Student life is no doubt an experience that most won’t forget in a hurry. But for every Fresher’s Fair and amazing night out, comes a dose of reality. Finding the right balance between working hard on your studies and playing hard is the key to making the most of student life. Whether you’re in your first, second or third year, money worries certainly bite for the majority of students. There were 2.32 million students studying in UK universities last year but with the cost of living rising for people from all walks of life, it’s no surprise that Save the Student’s Student Money Survey 2017 found that 84% of students were worried about making ends meet. That’s 4% more than those surveyed the previous year. As a cash for clothes specialist, we encounter individuals of all ages, including students. In fact, more and more of this group are looking for smart ways of earning extra money to fund their student lifestyles and reduce their student debt.
The summer months in particular provide the perfect time to turn your attentions to making a little extra money as a student, so don’t jet off on that summer holiday just yet! Balancing your studies with working a part time job however isn’t for everyone but you don’t have to succumb to the cash-strapped student stereotype. After revealing the top ways to save money, our team is back with the best routes to making extra money as a student. Read on and don’t just survive student life but thrive!
Use your talent to make something
Etsy is one platform that’s built on creativity so why not put your talents to the test and make something to sell online? Thanks to online sites like Etsy and eBay you’ll always find a market for your unique, handcrafted goods. Whilst those looking to sell in person are certain to find plenty of markets and events to set up shop in. Whether it’s knitting or crocheting, drawing or making bespoke furniture pieces, your hobby can be turned into profit online.
Become a regular Del Boy
Don’t have a creative skill you can exploit? Don’t worry, neither did Del Boy. Buying and selling is a great way to earn extra money as a student so if you have an eye for a bargain, why not try to resell items for a profit! Vintage clothing kilo sales have become great ways to not just bag some second hand treasures for yourself but purchase clothing, shoes and accessories to sell on. Judy’s Vintage Fair is the UK’s largest and leading; find a kilo sale in a city near you here. If it’s your own clothes you’re interested in shifting, our cash for clothes service provides the answer - more on that later.
With most buying and selling gigs you’ll need a little cash to get started, but you’ll be surprised to hear that you can actually make money from nothing thanks to the freebie websites currently littering the web. Magic Freebies and Wow Free Stuff are just two of the websites offering free items. Once you receive your freebies, it’s up to you what you do with them. List them on Gumtree, eBay or another selling outlet, and watch the money roll in.
Have a good old clear out
Spring may be over but your spring cleaning doesn’t have to wait until next year. As a cash for clothes service, we take care of the unwanted items that are so easy to hold onto. You may be sitting on a gold mine, and tons of people are guilty of holding onto unused or poorly sized threads. If we didn’t make it clear before we pay cash for clothes, recycling all brands, types and designs of clothing, footwear and accessories. With potential to earn 50p per kilo, what have you got to lose other than a shed load of clutter?
Whilst our cash for clothes service accepts all types of clothing, footwear and accessories, from supermarket and high street to designer, we do ask that the items you send to us are free from damage or staining. We also can’t accept clothes that are damp, wet, bobbled, tired, aged or worn. Clothes covered in animal hair or that smell of smoke or odour also will not be accepted. To find out more about what our cash for clothes service buys, please read our unwanted clothing guide.
Become an online blogger
With some of the most successful online blogs earning outlandish incomes – according to a recent Forbes article, blog network Gizmodo earns a whopping £245,000 PER month, whilst celeb gossip enthusiast Perez Hilton earns a smidge over £430,000 each and every month – putting fingers to keyboard could be more profitable than you think. Everyone has their opinion or specialism so why not tell the world and unlock money making opportunities in the process?
Whilst in recent years, the blogging world has become a little over-congested, finding the perfect subject matter, tone of voice and audience is the key to making it big on the blogging scene or at least making some pennies from your musings. Some subjects are more profitable to blog about than others. A survey conducted by Optimus found that bloggers in the fashion and beauty industry earned the most, with fashion bloggers earning on average £1,116 per year from just the affiliate sales and commissions of their blog rolls.
Share your opinion in other ways
Launching and managing your own blog isn’t the only way to earn money from your opinion online. Online surveys offer an easy route to extra money as a student, in fact all you need is time to fill out the online surveys littering websites such as MySurvey, i-Say, Global Test Market, The Opinion Panel, YouGov, Panel Opinion, Pinecone, Valued Opinions, SurveyBods, PanelBase, Branded Surveys, Hiving, Opinion Outpost, Prolific Academic, Harris Poll, Mind Mover, New Vista, PopulusLive and iPoll. Registering with all or a just a select few of these will certainly fill your spare time and with just a few minutes needed to fill out each of the surveys you’re approved for, making money as cash or rewards is simple. You can earn up to £3 for selected surveys, and some even give you access to brand new products before or as they hit the market.
