With lectures commencing, your bank balance dwindling and true student life kicking back in, it might well be time to get your entrepreneurial-self in gear and start hatching plans to get some extra money in your pocket.
To help set the wheels in motion, mobile network giffgaff has compiled 10 top tips on ways to make some extra money whilst at university. You won’t believe the things people will pay you to do.
Read on to whet your entrepreneurial appetite:
- Get paid to chat
With family and friends dotted around the country and plenty of free time in-between lectures, we know how much you love to use social messaging services to keep in touch and be in the know but have you ever thought about using these services to make some money? Getting paid to chat almost seems like it’s too good to be true but with Quack! Messenger, you can earn cold hard cash by doing exactly that. Simply download the app, encourage your friends and family to do the same and then get chatting. You’ll get a daily update on how much you’ve earned and then can cash out via PayPal.
- Become a brand ambassador
No time for a part-time job but still want to see your student account in the black? Why not see if there’s any brand ambassador roles going that could simultaneously help bolster your CV. Companies such as Bloomberg, Nestle, RBS Group and many more offer ambassador roles which looks to boost their brand awareness while opening students’ eyes to new career opportunities. Check out www.oncampuspromotions.co.uk for more information and to see what’s available.
- Help uni to help you
If you’re stuck for moneymaking ideas, try looking on your own university doorstep. There are always opportunities to make a few extra pounds by offering a helping hand to your uni, be it by acting as a tour guide around campus for prospective students or even using your room as a showroom on university open days. The only downside might be actually having to tidy your room first!
- Take surveys
Chances are you’ve encountered a survey or two during university, whether interpreting the raw data for an essay or helping a mate collate consumer insights. If you’re willing to give your views on a range of topics from the Scottish Referendum to Miley Cyrus in your spare time, there are a number of sites that pay people for filling in surveys. Our pick is Ipsos i-Say – where you can earn points to redeem as gift vouchers for a large range of products and services.
- Use your head
You’re required to use your brain for at least a couple of hours every day at uni, so why not further fine tune those brain cells and look into tutoring an online course? You don’t necessarily already need a degree or a PGCE qualification up to GCSE level, and can charge a healthy £10 an hour or more if you’ve got previous teaching experience. It’s worth remembering that you will need a CBS check to work with kids, so if you’re serious about tutoring the best place to start is by getting in touch with a local teaching agency, which your university careers advice centre will have on file
- Cash in with cash back
An oldie but a goodie, cash back sites work by giving you a cut of their cash earned for directing you to shops or service providers. When shopping online, click through to a shop via one of these sites, such as TopCashBack.co.uk and it’ll give you a small proportion of what you spend back in cash. Simple.
- Get involved in online crowd-sourcing
If a hectic uni schedule leaves you little time for a traditional part-time job, then consider signing up to services that pay you for helping out in your free time online.
giffgaff is the first mobile network which rewards its members for helping each other out. The idea is simple: you can earn Payback points by answer questions in the giffgaff community forums, or by recommending the network to friends and family. Twice a year (in July and December) members can exchange their points for either cashback, use them for as credit for calls, texts and dad, or donate them to charity. So far this year giffgaff has given £1.7m to its members through the Payback scheme.
- Recycle your wardrobe
You’d be surprised how much money is literally hanging at the back of your closet and with fashion trends continually changing; selling your old garms can be a tidy little earner. ebay may seem like the obvious choice but with some exciting new apps cropping up, such as Depop, setting up shop in your pocket has never been easier. Think of it as an Instagram for second hand clothing – simply sign up, take some arty snaps of your pre-loved clothing, add a price and watch the bids flood in.
- Make your mark on social media
With social media playing an increasingly predominant role in our everyday lives, we’re seeing more and more people use it to both their personal and financial advantage. Blogs and YouTube are two of the most prominent platforms used for commercial success and have seen the likes of Zoella, Tanya Burr and JacksGap make full time careers from blogging/vlogging. Admittedly, becoming an internet sensation doesn’t happen overnight but with exciting new platforms cropping up all the time (think Vine) keeping your ears to the ground and becoming an early adopter of the next big thing in social media could stand you in pretty good stead. From product reviews to brand partnerships you could be earning anything from pocket money to big bucks.
- And the obvious one - get a part-time job!
Most of us will have experienced the feeling of utter dread that comes with checking your bank balance for the first time in months and being able to count the balance on one hand. Short of asking your parents for money, there are a number of ways you can get out of the red without having to resort to begging tactics. Studentjob.co.uk advertises a wide range of part time or one off jobs that can help tied you over.
If you’re stuck for ideas about how to make your CV stand out, visit BossMyCV.com, filled with creative CVs from young people who are doing things a little differently, which should give you food for thought.