The top nine side hustles for students looking for extra cash

As the cost of university education continues to rise, many students are taking on summer jobs and side hustles to help them pay tuition, build their savings, and take care of daily living expenses.

Committing to a full-time job as a student can be difficult and often causes trouble and confusion when it comes to your class schedule. Side hustles, on the other hand, offer more flexibility and are easier to work into your busy schedule.

Today, I’ll share some of the best online and hands-on side hustles for students looking to earn extra money.

Best online side hustles for students

As a student, online side hustles are a great option. You won’t have to leave your dorm room as long as you have a reliable internet connection, allowing you to optimize your time better.

Online tutoring

If you’re academically inclined and have good grades in a difficult subject like math, science, or even writing, consider tutoring on the side. While you can tutor your own classmates, you may find more reliable jobs by applying as a tutor on Canadian platforms such as Learn Pick Canada or Mobile Tutors.

Online tutors typically earn anywhere from $25 to $80 per hour, depending on the subject and their skill level.

If you’re an undergraduate student, you may be able to tutor secondary school students. If you’re a post-graduate student, you may be able to tutor undergraduates. My advice is to tutor in your best subject, as you’ll be able to convey the information better.

Social media management

Many small businesses would love to hire a part-time social media manager to help them with their Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and more.

As a social media manager, you’ll take on responsibilities such as:

• Making daily posts
• Replying to comments and DMs
• Interacting with other pages
• Creating paid promotions

Depending on your business model, you can charge clients by the hour or offer set prices (such as $10 per post or $2 per comment reply). The best way to find clients is to approach small businesses that you already frequent or reach out to pages through email or their social media profiles.

Writing articles and blogs

If you enjoyed journalism class or are a good writer, then there’s fair money to be made by writing blogs and website articles. Depending on the niche you’re writing for and your skill level, you can typically earn between $20 and $80 per 1,000 words.

The more you can specialize in a niche, the more you stand to earn. It also helps if you can implement aspects of creative copywriting and search engine optimization (SEO) into your content, as these can help the blog post rank better.

The Freelancer and ProBlogger platforms are two great platforms for finding entry-level online writing gigs.

Graphic design and video editing

Do you have an artistic eye? If so, consider picking up freelance graphic design or video editing jobs on platforms like Freelancer or Upwork. Even if you don’t have a lot of experience working with editing software, you can incorporate AI graphic design tools to help you brainstorm and speed up the creative process.

Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketers earn commissions by referring their followers to purchase certain products or services online. For example, if you’re into fitness and have a decent social media following, you may consider applying as an Amazon associate.

From here, you can recommend some of your favourite fitness products, such as yoga mats, protein powder, or other equipment that you already use and enjoy. If one of your followers decides to purchase the same product, you’ll earn a small commission from the sale.

Once you grow your page larger, you can also partner directly with larger brands and negotiate deals as a brand ambassador.

Best hands-on side hustles for students

Online side hustles are certainly convenient. However, too much screen time can be demanding, especially if you use your computer for school and work.

Here are some great hands-on side hustles to look into if you want to get out of your dorm and get some fresh air.

Rideshare driving

Do you have a reliable four-door vehicle? If so, consider applying as a driver for a rideshare service like Lyft or Uber. You can set your own schedule and clock in/out anytime that’s convenient during the day.

Uber drivers can cash out daily, so you can make your money and have it in your bank by the end of the day.

Food and parcel delivery

If you don’t have a four-door car (or just have a bicycle, for that matter), consider delivering food and parcels through a popular food delivery service like:

• DoorDash
• SkipTheDishes
• UberEats
• Postmates

Like rideshare driving, you can clock in/out whenever you want. You’ll ride around town delivering meals from restaurants, small parcels, and groceries from businesses. You’ll be paid a base fee for each delivery and can earn tips from your customers.

Flipping secondhand items

Whether you know how to restore wood, sew, or simply have an eye for those diamond-in-the-rough products, there’s good money to be made flipping secondhand items.

For example, you can often find secondhand designer brands in thrift shops that just need a minor stitching repair or a good cleaning. After a few minutes of work, you can flip the newly restored item online through eBay or Etsy, or use a local platform like Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace.

Dog walking

In major cities, busy professionals often hire dog walkers to care for their pets when they’re working long shifts or travelling. Dog walking jobs can be as simple as taking a dog out for an afternoon walk or can involve additional tasks, such as feeding them or even house-sitting.

You can offer your services to your existing connections, or you can apply as a professional dog walker on a platform like Rover or Pet Sitter. These platforms will allow clients to view your profile online and hire you directly.

Turning your hustle into a full-time income source

These side hustles are great for any students looking to put an extra few hundred dollars a week into their savings. However, if you find one that you really love, you may also be able to turn it into a full-time income source.

My advice to students is to start small.

Work your side hustle into your class schedule and find a good balance between the two. Once you feel that you have room for more work, you can expand and take on more work.

Written for Daily Hive by Christopher Liew, a CFA Charterholder, former financial advisor, and the creator of Wealth Awesome.