I didn’t even know what a $5,000 car looked like, but the thought of an extra $1,000 a month seemed like an awful lot of money. I was pretty sure I could figure out how to make an extra thousand bucks a month, and I’d get a better part-time job or get an on-campus work-study gig and double up.
I’m sure you all feel the same way when you’re in college, even though most of you probably won’t listen to your parents and pick a useful major. With that in mind, it is never too early to start thinking about making extra money on the side as a student. Making an additional $1,000 a month can be as simple as you want it to be.
It can’t come from your parents, though. That’s a rule, and you should know better. This is college, after all – at least you may think it is. I can tell you from experience that saving $1,000 a month is not too hard. But it does take some sacrifice and effort on your end. I’ve graduated from college, and these strategies still work for me.
With any luck, you’ll find something of value in this guide to help you save more money. If you’re finding it challenging to balance your life between your job and personal life, maybe it’s time for you to start making some additional income. Whether it’s for a new car, going on holiday, or just simply being able to save more money each month, this guide shows you how to make $1,000 a month.
If you’re running out of ideas for how to bring in more cash, you may not realize how many opportunities are right under your nose. The following ideas can help bring in at least an extra $1,000.
The Right Mindset For Making Extra Money
Like many people: Young, full of energy and excitement, and looking for ways to make money faster, this can be a dangerous combination. I made one mistake after another. I spent money on courses that promised to help me make tons of extra cash, only to learn how to make cakes or do something like sell eggs.
Most of the time, these “make extra money” courses were just a collection of the author’s best blog posts, which they sold for fat stacks of cash.
I can’t emphasize enough that you must make it your mindset to find new ways to make money, and it would help if you changed your attitude from what I did before. The truth is, you can make extra money from multiple sources, and don’t limit yourself to one basis.
For example, if you plan to sell something on eBay, open another window and start a freelance writing job by typing away. Once again, it is easy money until it doesn’t become easy anymore. Then you will have to start looking for a different way to make quick money.
12 Ways To Make An Extra 1,000 A Month
Now that you have a blog post idea, it’s time to start drafting it. If this is not your strong point, invest in the right resources, and there are many accessible sources online.
Also Read: Useful Skills to Learn
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on writing software such as MS Word, Google Docs, or iA Writer to get the job done. Many people dream of increasing their income, whether to fund early retirement, pay off debt, or improve their lifestyle and have more freedom.
1. Freelance Writing
There are many benefits to being a freelance writer; working from home and setting your schedule is just the tip of the iceberg. One of the best parts, in my opinion, is that you can work whenever you want.
Many companies out there need written content, including blog posts, video scripts, website copy, press releases, and more. There is no secret to becoming a freelance writer, and it’s just about doing the work and having some basic writing skills.
The skills can be learned, and it is most often the focus on getting actual paying jobs that have people struggling to become freelance writers. With a lot of determination and effort, it could become one of your side hustle gigs.
2. Graphic Design
Business cards can be an excellent way to get your foot through the door. If you’re able to print them yourself, it’s an easy and cheap way of printing materials.
It’s also impressive to be handed a business card that has been carefully designed instead of printed on plain printer paper. There’s no shortage when it comes to clients, and almost any type of client who wants you to make something for them is out there.
It’s an excellent idea to pick up the fundamentals of graphic design and master Photoshop or Illustrator if you want to start freelancing.
As I’ve noted on this blog before, it used to be that web designers and developers did their graphic design work, but it is more common these days for separate graphic designers and illustrators to do that part of the process.
3. Helping People With Computers
Getting a business started can be challenging, so there are many different strategies for finding clients. You can go the local, organic route or buy your way to free traffic from Google and hope you pick up some new customers.
A digital native is someone who’s never known a world without computers and the internet. You, me, and pretty much anyone born after 1980 are all digital natives. Author Marc Prensky coined the phrase in 2001 to describe young people who grew up with computers and therefore didn’t know a world without them.
4. Investing Your Money
Investing is exactly what it sounds like: putting money to work for you over time. Sometimes people only think of investing in stocks, bonds, and other securities, but many different ways allow you to invest your money without buying any stock or bonds.
