College can be an extremely stressful time for many people. If you are anything like me, you work the whole summer to save up and fund your entire next year of college. Well before you know it, your money may run out and you need to start looking for other ways to make extra income. If you can relate, you came to the right place.
Easy Ways To Make Money As A College Student
1. Take Care Of Pets
It may not surprise you that pet sitting and dog walking is a big business across the country. You can make great money connecting with pet owners who are traveling and need someone to take care of their dog, or someone who works and needs someone to walk their dog during the day. Rover is one of the best ways to apply to become a pet sitter or dog walker. It is easy to use and allows you to connect with those in your area who are interested in your servcies.
2. Sell Photos Online
Believe it or not, you can get paid for taking pictures. If you own a smartphone, you have the advantage of selling your photos online through various websites, news outlets, companies, etc.
If you are interested in checking out our more in-depth article for how to make money selling photos online, click here.
3. Become A Rideshare Driver
If you have a car and don’t mind driving people around, Uber and Lyft are two great ways you can make money. You can set your own driving schedule and work as little or as frequently as you choose. As you do not have to sign an exclusive contract with either Uber or Lyft, you can opt into choosing to drive for both companies.
4. Deliver Food
I am sure you have heard of Uber Eats, Postmates, and Doordash. These are all great ways to make extra money while driving around and delivering food to customers’ houses. You are also provided with the flexibility to choose your own hours and which orders you would like to deliver.
5. Babysitting
Babysitting is a great way to earn extra money. Through Facebook or Care.com, you can connect with interested parents. Post your qualifications and let people in the area know that you are looking for a babysitting job. Or find parents who are looking for a babysitter and apply to let them know that you are interested.
6. Deliver Groceries
Grocery delivery has grown in popularity over the last year due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Essentially, you can grocery shop for others and deliver the groceries to their home. Similar to food delivery, Instacart allow you to choose your own hours and device which delivery you want to make that is most convenient to you.
7. Become A Freelance Writer For Blogs/ Businesses
You don’t have to write for a newspaper or magazine to make money writing. There are various websites and blogs that will pay you to write articles and eBooks for them. While you have an advantage if you are a writing or journalism major, it is not necessary to be considered for the position. Since you already have experience writing research papers and college essays, this may be a good fit for you. Apply to jobs posted on Fiverr or Upwork and submit samples of your work.
8. Graphic Design Work
If you are someone who has a gift for graphic design, companies may hire you to design t-shirts, sweatshirts, business cards, packaging, etc. Multiple websites will allow you to showcase your talents and offer your services which will allow clients to reach out and inquire about your services.
9. Start A Youtube Channel
I think all of us have thought about starting a Youtube channel. It is one of the best ways to make an income. With few subscribers, you can earn money through affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is essentially when you promote a product from a company and earn a commission off of each sale. Once you gain 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours, you are also able to monetize your channel which will allow you to earn income every time someone clicks on your videos and watches the advertisements.
10. Start A Blog
If starting a Youtube channel is not something that you are interested in, you should think about starting a blog. While starting a blog does require more effort to start than the options listed above, it is a great way for you to earn extra income. Similarly to a Youtube channel, you can earn income through affiliate marketing and advertisements.
11. Sell Your Clothes
Poshmark and Depop are great apps that allow you to sell your new/ used items that you no longer need. If there are items in your closet that you know you are never going to wear, this is a great way to earn some extra income.
12. Sell Your Eggs Or Sperm
Young and healthy adults can donate their eggs and sperm for money. Sperm donors can make around $70 each donation and is a fairly easy process. On the other hand, egg donation is more time-consuming and does require more effort. However, with egg donation, you can earn up to $10,000 per egg donation. While I do suggest researching the donation process, this could be a great way for you to make extra money and start paying off student debt.
13. Sell Handmade Items On Etsy
If you are someone who is crafty and loves the art of creating something special, Etsy is a great way to earn extra income. This could include wedding planners, greeting cards, jewelry, art pieces, etc. A great advantage of selling on Etsy is that all of your supplies will be able to fit in your dorm room or apartment, making it easier than ever to sell your handmade products.
On-Campus Opportunities
14. Tutor
Tutoring is a great way to help your peers or high school students learn more about a subject that they are struggling with. You can post on Facebook groups that will allow you to reach out out to others who are on the hunt for a tutor. Furthermore, there are websites where you can sign up to become a virtual tutor as well, earning up to $30/ hour.
15. Sell Used Textbooks
You can sell your used textbooks to the campus book store or through various websites. BookScouter and Chegg allow you to sell your used textbooks online and check with other vendors to make sure you receive the highest price. This is one of the most profitable and easiest ways to make extra money selling books as they prepare you with everything you need to send the textbooks including a prepaid shipping label. As an alternative, you can also post in your college Facebook group to let your peers know that you have books for sale.
16. Become a Resident Assistant
Most colleges offer students to become Resident Assistants. They are essentially students who live in the dorm and monitor student activity and make sure they are present in case of an emergency. Depending on your college, you may be able to get free housing and dining plans as well as a monthly income. This is a great opportunity, especially for those who are interested in getting involved in a leadership role.
17. Recycle Bottles/ Cans
If your college is anything like mine was, there are probably hundreds of bottles and cans left around after tailgates and day parties. Collecting the bottles/ cans and recycling them is a great way to earn extra money. All you would need is a pair of gloves and a few trash bags to collect them all and turn them into a recycling facility near you. With this, you can earn $5 or more for each full bag of cans while also saving the planet!
Final Thoughts
Listed above are several ways that you can make money while in college. We hope that you were able to find something that you are interested in and earn some extra cash while you finish your degree. Good luck!
