One of the number one complaints about being a student is inevitably the lack of disposable income. Heck, often times, it’s not even disposable income that’s the issue, it’s having funds to pay for the basics like food, books and rent. Here are five ways that students can make some extra spending cash (legally).
Teach – College is a place of self-improvement. Everyone is constantly learning and evolving. Why not take your skills and teach them to others. Do you know how to play the drums? Paint? Play guitar? Maybe you speak another language (or three). Each of these skills is something that someone out there wants to learn, and is wiling to pay for. Start offering up your teaching services. You can get going by posting flyers around campus, or on Craiglist.
Drive – Depending on which city you live in, you may be able to drive people from point A to point B in your own car and get paid pretty well for doing it. Ride sharing services like Lyft, Uber X and Sidecar are growing in popularity and that means they need more drivers. Drivers for these services can make upwards of $20 an hour and often times all you need is a good personality and a clean driving record. Check out their websites to see which services operate in your area.
Rent out your space – Just like ride sharing services are all the rage right now, so are home rental sites like Airbnb. If you live in a desirable location, have an extra room, or are gone a lot, think about renting out your space for extra cash. Just be sure that doing so doesn’t run afoul of a lease agreement if you rent your place.
Go to the Dogs – One of the benefits of being a student is having a flexible schedule, unlike the desk jockeys who work 8 to 5. Yet, many of those cubicle workers have dogs at home in need of love (and potty breaks). Think about offering your services as a dog walker. It’s a great way to make extra cash during your free time.
Sell Your Wares – Are you able to make cool stuff? Bowties for cats? Pottery? Jewelry? Have you ever thought about selling what you make? Sites like Etsy.com have more than 15 million buyers, so get creative and get selling.
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76657755@N04/