For example, if you open a savings account with a bank, then you have invested in that bank—and plenty of banks around the world offer far more than 1% interest (compound interest is fantastic). It is never too early to begin investing your money in assets that will grow over time and provide you with a sustainable income.
The key to building wealth is to start as early as possible. The sooner you become an investor, the more time your money will have to flourish and grow due to the power of compounding.
5. Selling Your Old Stuff
Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to make money. One of my favorite affiliate products to promote is Wealthy Affiliate. I’ve been using it for years, and they’re a stand-up company. They’ve got everything you need between their training, membership site, support, community, toolset, and education.
Few things feel as good as buying with a full wallet, but the problem is that many of us do not have a lot to spend on things we want or need. And that is why so many people turn to save money at a young age.
If you’re looking to make some extra money, there are two easy ways to do so: you can get a second job, or you can sell your stuff.
6. Retail Arbitrage
If you’ve never heard of “retail arbitrage,” it’s the process of buying a product at one store, paying roughly what everyone else is paying for that exact item, and then reselling it on Amazon for higher than you bought it.
Retail arbitrage is slightly different from wholesale in that you’re purchasing a product at “retail” price levels and then reselling it for additional profit. You have less risk involved because you’re not taking on the entire cost from the beginning (in wholesale), and you can also sell retail arbitrage items for more profit due to higher consumer demand.
7. Fixing & Flipping Cars (Or Other Vehicles)
Fixing and flipping cars (and other vehicles) is a popular side hustle. It’s hard work, but significant profits are to be made if you know what you’re doing.
However, you need to understand the market for that particular vehicle before deciding if it will be worth your while. The tips in this guide will help you know what it takes to fix and flip cars (or other vehicles). There are lots of different ideas out there for making money online, and you can sell stuff, and you can do online surveys.
You can even start a business and sell physical or digital products like eBooks and software.
8. Home Repairs
Let’s admit it, and nobody likes walking up and down the aisles of their local supermarket if they can avoid it. Lines with cashiers that move slower than an arthritic sloth, searching for the cheapest products or fighting off the temptation to buy things you don’t need.
There are many situations where you might not have the time or the energy to clean yourself. Instead, you’d rather hire someone else to do it for you. Either way, there’s a lot of money to be made. Part of your challenge will be to weed out potential customers and find the more likely types to pay up, though.
9. Food Delivery Driver
Food delivery is one of the most lucrative businesses right now, at least for those competing with the big players. That’s because the age of door-to-door waiting and interacting with an actual human representative is over in the food delivery world.
Food delivery is on the rise, with many people using restaurant delivery apps to order pizza or Chinese food as if they were ordering a Lyft. But more and more frequently, customers are using these apps for ordering food from non-traditional restaurants.
10. Babysitting Or Nannying
There are many reasons why you should consider becoming a babysitter. Some people like it because it’s flexible and it allows them to do something independently. Some like the fact that they can be with kids and gain experience with them, thus becoming nannies and working with kids day in and day out.
I manage a department of 14 people at my current company and am responsible for keeping things running. That can be hiring, firing, supporting management in the loop, countless meetings, taking calls from multiple stakeholders in multiple time zones, making sure that everyone on my team has what they need to do their work (help desk tickets, office equipment, computers, etc.), looking at customer satisfaction data and our conversion funnel to see where we can optimize it for higher conversions.
11. Yardwork
There are lots of ways you can make money online. This guide will teach you some of the best methods for making money online so that you can get started making money right away.
You can also post your blog post on major social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. You can get a lot of traffic from these sites because people typically spend time on these sites every day. If your business model provides a service, you have to keep up with changes in the industry, costs, and labor.
12. Cleaning Houses
The problem is, how do you get started? Since you don’t want to pay the high rates of franchisees and other established cleaning services, working solo is the best way to start. However, if you lack experience, there is also the option of working for an established company until your business is up and running.
As for finding customers, I recommend using online marketing tools like LinkedIn or posting an ad somewhere local that is easily visible and right in front of potential customers daily.
Since word-of-mouth recommendations are still one of the best ways to get clients, we also recommend having a few happy customers that act as your endorsement. You can either have them give testimonials at the end of each job.