Read this blog to discover five awesome money-making ideas for students, including how you can get paid to share your opinions as part of paid market research!
With the cost of living, fuel and travel prices hiking upwards, being able to save money as a student is tougher than ever.
According to the Student Money Survey 2021, the proportion of students struggling to make ends meet is at 76%. What’s more, the Bank of England has warned that England will be in a recession next year, so it’s looking like things are only going to get tougher.
Have no fear, though; there are lots of brilliant and fun ways you can make a bit of extra money as a student – and we’re here to share some of the best ones!
Read on to get inspired…
Here are 5 great cash boost quick wins for students to try:
1. Sell the things you no longer use or need
It’s likely that you’ll have accumulated a lot of stuff over the years – from childhood toys, games and books to items of clothing and/or accessories that you no longer wear.
One of the ways you can quickly earn some money is by selling those items! As they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and you never know quite how much someone will bid for an item on eBay, or offer you for clothing on Vinted or Depop.
As a bonus, you’ll win back more space in your student accommodation, and it’ll be so much quicker and easier to tidy up. You’ll feel the benefits on your mental health, too!
2. Set up a little business of your own
If you’re creative, driven and love a good challenge, setting up your own little business can be a great way to earn a bit of extra money as a student!
For example, if you love to knit, you could make scarves, hats and gloves to sell to your fellow students for the winter; or, if you’re an artist, you could take commissions to paint portraits.
The possibilities are endless, and you could find yourself making quite the profit if you get it right – Olivia Crabtree, a student who set up an Etsy store where she sold handmade gifts, is a great success story example!
3. Be a film or TV extra
It’s not just stars and celebrities that get to be on the big screen – TV shows and films need other people in the background, too! And who wouldn’t want the opportunity to say “I was in that film/show!” after it’s released?
As a TV or movie extra, you’ll not only get paid well for your time and effort, but you’ll have loads of fun, get to wear a cool costume, and meet lots of other great people.
Plus, you’ll usually also get given regular meals on set as part of the work, which will help to knock down your weekly food shop bill a bit.
Two of the best places to find these opportunities include The Casting Collective and Extra People.
4. Enter competitions
There are so many different and awesome competitions out there (art, writing, sports, charity lotteries…) that you can enter that offer prize money to the winners – or other prizes that you then won’t have to spend money buying, such as a nice new TV or a holiday.
There’s no guarantee you’ll win, of course, but the more you try, the more likely it’ll be!
5. Take part in paid market research
Paid market research essentially offers you the opportunity to get paid to share your opinion with your favourite brands – from the latest tech and gadgets to how you prefer to do your weekly food shop, what you want from fashion retailers to your thoughts on gaming, education, home living and much, much more.
When you take part in these projects, you’ll often get paid in either cash or vouchers that you can spend at your favourite stores – more than that, it’s brilliant fun to do (you just have to see the feedback from the Angelfish Community to believe it)!
Would you like to get paid to share your opinion?
Find out more about what’s involved in market research here, then sign up to the Angelfish Community. We’ll then be in touch all the awesome projects we currently have on the go that you can apply to take part in! Alternatively, have a look at our current projects and see what catches your eye…
