If you’re like most students, you’re probably looking for ways to pay for tuition and other expenses. Jobs can be hard to come by, especially during the college year. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make money!
It’s possible to make money in college without a job. The key is figuring out how to use your time and skills to make money in college, And you will be surprised to see there are plenty of ways how to make money in college without a job.
Today, Side hustles are one of the best ways to increase your income so you can pay off an education loan, or any other type of debt, afford college expenses, or even just live your lifestyle. This article will discuss how to make money in college without a job using your skills.
21 ways to make money in college without a job
You can earn money in college without a job by doing a side hustle, selling notes, becoming a tuition teacher, and signing up for apps that pay you real money.
All these ideas will help to earn money in less time which can be a great help toward paying your monthly expenses.
Turn Your Hobby into a Side-Hustle.
It is always possible to turn hobbies into part-time or even full-time income. If you have a hobby that involves creating something, you can start selling your products online or locally and make money.
For example, my friend Arun love teaching Digital marketing class; hence he created the SEOIndiainc portal and started teaching SEO and Digital marketing courses. Below are other examples to turn your hobby into side income:
- If you love woodworking and want to sell furniture pieces or other wooden items like bowls, mugs, and more on Etsy, that’s great! You could also start your own website with an eCommerce store where customers can buy from your site directly.
- If you have a hobby that requires interaction with people, such as cooking classes or photography lessons and workshops for beginners, then why not offer these services for free in exchange for some payment? You can make decent money with your skill.
- Upscale: You can give discounts to returning loyal customers for your next courses. This way, we build trust among each other over time which helps build long-lasting relationships between consumers & producers alike, meaning: we all win together!
- Provide Tuition classes: You can frequently interact with kids using social media and teach free classes. This way, you build up trust, and then you can promote your paid courses.
Become a Freelance Social Media Manager.
Social media managers are in high demand. You can become a social media manager to manage a company social network page or even manage your own private account.
You will make a good amount of money by becoming social media manager to pay your college and tuition fees.
There are many ways that you can make money from social media management:
- One way is by simply managing company accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter pages. The main job of this position would be to post content on these pages throughout the day, keep track of conversations taking place with other users, respond appropriately, and engage in conversations when they deem necessary (or when asked to do so).
- Another way you can earn money as a freelance social media manager is by managing personal accounts such as Instagram or Snapchat pages; this will involve having fun with the account owner’s photos while posting at specific intervals throughout the day.
Get Paid to Watch Videos and Take Surveys Online.
You can get paid for watching videos or taking surveys online. You’ll receive a small amount of money for each video or survey you complete, and it’s easy to work on that doesn’t require much time. You can read step by step guide on how to get Paid to Watch Videos.
Earn Money Taking Online Surveys
Many sites like Brandclub, Swagbucks, and many more give you free money by submitting online surveys. This is very easy to do, especially if you are a college-going student. Read the full guide by clicking Earn Money Taking Online Surveys.
Earn Money Shopping Online
One of the best ways to make money in college is by shopping online. You can earn cash back on your purchases when you shop through sites like MaxRebates, Fetch rewards, and Ibotta. These sites pay you for every purchase that you make online.
You can also use the best cashback apps like Acorns, Slide, and Stash, as well as coupon apps such as FatCoupon, to earn extra money while shopping at your favorite stores or restaurants. Read Make Money Shopping Online in detail.
Become a Translator
You can find work as a translator, technical writer, or transcriptionist. All three jobs are great because they allow you to work from home and make your own schedule. If you’re fluent in multiple languages, this can be an excellent way to make money.
When it comes to finding translation jobs, there are many options. Any company that deals with international business needs translators on staff or at least outsources their translations to one company or another.
You need to have good language skills and knowledge of how grammar works (and why), but if those things sound like fun challenges for you, then becoming a translator may be the perfect job for you!
Become an Online tutor
Becoming an online tutor is one of the best ways to make money in college without a job. But it would help if you had a college degree, excellent communication skills, and a good command of the subject. You also need to manage your time well and be reliable and patient with students who may not understand something right away.
Tutor students from all over the world are earning quick money. You can tutor subjects like English, Math, Science, History, French, Spanish, German, and more. Many tutors are even able to travel internationally!
Running Errands
You can make money doing errands for people, businesses, and other students. Learn about the types of errands you can run and how to get started:
- Finding local clients: Ask your friends and family if they have any errands that need to be done. You could also post on social media or even Craigslist (if you’re very careful).
- Running errands for businesses: There are plenty of businesses in most cities that will pay someone with a car to drive around packages or even people who need rides somewhere without owning their own vehicle.
- For example, Uber offers an app-based transportation service with drivers who pick up passengers via their smartphones; many college students make extra cash driving for Uber during their breaks from school or during summer months when there’s less demand at home.* Running errands for other students: Other students may ask you to do things like pick up groceries or drop off laundry at the cleaners—and they’ll pay!
Virtual Assistant
If you have no idea what you want to do, then become a virtual assistant. This is a great way for you to dip your toes into the work-from-anywhere pool to figure out if it’s for you.
