Being a student is full-time work. It is not gritty or grimy, but it certainly is grueling and intense. I don’t know about you, but there are times that I feel resentful. We pay a huge amount of money to work so hard. Although it isn’t harmful to wallow for a bit, eventually . . . well, if we’re not part of the solution, we’re part of the problem, right?
So what can we do to bring in a little dough to offset these mounting college expenses? 
We have talked about selling back textbooks, which can be a huge help. Unfortunately, that opportunity comes only at the end of the semester. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have to buy the darn things in the first place!
I’ve found two options that have been beneficial to me, both monetarily and academically.
First, is tutoring. I’m not necessarily talking about peers, or even people slightly below my academic level. I’m talking about kids. Many parents are in search of people capable of connecting with and teaching their child. These students may struggle in subject that the parents are comfortable teaching or do not have time to give the child the daily, one-on-one attention. Or, the student may simply need a fresh approach to a subject with someone other than mom and dad.
Not sure how to start? Go to the website, www.WyzAnt.com. You can set up a profile, set your hourly rate and cancellation policy. There are short quizzes to confirm your knowledge in the areas you list as strengths and parents have the ability to purchase a background check on you. While the background check may seem a bit intense, simply giving parents that option provides them with some security. To my knowledge, no one has ever used the option, but I’m willing to bet that they are glad it is there.
When using a service like WyzAnt, read the terms thoroughly, as the site owners will often take a large percentage of your hourly rate as payment for the use of their service.
The other option that has been beneficial to me is offering services as a freelance editor for students. As people enter various graduate fields, they often have to complete thesis papers or capstone projects, for which editing is a necessity. A contract can be written up or purchased, and rates can be set by either mutual agreement, or using a resource like the Editorial Freelancers Association.
Neither of these things build a customer base or a pile of money overnight, but they are also not elusive, and are worth looking into. At the end of the day, these things are not a replacement for a full-time job. They will, however, pick up the tab for lunch or a mani once in a while. And let’s be real, who needs a manicure more than someone who stares at their typing hands for hours on end?
