Something that has been present for a long time but only recently got the popularity it deserves is side hustling. Students have been walking the dogs or mowing the lawns of neighbours since time immemorial, but the internet brought even more desirable ways of making extra money. That is what it basically means: any kind of activity that isn’t your main (or part-time) job that rewards you with income is categorized as a side hustle, and it would be foolish not to try your luck with some of these suggestions.
1. Tutoring
A very popular method of gaining not just considerable amounts of money, but also valuable experience, is to offer services as a tutor. Whether you would function by travelling to the location of your clients, or choose to do tutoring online, a lot of people would certainly need your assistance. There are countless opportunities; from teaching math, physics, biology or IT to aspiring high-schoolers or fellow university students, to improving the skills of smaller kids who’s not-so-satisfied parents turn to help from outside of school. But perhaps the most sought-after type of tutors is the one that teaches languages, most notably English. If you are an international student, this just might be your ticket to success: there is a tremendous amount of parents who wish their kids would start learning foreign languages as early as possible. The opportunities are near endless, go and grab them.
2. Blogging and entertainment
If you are more artistic and don’t think you possess the competences (or patience) needed for tutoring, you can try yourself at making a blog, vlogs, podcasts or a YouTube channel. Although it is admittedly not a guaranteed path of fame and riches, and it is by no means easy, starting a blog or a podcast might just be what your personality is best suited for. Ingenuity, originality and craftsmanship are essential for something like this, but we believe many of you are equipped with those.
3. Freelancing
You can also use your skills and competences to take on freelance jobs. If you believe that you are above average at writing, editing, designing, developing webpages or in any other similar area, finding freelance jobs will not pose that big of a challenge, especially now that the world is relying so much on the online scene. Talented pens, hands and minds are needed literally everywhere, and the number of opportunities is ever-increasing.
4. Testing and survey-taking websites
A similar, but more obscure form of side hustling is the testing of new apps and websites. Everyone has heard of these mysterious ways of earning money online from the comfort of your home, but many often dismiss them as scams seeming too good to be true. The truth is, however, that it is indeed possible to earn respectable bucks by signing up for testing, survey-taking, transcribing text, and more. The internet provides tons of options, but awareness and attention is always advised. Only sign up to trusted and verified sites and programs, but the 21st century college student knows this already very well.
5. Trading and crypto
The final method we mention is probably the most mature and difficult one, but it definitely deserves a spot on this list: trading. Whether trading on the stock market or hopping onto the mysterious but opportunity-rich cryptocurrency-express, trading can yield higher rewards than any of the previously mentioned side hustles combined. If you have some leftover pocket-money or an aunt was especially generous to you on your birthday, you may consider investing that money and getting a taste of the immersive world of trading. It must be noted however, that this part of finance is capricious and sometimes unpredictable, requiring considerably more knowledge and research than other, simpler things. This post is not offering financial advice of any kind, so dip your toe into trading with caution. Never invest more than what you are willing to lose and don’t expect immediate results, but we trust that you know this already.
With all this in mind, we can safely say: it’s time to hustle.
