How can you make money during the winter months? During the winter, creative individuals generate income by converting spaces into craft studios, offering online tutoring, or plotting ecommerce ventures. Others earn by providing local services like driveway shoveling or holiday decorating. These seasonal activities help counteract financial strain by supplementing income through engaging and feasible ventures.
Key Takeaways:
Diverse Opportunities: Engage in indoor activities like crafts or tutoring, and outdoor services like shoveling snow.
Utilize Online Platforms: Sell crafts on Etsy or offer tutoring services through educational websites.
Local Services: Provide community-based services such as driveway shoveling or installing holiday decorations.
Seasonal Gigs: Take advantage of temporary roles in retail or customer service during the holiday shopping surge.
As the holiday decorations come down and the winter doldrums set in, many of us start to feel the financial pinch. Credit card bills from all that seasonal splurging arrive in the mail just as the electric bill skyrockets thanks to the plunging temperatures.
The motivation to take on extra work fizzles as the short, dark days sap our energy.
But every winter, clever folks across the country find ways to make the long cold months surprisingly lucrative. When ice and snow deter even the heartiest souls from venturing out, these entrepreneurs convert spare bedrooms into craft studios, leverage specialized skills for online tutoring, and invest time in plotting future ecommerce empires.
Others layer on winter jackets and make quick cash shoveling driveways or stringing up outdoor holiday lights.
This winter, join the ranks of the creatively employed. Whether you want to fund a tropical getaway to escape the cold or pad your savings account in anticipation of next season’s expenses, opportunities abound to fatten your wallet.
This guide collects income-generating ideas to explore now so that you can profit all winter long. With a little grit and ingenuity, you can offset those annoying bills and maybe even treat yourself to some fun along the way!
Table of Contents
Indoor Money-Making Ideas for Winter
When icy winds howl outside, the comfort of home provides an ideal setting for several money-making ventures. These indoor options allow both kids and adults to profit all winter long.
Crafting and Selling
Creating handmade items to sell allows you to turn your artistic talents into cash. Consider producing goods with a seasonal flair that appeal to holiday shoppers.
Handmade Gifts
- Jewelry like scarves or earrings with cold-weather themes
- Winter paintings of snowy landscapes
- Holiday ornaments for Christmas trees
- Advent calendars filled with small handmade items
Baking and Selling Treats
- Holiday cookies like gingerbread men or sugar cookies
- Hot chocolate mixes packaged in jars or sachets
- Pies and other baked goods
Use sites like Etsy or local craft fairs to sell these homemade items. Price products to earn at least minimum wage accounting for materials and time spent creating.
Home-Based Services
Several services allow you to leverage skills or expertise from home during winter months. These can provide part-time income without braving the cold outdoors.
Tutoring Services
- Academic subjects like math, science, history, or English
- Music lessons for instruments like guitar or piano
- Test prep tutoring for ACT, SAT, etc.
- Language lessons for English, Spanish, French, etc.
Use sites like Wyzant or Care.com to find clients. Tutors typically earn $15 to $50 per hour.
Freelance Writing and Blogging
- Write articles or blog posts related to winter activities, family fun, or seasonal cooking
- Create web content, sales copy, social media posts for clients
- Author eBooks on niche winter-related topics
New freelance writers can earn around $0.05-0.10 per word, while experienced writers charge $0.10-1 per word.
Virtual Assistant Roles
- Administrative tasks like scheduling, email management, data entry
- Social media management for businesses
- Graphic design for seasonal promotions or blog graphics
Virtual assistants typically charge $15 to $50 per hour for services.
Outdoor Money-Making Opportunities
Braving the elements allows you to offer specialized cold weather services. These ideas provide exercise and time outdoors during the winter season.
Snow-Related Services
Snowfall produces immediate needs for removal and safety precautions. Offer your shoveling skills to neighbors and community members.
Shoveling and Removal
- Shovel walkways, driveways, decks, patios
- Clear roofs and overhangs to reduce risk of collapse
- Remove piles created by snowplows at end of driveways
Most snow removal services charge a flat rate depending on property size, typically $30 to $75 per service. Some charge hourly rates around $20 to $50 per hour.
Salting Sidewalks and Driveways
- Apply de-icing salt to improve traction and melt snow
- Use calcium chloride or magnesium chloride to prevent refreezing overnight
- Offer eco-friendly alternatives like beet juice blend spray
De-icing service rates range from $20 to $50 per application depending on property size. Bundle with shoveling services for added value.
