As college students, looking at your checking account can be scarier than looking at your grades on Discovery. For many of us, our on-campus jobs may not provide enough income for us to enjoy the finer things in life (like Cook Out), but finding an extra means of income can be easy if you can recognize your talents. With a side hustle, you can become your own boss and have a tax-free income. Remember these wise words from Heath Ledger’s Joker next time you are in need of cash: “If you’re good at something, never do it for free.”
Blood money
Nothing is more satisfying than doing an easy job and making good money, especially if it’s for a worthy cause. Junior Mikala Flaugher can make about $50 in one hour by donating her plasma. She claims that her friends gave her the idea after expressing the need to make some quick cash.
“It’s a good cause and you get money,” she said. I can attest that this process is a quick and easy way to increase one’s funds due to the fact that I financed an entire spring break trip to Paris by doing so. However, if you do not enjoy needles, blood or sketch neighborhoods in Lex, I would not recommend it.
“I actually don’t enjoy it at all,” Flaugher later added. Let’s just say it is not for the faint of heart.
Consult a medical professional to ensure that it’s safe for you to donate blood.
Flip it and reverse it
Listen, it does not matter if you wear the same three outfits over and over, we all have clothing we do not wear but refuse to get rid of. LET. IT. GO. Glide-Crawford Resident Director Kaylyn Moran is an advocate of decluttering her closet and selling her clothes to make money. If you want to go the extra mile, junior Caroline Rinehart likes to flip clothes she finds at thrift stores. She then goes on to sell these creations at yard sales.
“So I found that a lot of people love vintage clothes,” she said. “They love the style and the sustainability of them. But what they don’t like is the actual thrifting process — looking through racks and racks of clothing.” It seems like we have a “girl boss” in our midst.
Are you in good hands?
As the proud owner of a temperamental 2001 Subaru Outback, I am no stranger to car issues. Senior Jared Mann is now your go-to guy for minor car problems.
“I’ll have students DM me with car issues like bad brakes, misfire, engine light on, oil changes, etc., and it’s kind of become this word of mouth thing where I get referrals now to do light auto jobs,” he said. He also expressed that he makes money utilizing his musical talents on Fivver.
“Fiverr is a different animal where you advertise services that are digitally transferable, i.e. mixing and mastering Pro Tools and Logic projects, so I charge 50 bucks for 24-track mixes and an additional dollar per track exceeding that,” he added.
On the other hand, if you do have a dependable means of transportation, you can also make good money. Sophomore Patrick Zozo takes advantage of driving skills to transport people to their destinations via Uber. Zozo stated that it is a good side hustle because of the flexibility but would not advise this to be anyone’s full-time gig.
Use your talents
Even in the event of a recession or apocalypse, haircutting is a market that will never dissipate. Senior Daniel Aziz is one step ahead of us. It only took one good haircut to get his side hustle started. A clean fade can go a long way in this world, and he said that the results are the most satisfying part of his business (aside from the money).
“I feel accomplished when I see the results,” he said.
Life coaches, personal accountants and therapists are the people that many look to to get their life on track. Senior Kat Brown is doing the same for college students that need to get their lives together. She charges $5 to plan out people’s four-year plans. She claimed that all you need is to make it in this business is “a basic knowledge of Excel, organization skills, knowledge of what classes are offered when, etc., and then just tailor it to the student.”
As a member of the Men’s French National Lacrosse team, senior Didier Fardin gives private coaching lessons to those interested in improving their Lax skills.
“I help improve their skills on the field… and it is something I wish I had when I was younger,” he said. Fardin added that this side hustle is fun for him and enjoys spending time with the children.
“Giving back to the community, seeing the kids get better and have fun with it is super gratifying,” he said.
Como se dice?
Speaking more than one language is a huge asset in today’s global society. Junior Josh Hamilton uses this to his advantage when it comes to making money.
“Interpreting is a pretty good side hustle,” he said. “You make a lot of money just for speaking two languages.” He mentioned that it is quite easy and can make a tax-free $24 per hour. In my opinion, that’s “fantastico.” Junior Sara Wesson has a similar hustle but instead of interpreting foreign languages she transcribes them. She mainly helps international students put their thoughts onto paper. “It is easy money. I enjoy it, and it doesn’t take me that long.”
Put your back into it
A wise friend once told me that you can either work with your brain or with your back. There are certain individuals that have hacked the system and found a way to do both. Juniors Joel Wafford and Ben Okenge have done just that. Wafford is a bouncer for Greek life events on UK’s campus and said, “I make sure people don’t do things that they are not supposed to do.” A true servant.
Okenege spends three months out of the year planting trees in the Canadian wilderness each summer. He considers it a side hustle because aside from the tree planting he earns enough to not work for the remainder of the year.
A picture is worth how much again?
Just because you own a DSLR does not mean you are a photographer, and I stand by that. Photography is a delicate art that not everyone has an eye for, but if you do, capitalize on it. Junior Liz Poe often does photo shoots and weddings to make some extra cash. Senior photography major Christian Williamson says that photography is a great side hustle because “you can choose your own hours and prices depending on your skill set.” She also recommends not only charging your friends and family but also outsourcing to strangers.
Look to the future
When it comes to saving and investing, seeing long-term growth can be somewhat of a waiting game. Senior Paul Sollenberger has begun investing in the stock market and day trading right from the comfort of his smartphone. “Stock trading can be complicated and scary, but trading with Robinhood can be a fun way to do it.” He stated that he has made a few cents everyday, but we wish him the very best.
Senior Joanna Shutt has found a way of selling her old papers and projects into cold hard cash. She uploads old assignments from her education classes and sells them on Teacher Pay Teachers.
“It takes zero effort and I can buy a candy bar every once in a while,” she said.
Find the “write job”
Want to make a few extra bucks? The Collegian hires contributors to take photos, write articles and work on its news broadcasts. Photographers and writers are paid $15 per every assignment, and anyone who works on the broadcast crew is paid $25 per broadcast.
Perhaps you are in need of some moolah and have now been inspired to start your own side hustle. Take notes from these young entrepreneurs and figure out what you are good at. Remember, if you are passionate enough about something, you can definitely capitalize on it.
