5 Ways To Earn Extra Money In College

By Francine Fluetsch on March 19, 2014

Flashnotes.com is the student-to-student study materials marketplace. Flashnotes.com gives college students what they need most–more money and better grades. To learn more about Flashnotes, click here.

image via blog.lib.umn.edu

Being a college student, there is one thing you always want that you never seem to have: money. There are so many things you want to do, but everything requires money, and since you are busting your butt in school, it can be pretty hard to make time for a job. Here is a list of five ways that you can get some more paper in your wallet, so you won’t have to buy your next burrito with the change you found on the subway.

image via www.huffingtonpost.com

1) Sell your stuff to other students: At UC Santa Cruz, we have a Facebook group called free and for sale, where students can buy and sell items to one another. So whether you are cleaning out your closet, or trying to get rid of some snacks you don’t want, selling it to your fellow students is a great way to get money fast. It’s like a garage sale without the garage part! Sarah Guinon, a first year linguistics student at UC Santa Cruz, has used the free and for sale group to sell some of her things. “It goes back to the saying ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,’ except now it’s ‘one girl’s old Hollister clothes is another girl’s new outfit for about a week or two,’” she said. You know you have those clothes in your closet that you just don’t wear anymore, some that you even question why you bought. Instead of them just hanging around and taking up space, why not attempt to sell them and make a few extra bucks? According to this article by Lesley Scott, we only wear about 20-30 percent of our closets, meaning that 70-80 percent is just dead weight. Guinon also said “using the Facebook group was so easy to sell my bike because compared to Craigslist, everyone is much closer.” You can set a price, or have people comment what they are willing to offer. People then private message each other and set up a time and place to meet and exchange stuff. It’s fast, simple and safe.  2) Sell your knowledge: Knowledge is power right? Well now, knowledge can be money too. If you are great at a subject, you can offer to tutor others for a low rate. This helps you because you are getting in some extra review and making money in the process, so you are basically getting paid to study. You’d be surprised how many students would be willing to pay $10/$15 an hour for a quick review before a midterm or final.

image via www.knowledgejump.com

You can promote your services over Facebook as well, or get an email list from your professor and let other students know your rates and availability! If you don’t want to tutor, you can sell your notes, like on Flashnotes, so students can still benefit from your vast knowledge.  3) Have a bake sale: Who doesn’t like treats? If you are great at baking, you can really make bank off of this one. We all know the dining halls are crap, so if you are offering some sweet treats for a low rate, you know students won’t be able to resist. If you have a smart phone, it would be awesome to get one of those credit card readers, so even people who aren’t carrying around cash can satisfy their sweet tooth.

image via houseofaqua.blogspot.com

You could sell your baked goods from your dorm/apartment, or get permission from your campus to have a table outside of the library or something. You can make deals for buying more than one item, and sell the day old items for less. Promoting your goods on social media would be a great way to find out student favorites and help get the word around. Make some fresh squeezed lemonade to help wash it down!  4) Retail: Getting a retail job around campus is another great way to earn some extra cash, gain skills and build your résumé.

image via www.ixdaily.com

Holli Tomlinson, a second year merchandise marketing student at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, has worked in retail all throughout her two years at FIDM and said that it has been extremely helpful for her. “I found that I had the ability to connect with customers through confidence, poise, and communication, and ultimately translate that through my course work,” she said. Getting a retail job will mean more of a tight schedule on your part, but it will definitely help you out in the long run. Tomlinson also said that “working in retail helped prepare me for what I am to expect later on in life and that not everything comes easy; you have to learn how to multitask and plan your time wisely.” Most retail jobs give their employees discounts, so you’d be able to fill your shopaholic cravings while making money!

image via blog.esurance.com

5) Designated Driver: College students are all about partying, and not many people want to be the designated driver (DD), so that’s where you come in. You wouldn’t even have to go to the party, you just give the partiers your number and tell them to call you when they are ready to leave. You’ll be keeping fellow students safe and making money while you’re at it! Sounds pretty good to me. If this job sounds good to you, you will need: -A car -Trash bags (for puking) -A good sense of direction/navigation system -A good sense of humor Here are some tipsof how to be a good designated driver. So if you need a ride to the airport, deodorant for your smelly roommate, or Starbucks coffee to survive your 8 a.m., you now know some ways to get the funds. Good luck, and may the money be ever in your wallet.

Post your notes and study guides for sale today on Flashnotes. To learn more about Flashnotes, click here.

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