We all know the plight of being the living, breathing realization of the “broke college student” stereotype, but what can we actually do about it? Few of us can handle balancing a full-time job with a regular course schedule, but even part time jobs don’t always make enough money for us to get by. Here are some ways us students can make a little cash without completely losing our minds.
Take some online surveys.
I once took a survey where I had to listen to the radio every morning for three days and comment on whether the morning show I listened to was any good. In return? I got a $75 gift card to Amazon. While you may not always be getting huge gift cards, there are also websites that will credit a dollar or two to your account for taking a short survey, and then you can use your account to redeem your balance for gift cards. (And, as an added bonus, you can also sell those gift cards online for a huge percentage of what the card is worth – not bad for just sharing your opinions!)
Write.
Working on a huge research paper, or two, or three? Well, there are websites like Listicle that pay you to write articles, as long as they’re factually-based and you can name your sources. While it might be a lot of work to just do regularly, if you’re already working on the subject for a class, it’s a win/win.
Participate in test studies.
Besides the infamous Yale alcohol studies, which, while a college student’s dream, aren’t easy to get into, there are other local studies as well. You can even test out products for local companies, from shampoos and moisturizers, to soup and tea, and get paid a pretty good chunk of change.
Sell your stuff.
Obviously, I’m not talking about selling your laptop or that pair of beats your parents got you for Christmas, but there are local consignment shops that will gladly take that ugly sweater your ex-girlfriend’s parents gave you for your birthday! Whether you want to just drop your stuff off at a consignment shop and get a percentage of the proceeds when it sells, or you want to sell your stuff yourself through websites like craigslist and eBay, this is a great way to de-clutter and make a little cash at the same time (which you can then use to buy more clutter).
Give lessons.
Everybody has something you’re good at, whether it’s science, or music, or even being able to lift things up and put them down. Ever hear of the company College Hunks Hauling Junk? Well, they saw market for people needing things to be moved for a low price and they acted on it. Whether you’re really good at tutoring people struggling with English classes, or you know how to teach a 12-year-old how to play piccolo, you can always utilize that skill and get paid to share it! (Unless your special skill is having sex… Please don’t do that for money.)
If you have any other ideas on how to save money, or one of these suggestions worked for you, feel free to let us know! You can tweet us, post on our Facebook, or email us at [email protected]!
