The holiday season is upon us, which means additional expenses to come. Gifts, journeyfood and other costs add up quickly, taking some of the joy out of a season that’s supposed to be filled with joy.

Prices are high across the board and many families are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of vacationing. Three-quarters (72%) of U.S. shoppers plan to make sacrifices to cover their holiday expenses, a study finds. recent CNET investigation. Around a quarter (24%) will favor buy now, pay later plans or credit cards. But adding new debt to your plate only makes things more difficult in the new year.

Even though the holidays are fast approaching, there’s still time to save money to help pay for the season. Here’s how.

How to increase your vacation fund ASAP

Whether you’ve already saved a little or are starting from scratch, here are some quick ways to generate more money for your holiday spending.

Earn extra income

Any extra money you earn now can help offset vacation expenses. There are many options to suit your skills and schedule, including:

• Concert work: If you have skills like writing or graphic design, you can use platforms like Fiverr or Upwork to promote your talents and get paid for them. You can also choose to deliver food or groceries with an app like Grubhub, DoorDash, or Instacart.

• Seasonal jobs: As holiday shopping picks up, many businesses need additional help to meet demand. Consider taking advantage of seasonal employment to boost your vacation fund.

• Sale of holiday items and services: If you like to make things, you can sell unique Christmas decorations or baked goods at a local holiday market or online. You can also offer services like gift wrapping and home decorating to your friends, family, and neighbors.

• Gardening work: If you live in a warm climate where grass still grows, consider offering lawn mowing services. If you live in a cooler climate where leaves are shedding, offer to rake them up and remove them. And if the snow has already fallen on you, digging people out of their driveways can also earn you money.

Sell your unwanted items

Many people are looking for vintage or gently used products as prices continue to rise. Take advantage of this trend by sell your stuff you no longer want. Places to do this include:

• Online Markets: Facebook Marketplace, Craiglist, and eBay can be a great way to sell a wide variety of things to people near and far.

• Consignment sites: Some resale sites are geared toward specific items. Check out ThredUp, Poshmark and The RealReal for clothing, accessories and luxury items or Kidizen for children’s clothing. Sites like Swappa and Decluttr are good for technological objects.

• Local Consignment Shops: Consider taking your clothing and accessories to a consignment store in your area. When your products sell, the store takes a percentage of the proceeds – usually between 40 and 60% fees – and gives you the remaining funds. This may seem steep, but it saves you the hassle of dealing with buyers and shipping items yourself.

Rent a space

Space is precious. Every extra room, parking space, or square foot of storage space you have could help increase your vacation fund. Here are some websites that can help you turn your extra space into extra money:

• A room in your house: Many people travel for vacation. You can list a room in your house – or your entire house if you’re away yourself – on websites like Airbnb or VRBO to earn extra money while you’re on vacation without committing to a full-time roommate. You can also use websites like Roomi and Roomster if you’re interested in a full-time roommate.

• A parking space: Do you have extra space in your garage or driveway? You can rent parking spaces on websites like Parqex, Neighbor and Spacer.

• A garden plot: Living in a hot climate? Sites like YardYum can help you rent garden plots to people who don’t have space to grow things at home.

• Storage space: If you have an extra closet, garage, or shed, consider renting it through a site like Store At My House.

Reduce daily expenses

There is a good chance that you will find expenses you can reduce from your budget – even if you’re only doing it temporarily to boost your vacation fund. Here are some simple ways to reduce costs:

• Have fun at a lower cost: Cut the cord on your cable subscription or consider pausing some of your streaming services. Find free or cheap events in your community. Host a game or movie night at home and ask your friends to bring takeout. There are plenty of ways to have fun without spending a fortune.

• Cook more at home: Meals prepared by restaurants are significantly more expensive than those you prepare at home. Stop eating out and you’ll automatically keep more money in your pocket.

• Save on groceries: Save even more on your home-cooked meals by purchasing your ingredients wisely. Switch to private labelsShop the sales and create a weekly meal plan to be more strategic with your purchases.

• Cancel unwanted subscriptions: Don’t pay monthly fees for a service you don’t even use. Whether it is a gym membership or a subscription box, termination unnecessary subscriptions is obvious.

View your rewards balances

If you have earned cash back or points with a credit card with rewards Or cash back appspend them on holiday expenses like gifts. It’s basically free money.

Cash in gift cards

I recently emptied my wallet and found two gift cards that I received as wedding gifts six years ago. These gift cards still have value. If you look around your house, wallet, or purse, you might also find gift cards that still have money on them. Websites like Raise and CardCash will pay you cash for your unused gift cards.

Search for unclaimed money

You may be owed money that you don’t know about, such as an overpayment that your utility company never paid you back or unpaid wages from a former employer.

Most unclaimed money is held by the state where the money is located. So you’ll need to find your state’s directory. Search for “find unclaimed money in (your state)” online or use a site like BeenVerified to search for unclaimed money in all states.

There’s still time to generate extra money for the holidays

It is important to do everything you can to avoid new debt this holiday season. The good news is that you have the tools you need to increase your vacation fund, even if you haven’t started saving yet.

It’s also a good idea to start thinking about how you’ll save for next year’s holiday season. Consider putting some money aside in a high yield savings account each month so you don’t have to scramble to find additional funds this upcoming holiday season.

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