But is DoorDash a good side hustle? How about the other apps and jobs like it?
In this article, we’ll explore the most popular ones, what makes them student-friendly, and how to balance earning extra income without sacrificing your GPA.
What Makes a Good Side Hustle for Students?
It can be challenging to make money as a student.
A full semester course load leaves few hours available for traditional part-time jobs, which require fixed schedules and a greater commitment.
Side hustles, on the other hand, work around your life by:
- Letting you choose when and how often you work.
- Making it easy to begin, with quick sign-ups and minimal training.
- Keeping costs low; you often need only a smartphone and basic transportation.
- Paying you weekly or daily.
- Fitting around your classes and extracurricular activities; You can pair gig work with online, self-directed college courses, like the ones offered by Portage Learning, to further optimize your time and financial freedom.
Top Side Hustles for College Students
The benefits of gig work vary, especially for those who attend school full time. Here’s a look at five common side hustles, and how they might help you.
Food delivery
Deliver restaurant meals or shop for a person’s groceries using your own vehicle or another mode of transportation, such as a bike or electric scooter. Drivers get paid per order, and they can earn tips on top of the delivery costs.
These roles provide extreme flexibility — it’s possible to work between classes or on weekends. Vehicle maintenance, the cost of gas and insurance, and taxes do fall on the driver, which lowers earnings.
How to get started: Sign up for DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Instacart. Set your hours and start delivering.
Rideshare driving
Prefer to transport people instead? Like food delivery side hustles, these gigs let you work whenever but come with their share of expenses.
How to get started: Become a driver through Uber or Lyft.
Pet sitting and walking
Take care of someone’s beloved companion. This could entail watching them at your apartment or the owner’s house for a period of time or walking the pet each day. Pay depends on a person’s location, experience, and the number of animals in their care. Keep in mind the work can be physically demanding.
How to get started: Tap into existing pet-owner networks on Rover and Wag.
Tutoring
Get paid for your good grades by helping other students improve their academic performance or preparing for tests like the ACT and SAT. Tutor in person or online. Sessions most often take place in the evenings or during the weekend, which can be difficult on your social life.
How to get started: Join Wyzant or Dojo Tutor to connect with students.
Participating in surveys, research groups
Get paid for your opinions from the comfort of your dorm room. Companies want people to test their website, apps, and products and will pay to receive your feedback. The pay ranges from a few cents to a couple dollars depending on the length and complexity of the survey taken.
How to get started: Sign up for UserTesting, Swagbucks, or Survey Junkie.
How to Balance a Side Hustle in College
The best side hustle allows students to continue focusing on academic success and personal well-being.
Here’s how to ensure that happens:
- Prioritize your academics: Before taking on extra commitments, lock in on your coursework. Map out all deadlines, exams, and key assignments so you can complete what’s due each day before spending time on gig work. Students enrolled in a Portage Learning course receive individual academic coaching.
- Pick a low-maintenance side hustle: Rather than ask, “Is Uber Eats a good side hustle?”, choose gig work that lets you pause without penalty. Responsibilities ebb throughout the semester — and your side hustle should fit your course load, not the other way around.
- Develop clear criteria: Define the minimum hourly rate required for a gig to be worth your effort and set guidelines on how many hours per week you can realistically work.
A Final Thought on Side Hustles
With the right strategy and schedule, you can fund your college experience. Money earned through side hustles may help you pay for:
- Tuition
- Books
- Housing
- Meal plans
- Transportation
- And more.
The truth is, gig work can cover more than just your bills. It can build skills and create financial freedom that will pay dividends well beyond your post-secondary schooling years.
(Ready to make extra cash on your own schedule? Try one of these side hustles today and optimize your time with affordable, online college courses through Portage Learning. Credits earned transfer to more than 2,800 institutions.)
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