Swagbucks is an online survey site that goes one step further, giving you a platform to earn free gift cards when you shop online, watch videos, take surveys and use promo codes. Toluna and InboxPounds are similar services where you can earn rewards by completing offers or activities online. More interested in the goodies that being an online reviewer unlocks? Then user testing could be the money making route for you. These days you can get paid for reviewing websites and apps. UserTesting is a top rated portal and brands pay big bucks to know what their target audience thinks about the products and services they provide. Using this particular platform, you can make around £6.50 for 20 minutes’ work (not bad, eh?) with the fee payable to you by PayPal.
Surf the net and earn cash
Do you, like many individuals, spend much of your spare time surfing the web finding out little titbits of information and searching for answers to life’s greatest (and most irrelevant) conundrums? Get paid for something you do already with Qmee. You can search, earn and save, unlocking the cash rewards and discounts that allow you to make extra money and save existing funds.
Want more great advice on budgeting your money? Check out our hacks to help you stick to the strictest budget.
Test out a business idea online
Got a business idea that’s bigger than blogging? It’s so easy to setup a website these days and to generate extra income in the process. In fact, there are countless sites that make web design and development as easy as 1, 2, 3, with sites set up for free (or for a small fee) in less than 20 minutes. Most claim that even technophobic pensioners can find ease setting up a website, so the internet-savvy students of today should have no problem at all!
Setting up your website is only part of the puzzle, but with a world of information, courtesy of the net, at your fingertips you can use your spare time to learn the skills you need to spread the word about your site and the business innovation it contains a little further afield. Whatever your business idea, share it with the world by setting up shop online.
Turn teacher to turn a profit
If you’re a student at university, you’ll be learning all sorts of things that will no doubt cement the career that you desire. You will have worked hard to get there too, with various qualifications and experience gained to grab a place on your previous college course and current university course. Use these academic skills to your advantage by becoming a tutor. Some private tutors earn £20 to £30 per hour and thanks to agencies you can have the support and readymade network you need to begin your side career as a private tutor.
Tutoring provides a flexible opportunity that you’ll be able to exploit not just during summer and other holidays, but during term time around your studies too. Whilst you may need a PGCE qualification to teach in UK schools, with the right qualifications and experience in your area of expertise you can still offer your tutoring services on a private basis. As well as providing plenty of flexibility and earning opportunities, tutoring will also look great on your CV. Private tutoring will help you build confidence and experience, whatever your desired future career path. Tutoring can also help improve success in your own studies, with turning teacher a popular and effective consolidation and revision method with students of all ages and abilities.
Got wheels? Start delivering!
Delivery companies like Deliveroo are always on the lookout for eager, hardworking individuals to join their team. If you have access to a bicycle, motorbike or car, why not earn money by delivering something delicious to customers’ doors in your spare time. You can earn up to £16 per hour working as a Deliveroo delivery person, whilst enquiring with local takeaways about their vacancies can also see your spare time utilised in the best way possible.
Food isn’t the only commodity being delivered by those looking to make a fast buck. Delivering flyers and even transporting people are all ideas that can take you from skint to minted in a matter of weeks.
Help out someone in need
It’s always nice to offer a helping hand but what if your generosity could earn you money too. Thanks to websites like Fiverr, Five Squid, Unitemps and Task Rabbit you can use your skills and spare time to complete tasks, help your community and earn some extra dollar. There are all manner of requests on these websites, some strange, some pretty normal, like cleaning someone’s house or car. These websites make earning money as an odd jobs person easy. With most platforms you pick a task, get a match and get the job done before collecting your reward for completion.
Become an extra
Have you always dreamed of living the showbiz lifestyle? Well, for those looking to get a taste of Hollywood, becoming an extra provides a not so glamorous insight but a nice little earner. You can earn in the region of £100 a day for some roles, as well as have the opportunity to mingle with the stars. Becoming an extra is easier than many think. All you have to do is sign up to a few extras agencies. They’re looking for all types of people to apply, and generally as long as you’re comfortable being in front of the camera, you’re good to go!
Looking for more ways to earn extra money as a student? All you need is your smartphone thanks to these great money saving and making apps! You’ll find more expert tips for earning money on our blog too.