Virtual assistants work independently from home, and they help people with administrative tasks such as bookkeeping, answering emails, scheduling appointments, etc. They might even assist with social media management.
Most virtual assistants work part-time, although some choose to go full-time. Some virtual assistants offer flexible schedules, while others require you to commit to set hours. Virtual assistants typically charge hourly rates ranging anywhere from $10 per hour to over $20 per hour, depending on the task.
You will work closely with clients and communicate via email and phone. In most cases, you won’t be expected to meet face-to-face unless you meet with someone in person.
Many virtual assistants have experience working in customer service roles before becoming virtual assistants. This gives them an advantage because they understand how to communicate effectively with customers.
Freelance writer
Freelancing allows you to make money online without having to sell anything. There are various freelance ways, including graphic design, writing, proofreading, data entry, consulting, web development, and programming.
Freelance writers provide written content for websites, magazines, newspapers, and businesses. Although the work is done remotely through online job sites like Upwork, Freelancer, Guru, People Per Hour, Fiverr, and Odesk, there is often a need for creative copywriting (such as press releases, ad campaigns, brochures, articles, emails, blog posts, and so forth) as well as technical and business writing (including resumes, cover letters, reports, proposals, white papers, term papers, dissertations, and so forth).
Transcriptionist
Transcribing is another good side hustle that can bring in extra cash. Companies often pay transcriptionists well above the market rate, so this could easily turn into a second income stream for you. If you’re currently employed, ask your boss if you can transcribe any meetings or presentations that you attend at work.
Dog walker
If you love dogs, why not start walking dogs for other people? Plenty of websites let dog owners post their pet needs (and look for potential candidates), such as Rover.com. WalkScore.com also offers up a list of local walks organized by difficulty.
Personal trainer
Personal trainers make around $25-$100+ per session, depending on where you live and what type of personal training you provide. The average client pays between $60-$80 per session. Check out my blog post on how to get started: How to Get Started As A Personal Trainer.
Dog sitter
Sitters generally charge $25-$35 per hour. Plus, every time a family goes on vacation or has a holiday party, they will hire a dog sitter. So, if you love animals, why not make money watching them? To start, check out Care.com, which connects dog sitters with families who need assistance caring for their four-legged friends.
Proofreader
This is one of my favorite jobs to do from home since it requires minimal effort. All you need is a computer, internet connection, and a willingness to read through document after document.
Read More: Get paid to read book aloud
Online survey taker
Companies want to know consumer opinions about new products to improve their offerings. Signup to take surveys and earn anywhere from 50 cents to several dollars daily; you simply answer questions and complete easy tasks. Sites include Swagbucks, Global Test Market, My Survey Spot, Opinion Outpost, Prize Rebel, and Harris Poll Online.
Start a website/blog.
The two most popular blogging platforms are WordPress and Blogger. Both offer free plans but hosting costs go up as you add pages and features. For example, WordPress begins at $3.95 per month, while BuddyPress starts at $24.95 monthly. There are many themes and plug-ins available too. Once you have set up your site, don’t forget to promote it.
12. Become an affiliate
Countless companies and online services sell specific products or services or services in exchange for commissions. These include credit card processing, web hosting, phone service, transportation, gas, hotels, car rentals, etc. Commissions vary from company to company and product to product – some pay per sale, others pay per lead, and still, others pay per action.
13. Sell products online
If you have a knack for creating unique items, consider setting up a storefront on Amazon or another eCommerce platform. Or become an independent sales rep for a larger retailer such as Walmart, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Costco, Sam’s Club, Lowe’s, or Home Depot.
15. Become a Social Brand
Do you know what makes your favorite celebrities tick? What makes your customers buy? The same principles apply to the brand. Find out what niche suits you best. Create video content around that niche and promote those videos on youtube channels, TikTok, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and other networks.
16. Become a virtual calligrapher
If you have a flair for drawing and typography, why not put those talents to work by making personalized calligraphy cards or tags? You could also start selling these handmade cards to friends, family members, and co-workers.
User Testing
From small to large websites, user testing tests the user experience. Many website owners need real people to log on, perform given tasks and think out loud. The screen recorder captures your voice about how difficult the task is to complete. You will be paid $10 for a 15-minute test, and most of these are really fun.
I let my oldest play with the iPad and nurse my infant during tests. The screen recorder just captures screenshots. It doesn’t record you. I make about $100/month, although I’ve done much better other months.
My two Cents: Do what you love
This one is a no-brainer, but it’s worth repeating: if you don’t enjoy the work, you won’t want to do it for very long. Consider whether or not the job will be fulfilling and how much time you think it will require of your day.
If working from home means being able to spend more time with friends, then that might be worth considering. If your parents are paying for college tuition and want to see, their investment pay off by earning money while in school, then going out and getting a part-time job might also be worth considering.
Conclusion
I hope our list of ideas was helpful. Suppose you are looking for ways to make money without a job while still in college. There are many different options, so don’t feel like you have to stick with just one if it isn’t working out. Making extra money can take time especially if this is your first attempt at making an income online. However, it is possible! Just be patient while learning new skills, and then start marketing yourself to make money. Best of luck!