Holiday Decorating Services
Many households want spectacular outdoor decorations but lack the expertise, equipment, or time to install intricate lighting displays and ornamentation.
Installing Holiday Lights
- String lights along rooflines, trees, bushes, and fences
- Wrap light strips around columns, railings, and doorframes
- Hang custom decor like lit garland, wreaths, snowflakes
Outdoor Decoration Setups
- Arrange decorative elements like wreaths, garland, ribbon, and bows
- Place freestanding pieces like wire frame reindeer, nutcracker statues, or toy soldiers
- Create mini vignettes with themed figurines and decorative mini trees
Holiday lighting installation runs $200 to $750 on average depending on the size and intricacy of the display. Decorating service rates fall within $25 to $50 per hour.
Seasonal Jobs and Gigs
Retail, hospitality, and delivery sectors staff up during November and December to meet increased demand throughout the holidays. These temporary roles provide easy winter income opportunities.
Retail and Customer Service Jobs
Seasonal associates provide support to handle heightened purchasing and celebrations during the winter months.
In-Store and Online Retail Positions
- Sales associates at department stores, specialty shops, grocers
- Customer service roles managing purchases and returns
- Fulfilling online orders at e-commerce warehouses
- Inventory stocking, organizing backstock areas
Hourly retail associate wages average $13 to $20 per hour depending on experience and responsibilities. Some companies also pay commissions and bonuses.
Event Planning and Assistance
- Servers, bartenders, hosts at holiday parties and celebrations
- Ticket takers and event staff at winter festivals or craft fairs
- Concierge personnel at hotels or vacation rental companies
Event staff and hospitality workers typically earn $12 to $18 per hour including gratuities.
Temporary Employment Opportunities
Many businesses ramp up operations in winter to meet increased demand for certain services.
Working Vacation Rental and Hospitality Markets
- Ski resorts need lift operators, ski patrol, maintenance crews, and hospitality staff.
- Holiday markets need vendors, artists, food preparers, and stall operators.
- Ice rinks need attendants, instructors, concession workers, and Zamboni drivers.
Wages for ski resort positions fall around $12 to $18 per hour. Holiday market vendors can make $100 to $300+ per day.
Delivery Services
- Delivery drivers for meal kits, grocery delivery, online retail orders
- Seasonal contracts with Amazon Flex, Instacart, Uber Eats
Independent contractors for delivery platforms earn between $15 to $30 per hour including tips. Earnings depend on order volume and weather conditions.
Leveraging Skills and Hobbies
Turning activities you love into paid services allows you to make money doing what you enjoy. Consider offering your creative, technical, or professional expertise.
Creative and Artistic Skills
Are you skilled with a camera or crafting winter wear? Transform these talents into profits.
- Snowy landscape photography
- Winter family portraits captures with snowballs, sledding, etc.
- Pet portraits frolicking in the snow
- Nature photography like frost covered forests or snow covered mountains
Photographers earn $50 to $250 per photo depending on image quality and usage rights. Many photographers earn extra through photo products like calendars, cards, prints, and digital downloads.
Crafting and Selling Winter Apparel
- Knit or crochet scarves, hats, mittens
- Sew fleece blankets, outerwear, or accessories
- Upcycle sweaters into mittens, earbands, or cozies
Quality handmade winter accessories sell from $20 to $100+ on sites like Etsy and at local craft fairs.
Technical and Professional Skills
Offer your expertise in technology, finance, marketing, or other sectors as on-demand services.
Freelance Technology Work
Experienced IT professionals charge $50 to $150 per hour. Novice freelancers earn closer to $20 to $40 per hour.
Offering Online Courses or Webinars
- Host virtual workshops related to professional skills like marketing, business strategy, leadership development, etc.
- Record online courses on winter-related topics like ice fishing, snowshoeing, cold weather survival skills
- Teach enrichment topics like art, music, cooking, crafting through Outschool
Online instructors set pricing based on course length and demand. Rates range from $20 per student for short webinars up to $300+ for multi-month courses.
Special Services for the Season
The winter season brings unique needs that present money-making openings if you can meet them. Consider leveraging your availability and willingness to take on less desirable tasks.
Pet and House Sitting
As travelers head off on winter vacations, they need trusted individuals to care for homes and furry friends.
