THERE are only 100 more days until Christmas.
While kids will be counting down the number of sleeps to the big day, parents face sleepless nights worrying about how they’ll pay the festive costs.
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The average family spend £800 on Christmas, but the cost-of-living crisis and rising bills are likely to see that outlay soar.
However there is still time to take on work and make enough extra cash to add some welcome Yuletide cheer.
Here’s how . . .
APPLY FOR AN XMAS JOB: Recruitment for Christmas roles has begun extra early this year, as firms fight for staff.
Most festive jobs are for part-time positions, allowing you to fit work around other commitments.
One in five Christmas temps go on to land a permanent job with their employer, so it’s a good option if you want to try out a new company, too.
Businesses that are already hiring include: John Lewis, Card Factory and Royal Mail.
WORK EXTRA HOURS AT YOUR CURRENT JOB: Two in five employees are taking on extra hours, according to research by HR software provider Ciphr.
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Speak to your manager about additional shifts or see if you can work in a different part of the business that needs temp staff.
HOP OVER TO HOSPITALITY: With more parties and get-togethers before Christmas, a hospitality job is one of the most flexible ways to make extra money. See hospitalityrising.com.
TRY A LOCAL RECRUITER: Your local staffing agency will be hiring for temporary seasonal jobs in your area.
Register your interest and the hours you want to work and let them find a match. Find a recruiter at tinyurl.com/rh4dkwsb.
START A SIDE HUSTLE: Two in five of us already have a side hustle — and this number is expected to rise before Christmas.
According to the Open Study College, the most profitable side hustles can earn up to £1,000 a month.
These include online tutoring, working as a nail technician, pet sitter and dog walker or becoming a professional organiser, which pays £50 to £90 per hour.
LAUNCH A MICRO BUSINESS: Pre-Christmas is the perfect time to launch your own micro firm.
You will need to research your idea to make sure that you can make enough profit to cover your costs.
Get help to do this at smallbusinessbritain.uk.
JOBSPOT
FIND festive roles in restaurants, pubs and hotels om your area at caterer.com.
NINE in ten employees expect to receive a pay rise this year, but an annual increase that is below inflation represents a pay CUT in real terms.
One way to get better pay is to ask for a“merit-based” rise. Around a third of staff who do are successful.
Here, finance expert Georgia Galloway, left, from loan specialist Finbri, shares her top tips.
- DON’T MENTION CHRISTMAS OR THE COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS: Soaring prices have impacted everyone and aren’t enough to justify a pay rise. Neither are your festive outgoings. Instead, present solid facts and describe what you bring to the firm that means you deserve more money.
- DO YOUR RESEARCH AND COME PREPARED: First, work out if you’re eligible for a rise. Have you taken on extra responsibilities not in your job description? Are you contributing to the success of the company, for example bringing in new business or improving efficiency? Provide hard evidence to show your achievements.
- SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS: Compare your salary to similar roles in the sector. Assess what you should, and could, be getting.
- PRACTISE YOUR PITCH: Go over what you’re going to say so you’re not fumbling with facts and figures. Don’t give everything all at once – hold some points back so you have firm answers to any questions.
- DON’T SAY “I FEEL” OR “I THINK”: These phrases weaken your argument. To be a strong negotiator, you need to have the confidence in yourself and know – not feel – you deserve a better salary .
- BE PREPARED FOR A NO: You might not get what you want immediately, so don’t just thank them for their time and move on. Ask when you can have the conversation again and if there’s anything you can do to strengthen your case. Set a target time to follow up and keep in regular contact to ensure it’s not forgotten.
Dosh on the day
TEMPORARY work agency Indeed Flex has introduced a same-day pay feature to allow employees to claim up to 50 per cent of their daily pay as soon as they clock off.
The wages are paid into the worker’s account within hours.
Co-founder Novo Constare said: “Having the option to receive an advance on your earnings makes it easier to budget.”
After finishing a shift, staff can use an app to select the amount of their pay they want. They can then access earnings from that day’s shift and from any previous days worked that week.
Research shows 38 per cent of monthly staff would like the option of being paid more regularly.
See indeedflex.co.uk.
JOBSPOT
RECRUITER Randstad is hiring for part-time roles in tech, social care and nursing. Visit randstad.co.uk.
Shepper delight
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SIDE-hustle app Shepper – which offers the chance to earn extra cash for casual work – has launched in 600 locations around the country.
Workers, known as “shepherds”, carry out small market research and mystery shopping jobs for companies.
More than 200,000 people are now signed up.
The average job takes just 15 minutes and earns around £7. Boss Lindsay Forster said: “Shepper not only allows individuals to earn extra income during a significant cost-of- living crisis, it also creates opportunities to engage with the local community and improve local services with accurate feedback.”
Sign up at shepper.com/become-a-shepherd.
