Begin by scoping out bulletin boards on campus and paying careful attention to email announcements. You can also search online for new funding opportunities, and there are apps that you can download for free (or for very little, such as the app Scholly, available for just $. 99) that can help you tailor your search. [1] X Research source
You can often get paid through your school to tutor other students in classes you have completed and done well in, or you can advertise your own services to your fellow classmates. To find tutoring opportunities, meet with your advisor or your professors, or go to the campus tutoring center.
It’s fairly common for students who need special arrangements because of learning disabilities to be assigned a (usually anonymous) note-taker for their classes. These positions are usually compensated—you can often make up to $10 an hour for every hour of class. You’ll take careful notes, type them up, and email or drop them off at disability services, where they will be passed on to the students who need them.
If you advertise yourself, make sure that you aren’t violating class or university policy.
Spread the word among your friends and roommates, and consider posting fliers which advertise your services.
Double-check the particular professor’s policy about sharing written work with others, too. Some professors assign take-home essays that are more like exams, and they forbid students from talking to one another during the writing process. If you rewrite, instead of proofread, someone else’s paper, you both could be brought up on academic fraud charges, and you could face serious consequences, to include being expelled.
You can often find advertisements for paid internships and part-time work in your field of study at the Career Services office. Finding these opportunities early in your studies will not only help you excel in your field and build up your resume, but can add some much needed cash to your wallet while you learn.
Be on the lookout for these opportunities by regularly checking the bulletin boards around campus (begin by looking in academic departments and the library), going through your email carefully, and by going directly to your advisor and/or professors to see if they know of any such competitions for which you may be a good fit. Even if you don’t win, you’ll get experience in your field, make connections, and build up your portfolio or work.
There are all sorts of jobs available on campus, from working in the dining halls, to performing administrative work in academic departments, and even working at campus theaters, where you’ll have access to free performances or movies!
Whenever possible, the positions available are relevant to your area of study and are civic-minded, aimed to serve the public interest. [3] X Research source
While you may not bring home an additional pay-check for being an RA, you’ll usually get either free or greatly reduced room and board, which will then free up money for your other expenses. At some schools, though, you may receive a stipend as an RA.
These usually pay a flat rate, though at some schools, you could make up to $20 an hour doing something as simple (and possibly as interesting!) as filling out questionnaires. [4] X Research source
Campus bookstores will sometimes buy back books, but many campuses also allow independent companies to set up shop at the end of the term. You can also scope out used bookstores in the area to see if they buy used books. To improve your odds of being able to sell a book (or fetch a good price for it), take care of your books throughout the semester, and avoid marking up the pages with notes and highlighters.
Offer to help your clients go through their files (either paper or electronic), and help them come up with a method for sorting and arranging their work that they can manage on their own.
Research what local salons charge for services, and then undercut their prices to the point where you’ll still be making a profit, but will be an affordable option for your fellow classmates.
Post fliers with tantalizing pictures of your baked goods, or visit the library and other hot study spots at key points in the term, such as midterm and finals week. If you’re a night owl, then you’re sure to find students on the prowl for a good snack in the wee hours of Friday and Saturday (or even Thursday, at some party schools!). If you decide to sell to the night crowd, though, it’s a smart, safe move to work with a partner.
Consider making a small investment in a large plastic garbage bin, line it with a sturdy plastic bag, and decorate it with signs: “Place your used soda cans here!”. Place the bin outside your dorm, and then all you’ll have to do is sort through it before bringing it to the redemption center. Make sure that you aren’t violating dorm policy by doing this. So long as it’s allowed, you may also be able to go through any other recycling bins that are set up on campus.
Serving or tending bar in restaurants, working as a hotel or restaurant valet, delivering food (which usually requires you to have your own car and insurance), or doing street performance are good options.
While you should check the classifieds regularly for posted job ads, understand that not all businesses use these, and you may have better luck if you inquire in person about possible job openings. Be prepared with a copy of your resume and look presentable when you first go to the shop. Don’t pop in on your way home from the gym! That won’t leave a good impression!
While the agency will take a portion of your wages, temp jobs tend to pay fairly well, and you can be clear about what your availability is around your class schedule. Another advantage of working through an agency is that you can turn down work if you are having a particularly busy week or month at school.
Research the going rates in your area; as a college student, you may be able to demand a higher rate, particularly if you are an education major (or psychology, pre-med or nursing student, have certification in CPR and/or first-aid, etc. ). In some cities, you may be able to make up to $15 an hour.
For example, you can offer to do laundry and wash dishes for an extra fee (perhaps $10 more) on top of your regular baby-sitting rate. [8] X Research source
Contact the local schools to see if they have children who might benefit from your services or to see if they have part-time coaching positions available. You may also be able to find these sorts of jobs by going to local organizations like the YMCA or YWCA.
Advertise your services as a dog walker or pet sitter. You can place fliers (dog-parks and local veterinarians are great places to start) or advertise on-line, but don’t overlook the importance of networking with people you know. You may even want to think about opening a pooper-scooper business. Cleaning up Fido’s business is no one’s favorite chore, but armed with gloves and the proper tools, it’s an easy enough job. You’ll also be provided with steady work!
