How to Make Money As A Student

Given the tens of thousands of dollars students have to pay on tuition fees, living expenses and books when they go to college, it’s no wonder students struggle to make ends meet at the best of times. 

Working a part time job as a waitress or retail staff during your studies can be overwhelmingly stressful and sometimes it isn’t flexible enough, although it is a great way to earn money while you’re studying. But, there are much more options for raking in the cash as a student that will work around you and your schedule. Here are the best:

If not the most mundane, completing online surveys is one of the easiest ways to make some extra cash in your spare time. There’s no commitment, no targets and you can do them as and when you like. Even while you’re rewatching that Netflix show you’ve completed five times in the past two years. 

You can earn between $0.50 and $20 per survey on sites like Swagbucks and InboxDollars, or even more in some cases!

This one’s a little similar to the last one but can make you some significant bucks in the long run. Not to mention, this has the potential to be a lot less tedious than ticking boxes on surveys – you might even get some free food! Although it is less reliable in terms of regularity. While the lower end sessions might pay $10 for an hour of your time, some groups can make upwards of $150 an hour. If you’re part of a specific demographic, some studies can earn you up to $450! Easy money, if you ask me.

Masters and doctorate students are always looking for subjects to take part in their research. Especially in the psychology field. Most of the time they’ll pay you for sitting at a computer and taking random tests. It’s definitely a great option to earn you some quick cash when you need it, although it might not be sustainable in the long run. One guy got paid $60 to turn up and drink one beer once a week for four weeks! Dreamy.

About ten years ago students would be selling all of their rendered-useless items on eBay. These days, it’s all about flipping clothes on the likes of Depop or Poshmark. Especially with a push back against fast fashion, thrifted outfits are hot commodities. Selling old clothes that you’ve grown out of love with is an easy way to make money, and even picking up some bargains from your closest thrift store or charity shop can turn a decent profit. Just find a time, a decent camera and maybe a willing model, to shoot your outfits and upload them onto Depop. You get to set the price, so as long as it’s reasonable, you can make as much money as you need!

Driving for someone like Deliveroo, UberEats, PostMates and InstaCart is one of the most flexible jobs out there. You choose when you work and for how long, and you can make around $8 to $12 per hour, although this varies from day to day and even hour to hour. The best thing is, all you need is yourself and a bike (or car, or motorbike, and preferably a helmet if it’s the former or the latter). A bike-specific GPS device would probably come in handy too.

Tutoring is a classic and trusty part time job for students. It’s easy to do either online or in person and there are loads of websites that can connect college students with high schoolers and younger. You can use your new found expertise to help others with their studies while simultaneously sharpening your own skills and keeping your knowledge refreshed. It might be smart to get yourself a tablet for face-to-face tutoring to help grab your student’s attention! Club Z is a great website that plays matchmaking with students and pupils, and the basic plan starts at $242 for four hours. 

If you’re good with children (or at least, you know, like them) babysitting is another great way to earn some extra income as a student. You can work as and when you’d like to. A website like Care.com (and it’s accompanying app) is basically the AirBnB of babysitting, letting you choose the family you feel is best suited to you and your needs in terms of flexibility and payment. It can be a tough job, but it can be pretty rewarding. On average, babysitters can charge up to $17 per hour for one child or $20 for two.

If you’re lucky enough to have a creative brain, or you’re harbouring a hidden talent, now’s the time to put it to use! You can sell prints, art, homemade jewellery and accessories and other stuff on platforms like Etsy and Depop or even through Twitter and Instagram. You can charge what you want, or you can ask people to pay what they feel. If you sing, tell jokes or write poetry, why don’t you make a Patreon and share your sounds on platforms like YouTube? You could even get yourself a loyal following by frequenting open mic nights around campus.

Likewise, if you know your way around photoshop and other editing software, or you have a penchant for writing, you should take your skills to Fiverr and offer editing, proofreading and copywriting services for businesses and individuals looking for quick and cheap work. If this is the route you’re planning on taking, a fast and powerful laptop will be an essential. Prices start at $5, obviously, but you can charge more depending on the scope of the project and your experience! 

While some of them may take longer than others to build up a serious revenue stream, and others might be a little more sporadic, if any of these appealed to you we’re sure you can make some money as a student without compromising your study hours OR your social life. You could even mix and match as and when it suits you!