ecommerce

The holidays are upon us. A time for family and friends, they are full of festive gatherings and gift giving.

They can also cost you a pretty penny. Even the savvy shoppers and do-it-yourself crowd have to fund their efforts. Whether it involves dressing up for the whirl of parties, throwing an epic bash, decking the home in holiday cheer, or buying the perfect gifts for loved ones, earning extra money has additional perks this time of year.

One great way to accomplish this fiscal feat is through blogging. Thanks to user-friendly sites for novice bloggers (such as WordPress), creating a marketable and engaging blog is easier than ever.

Granted, this can become incredibly customized with some fancy footwork (i.e., coding), but there’s no reason not to start from scratch and begin earning money to write what you are passionate about. In fact, if you’re serious about monetizinga blog, Mint.com highlights some of the most popular and effective strategies for cashing in on your blog, such as AdSense, Amazon Associate, affiliate marketing, and a few other creative techniques to set your advertising and marketing opportunities apart from the crowd.