Make Extra Money During College

If you're in college, you may be looking for extra money. Socializing is an important aspect of the college experience, and things like bars, restaurants, and events cost money. You also may be paying for food, tuition, room, and board. It can be hard to fit time for a job into your busy class schedule. However, you can find flexible work that allows you to set your own hours, to a degree. You can also sell things you do not need, like old clothes and electronics. Try offering up some of your services for a fee. Charge other students for tutoring or editing work, or offer to do a chore like laundry for a set amount of money.

Steps

Finding Flexible Work

  1. Register with a temp agency. It can be hard to send out application after application on your own. A temp agency will take your resume and review your skill set. They can then help you find temporary jobs that fit into your schedule. Not only will this earn you extra money, you will have a chance to diversify your resume.[1]
    • You can find local temp agencies online. You may be able to submit your resume through their website. Other times, you may have to go in in person. If you're unsure how to register, call up the agency during operating hours.
    • Many temp jobs include administrative work, as well as data entry. This work can be easy to fit into a college schedule, especially if hours come at night or on the weekend.
    • Make sure you ask the agency about taxes. Some temp agencies will not take taxes out of your paycheck, and you will be responsible for paying state and federal taxes.
  2. Pet sit on weekends or holiday breaks. If you miss your pet, pet-sitting can be a great way to make some extra money. If you're free on weekends or holiday breaks, offer your service as a pet sitter. If you have free time during the afternoon, you can also offer to walk dogs for people who work during the day. As a college schedule does not run on a traditional 9 to 5 routine, people who work during the day will be grateful for your pet sitting services.[2]
    • You can look for jobs online. Websites, such as DogVacay, can help you locate and apply for pet sitting jobs near you.
    • You can also simply advertise your services yourself. Put flyers up around places like veterinary clinics and dog parks. Post something on Craigslist advertising your services.
    • Be safe, however. If you're meeting anyone from an online job board, always meet them in a public setting first.
  3. Find freelance writing work. If you're a college student, you probably write a lot. There are many websites where you can claim small freelance writing jobs. Writing, say, a blog post for $50 a few times a week can help earn you extra money.[2]
    • Sites like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer can help you get started. You will build a profile and then be able to locate and apply for writing jobs.
    • You can also talk to a career counselor. The career counselor at your school may be able to point you in the direction of freelance writing work.
  4. Drive for Uber or Lyft. If you have a car and a clear driving record, Uber or Lyft can be great ways to make money as a college student. You will set your own hours, so you'll be able to work when it's convenient for you.[1]
    • You can work on weekends or before and after classes.
    • If you live in a college town, you may make a lot of money working weekends. Students out at the bars will be requesting rides home.
  5. See if you can become a note taker. Students with disabilities may need people to take notes for them in class. Your school may hire student workers to do so. In college, you're already adept at attending class and taking notes. Look into doing it for money.[3]
    • Check with your college advisor about note taking opportunities. You could also ask other students who have previously worked as note-takers how they got their positions.

Offering Services for a Fee

  1. Take surveys for money. If you have free time between classes or after classes, many websites will pay you to take surveys. While the pay is not always high, if you're taking a few surveys during your downtime each day, it adds up.[4]
    • You also may be able to find companies that pay you to test websites. You will have to spend a few hours browsing the site, and then take a survey reviewing your experience on it.
  2. Use your photography skills for money. If you're skilled at taking pictures, you may be able to make some money doing so. If you have a small portfolio of quality of photos, assemble it on a website or blog. Then, advertise your services as a photographer. Offer to photograph events on campus for a reasonable fee.[3]
    • You can also make money via photography online. Websites like Dreamstime allow you to upload your best photos. Each time someone downloads one of your images, you receive payment.[5]
  3. Tutor other students. If you're talented in a particular subject area, offer your skills as a tutor. Put up flyers around campus offering to tutor students in a particular subject. You can place these photos in relevant locations. For example, if math classes tend to be taught in Wells Hall, put up flyers advertising your services as a personal math tutor there.[3]
    • Most tutors charge somewhere between $20 and $40 an hour. However, if you're targeting other students, you may set yourself apart from the competition by charging slightly less. You may get more clients this way, increasing your income even when charging less for hourly services.
  4. Offer a laundry service. Many college students dislike doing laundry. If you don't mind the task, offer a laundry service in your dorm. You can charge, say, $10 per load of laundry, as well as the cost of operating the laundry machines. If you can offer students clean, folded laundry, they may feel freeing up some time in their own schedule is worth a small fee.[3]
  5. Edit essays for money. If you're an English or writing major, editing skills are often in high demand. Students without an English background may need to write papers for certain courses. They may be in need of editing services.[1]
    • You can advertise your services around campus or online. You can charge an hourly rate or charge a fixed amount of money per paper edited.
    • If you're offering freelance editing services, you can set your own schedule. This can help you fit earning extra money into a busy college routine.

Selling Personal Items

  1. Sell tickets to events you're not attending. If you can't make it to a concert or sporting event, the money you spent on tickets does not have to go to waste. You can also try buying a few extra tickets to an event at student prices. Then, sell them to friends and relatives who do not go to your college for an extra cost.[5]
    • If you go to a school with a big sports culture, tickets to things like football and basketball games are in particularly high demand.
  2. Resell your textbooks. Many students resell old textbooks at the campus bookstore at the end of the year. However, resale prices there tend to be low. You can try reselling your books on your own. You may get more money going this route.[6]
    • The website BookScouter will give you an idea of how much a specific used book tends to sell for. You can then try to sell the book online for that price, or try to resell it to another student for a similar price.
    • You can also go to local used bookstores. If you have a book that's in quality condition, you may be able to resell it there.
  3. Sell your old electronics. If you just got a new phone or laptop, do not throw out the old one. You can resell old electronics online or through a used electronics store. People may need the parts, or be okay using a used laptop that's less pricey than a new one.[4]
  4. Sell your old clothes. You can auction off old clothes on websites like eBay. You can also stop by a local thrift store or secondhand shop and see if you can get any money for old items of clothing. You can also look for online consignment shops, like ThredUp.[4]

Tips

  • Talk to your financial aid office about opportunities available to you. They can update you with new campus jobs, new scholarships, and new financial aid options.
  • Many campuses will give money for giving tours to prospective students. This may be worth looking into.
  • Be willing to do jobs you do not particularly like. Jobs such as working in a cafeteria may not be particularly fun, but they are worth your time if you are persistent. Paychecks are always worth the effort.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://www.collegeavestudentloans.com/blog/archive/12-great-ways-to-earn-extra-money-in-college/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://finance.yahoo.com/news/7-ways-broke-college-students-100030570.html
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 https://www.unigo.com/in-college/college-experience/10-easy-ways-to-make-money-in-college
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/margarita-hakobyan/8-ways-college-students-c_b_8806950.html
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://moneysmartlife.com/extra-money-for-college-students-31-ways-to-make-money-in-college/
  6. ↑ http://www.thepennyhoarder.com/5-weird-ways-to-make-extra-money-in-college/
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