Seven unexpected ways to earn money this summer

Saya Uotanion 4 June 2018
Shocked cat

The summer holidays mean no lectures, exams or weird flatmates. So many events are held in the summer, it would be a bummer to miss them.

Events, however, mean money. Travel expenses, new clothes to buy, drinks and food to buy at the venue, merch… it definitely piles up. Here are some ways you might not have thought of to earn that extra cash.

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Sell some of your stuff

You have to admit, as students, we can fall into the habit of hoarding. Being at uni isn’t cheap, and it’s tempting to keep everything you have “just in case”. Nonetheless, there are definitely some things lying around in your room that you don’t need anymore.

If you’ve finished using a textbook, sell it online or to other students who need it next year. You may not be able to make a profit, but at least you’ll get some money back.

Same goes for clothes (rejoice, vintage is in), books, and even kitchenware. Of course, if your stuff is really damaged it’s probably time to throw them away or recycle them, but if they’re in okay condition, there might be someone who wants your second-hand items. You can use apps like Depop, Shpock, and the Facebook Marketplace tab to easily sell anything you’re done with.

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Do some online tutoring

This can be your side gig to another real-world job, like waitressing or retail. Online tutoring tends to have flexible hours, and one of the great things about it is that they’re almost always looking for new teachers.

Even if you feel nervous about teaching at first, you’ll most likely be given plenty of training so you can be confident. Besides, you’ve worked hard to get into uni and will have lots of knowledge to offer, whether it’s for GCSE prep or simply essay writing basics.

Tutoring will also look great on your CV, and the best thing is that you can do it in the comfort of your own home.

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Do some freelance writing

Thanks to the Internet, you no longer have to be a journalist to write articles (as a journalism student this makes me feel very conflicted…)! Collaborative websites like Student Hut recruit students to write articles about their uni life, and you can write from your own experiences which is fun and doesn’t take too much work.

It doesn’t matter what your degree is, your stories are valuable and deserve a platform. This will also look great on your CV, and in an age where experience is key, it won’t hurt to give it a try.

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Become a staff member at a museum or gallery

If you have a passion for art or have a favourite museum in your area, look for low-level positions available for the summer. You could apply to work at the gift shop, ticket counter, or maybe even as a receptionist. Working always feels easier when you’re doing something you love, so if you enjoy being surrounded by paintings and exhibitions, why not make money from that?

A lot of smaller galleries tend to be short-staffed, so your chances there are pretty solid. It will also be a great opportunity to make some friends with common interests as well.

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Dog walking/sitting

As students, we get a nice, long summer holiday to take a break from the demands of adult life, but most people still have work. These real adults may have pets, and they may want some help in keeping their pets happy on a daily basis. This is where you come in. Put up a contact sheet in your local supermarket to advertise your dog walking/ sitting services or sign up for an app like DogBuddy.

You can get some fresh air, hang out with a dog all day, and get paid all in one. Honestly, is there a sweeter deal than this?

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Volunteer at a festival

Okay, technically you don’t get money out of this. However, if you make it to a big festival like Reading, Boomtown, or Tramlines, you can get free entry to the event, probably an official t-shirt, meals, and if you sign up with friends, an unforgettable experience!

Of course, you’ll also have to do some work which might include cleaning up (not so fun) but if you’re lucky you might catch a glance (or more) of your favourite artist backstage. Plus you’ll get to flaunt how much fun you're having on social media.

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Do some market research

You can literally get paid just for having an opinion and it's minimal effort so it's totally worth it. You’ll get paid in the form of Amazon vouchers, with which you can literally buy anything you can think of, and also be a part of valuable research. This is also something you can do anytime, anywhere, whenever you like, so there isn’t too much commitment or a commute to deal with. 

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This summer, don’t let your broke-ness ruin the (hopefully) sunny days filled with plans! Not all jobs have to be boring or conventional to pay well, so why not try something different?

Hopefully, you’ll be looking like this:

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How do you plan on funding your summer activities? The £25 Amazon voucher available from the Student Hut Panel could help you get some of that festival camping gear you need, so join our community today.

Saya Uotanion 4 June 2018