When you go to college, your focus is on your studies. It takes up a lot of your free time, often keeping you from getting a job. However, there are plenty of ways to earn some extra cash as long as you’re open-minded to new opportunities. You’ll be surprised to know about how to make money in college by thinking out of the box.
Online Opportunities
There are numerous ways to make cash thanks to the internet. No longer is your market just your college town, but the entire online community. It truly is a chance for anyone to make money, without a lot of time or effort. It’s all about seizing the opportunity when you see it. The internet has created full time, stay at home jobs. Sounds pretty good, right? A full time income from the comfort of your own home.
Sell Your Stuff
Throwing stuff away is a wasted chance to earn some cash, especially if you have things still in good condition. After all, one person’s trash is another man’s treasure. Make it happen by selling your stuff online. All you need to do is create your copy, and you can sell anything from shoes to clothes to handcrafted items.
To sell online, you’ll need a bank account and an online pay service such as Paypal. The advantage of the latter is that you have some protection if the sale goes sour or hacking occurs. You can sell your own stuff, but also keep an eye out for other opportunities such as the end-of-school-year purge down the streets of student housing.
Try Popular Online Venues Such as Ebay, Amazon, and Fiverr
Part of the challenge of selling online is finding the right marketplace. Sites such as Ebay and Amazon have a huge base, so you won’t have problems finding enough shoppers. Being found will be your greatest obstacle. That’s where you can put your networking skills to use. Making a fun video of your stuff to sell can help your online shop go viral and fuel sales.
But don’t limit yourself to selling used things. Put your skills to work on Fiverr. The premise of the site is to buy and sell cheap gigs. It could be anything from writing an article to creating a logo to editing a paper. You can customize your gig to your exact specifications—and price.
Search the Internet for Opportunities
The internet has given marketers and freelancers the same opportunities for improving their brands by selling to a wider audience. That has broadened the range of ways to make money online. Selling stuff only scratches the surface about the myriad of creative things you can do to beef up your bank account.
Complete Surveys and Get Paid to Watch Videos
You can make some extra cash in other ways such as completing paid surveys. Sites such as Swagbucks, Ipsos I-Say, and MySurvey offer points for cash for completing questionnaires on a variety of topics. Other sites offer a similar way to earn money by watching videos. Businesses use the anonymous, aggregated data to market their products more effectively.
Sites vary with their payout methods. Some offer virtual credit cards, Paypal deposits, or gift cards from sites such as Amazon. You won’t make a lot of money fast, but it’s a smart way to spend some downtime that will add up.
Blogging
Blogging is an excellent way to earn cash in a variety of ways. You can make money by allowing businesses to place ads on your blog. Sites such as Google Adsense make it easy with code you can insert that will serve ads automatically. You can control the types of advertising shown on your blog so that you can build your own brand.
You can also make money through affiliate marketing. The premise is simple. You add referral links to your site that pay you a certain percentage or pay per sale of the product. You can even earn cash if someone clicks your link and buys something else. Sites such as Amazon make the process simple and quick to get your marketing going fast.
Online Freelancing
Online freelancing presents a plethora of ways to make money that offers the advantage of being able to set your hours and workload. Many sites such as LoveToKnow pay for articles written on screened topics. You can make good use of all that time you spent studying in English 101 with well-written pieces.
If you have an itch to write a book, you can self-publish your own e-book and live the dream. You can get your book online for free at sites such as CreateSpace. The great thing about self-publishing is that the cost is zero to minimal for you. You can create it and let it draw that passive income.
You can also search for writing gigs on sites such as Upwork. The site matches writers with jobs in a wide range of project types such as web content and design. If you’re new to freelancing, it’s an excellent way to get some quick experience and build up a client base. But writing isn’t the only option open to freelancers.
Plenty of other opportunities exist with jobs such as virtual assistant, book cover design, and logo creation. If you have a talent for something unique, the chances are you can find a marketplace online.
School- Related Opportunities
There are also ways to score some cash right on campus. The trick is finding a niche with a need that you can fill. Keep on the lookout for opportunities where your skills can translate into dollars.
Sell Textbooks
The problem with textbooks is that they get updated frequently. The price for the older editions sinks rapidly. But if your books are new, you can get some serious cash if you sell them. Resist the urge to keep them as reference books. You have the internet and the school library to do research and fact checking. To get the most cash for your books, keep them clean and in good shape.
