Earning enough cash to pay bills, rent and college expenses, with a little extra spending money to help you enjoy your time in college, isn’t as hard as it seems. Plenty of moneymaking opportunities are out there for you to capitalize on between your studies; they come with the perk of no long-term commitment and, in most cases, let you set your own hours.
Some are good for a fast buck, while others could turn into consistent streams of income. Find out which cash-generating ideas could work best for you.
Sell Used Textbooks
- Stop letting your used textbooks collect dust on the shelf and start selling them online. BookScouter.com and SlugBooks.com make it easy for you to make some money back on the $200 textbook “required” for your philosophy course (which you never opened) and show who’s doling out the best prices for used college textbooks. Simply type the ISBN or the book title into either browser, and BookScouter and SlugBooks scan prices from various book-buying sites to show you which ones are offering the best prices and what you should consider selling your book for.
For example, we plugged in the ISBN for the textbook International Environmental Law and Policy 5th edition, ($241 new) and found that Amazon.com would buy it for $106.75. For more information, see Get the Best Price When Selling Back Textbooks.
Or go local (where you might get more money and spend less on shipping). Many universities have Facebook pages or other online platforms for each class. These (or other campus sites) can be good places to reach out to underclassmen who will be needing your books. There’s also Craiglist, of course. Just remember the safety rules of trading here: Insist on cash, and play it safe by meeting in a neutral, very public location (some police departments facilitate these meetings).
Tutor
If you have a special skill – whether it’s the ability to play an instrument, paint like Picasso or explain calculus in a way anyone can understand – you may be able to make money sharing your skills with others. For example, you could earn $10 to $75 an hour tutoring children in your community or even other college students if you speak a second language or have great math, science or writing skills.
Advertise your services on campus and community bulletin boards (whether virtual or actual), or on tutoring websites, such as Wyzant (where you choose your own hourly rate) and Tutor.com. And take advantage of your social media platforms to let people know you’re ready to teach.
Coach
If your talent involves sports, consider coaching a youth team or maybe even your peers. Coaching a local elementary, secondary or club team can be perfect for students who had a special skill in high school and want to stay with their sport without joining the university team. Coaching often demands late-afternoon, evening and weekend availability plus knowledge of the intricacies of a sport – soccer, hockey, softball, you name it – and the patience and talent to teach it to others.
The pay for youth soccer coaches on club teams varies widely, according to Job Monkey, a job-search website, but it can reach $2,000 a month. That kind of money often requires certifications, which you may need to seek out (and pay for) yourself.
Another option is to coach your college’s club or recreational sports teams, though you’ll need to lower your pay expectations.
Sell Unwanted Electronics
Don’t leave smartphones, tablets, computers or specialized school gadgets (iClickers, calculators, etc.) you’re no longer using in a desk drawer or at the bottom of your backpack. You can easily cash in on your unwanted electronics – even damaged items – by selling them online.
Sell used smartphones and Apple products at Gazelle.com and get paid by check, PayPal or an Amazon gift card; you can also use one of ecoATM’s mall kiosks and get instant cash. You can sell smartphones, tablets and wearables, such as a smart watch, to NextWorth.com and get paid via PayPal or by check. At uSell, you can sell smartphones, tablets, game consoles and more. You get paid by check or through PayPal. Shipping with all these sites is free. Or take your video games, game consoles, smartphones, tablets and accessories to GameStop to earn cash or store credit without the shipping hassles.
Just as with used textbooks, before you split the profit with a third-party vendor, reach out on social media to let other students know you’re selling a device that they may need for their classes. You’ll skip shipping hassles and keep the full profit for yourself.
Sell Gently Worn Clothing
If you have clothes, accessories or shoes that are in good condition but that you no longer wear, turn them into quick cash by selling them on consignment. Research the consignment shops in your area to find the right match for the types and styles of clothing you have to sell. Most consignment stores will price items at one-third of their retail value, and you’ll likely get 50% of the price at which your items eventually sell. Plato’s Closet is a great resale store for students to sell back their trending teenage clothes. Rather than having to wait until your items sell to get cash, nPlato’s Closet makes an upfront offer for the clothes you bring in, based on style, condition and brand. You’ll walk out the door with cash in hand for the clothes they take.
- You might be able to get more for your used clothes by selling them online. For example, you can earn up to 80% of the resale value of women’s and kids’ clothing, shoes and handbags at fashion resale site thredUP.com. If you have high-end men’s or women’s clothing, jewelry, watches or accessories, try your luck with luxury consignment site The RealReal. You can earn up to 85% of the resale value in cash. Another option for designer clothing and accessories: Tradesy, which pays a 19.8% commission on the resale value of items worth $50 or more. You receive earnings via PayPal, debit card or a bank account. (Note: Several of these sites require you to register before you can enter and explore.)
