Whenever I’m feeling a little strapped for cash, I always try to be on the lookout for some additional earning opportunities. I’ve even looked at taking up a part-time job. Although, I don’t think I could handle it right now with a full-time job AND being in graduate school at night, I think it’s a great way to put some extra dough in your pocket, especially with the holidays approaching.

In fact, the holidays are a great time to get a part-time job. Seasonal work is always available, and I’ve heard that there will be more jobs available this year; with consumer confidence starting to return as we begin to recover from the recession, that means more people will be out in the stores. However, I also read that there will be a lot of people interested in seasonal work this year. This is most likely due to the increase in job losses and the still-high unemployment rate.

So, if you’re thinking about a part-time job while you’re home on break from school or in addition to your existing job, start looking now. The best way to do this is to ask. You have to be a little bold – just walk into the stores where you would like to work and ask them if they are hiring for the season. In cases like these, it won’t do you any good to just call a place or search Craigslist.org. Get your face out there!

The best places to start your search would be malls, stand-alone retail boutiques, grocery stores, coffee shops, movie theaters, regular theaters, and museums. All of these places see an influx in business during the months of November and December, and they’re likely looking for at least a few additional employees to help out.