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By on August 28, 2017 in Saving Money

Image by Skitterphoto, pixabay.com

You have so much to do. You probably don’t have time to get a regular 9 to 5 job with everything you’re currently juggling. At the same time, you’re probably sick of eating instant noodles and being stuck at home on the weekends. Why not make some extra cash in an unconventional way?

1. Contribute to the Things You Read

Most blogs and websites are always looking for guest contributors, and some of them even pay when they agree to publish your posts. If you already spend your mornings or late nights catching up on these blogs, you probably know their style inside and out. See if any of the sites you follow pay for submissions.

2. Jump Into the Sharing Economy

If you have a car, you can always sign up to drive for a ride sharing service. If you’re not too big on the idea of letting strangers into your car, you could try being a courier at Zoom2U and deliver the goods. If you have your own place and you live in an area that sees a lot of tourism, you can even rent out your extra rooms to travelers.

3. Join the Gig Economy

Can you write, code, program, build websites, or design graphics? People are always looking to pay other people to handle those tasks for them. If you have a skill that you can do with little more than a computer and an internet connection, you can always become a freelancer. You’ll get to set your own rates and hours, on top of being able to choose who you work with.

4. Buy and Sell Stuff

You probably know a lot of people who love things like vintage clothing. They’re often willing to spend an arm and a leg on sites like Etsy or eBay for great vintage pieces. Take a look at what people are buying and selling on those sites, and then hit up your local thrift stores. You’ll be able to find similar things for much cheaper, and then turn around to sell them at a profit.

5. Cash in On Your Hobby

Now is the time to try those things you’ve always wanted to do, but weren’t sure you’d be successful doing. Do you have a craft or a hobby you’re passionate about? Can you paint or sculpt or carve things out of wood? If you can, it doesn’t hurt to try to sell the things you were going to make anyway. If it doesn’t work out, you aren’t at a loss – you still got to do something you love doing.

6. Tutor Your Classmates

A lot of your peers would love some extra help. If you can provide it, provide it at a price. When you’re great at a particular subject, others who aren’t doing as well might appreciate your expertise on the subject. Charge your peers a modest rate for an hour or two of your help – they might even want ongoing assistance, and over time, things might become highly profitable.

7. Love Every Dog

You probably don’t have the time or money to get your own dog as a student. A lot of other people with dogs who might not be able to get home and walk them in the afternoon might be willing to pay you to do so on their behalf. If you’re a dog person, you’ll find yourself in heaven as a dog walker.

If you like doing any of these things, you might even be able to turn them into full time jobs. They could potentially carry you through a gap year if you choose to take one. If they don’t work out the way you’d planned, you can drop them just as quickly as you picked them up.

This article was contributed by guest author Amy Berry.

By on April 25, 2016 in In the Workplace, Saving Money

It may seem like a cliche, but most college kids are actually broke most of the time. Tuition costs and living expenses aren’t going anywhere, but if you’re going to school to be a writer, you’ll be happy to know that you can start making money now and build your portfolio before you have a degree in hand.

Freelance writing can be a great way to bring in funds while you’re still in school. Today we’ll look at some ways to balance your classes with your work and how to become a better writer in the process with an amazing infographic!

Being a Writer While You’re Still in College

While it may seem like you don’t have any time for work, you can find the time you need through careful planning and by choosing the right jobs to meet your needs. I’ve been writing for almost a decade now, and these are things I wished I knew back then. Here are three things you can do to start making money while you’re in college:

1. Get Experience First

You won’t be able to pick up a huge job right away, you’ll need experience. You can find plenty of opportunities on your campus, whether it be volunteer work, tutoring, or odd jobs around campus. Check to see if some of the local journalists need help with the school’s blog or newspaper.

2. Schedule Your Semester

As you schedule your classes, space things out so you know you’ll have time to pitch new ideas or pick up more work. Finding and earning work can take weeks in some cases, so you should keep your schedule flexible and open.

