Hello everyone! Happy Wednesday :) I hope you all have been doing well. I am glad to be blogging once again and I hope to keep up with it this time. The goal is to bring you all a blog post once a week on Wednesdays. Even when I am in school.
There is definitely a lot to catch you up on so I am working on a very lengthy catch-up post. Make sure you are on the lookout for that if you are interested in what I have been up to (conceded much?).
However, today we are talking about how YOU can earn some extra money as a student! With summer, some of you probably have a bit more free time. Some of you may even want to earn some money to be able to have fun. Well, I got you. Here are four ways you can make money as a student!
1. Surveys, Studies, & Reviews
Surveys, studies/research, and reviews are your best friend. Many of them are completely free and don't require much of your time. However, they are sometimes a one-time thing. Checking your email for this one is really important. If you are in college, there is a good chance that there will be other students looking for participants that can help them with their research. Oftentimes, there is a small financial reward for your assistance like a gift card to a restaurant or Amazon with these things. Personally, I have been part of a few studies and have been compensated for my time (which was only about 2 hours). Also, some stores or brands will be looking for customers that can provide feedback on their products/services. Many of these opportunities will be emailed to you! In my case, I was recently reached out by Lumin PDF asking to leave them a review for a chance to win a $20 gift card (fast and easy!). One company that I recommend you be aware of is Nielsen. They randomly send you letters in your mail asking to complete surveys about the music or shows you watch in exchange for financial rewards (sometimes $5, other times $15). I have had a pleasant experience with them and it doesn't require too much of me. There are various ways you can earn money through this method so make sure to always be alert.
Pros: easy, fast, short commitment, can be anonymous, free
Cons: one-time thing, can require a name and address, sometimes have to look for them on your own
2. Apps
If you are like me, you are probably on your phone a good portion of the day. If you are, download these apps (in the post above). They are an easy way to earn money! With Fetch Rewards, you are able to earn points every time you scan a receipt. Once these points accumulate to a certain amount, you can cash out (direct deposit or gift cards). It is super easy and doesn't require much. Ibotta is a more popular application where you get cashback on certain purchases. By downloading offers that you might benefit from, once you upload your receipt you will get a certain amount of money from your purchase back. After you save up enough, you can then cash out (very similar to Fetch Rewards). The only difference is that Ibotta might require you to sometimes scan your products, so make sure to have them handy! Coupons.com works the same way as Ibotta so you can earn money on your purchases here too. Lastly, ZAP Surveys only requires you to have the app downloaded, location on, and your phone with you at all times. This app lets you earn money every time you pass or drive by certain locations. THAT IS IT. Just having the app on your phone is all you need to start earning money. These are very simple and probably something you will benefit from.
If you sign up for either Ibotta or Fetch Rewards and want to help out a fellow student, please consider using my referral code listed below! I would really appreciate you :)
Fetch Rewards: 8WVP1
Ibotta: AGWJPIY
Pros: easy, free, little effort, do not need to express yourself like in reviews, many offers
Cons: can take time to earn enough money, offers expire, points expire, requires a phone and storage
3. Reselling
This one is pretty simple and you might already be doing it. Selling items you already own and no longer use not only helps you but the planet. Buying secondhand is great so contributing to the secondhand market makes you great too! There are multiple ways you can do this. Facebook Market and OfferUp are great for this because they are designed for it. However, if you do not have these accounts and do not want to make them, I have seen quite a few people make "closet Instagram accounts" where they sell their clothes or other items. I think this is also a great idea if you already have an Instagram! Now, if you are old school, a good old yard sale works, but it can take more time and energy. It really depends on the urgency and effort you want to put in.
Pros: no hard work needed (through social media), helps the planet, cleans your place out
Cons: some work required (if yard sale), can be slow, have to talk and meet with people
4. Small Business
Finally, if you want to voluntarily put work into the money you earn, I suggest starting a small business. If you know how to: cook, sew, crochet, knit, draw, paint, bake, or any other artistic talent, this is for you. Share your work with others and you may be able to earn money for it. You can do this by opening an Instagram account and announcing your products/services there. However, this might not always be easy. You are going to have to put work into it. You need to be passionate in order to make this work. There is so much that goes into running a small business so make sure to really think about it first.
Quick Plug: Interested in crochet items? Check out my small business account! @crescenthandcrafts
Pros: creative expression, can be enjoyable, own boss
Cons: requires hard work, large time commitment, might need to invest money into it first
Well, that is that. Those were the four ways I, a student, have found to earn money. There are obviously more ways so if you feel like sharing them, comment down below! I would love to learn more about how I can make some extra money.
Take care everyone and stay safe <3