Money Making Resources

As a college student or young adult, sometimes making money is hard to do. You've got a lot of studying to do, in addition to that project due next week, campus club meetings, and you still need time for a social life. How do you add some cashflow to this equation? The first few things I will say are some hard truths you're going to have to accept (so LISTEN UP SONNY JIM), but after that I'll give you some tips to make money-making a little easier. If you want to skip all these paragraphs and get to the main point (I assume you're in a hurry and won't be offended by your lack of interest in my eloquent writing skills) just head down to the bottom of this page. 


The usual


[preach time]


Time Management
The first pill to swallow is that you are going to have to learn to manage your time. Yeah, your parents nagging you throughout high school about this particular skill is probably coming to your mind. In college (and when you become a real person), the reality is that time is money. Every single student you meet who is chugging along their degree path will tell you that this a skill you MUST master.




So learn to manage your time.  
[/preach]


Here are some free, awesome task management resources:


Wunderlist
Astrid
Producteev
Goalstacker
Symphonical





Get a part time job
The next obvious answer is get a part-time job. This idea is not appealing to a lot of people, as sitting on your butt and doing nothing usually proves to be the better game-plan. In your mind you are Veruca-Salting it now: "But Mummy, I don't WANT a JOB." In college, to be perfectly honest, jobs can be a hassle. BUT! If you do it the right way, they can also be fun and give you more than just money. Really! Stay with me here! 


Instead of signing up for the next Mickey D job opening, work at a place that will give you discounts or benefits relevant to your life. For instance, are you going to have to do a lot of printing? Ink is expensive. Work at a local print store and save yourself some paper and ink money. One of your biggest bills in school will be food. Work at the local grocery store and get discounts on your favorite products. Looking to go to grad school? Look around for Professors who are hiring research assistants. Oftentimes this can lead to great recommendations, great experience for a resume, and a way for you to find out what you're interested in. Most schools will have some sort of job-posting website where you can find available jobs right on campus. For example: https://jobs.ufl.edu/postings/search, http://umjobs.org/browse


Obviously, this is the most direct way to start earning some income. 


Be a Research Subject
Undergraduate students are the most popular lab rats around. There are SO many research studies out there, and many of them are willing to pay you in some way for your participation. The great thing about this is that it is a small commitment, and you get cash or a reward relatively quickly. I've participated in studies where they will hand you a $5 Starbucks card on your way out. Search your school's research database, or just walk around campus and watch out for fliers, see if you qualify and sign up! It really is that easy. If you're having trouble finding study advertisements, look at different department websites--usually they will post stuff there. 


Develop a Skill and Charge for it
This may seem like a strange idea, but a lot of students make their way through college by using a skill they've already obtained. Into photography? Offer to do a photoshoot of your friends for a good price. Play guitar? Offer guitar lessons. Good at video editing? Film events for sororities or fraternities. Good at sewing? Cleaning? I know an all-college-student maid service that rakes it in weekly (rich professors don't like cleaning their houses). Good with computers? Offer tech services for a small fee. Starving artist? Sell your pieces to peers who want something nice to look at. 


 This idea is not just for people with an entrepreneurial spirit--find what you're good at and start making some dough off it. Keep in mind your main clientele will also be poor college students, so try to be reasonable with what you charge. 


Websites to aid you in this process:
Eventbrite (if you're offering lessons or services)
Paypal (a secure way to get paid)
Etsy (if you're selling stuff)
Shopify (if you're selling stuff)






Wacky ideas that just might work 


Refurbish and Resell Junk on Craigslist
While this does require a particular skill set, and some pepper spray (in case the craigs list people attack), sprucing up something and reselling it has its fiscal perks. College towns are fast-moving, and people have to leave quickly all the time. This means that often people will sell off their stuff for extremely cheap in a rush to get to their new location. Pick up some gently used items from craiglist for a good price, spruce it up, and resell it. Ideas for this would be furniture, computers, bikes, appliances, jewelry, etc. 


Grow Fruit, Veggies and Herbs to sell 
A tomato plant at Wal-Mart costs $10. It yields a bagillion tomatoes. Set up shop and start selling those things to all the people who want to eat organic! There are some kinds of fruits and vegetables (and herbs) that are easy to grow in a small space, in a pot, with little sunshine. Ideas would be cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and peppers. If you sell your fruit for a few bucks each you will easily make back what you spent. If you want to go even further, just buy soil and the seeds to save yourself even more money. 


Create a Website or Youtube channel and Monetize it
Amazingly, you can make money off the internet. Yes it's true, advertisers will pay you for a spot on your site, according to how many hits you receive. As I'm sure you're aware, many idiots make tons of money off of their Youtube station. If you've got a flare for creativity, or have some funny videos of you and your friends, upload it and see what happens. You never know, you could go viral and make some cash. 


Bake Delicious Goods and Sell Them to Friends or People on Campus
Fond of making delicious treats? I'm a fan of eating them. You'll find most hungry college students on campus in a hurry will easily shell out $1-$2 for a cookie. If you consider how much cookie dough costs, or even making your own from scratch, you will surely make money off of this. It's almost unfair really--college students just can't say no to baked goods. My advice: don't look like a creeper standing there handing out brownies...get your act together and make people want to approach you. Better yet, just sell them to friends or people in your class. 






Alright kiddos, there's just a few ideas to get you started. If you have anything interesting to contribute, feel free to comment. As promised, here is the synopsis:


The more mainstream approaches to earning money when you have none:
Learn to Manage your time FIRST
Get a part-time job
Be a research subject
Develop a skill set 


Wacky but creative approaches:
Refurb/resell items from craigslist or goodwill
Grow your own garden and sell what you reap
Monetize a website, blog, or youtube channel
Sell baked goods to friends/classmates


This page was meant to get your wheels turning. Getting a job is not the only way to make money, so put your thinking cap on and come up with a way to pay the bills that doesn't suck!

By Nicole with No comments