Tending Pets While Owners Are Away
- Feed pets, walk dogs, clean litter boxes, provide companionship
- Send owners photo and text updates for peace of mind
- Notice signs of illness and respond appropriately
- Follow detailed instructions for administering medications
Caring For Houseplants and Gardens
- Water plants, pull weeds, harvest winter vegetables
- Adjust automated lighting and heating systems
- Take in mail, alternate curtains, manage security
- Add chemical treatments to pools, hot tubs, ponds
Pet sitters typically charge $15 to $50 per day depending on the level of responsibility. House sitters earn $50 to $100 per day. Join platforms like Rover or Care.com to connect with clients.
Elderly Assistance and Companionship
The graying population needs extra support to comfortably navigate the winter season. Offer assistance with errands, transportation, and social interaction.
Shopping Assistance
- Drive older neighbors to stock up on essentials at the grocery store
- Help carry purchases and load items into vehicles
- Assist with placing online delivery orders
House Maintenance and Safety Checks
- Confirm homes are properly sealed against drafts
- Clear debris from gutters and check for leaks
- Ensure walkways and driveways remain salted and shoveled
- Check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors
Social Visits and Companionship
- Play board games, complete puzzles, reminisce over photo albums
- Prepare meals and enjoy them together
- Schedule video calls with faraway family and friends
Companion care workers charge $12 to $30 per hour depending on services provided. Handyman rates fall between $35 to $100 per hour.
Long-Term Passive Income Strategies
The winter season also offers a chance to establish revenue streams that earn year-round. Use extra time indoors to create intellectual property or build an online business.
Developing Evergreen Content
Creating online content related to winter sports, activities, cooking, and crafts allows you to attract organic traffic over time. Monetize sites through ads, affiliate links, digital products, and memberships.
Blogging
- Share family traditions like baking holiday treats
- Review seasonal products like ice fishing gear
- Create tutorials for winter-themed craft projects
- Document outdoor adventures like snowshoeing or sledding
Top-earning bloggers make over $50k per month. However, most bloggers earn closer to $500 per month from new sites.
Downloadable Products
- Sell printable seasonal decorating ideas and organizational tools on Etsy
- Offer knitting patterns for winter accessories
- Record online music lesson courses on playing holiday songs
Creators can sell digital downloads for $5 to $50+ depending on uniqueness, production quality, and market demand.
Investments and Online Ventures
Use spare time this season to establish income streams that require upfront effort but earn long-term dividends.
Launching an E-Commerce Store
- Sell cold weather gear like hats, gloves, boots
- Offer specialty treats like hot chocolate bombs, gingerbread kits
- Curate care packages with seasonal books, movies and crafts
Online stores can generate over six figures in annual sales once established. However, most new sites earn a few hundred dollars per month on average.
Investing in Assets
- Put savings into stocks, bonds, mutual funds
- Purchase rental real estate to earn monthly income
- Invest in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin and Ethereum
Stocks yield average annual returns around 7-10% while rental properties typically earn over $10k per year. Cryptocurrency returns are highly variable, with top assets gaining over 5,000% in the last decade.
Comparison Table
| Idea | Ease of Startup | Earning Potential | Low Cost to Start | Other Factors |
| Shoveling Snow | High | Medium | Yes | Physically demanding, low barriers to entry |
| Selling Handmade Crafts | Medium | Medium | Yes | Creative, flexible hours |
| Virtual Tutoring | Medium | Medium | Yes | Leverages existing skills, indoor |
| Retail Seasonal Work | High | Low | Yes | Pre-set hours, employee benefits |
| House Sitting | Medium | Low | Yes | Extra responsibility, good for animal lovers |
| Starting a Blog | High | High | Yes | Passive income potential, long ramp up |
| Flipping Items Online | Medium | High | Yes | Requires product research skills |
| Rental Property Investing | Low | High | No | More complex, high upside |
| Driving for Delivery Apps | High | Medium | Yes | Flexible, uses your car |
Wrapping Up: Making Money This Winter
The winter months present unique opportunities to supplement income in both conventional and creative ways. From shoveling snow to selling knitwear online, options exist to profit all season long both indoors and out.
With preparation and dedication, these winter side hustles can become lucrative enterprises that evolve into full-time ventures. The new year brings a chance to start fresh. Why not resolve to turn your skills, hobbies and expertise into sustainable income streams?
Bundle up, and go make that money!