When you’re in college, a little extra money is always a good thing. Whether you need money for laundry, a new but compelling book for one of your courses, or just to have a little fun, there are all kinds of ways you can make money in college.
Fast, easy money for college students
For a little quick cash here and there without spending too much energy or brain power, think about doing things like surveys and small jobs. These are some methods of making fast money online here and there:
- survey — There are many survey companies, most of which are legitimate. You can also find many survey companies that have smartphone apps, which means you could theoretically earn money while you attend class.
- plasma donation – Find payment opportunities in your area. This is a common way for college students to make decent change. All it needs for you is your time. And, well, your blood.
- Small jobs — Sites like Mechanical Turk and other crowdsourcing small task sites are a great way to bring in some extra cash without making any serious commitments.
- Textbook resale – This is a great way to bring in some money. When you’re done with a textbook, see how much it’s going for online. You can even compare that price with what bookstores in and around campus are offering and see which one gives you the best deal. (Buying used textbooks online is a great way to put more money in your pocket each semester!)
- mystery call — Like mystery shopping, but you don’t have to go anywhere! All you have to do is make a phone call, take notes and write a quick report Many of these calls pay between $5 and $15 each — that’s potentially a lot of pizza money!
- Sell t-shirts — If you’ve got a creative bent, you can come up with fun, creative t-shirt designs and sell them on print-on-demand sites like Zazzle or CafePress. You can do better if you can put some marketing weight behind them, but at least make sure your listings have good keywords to help them get found more easily.
Make money from your dorm room
If you’re looking for something that pays a bit better than surveys and small jobs, but still gives you the flexibility to work from anywhere instead of reporting to campus or off, you still have a number of options. These can be done entirely on your schedule.
- Freelancing — Freelancing is probably one of the best ways for college students to start making real money for themselves out of their dorm room. By offering a freelance service that you can do online, you give other online entrepreneurs the freedom to set your own workload and schedule to meet the very real (and highly valuable) needs. Freelancers can be writers, editors, graphic designers, Virtual assistantWeb designers, and more!
- Online “gigging” — Similar to freelancing but for one-time work as opposed to ongoing work, these sites allow you to offer individual “gigs” to people looking for a specific job. You won’t make as much money freelancing, but using these gig sites gives you some work without the commitment of running a freelance business. Check out sites like Fiverr, Upwork, and Hourly People for ideas of what you can do.
- copy — If you type fast (and I’m guessing you do!) you can do well for yourself with transcription. You can offer this as a freelance service, but you’ll probably want to get your feet wet first by working with a transcription site like com.
- Website testing — Another task-based thing you can do online is website testing. Many website testing gigs can be done in about 5 minutes, but they require some concentration on your part as well as a quiet background. That said, it’s an easy, commitment-free way to collect some extra cash in your spare time.
- sale of notes — If you take great notes in class — or you want to get better at taking great notes — check out StudyUp. This is a website that pays you for your class notes and study guides. The benefits of this site are twofold – by putting together great notes and study guides, you can learn your course material better and you can get paid to do it! If StudySoup isn’t available for your college, that still doesn’t prevent you from selling your notes directly to classmates.
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Great side gig for college students
The “side gig” is no stranger to the college scene. College students are known to do all kinds of jobs to earn extra money. Outside of things like work-study and getting a part-time job on or near campus, these are some of the big ones:
- babysitting — Parents can never know enough babysitters. If you can provide references and/or get CPR certified, you’ll be well positioned for some great babysitting gigs.
- Lifeguarding — Most campuses offer lifeguard certification as one of their PE courses. Combine class credits with qualifications for a great job as a lifeguard. If you can find a facility near an indoor pool, you may find a job that you can work year-round instead of seasonally!
- Pet sitting and dog walking — These are great gigs for college students, especially if you miss your own critters back home Since many students have breaks in the middle of the day, they’re great candidates for locals who want to take Fifi and Fido on a midday jaunt.
- The shift gig — is a great app to connect you with available shift work, whether it’s at restaurants, events, or even traditional firms. If you enjoy shift work, check it out!
- Uber and Lyft — If you have a reliable car and don’t mind being late (to work), then driving with the likes of Uber or Lyft might suit you. The disadvantage is that there is stiff competition in some areas.
- Chat and email support — If you like the idea of staying in but don’t mind being tied to a schedule, look for online chat and email support roles.
- direct sales — Last but not least, direct selling can be a great way to make some extra money as a college student. These companies often have minimum sales goals, but many of them have very effective minimums of every three or six months, so even if you have a busy semester, the burden isn’t too heavy. The key is to find a direct sales company that sells something you like, can afford, and have want To share. The good news is that there are tons of direct selling companies out there, so you can go to one that sells anything. Stella and Dot is one of my favorites.
Considering non-traditional job opportunities can be the best way to make money in college because you’ll often have a little more freedom in your schedule and possibly more control over your income. Think outside the box. It just might pay off!
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