When you’re in college it can be difficult to work full-time as well. You may only be able to work part time or, depending on the type of college program you are in, you may not be able to work at all. As a result, you find yourself in a bit of a downward spiral. You’re spending more and more money every day because you need books, gas for your car, food and lodging, but you’re also not making any money. As a result, you find yourself falling deeper and deeper into debt which is definitely not somewhere that you want to be. It wasn’t somewhere that I wanted to be that’s for sure. And yet I found myself falling. It felt almost like drowning because you just can’t see how to get out of it.
Luckily I found ways that I could earn money while I was in college that really didn’t take a lot of time or energy on my part. Or at least if they did they were flexible enough to work around the schedule that I needed. Luckily for you, you don’t have to do all the research I did and try to find your way out after you fall in that hole of debt because I’ve already done it. So here it is, my list of 10 ways to make money in college (that won’t take up all of your time). Of course if you're still interested in just getting a student loan you can check out an application right here.
- Surveys
This is probably one of the easiest ways that you can earn some money when you’re not in class or working on your homework. There are literally thousands of survey sites out there that will pay you to give your opinion on different products, ad ideas and even just things that you buy. They don’t all pay very much to start out but you’ll be able to make at least a little money while you’re sitting in your apartment. Not only that but you can even work on surveys while you’re doing your homework.
- Freelance Writing
If you’re good with the written word then freelance writing is definitely a way you can earn some decent money. Depending on your skill level and the type of writing that you can do you may be able to make even more. There are many sites out there that offer you money to write everything from blogs to product reviews, reports to eBooks and literally everything in between.
- Tutor
Got a friend who’s struggling in biology? Help them out. Set up a reasonable rate (remember they probably don’t have a lot of money too) but don’t sell yourself short. You can tutor in different subjects and if you have a lot of skill you can even tutor in multiple subjects. Don’t be afraid to sell your skills to others as well, it doesn’t have to just be your friends.
- Selling Blood/Plasma
This may seem weird but there are actually perfectly legitimate clinics where you can sell your blood or plasma. It only takes an hour or so of your time and you’ll be able to get anywhere from $20 to $50 or more each time you go. Plus you are actually able to go to the clinics once a week or more. So you can actually make a good amount of money just on something that you don’t really need (at least you don’t need quite as much of it as you have).
- Babysitting/Pet sitting
Have some free time? Set up a babysitting or pet sitting business. Even if it’s just on your campus you can help out other students when you’re not in class and they are. It’s a service they’re all going to need (if they have kids or pets) so definitely take advantage of it. You’ll make some money and it’ll be regular too because they’ll continue to need that help all semester.
- Sell Stuff on Craigslist/eBay/Amazon
Have some extra stuff that you’re not using? Well then get online and start selling it. Sure this is only going to be a one-time method of earning some money but that doesn’t mean anything. If you can get together enough by selling the stuff you have but don’t need you won’t need to worry about money for a little while.
- Make Stuff you Can Sell
Do you know how to make bracelets or scarves? Maybe you have some other hobby that produces actual, physical products. Well if you do then definitely cash in on it. Many websites like Craigslist, eBay and Amazon will let you set up an account where you can sell products ongoing or you can advertise at school and let your classmates be your customers.
- Get a Roommate
A roommate provides you with income for a long time because they pay you every month. Make sure you set a rate that you can both agree on and then enforce it. Don’t let them slide one month or let them tell you they’ll ‘pay you back.’ Plenty of people on college campuses are looking for places to stay so if they don’t pay then get them out of there. You need the money after all.
- Student Employment
Student employment is what you get when you go into the office at your school. This is arranged by the school itself so they know your schedule and they work around it. You get a job that pays decently well and you can guarantee that you won’t miss any of your shifts because of your classes.
- Become a TA
Finally, a TA is a teacher’s assistant. They may host classes for the teacher, organize papers, grade homework, set up lesson plans or anything else the teacher deems necessary. You’re pretty much the lackey for a teacher. But you’ll get paid very well for your work and that’s definitely going to be worth it.
If you're still looking for more interesting ways to make some money in college here are some more from The Independent in the UK. There are plenty of ways that you can make money while going to school. You just have to be willing to work a little bit at it and you’ll definitely see how to get out of that debt hole you’ve been sinking into.