Tired of flipping burgers and stocking store shelves, and doing it on someone else’s schedule for you? Unfortunately, that is the fate o...
Tired of flipping burgers and stocking store shelves, and doing it on someone else’s schedule for you? Unfortunately, that is the fate of lots of college kids who want or need extra money. Even when there are jobs that seem a bit better than the mindless tasks of most, you still have to get to them on time and meet someone else’s scheduling decisions. You miss a really great event or party because you have to work; you don’t have the time to cram for that exam because you have to work.
There is a way out of all of this – with your computer and an Internet connection, you can find work that you actually like and do it on your own schedule. Here are the Top 7 Ways for College Students to Earn Extra Money Online Legitimately.
1. Become a Freelancer
Assess your skills. What is marketable? Can you troubleshoot computer issues? Do you write well? Are you a whiz at doing taxes? Lots of people sell their services online, and you can too. Even if you don’t want to market yourself (that takes a pretty strong time commitment), you can register with lots of companies that use freelancers like Fiverr, UpWork, Freelancer.com, etc.. They will test your abilities and take their cut, of course, but you can determine your own schedule and when and how much work you want to take on. A simple Google search will bring up plenty of businesses in your skill area. Just do the research and make certain you are not hooking up with a scam.
2. Be a Website and/or App Tester
When site and app developers finish a project, they need to test it with real users. It’s not just about finding bugs and fixing those. It’s about getting feedback on how user-friendly that site or app is. They employ everyday people to perform tests. You will be given instructions for tasks to complete and then will provide feedback about your experience. These companies particularly like students for testers. You can find several reputable companies that do this and sign up for several. You will have to meet their deadlines for completing the tests, but the “windows” are usually reasonable so that you can complete the work on your schedule.
3. Online Tutoring
Are you expert enough in an academic field that you could help middle and high school students? You can market yourself on Craigslist or you could sign up with a national tutoring service. When you do sign up for a service, be aware that you will have to pass some initial testing to demonstrate your knowledge and skills, but, after that, you will be assigned clients based upon your and their schedules. You can pick and choose when and how much you want to do. You only need Skype or some comparable communication tools. Usually, you will be paid by the hour, but the pay is certainly better than taking online surveys or working fast food. You can search for tutoring services and pick and choose. You will also be able to choose your hours of availability.
4. Data Entry
If you are great with detail and do not mind work that can get a bit tedious, then data entry may be a great sideline for some extra money. This work may involve anything from copying/pasting content from one place to another, to entering data onto a spreadsheet, to doing a bit of research and link-finding. The work is simple, but, again, you must have attention to detail.
5. Sell Stuff
Reselling has become quite a hobby for some and a source of some good bucks for others. You can buy stuff on eBay or Amazon (used) and re-sell it for more. If you really want to get into this, set up your own online store with a site like Etsy. This is also a great place to sell anything you make. There are some major success stories of retailers who began this way while they were still in college. Check out Jessica Ekstrom Headbands of Hope site. She hatched her idea during a college internship and now runs an amazingly profitable business while supporting children’s cancer research.
If you have a good photographic eye and love photography as a hobby or a course program you are taking, why not make some money by putting your great work on stock photo websites? You will get a commission every time someone buys your photo to use. Shutterstock is probably the most well-known site for your submissions.
6. Do You Write Well?
Lots of high schools and college students need help with their essays and papers. In fact, many of them use services like WritingDaddy to get things done quickly. If you are interested in writing and doing research, then there is some good money to be made by signing up with one of these services or marketing yourself online just on your own campus.
If you don’t like academic writing, then how about product reviews or blog posts? You can begin your blogging career by writing posts for sites that pay for them. You will need to find a niche you love and in which you have the expertise, or you can commit to the research required to write posts that are really engaging. If you blog throughout college, you may indeed find that you will be establishing your own blog, selling advertising on it, and making a career of it.
If you are creative, you can write product reviews for any number of online retailers. They do pay for these.
7. Don’t Limit Yourself
You may think you don’t have the skills or the talent that may be required for some of these tips based on earn income from home online. But consider what you love to do; consider what you are good at. Then, see how these skills, talents, and passions can be turned into an online opportunity.
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