Finding some alternative ways to earn money in college can be a lifesaver because there are so many expenses to cover – books, food, parties, you name it. If you are creative and have the drive to earn some extra money, there are plenty of opportunities for you to do so.
So, whether you’re a student or someone who knows one, take a look at these alternative ways for students to make money using creativity.
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1. Start a YouTube Channel
There are so many students who earn money through YouTube, it is difficult to say how many! A popular site Fresh U has recently published a list of 8 famous college YouTubers who have made big bucks by making videos. Sarah Burgett, one of the YouTubers on the list, has more than 377,000 subscribers. She is a “beauty guru” who makes tutorials and Q&A videos.
If you are a creative person with an idea for a channel, just do it. You’re a diamond in the rough, star in the making! And you can deliver your knowledge with humor and creativity.
2. Sell on Amazon
Do you have a lot of stuff that you don’t use? Old books, memorabilia, clothes, devices? If you do, why not sell it on Amazon? It’s incredibly easy, and you get access to millions of potential customers. In 2011, Amazon even launched a service called Amazon Student, designed to help students sell their stuff.
3. Blogging
Student blogging is a popular way to make extra money today. You should consider this idea if you have some great ideas but no one to listen to you. Tips on living on campus, overcoming some life experiences, or even shopping – there are so many things to write about. If you need some inspiration, here are 35 blogging ideas that are guaranteed to be popular.
4. Scan Groceries
Have you heard about an organization called the National Consumer Panel? Apparently, they are willing to pay people for scanning the barcodes of the products they buy in the supermarket. By signing up with the organization, you will get access to their official smartphone app that scans the products. The results of your investigation/shopping will be helpful for retailers to improve what they sell; plus, you receive points that are later converted to cash!
5. Fill out Online Surveys
If you have some free time after lectures, you could spend it filling out surveys on the Internet. It’s incredibly easy, and there are sites ready to pay for your time. Among the popular ones are PineCone Research, Opinion Outpost, and QuickThoughts App. These services offer $3 or $5 for completing one survey, or even give you an Amazon gift card for sharing your opinion.
6. Become a Virtual Assistant
Another way to make money from your creativity is to become a virtual assistant, which has become an essential service to help people save time. Among other things, you can help people with online research, running their sites and/or social media accounts, and managing their calendars. If you need ideas on what services you can offer as a virtual assistant, see this list of 10 solid choices from Entrepreneur.
7. Sell your Video Game Account
Are you a fan of video games? Then you might have an account with certain progress and privileges that you can sell to those who wish to get to a higher level quickly. Many people who are not involved in video game industry don’t know that sites like PlayerAuctions provide this opportunity. An account with the latest gear and achievements may be worth around $1,000.
8. Student Tutor
You can help other students improve their knowledge in the classes you have already completed by becoming a tutor. It’s a good way to earn money when you have free time, since you also can use Skype to deliver the lessons. On average, student tutors are paid $20 to $40 per session. Not bad!
9. Sell your Old Clothes
If your storage is filled with clothes you don’t wear, you can sell it all and make some money. There are plenty of clothing sales and consignment stores that are ready to buy used clothes, so look for them in your area and find out what they would pay for your clothes.
10. Help Local Businesses Build Social Media Presence
Helping local businesses can bring you decent money. If you know how to maintain Facebook pages and have some free time to answer messages, you can ask around to find local businesses that need someone with experience to help them build their social media presence. Just posting a few times per day and answering messages could get you a couple of easy hundred dollars per month.
11. Mystery Shopping
It is a job that pays you to visit businesses anonymously and check the quality of services they provide. If you love to shop, you should definitely try mystery shopping, as it pays for what you love to do anyway. For example, the most common places mystery shoppers go to are restaurants, clothing stores, and other small businesses. As a result, you will get a valuable insight into the world of research and practice report writing.
12. Become Someone’s Friend
Sound interesting? There are services like rentafriend.com where you can be a ‘friend’ and get paid for it. Friends are hired for a wide variety of activities, such as a visit to a restaurant, movie, wedding, social event, or sightseeing in a new city.
13. Sell Stock Photos
Do you have a camera and a large collection of photos you took with it? How about selling them on the Internet as stock photos? There are many microstock websites that provide photographers with payments from the people who bought their photos. The price for one photo varies from $1 to $10 and depends on the quality and size.
14. Sell your own Textbooks
When you are done with a school year, you have all those textbooks you bought. You don’t need those textbooks anymore, so you can sell them to the students who are about to start the courses you have already completed. Just create ads on the Internet and add some photos of the books to show that they are good to go. OR you can sell them online.
15. Create a Smartphone App
If you know how to code, you can start taking advantage of these skills while you’re still in college. For example, you can create an app for IOS or Android and sell it on the App Store or Google Play. There are many programmers who have turned their skills into money by developing apps and games, and you could be one of them. Just dedicate a couple of hours to this project every day, and you will have your first app to offer.
16. Become a Translator
Translation is a great way to earn extra money while still in college. If you speak a foreign language, you can post your resume on popular job boards and offer your services as a translator. You can translate texts and documents or verbally assist someone who’s speaking with a foreigner. It’s an interesting part-time occupation that could easily become a full-time job when you graduate from college.
17. Post Flyers on Campus Bulletin Boards
If your college has bulletin boards that you are allowed to post on, then check out Fiverr.com. Students can make money doing virtual “gigs” at digital things they are good at. Student can even make money by posting flyers for advertisers.
18. Be a Tour Guide
This option works very well for those who live in touristy locations that attract people from other countries. You might set up your tour services and find people who are willing to pay for it. Come on, you’re a local resident, you should know a lot about sights that are worth seeing. Share your knowledge with the visitors to your hometown.
19. Street Performance
Ever wanted to be a street performer and entertain people? Street performing students are real hustlers who know how to have fun and earn money. Of course, it takes a special talent to engage a crowd of people on the street to watch you and give you money, so if you think you have this talent, try yourself. Some street performers earn up to several hundred dollars per day singing, painting, or doing other artistic stuff. If you perform at least several days a week, you could earn a decent pocket cash. Plus, you’ll be a local talent in that area.
20. Become a Personal Trainer
Personal training works well for those with a passion for sports and fitness. You won’t believe how many people out there need help with instructions and accountability, so it is a perfect opportunity for you to practice what you love and stay in a good shape at the same time. And this could be just a beginning for you, as you can apply for a professional certification and earn some more money.
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The Bottom Line
There are so many alternative ways to earn money while you’re still in college. A little creativity can go a long way in providing you with some extra cash, so why don’t you try something?
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