With the holidays just around the corner, the need for money is big, and you might be sitting on a pile of it without even realizing it.  Look around the house and you just might uncover a few hundred bucks.

Thankfully, this has nothing to do with digging through couch cushions for old change.  Because most of us don't possess change anymore anyway.

Oh, that feeling of finding five bucks in the pocket of some jeans that you haven't worn since March is so great.  It's only five bucks, but it makes us feel rich for a second.  This is along the same lines, only it takes a little more intentional work.  Dig for treasure and you just might find it.

4 Ways To Discover Money You Didn't Know You Had, via the Motley Fool (and me)

1.  Sort through old gift cards.  Check your wallet and cabinets for stashes of old gift cards and use the balance, or cash them in.  There are several sites that will allow you to trade gift cards for cash, but you'll take a hit on the total amount.  Using the cards at the intended store gives you the full amount and you might be able to get some Christmas gifts for people on your list with money you forgot you had.

2. Sell your existing stuff.  Go through the closet or the garage to find things that are collecting dust and feel great about the therapeutic purge.  Then make some money listing that stuff on eBay or Craigslist.

3. Cut back on nonessentials for a month.  I know, this is tough.  Define "nonessentials."   Coffee is pretty essential and drinks out with friends can help with stress relief during a busy holiday season, but it would be worth it to take a look at the budget and find expenses that can be eliminated between now and late December.  Things like streaming services and babysitter fees, and maybe the gym membership can be put on hold.

4. Make stuff to sell.  With so many people short on time during the holidays, now would be a good time to whip up some holiday cookies and cupcakes and compete with the grocery store deli.  People will buy your tasty baked goods because they're delicious and convenient, and you'll have a great new source of revenue to buy your own presents.  Make t-shirts, artwork, or whatever you're good at, and start selling it now.

The majority of people really do live paycheck-to-paycheck. It's estimated that 58% of U.S. adults have less than $1,000 in savings, and the pressure of holiday gifts, food, and travel expenses is just too much. It's tempting to dig into a retirement account or rack up credit card debt and worry about it in January, but don't do it.  If you can discover a gift card with a balance left on it, things may get a little easier.

And, of course, you still have the chance to win cash here today with the code words!  Winning up to $5000 would trump having to dig through the closet to find things to sell on Craigslist for sure.  Enter those codes on our mobile app when you hear them.  The app is free too.  It's gonna be okay.

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