7 Ways Broke College Students Can Make Extra Cash

College is expensive. As the semester progresses, many students will start to run low on funds. What are they to do? Well, they could apply for every scholarship they see and hope to win a bunch of money or they could get a job flipping burgers for minimum wage at a local fast food restaurant.

But, by being entrepreneurial and looking for unconventional ways to make money, college students can potentially get relevant work experience, set their own schedules and make more money than they would from a regular part-time job. These funds could come in handy, too, when it comes time to pay back student loans. (You can monitor how student loan payments are affecting your credit by viewing your free credit report summary, updated every 14 days, on Credit.com.)

In the meantime, here are just a few things broke college students can do to make some extra cash.

1. Take Care of Dogs (or Cats)

Living away from home in a rented apartment or dorm might mean that you have to go without your beloved dog or cat. If you’re missing your pets, consider making extra money by pet-sitting. People often go on vacation and don’t want to leave their pets in a kennel so they hire someone to look after them. Websites like DogVacay allow students to apply for pet-sitting gigs in their cities. Making money for walking, playing with or feeding a dog or cat can be the perfect way for an animal lover to make some extra dough.

2. Start a YouTube Channel

There are tons of young YouTube stars vlogging about things like video games, makeup and celebrities. Consider starting your own channel and building up a following. If you get enough viewers, you can opt into YouTube’s advertising program and start making money. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You can also make money via sponsored videos for brands. For example, FameBit can connect you with brands that pay you to make original videos that incorporate their products or services.

3. Sharpen Your Pencils

For a student with writing skills, there are lots of opportunities to make money on the side. Potential opportunities include starting your own blog or freelancing. Students can check out opportunities on sites like Fiverr, where you can offer to write short articles for $5 and sites that list freelance gigs, like Upwork and Freelancer.

4. Be a Gopher

For students who have a car, delivery services are in great demand. From food delivery services like Sprig, DoorDash and Caviar, to services where you deliver dry-cleaning like Washio or shipping services like Roadie, there are a number of different ways you can make money delivering items beyond pizza or takeout food.

5. Be a Tour Guide

If you like your college town, why not spend more time showing people around? Companies like Vayable allow you to connect with travellers who are looking for unique experiences and non-traditional tours. Students can potentially put some of the history they’ve been learning to practice and give a great tour.

6. Cook for Your Neighbors

Most students aren’t necessarily known for their fantastic cooking skills, but, if you’re the exception to the the rule, you might want to sell your home-cooked meals. Josephine, for instance, is an online marketplace that allows you to sell extra servings of your dinner. You set the price and pick up time and people can buy your meal.

7. Care for Kids

There are usually not very many children around campus. But, if you’re missing your little brothers and sisters, consider taking a nanny gig. Many kids need supervision between the time school lets out and their parents come home from work. You can potentially help a family out and get some spending money. You can check out potential gigs at sites like Care.com and UrbanSitter.