3. Choose Things You’re Passionate About

This may go without saying, but if you write about things you like or care about, it will flow a lot faster than trying to crank out an article on a subject you couldn’t care less about. Think about the difference between writing a story and writing a paper for class and you’ll see what I mean.

Building Your Writing Career (Infographic)

Take a look at this infographic and consider the various strategies and tools it has to offer. This information will help you find and obtain the writing jobs you want and deserve.

Image by Matt Banner

Image by Matt Banner

This article was contributed by guest author Matt Banner.

By on September 4, 2013 in Search Strategies, Self-Assessment
Image by Victor1558, Flickr

Image by Victor1558, Flickr

As a university student, part-time jobs that work with your schedule come few and far between. With the increasing costs of receiving an education, should you sacrifice your study time just to earn some extra pocket money? Thankfully, students with in-demand skills don’t have to settle for the typical minimum wage job. The world of freelancing is open to young, savvy students looking to gain some work experience, while earning an extra buck or two. Here are a few things you need to know before diving into freelancing:

Benefits of Freelancing

  • Better salary. You set up how much you want to get paid per hour. Since it is for a specialized skill that not many can offer, you usually earn more than minimum wage. The price is affected by your experience and the demand for your field of work. As a student starting off, you won’t be able to charge as much as the seasoned pros, but more experience and projects under your belt will allow you to start charging more.
  • Be your own boss. Everyone has had their fair share of bad bosses. With freelance work, you are your own boss. You can specially design your work schedule to fit with your academic and social schedule. You can even save on transportation costs because you can work from your bed!
  • Helps your resume stand out. Even if your desired career doesn’t involve developing apps or writing articles, you’re creating connections and learning valuable soft skills. Employers appreciate applicants that display entrepreneurial spirit and have technical skills that stretch beyond the job requirements.

What it Takes to Be a Freelancer

  • Be knowledgeable in an in-demand skill. Unfortunately, not everyone can be a freelancer. A prerequisite to becoming a freelancer is to have a skill that others would hire you to perform. This can be graphic design, web design, photography, video production and editing, journalism, translation, or administrative work (to scratch the surface!). Whether you’re a master or a self-taught amateur, you can always find opportunities.
  • Self-motivation and time management. Without a boss hounding you to get work done, it can be difficult getting yourself motivated to finish a job. Even if you’re exhausted from schoolwork, you need to find time to work on your latest project. Never take on more work than you can handle! Always submit high quality work so that your client will recommend you or even hire you for future projects.
  • Patience and persistence. Especially as a student, finding freelance work can be difficult. It’s not always going to be a reliable source of income. You have to remain patient and be persistent in marketing yourself and finding work.
  • The right mindset. Don’t be fooled into thinking being a freelancer is easy. A lot of work is involved in trying to meet deadlines and client needs. A huge focus on quality has to be taken. Money isn’t going to come right away either. Like any other business, you will need to build capital – buying better equipment, programs and other necessary tools.

Where to Find Work

  • Personal website. Build a website that you can post all of your previous work on. There are plenty of websites such as WordPress and Blogger that will allow you to easily and quickly build your own website for free. If you’re just starting off and don’t have any existing work, include projects you’ve done in school or anything you’ve done in your spare time.
  • Websites for freelancers. There are plenty of websites out there designed for freelancers looking for jobs and clients looking for freelancers. Some websites include oDesk, Elance, StudentFreelance and even Craigslist!
  • School. University is full of innovative students looking for help on their personal projects. Someone might be starting a company and need a web designer or creating a student film and needs editors – all you need to do is look around! Put an ad up on the student bulletin and ask around to see if anyone is starting on a project who may need your skills.
  • Cold calling. This may be a daunting task, but you never know which companies and organizations may need your help. Calling charities and asking them if you can do some pro bono work for them is a good start. You might not get paid, but it will help you gain experience and possibly build on your portfolio. If you do a good enough job, you might even be asked to work with them for future projects where you can get paid.

Where to Find Help

Are you convinced that freelancing is right for you, or do you still need more persuasion? Check out Save the Graduate and Students That Freelance for more on the wonderful world of freelancing.