Unique Ways to Make Money on a College Campus

Most college students have one thing in common: a lack of money. While you might think your only options are to work fast food, retail, or in the college bookstore, you're missing out on other huge opportunities.

College is a unique place with a unique population. With some creativity and a little work, you can find a way to make some real money quickly and easily.

Let’s look at a few possibilities:

1. Do laundry for others. Offer to do laundry for others. Either use their detergent or charge enough to make it worthwhile to use your own. Aside from throwing the clothes in the washer and dryer, there’s really no work or time involved. Study while you wait.

    

2. Clean.  Many dorm rooms are filthy; everyone is used to mom cleaning up after them. For a small fee, you could sweep and pick up. This can be a lucrative service for a few minutes of work. Don’t forget to talk to the fraternities and sororities. They need all the help they can get.

    

3. Become a tutor.  Tutoring can be a great way to pay the bills. Everyone has a subject in which he excels. Find someone that needs your expertise and charge him for it.

    

4. Be a designated driver. Offer to give inebriated students a ride home from parties and bars. Charging three people $5-10 apiece comes out to a nice chunk of change for 20 minutes of work. You’re also providing a valuable service and potentially saving lives.

    

    

5. Write a blog about your school. If you can write well, you might be able to create a blog that becomes popular on campus. All you have to do is monetize it by selling products on it or charging for advertising and you can potentially make money in your sleep.

    

6. Recycle.  College students go through a lot of cans and bottles. If you can figure out a clever way to collect them, all you have to do is drive them to the recycling center and pick up your check.

    

7. Be a personal trainer. The Freshman 15 was once the Freshman 10.  It refers to the average of, now, 15 pounds Freshman students gain their first year in college.  So, lots of students want to stay or get into shape but not all know how to use the equipment at the student recreation center. You could be a personal trainer and make some easy money.

    

8. Deliver newspapers. A newspaper route can be pretty good money for the amount of time it takes. If you’re a morning person, this might be a great job and it fits in well with school.

    

9. Be a model. College art programs are always looking for models, and in most cases, you can keep your clothes on. All you have to do is sit still for an extended period of time.

    

10. Sell your notes. If you take excellent notes, considering starting a little business where you sell your notes to your fellow students. You might even consider sitting in on some of the larger classes, even if you’re not enrolled. A larger class means more potential customers.

     

11. Help students move. Students are always struggling to move to school or back home. The weeks that the dorms open and close, you could wrangle some students in need of money, rent a truck or two, and create your own moving company.  Can't rent a truck?  You could offer to help carry stuff either to or from their moving truck. It can pay well and you’ll get some exercise, too.

These are just a few of the many possibilities available to you.

The key to being a successful entrepreneur is to notice what people need and then provide it to them in a way that makes financial sense for both of you. A college campus has a lot of unique opportunities; take advantage of them.

Michelle R Russell

© The Prosperity Process, LLC  

for BNB-Boss

P.S. For these special Spring/Summer articles, BNB-Boss is focusing on teaching financial literacy to kids.  We want you to have the tools you need to start them at any age: children, pre-teens, teenagers, or young adults.  Several of our articles are geared this Spring and Summer towards Kids and Money.  Get your FREE Worksheet, “Set Your Teenager Up For Success by Teaching Financial Literacy,” now by clicking here.