Inventive ways to cash in on Christmas!

Promotional and demonstration work happens throughout the year but there is an extra demand at Christmas. You could find yourself demonstrating a new potato peeler in a department store, ushering guests into a celebrity party or handing out free samples at your local train station.

This work is abundant in the run-up to the festive season so contact promotional agencies in your area. Use a search engine or look in The Stage newspaper - and get yourself on their list. Try IFM Events (020 8524 7111) or Kreate Ltd (020 7401 9007/8 - London, 0131 553 5007 - Edinburgh).

Cash in your junk

There are so many ways for people to buy and sell all kinds of things now that there's really no excuse not to at least make a bit of cash selling your junk at the local car boot sale. That's not the only way though. On websites such as eBay and Amazon you often get much better prices for things like books, DVDs and CDs. Just set up a merchant account with them by following the directions on screen and put your old stuff up for sale. You can sell pretty much anything, but there are pitfalls, so it's worth studying the ins and outs before you start.

Get creative

If you're creative, you could turn your hand to making gifts - either for presents or to sell to others.

• Greetings cards - Websites such as www.craftcreations.co.uk and www.bakerross.co.uk sell all manner of card-making materials, but looking around your home for decorative bits first will save a lot of money. You can use old wrapping paper as background or print it off internet sites like www.magicalkingdom.co.uk plus old buttons, photographs bits of ribbon and even sweet wrappers can make festive decorations.
• Christmas cakes, sweets, jams etc - all make great presents but if you are making lots of them, why not sell them? You can sell a lot at your local car boot sale or simply let friends and family know you have them for sale. You'd be surprised how popular home-made delicacies can be.
• Market stall - anyone can have a market stall and rental varies from £3 a day in cheaper markets around the country to around £32.50 a day in London. Check the database on the website of the National Market Traders Federation, they have prices, amenities and phone contacts for markets of all types all around the country. Around this time of year you could sell home-made gifts, Christmas cakes, cards, home-made crackers and so on.

Money-making schemes for the really desperate!

• Sell your hair! Yes, it is possible. According to Banbury Postiche - the main buyer in the UK of human hair - the fees are £3 per ounce if your hair is 6 - 12" long and £5 per ounce if it is more than 12" long. Contact them at www.wigsuk.com.
• Medical experiments - you can make around £200 for a couple of days if you're willing to try out new drugs. Look up local hospitals and drugs companies on a search engine or go to www.hotrecruit.com, which often has ads for medical 'guinea pigs'.
• Busking - If you can sing or play and you have a pretty thick skin, there's nothing to stop you busking in a busy high street somewhere (until you get moved on, of course). It's cash and, if you pick a busy Saturday before Christmas, you could make quite a lot!

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