5 Easy Ways to Make Money in College

With the cost of college tuition still on the rise, it can be a real challenge to remain in school without racking up a lot of debt.

Part-time work is the best solution, but it’s often difficult to juggle that kind of commitment along with your courses and workload.

Fortunately, there are a few lucrative “side hustles” that allow you to make your own schedule and earn some extra income.

Here are a few of them.

1. Drive for Uber or Lyft

If you have a car, enjoy driving, and have good people skills, this could be the perfect opportunity to earn a little extra cash. You can set your own schedule and this allows you to earn as much or as little as you want.

2. Online surveys

Do you spend a lot of time online? Why not get paid for it? Websites such as Survey Junkie, Pine Cone, and Enroll pay users to test websites or try out products and then fill out surveys. Another website, VIP Voice, awards you points that can be used towards prizes like vacations or electronic devices.

3. Swagbucks

Another great way to earn money online is by joining the Swagbucks website. You can make up to $260 a month just by watching sponsored videos. These videos may not be exactly Oscar-worthy, but hey, if you get paid for watching them, who cares. Swagbucks also awards gift cards and cash bonuses for taking surveys and performing searches with their search engine.

4. Participate in medical research

If you’re a bit fearless, this can be a fairly easy way to earn thousands of dollars. You can participate in a brief market research study, or take on the greater and possibly more difficult commitment of a clinical trial. Find a research lab near you and just make sure that you know exactly what you’re getting into beforehand.

5. Buy and sell on Amazon

You may be surprised to find out how much you can earn just by listing your old CDs, DVDs, and books on Amazon. You could also make a profit by selling your old textbooks on Amazon instead of at your college bookstore. To take this even further, find used books at garage sales and sell them on Amazon or eBay at a profit.

Another way to make money on Amazon is through an app called Paribus. This will keep track of any drop in prices for items you have purchased and issue you a refund.

These are just a few of the resources available to you if you need to quickly earn some extra money to advance your studies. Other possibilities include tutoring, becoming a virtual assistant, or advertising services on Fiverr.

So don’t let the cost of college discourage you, or lead you to give up all your free time! You can easily fit a lucrative “side hustle” into your busy schedule.