5 very profitable side hustles to make extra cash during the holidays [Video]

Gift wrapping saved Michelle Hensley’s side hustle — and turned it into a full-fledged business.

Her gift basket business, called Nifty Packaging Co., had a small profit margin. In 2018, after three years of running it, she started posting photos of her meticulously wrapped boxes on Instagram. Brands and celebrities — including Kim Kardashian — flocked to hire her for her “blind-edge” wrapping style, she says.

Since then, Hensley has grown Nifty Packaging Co. into a full-time job. The business brought in over $466,000 in sales last year, and gift wrapping — at a minimum of $180 per hour — makes up roughly 70% of its revenue, she says.

Nearly one in five Americans planned to start a side gig to help cover their holiday spending, like travel and gifts, according to a Sidehustle.com survey conducted in October. Gift wrapping is just one example: Plenty of holiday-themed side hustles use skills that anyone can learn and get paid for.

Perhaps more importantly, some of them are …