Poshmark, an easy mobile consignment store, takes it all: clothing for women, men and children, plus handbags, shoes, jewelry and makeup. For sales over $15, you keep 80% of the sale price, and Poshmark keeps 20%. Ebay is also an easy-to-manage resale site; each item you post is up for auction until the deadline you set.
Keep in mind that uploading and monitoring your online closets and sales may require more effort on your part, but it could result in a bigger return.
Babysitting
- Babysitting can be a fun way to put money in your pocket if you like kids. Hourly rates vary by city (and the demands of services). In smaller towns and cities, such as Palatine, Ill., the going rate is $10 to $15 an hour; in big cities such as New York and Washington, expect to earn $10 to $40 an hour as a babysitter or nanny. Advertise your services on community bulletin boards, at the public library, and near local primary schools or houses of worship. You can also place a listing or search for jobs on sites such as Care.com and Sittercity.
Keep your class schedule in mind. Parents commonly need someone to watch their kids after school while they are at work. And, of course, for the occasional night out.
Drive Other People
Bringing a car to campus may be more of a hassle than it’s worth, but if your circumstances require a car, then consider putting it to use making money. If you’ve ever found yourself in need of a quick ride, you may have turned to Uber, the anytime, anywhere ride-hailing service that has gained enormous popularity over the last several years. But have you ever considered becoming an Uber driver? Uber requires a driver to have at least one year of licensed experience in the U.S. before becoming a certified driver, but if you’re under age 23, you must have three years of licensed experience. That means drivers must be at least 19 to join the rideshare service. Other requirements include owning a four-door vehicle and passing the driver screening online, which includes a review of your driving and criminal records. If you meet the requirements, you could earn cash by driving people around in your free time.
Uber’s biggest ride-share competitor is Lyft. Like Uber, Lyft has age, vehicle and background check requirements for drivers.
Uber claims drivers’ average take-home earnings are about $25 per hour, but some drivers say it’s far less than that. Your earnings depend on how much you work and how many rides you give, among other factors. And don’t forget to factor in the costs associated with using your own car, such as gas, maintenance, insurance and cleaning.
Get Freelance Work
Take a shot at sending in some freelance articles and photos to your school or local newspapers. University publications are always looking for student voices to pitch in. Pay varies depending on the school and the publication, but at the University of Mississippi Oxford, I make an average of $25 per article and photo published in my school’s paper, plus a bonus if it makes it to the cover.
Off campus, plenty of media, corporate and nonprofit websites are looking for freelancers to write, edit or design content for an average of $32 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter.com. Freelancewriting.com and Freelance Writing Jobs provide a long list of freelance writing opportunities culled from several top sites, along with advice and tips for freelance writers. Freelancer.com offers a wide variety of freelancing jobs in categories such as design and content. For $14.99 a month or $119.88 for a one-year membership, you can join Mediabistro’s MB Unlimited to post your qualifications and get compensated for your work. Krop is a useful site for developers and designers, but it also posts jobs for copywriters and copy editors.
If you’re a skilled photographer, you can also earn extra cash by selling photos to stock art sites, such as iStock by Getty Images and Shutterstock. At both sites, you must apply to be a contributor by submitting samples of your photos, illustrations, videos or audio. If approved, you’ll earn royalties when your files are downloaded by paying clients.
Sell Your Creations
If you have a knack for creating anything from cookies to intricate art designs, you can profit from your talent.
Say you’re an excellent baker (according to all your friends). You may find clients for your baked goods by volunteering to provide treats for university functions or religious gatherings, or by selling them at a local farmer’s market, flea market or festival.
If art and design are more your speed (like they are for me), consider selling your creations at local craft shows or online at Etsy, DeviantArt or Zazzle. Etsy and Zazzle feature products such as jewelry, quote posters, vintage clothing and even pet supplies. DeviantArt, which has a large following associated with its popular Tumblr, mainly sells art prints. I share my art and photography on social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, and work on commission to make a little extra cash.
Become a Campus Rep or a Brand Ambassador
Many brands are branching out into youth marketing and looking for college students to represent them. You can browse different programs at Campus Commandos . One thing to note is that campus reps and brand ambassadors typically don’t make hourly salaries, but rather make commissions on orders and events. This job is perfect for the social media guru because your work can be done right from your phone, promoting the brand name with photos of the products and promotions. Aside from the relaxed schedule, reps and ambassadors get great discounts on the brand’s products. Might your friends get tired of constant promotions and marketing on their feed? Maybe. But you can get them on board with a well-placed freebie or two.
What’s the difference between a campus rep and…