So you’re a college student who needs to pay for college, right? From the rising costs of tuition, textbooks, rent, and every other college expense, finding ways to earn extra money is essential these days. The good news is, there are plenty of ways for college students to make money to help fund their education.

In this blog post, we’re exploring some tried-and-true ways for students to earn money for college. From the usual suspects like retail work or waiting tables to the more creative gigs of online tutoring or ridesharing, you’re bound to find an opportunity that matches your interests and needs. Paying for college tuition isn’t easy, having a plan to earn money and make ends meet helps reduce stress and allows you to focus on your studies.

Getting a Part-Time Job

Getting a part-time job is a great strategy to make money in college. There’s plenty of options out there for students, so choose something that fits your schedule and interests.

Retail and Food Service

Popular choices include retail stores, restaurants, and cafes. These jobs typically offer flexible hours, and while the work isn’t glamorous, the pay can add up, especially if you get tips. Gain valuable experience helping customers and handling transactions.

Tutoring

If you’re strong in certain subjects, think about offering tutoring services to fellow students around your college campus. Unlike becoming a teaching assistant, you set your own hours as well as price. You could tutor in-person, online with services like Chegg or TakeLessons. Many college students are likely struggling to grasp their material and would like to hire college students also to help them.

Freelancing

Freelancing is a great way to gain real-world work experience from home. Most college students have some sort of marketable skill to freelance. Websites such as Upwork or Fiverr have jobs for writing, programming, graphic design, data entry, and more. Choose your own schedule and rates. Build your portfolio and client base over time. Just a few hours a week could make a significant difference.

Online Surveys and Market Research

Complete online surveys and focus groups in your spare time. Sites like Survey Junkie and InboxDollars offer ways to earn cash for sharing your opinions. While you won’t get rich, you could easily make an extra $50 to $200 a month.

Drive for a ridesharing service

If you have a reliable car, consider driving for Uber or Lyft in your spare time. You make your own hours and get paid weekly. It’s an easy way to generate extra cash, especially on weekends or evenings.

Sell items

Check your room and closet and sell anything you don’t need – clothes, books, electronics, knickknacks, and more. Host a garage sale or sell the items on websites like eBay or Craigslist. You can often get the best prices by selling in lots or bundles.

House or Pet sitting

House sitting or pet sitting are great ways to earn money while also providing a helpful service. Many homeowners feel more comfortable leaving their house and pets in the care of a responsible sitter when they go out of town. As a house sitter or pet sitter, you watch the home, collect mail, water plants, and feed and walk pets.

With some time and effort, you could launch a successful side hustle. Stay focused on your goal – earning some spending money or cash to cover your college expenses – and keep at it consistently. Before you know it, you could have a steady stream of extra income to help pay for your education.

Participating in Surveys or Product Testing

Participating in surveys and product testing is an easy way to make money in college during your spare time. Companies often look for consumer opinions and feedback on new products and services before launching them. By participating in market research studies, you simply share your thoughts and earn some cash.

Take Surveys

Many survey companies like Swagbucks or InboxDollars allow you to start making money by completing online surveys in your free time. You can do these on your phone, tablet, or computer whenever you have a couple minutes to spare. The surveys typically take between 5 to 15 minutes to finish and pay between $1 to $5 each. The more surveys you do, the more you can earn.

Test Products

Consumer product testing, also known as focus groups, allow companies to get opinions and feedback on new products before releasing them to the public. You can sign up with market research firms like Respondent and dScout to participate in studies where you test things like food and beverage samples, health and beauty products, electronics, and more. Studies pay on average $50 to $200 and could be done remotely using your phone or computer.

Secret Shopping

Secret shopping involves posing as a regular customer to evaluate a store’s customer service or cleanliness. Secret shoppers get reimbursed for making purchases and also receive a small payment for completing an evaluation report.

Applying for Scholarships and Grants

Another of the best ways to make money during college is by applying for scholarships or grants. These are free money awards that you don’t have to repay. Many scholarships are based on merit, grades, test scores, talents, affiliations, volunteer work, and interests. Grants are usually based on financial need. Here are some tips to help you find and apply for scholarships and grants:

Do research

Search for scholarships on sites like FastWeb or Niche. Find ones that match your strengths, talents, affiliations, and interests. Check with organizations you’re involved in like your place of worship, community groups, parents’ employers, and high school.

Focus on your strengths

Look for scholarships that play to your strengths, like academics, athletics, music, volunteering, or leadership. If your grades and test scores are high, look for merit-based scholarships. If you have a talent or skill, look for awards in areas like art, music, writing, science, or technology. Your experiences volunteering or in clubs and organizations are also appealing to scholarship committees.

Apply to Everything You Find

Cast a wide net and apply to as many scholarships and grants as possible. While the big awards are great, don’t forget about smaller ones. Even $500 here and $1,000 there could help pay for books, supplies, and living expenses. Apply for federal grants like the Pell Grant as well as aid from your state. Meet all deadlines and follow the instructions carefully.

Sell yourself in essays

Your scholarship essays are a chance to make a good impression. Follow the prompt and showcase your personality, accomplishments, talents, values, and goals. Have others review and provide feedback on your essays. While grades and scores matter, a compelling essay can be the difference between winning an award or not. With time and practice, you’re bound to get better at telling your story.

College Ave Student Loans

College Ave Student Loans offers private student loans to help cover the cost of college. Their loans have variable and fixed interest rates for undergraduate and graduate students.

Start Making Money Today With EASY Wireless!

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We’re offering free phone plans with data that you could use to stay in touch with customers or employers of your side hustle. If you apply and you’re eligible, here’s what you could receive:

EASY Wireless Unlimited Plan

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Or you can come to one of the EASY Wireless’s retail stores, where our customer service agent will help you apply for your benefits.