Sell Notes
Taking good detailed notes is a skill, especially if you can organize them well. You may be surprised by the number of people who find it difficult. That’s where you can put your skills to work. Selling notes is an excellent way to tap into a ready market of other students in need of some extra help with college.
Aim for the classes that most students need to take such as a general biology or psychology class. You’ll have a larger pool of potential buyers, especially if it’s a course that many take only because it is a prerequisite.
Become a Tutor
If you have a knack for a certain subject, make the most out of it by offering your services as a tutor. Sometimes it’s easier to work with a peer than a grad student or assistant. Kids might feel more comfortable asking questions from another student than an adult.
The advantage of this opportunity is that it can help you learn the topic better yourself. And if you’re planning a career in education, it’s an excellent way to get experience and build your skill set.
Become a Residence Assistance or Other Paid, On-Campus Opportunities
Colleges typically tap the student body to fill numerous positions on campus. Pay varies, but it’s a smart way to earn cash without having to drive across town to a job. Often the hours are more accommodating for a student so that you needn’t compromise on your studies.
Side Hustles At Home
Summers and breaks are the ideal times to earn some extra cash at home without the pressures of school. You can make the most out of these opportunities by volunteering for extra shifts and banking your earnings. You’ll have money during the school year so that you can focus on your studies instead of trying to find enough money to go out.
Handyman Work
Doing odd jobs like handyman work is an excellent way to make money without the commitment to an employer. You can pick the jobs you want with the hours that fit your schedule. Some work is cash, so you don’t have to wait for payday to roll around again. You’ll find jobs that require a wide range of skills from painting to deck building to dock repair.
Cleaning Service
Like handyman work, cleaning service jobs offer ways to make quick cash with minimum experience. The great thing about this type of work is that it is often a steady job that you can rely on for money throughout a season. It can also become a job you return to every summer, so you always have reliable income.
Dog-Walking
If you love pets, can there be any better job than walking dogs? Imagine getting paid to be outside with a four-footed friend at your side. Dog walking is often a steady job that will keep you in cash. Besides, it’s healthy for both you and the pets. You can also look for similar jobs on campus so that you can stay in shape year-round.
Lawn Service
For a summer job, it’s hard to beat lawn service. You’ll be assured work every week. You can be outside and enjoy the summer heat. And you can get to drive some cool lawnmowers across spacious yards. It’s seasonal work that can fit with your school schedule with plenty of jobs waiting the following year.
House Sitting
House sitting has to be one of the easiest ways to make money in college. An unoccupied home is an invitation for a burglary. And there are the plants to water. While it may not seem like much, it offers peace of mind to a homeowner at a reasonable cost.
Shoveling Snow
Shoveling snow may not be the most reliable of gigs, but you’ll have plenty of business every now and then. You can really clean up if your parents own a snowblower or plow. You won’t have any trouble finding cash jobs just going around in the neighborhood.
Become a Guinea Pig
Finding enough participants is often a limiting factor in research. It’s also one of the most expensive costs associated with doing studies. You can take advantage of that fact by offering yourself as a guinea pig.
Participate in Paid Medical Studies
Researchers know that one of the challenges of publishing studies is finding enough participants that will stick through the entire course. To ensure compliance, you’ll often see medical studies offering a cash incentive. Sometimes it is linked to finishing a study or given as a stipend. You can have the satisfaction of knowing that you helped science.
Side Hustles At Work
There are often little-known ways to get some extra cash at work simply because they come up infrequently or only a few know they exist. That’s where you’ll need to keep your eyes open for opportunities wherever they may lurk.
Volunteer for Overtime
Many companies discourage overtime, but there are usually those few times of the year when something has to be done on time. When it comes up, be first in line to volunteer. The great thing about this strategy is that it often pays off again and again as you get a reputation for being on call for extra work.
Apply for Part-Time Jobs
If you don’t work full-time, you can still enjoy the extra cash by taking on a part-time job. Some gigs such as Uber allow you to set your hours. If you find you have extra time, you can make your car available to take a few rides, talk to some new people, and earn some bucks.
Apply for Temp Jobs
The best thing about temp jobs is that they are temporary. They last a short time, and you can move onto the next. Many offer weekly pay so that you can get paid quickly. Some positions may even morph into full-time work.
There are many ways to earns some extra cash at college, so you needn’t feel strapped for money. You can set your own hours with some jobs making them ideal for breaks between classes or summer vacations. It’s all a matter of being open to opportunities and snatching them when you see them.