Be able to switch up your services as the seasons change: have access to a lawn-mower and weed-whacker in the warmer months, and switch out to warm clothes and a shovel once the cold hits. If it snows a lot where you live, buying a snow-blower could be a solid investment. If you’re an early bird, you may be able to make money by offering to scrape the ice off cars in the early hours before people have to go to work. You may be able to find several clients in your own neighborhood or at a single apartment complex.
You may be able to find work delivering papers, driving fellow students (to the airport, to run errands or go to appointments off-campus), or you can even open up your own delivery service. For example, you can get paid to grocery shopping for those who are home-bound while you stock up for your own pantry. If you have a truck, you probably already know that you (or rather, it) is in high demand, especially come moving in/out day on campus: offer your services as a mover—for a fee, of course!
This is a particularly great gig: you usually won’t be asked to do much more than watch over the home, collect mail, water the plants, perform yard work as necessary, and perhaps care for pets. Beyond that, though, you’ll get to live in a home that’s probably far nicer than yours for a few days or even weeks.
Your immediate friends and family members may expect you to help out for free and be insulted at your request for payment.
You will need to meet certain eligibility requirements before you’ll be allowed to donate, though, and there are limits to how often you can donate. Read up on the American Red Cross’s donation guidelines before you commit, or check in with the hospital or clinic where you’ll be donating. [9] X Research source
Pull out any items that are still in good condition, make sure they are clean and wrinkle-free, and then take them to a local consignment shop. [10] X Research source You should be able to walk away with cash in hand. Just try not to spend it all on new clothes while you’re there—unless, of course, that’s why you wanted the extra money in the first place!
Think about offering up your clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, exercise equipment, and/or electronic equipment. So long as it’s in decent condition, you can usually find a buyer for nearly any item. You’ll want to take high resolution pictures of your items, and be sure to offer a clear, complete description of the item. If you have warranty information, manuals, or brochures that accompany the items, you may have better luck making a sell.
Post fliers around your neighborhood, and remember to place an ad in your local paper if they advertise garage/yard sales. Be willing to negotiate with buyers, and don’t set your expectations too high when you set your prices. At best, you may only be able to fetch 25% of the original price you paid for an item.
Search for freelance writing and editing gigs. The rates for these jobs vary: you may be paid by the word, be offered a flat rate for a project, or in some cases can be paid an hourly rate. You typically won’t be able to retain copyright over your work or collect royalties, however. Even so, by doing freelance work you can build a portfolio and make valuable connections which may later pay off with more stable job opportunities.
You’ll only make a few cents per click on the ads on your page, but with enough followers, this can add up for you over time.
See our related wikiHow on how to earn money on YouTube.
You’ll need a PayPal account, a good camera to take quality pictures of your crafts, and a way to organize your orders.
These jobs typically can be done in your spare time and require minimal training from the employing company.
The money you’ll be able to make will probably only amount to pocket change—you’ll be offered a few cents to a few dollars per task—but it can add up over the course of time, and will certainly help you feel less guilty about the occasional latte splurge.
There are many tutorials available which offer helpful advice, and you can even create an app if you lack coding experience. See our related wikiHow on how to create an app.
Carefully screen applicants—it may be a good idea to begin searching for a roommate among your friends and classmates. Be sure to draw up an agreement between the two of you outlining how bills will be handled, and make sure you aren’t violating your current lease if you bring in an additional person to your home.
Once your reading list is available, begin by checking the prices in the campus bookstore, but them look elsewhere for better deals.
Given that professors often use the same texts from term to term, you may be able to score much cheaper versions of the book. You may even be able to check the text out for free from the campus or local library.
Double-check with your professor to see if an older edition will work for you before you commit to buying.
If you do this, make sure that you have a clear schedule for when each of you will access to the book.
When you cash your check or make a withdrawal, take out enough to last you for the month, if possible. This way, you can avoid having to make repeat trips to the ATM. At an average fee of $3 per withdrawal, the fees can really add up. [12] X Research source Avoid carrying all of your cash when you go out, though. Take just what you think you’ll need.
Then, whatever plan you have, take full advantage of it: avoid skipping meals so that you won’t need to purchase food later; and if you’re allowed, take fruit or leftovers so that you’ll have snacks available throughout the day. Also, scope out events on campus which offer free food. If you have a work study with the dining hall or catering services, you may be able to take home free food. [13] X Research source
Shop at discount grocery stores or buy in bulk from stores like Costco. While you get more bang for your buck when you buy in bulk, your tab can be pretty high. You can work around this problem by having a friend or roommate go in with you on purchases.
Buy all of your clothes second-hand or commit to only buying items on sale. You can also swap clothes with your friends to keep things fresh.
For example, in exchange for doing your hair before a big date, you can offer to supply your friend with some fresh-baked goodies.
Your school may have discounted bus passes available for students, or you may be able to arrange to carpool with your fellow students to classes or for supply runs.
Make your coffee at home, consider cutting out the cable and switching to free or cheaper tv options (such as NetFlix or Hulu), and hold off on upgrading to the newest, shiniest electronic gadgets. [14] X Research source By going without luxuries, you’ll of course free up money, but you’ll also come to enjoy and appreciate them more once you can truly be able to afford them again.
Actually read the fliers and posters around campus, which advertise free, fun, and/or interesting activities and lectures. You may be able to see plays and concerts on campus, attend lectures from important thinkers, or go to university-sponsored parties all for free with your student ID.
These are usually funded in part or sometimes completely through donations or through fund-raising efforts. [15] X Research source
