure at Christmas time is real, any free money to alleviate this problem is good. Not heard of Rewarding ways before, I will look into this one a little more.
Mistplay is a good one I was surprised to not see on this list. I have 4 times redeemed £10 since I started and about to do so again in time for Christmas, but it does take a few months each time.
Hi Kelly,
Thanks very much for sharing your suggestion of Mistplay. This app may work out well for my readers who are Android users. I review only products that I have personally tried and can vouch for. Unfortunately, I’m an iPhone user and Mistplay isn’t available for IOS devices yet. It does look like the IOS version is coming soon so I’ll be sure to check it out.
I think you’ll enjoy Rewarding Ways. There are tons of surveys and offers available for earning a little extra which comes in handy especially at this time of year. Good luck and thanks for taking the time to comment!
hi Linda, thank you for so carefully reviewing these opportunities. I recently retired and have been looking for ways to earn extra money , that are legit. I also don’t want any complicated schemes and programs that need a lot of processes. This is a good list you have here. Even if the money is small, I can choose one that i might like to do and get cracking. I really want to keep myself occupied, so why not earn money in the meantime ? Thank you
Hi JJ,
It’s nice to hear from a fellow retiree. I can assure you that each of these earning methods is both legit and easy to implement. And, the extra money comes in handy.
Enjoy the retirement you earned and thanks for your comments!
YES!!!!!!!! I absolutely love your article!
The best thing in the world is passive income. Set and forget. But this could also bite you in the end if your passive income machine is set in a volatile market.
Your article is both insightful and informational and full of gold nuggets. The content is written in a way that it is understandable by anyone not familiar with the passive income process.
Best Regards,
Jordan
Hi Jordan,
Glad you found the information helpful. I’ve had good success with all of these methods of earning a little extra cash. I hope they work well for you as well.
Thanks for chiming in!