College is hard, especially when you are broke. Tuition costs a pretty penny, and you still need money for basic needs like food and accommodation. Factor in social expenses for a night out with friends, and you are looking at an empty wallet.
Becoming an entrepreneur is one way of dealing with college expenses. You may have something you are good at that will make you some money. Read through this list of business ideas for college students to see which one is a good fit for you.
Baby Sitting
Do you love kids? Did you babysit for your neighbors in high school or take care of your younger siblings? If so, babysitting is right up your alley.
Establish yourself as a reliable caregiver in the residential areas around your college. Set up a professional portfolio on a free website. Get your first clients to write testimonials that prove you are a reliable babysitter.
Pet Sitting
If you love pets and have some experience taking care of them, you can make money out of it. People are ready to pay you to walk their dogs and take care of them once in a while. If you miss your furry friend back home, pet sitting might feel the void. Promote your business by word of mouth, flyers, and ads on college boards.
Drop-Shipping
It is one of the most risk-free college businesses. Act as the middleman by buying products for people online and sending it to their doorsteps. It is a passive source of income because you can automate most of the process. It gives you lots of spare time to focus on your studies.
The biggest expense in the drop shipping business is marketing. You must get many people to view your products online and make an order. So, word of mouth alone will not be sufficient. Invest a fair amount of time on digital marketing.
Cleaning Service
Most college students find cleaning bothersome. How about opening a dorm cleaning service? For a fair price, you will clean and organize students’ dorm rooms. Your service will grow because of referrals. You may also build a website to promote your service.
Do not limit your cleaning service to the college campus. Advertise to people living in nearby residential areas. You will be surprised by the number of people willing to pay you to clean their homes.
Writing Service
If you are good at writing academic papers, monetize your skill. Set up an EssayCompass that helps students with their assignments. Marketing such a service is quite easy because most students will refer their friends to you. Furthermore, advertising on social media and the College Board will get you more clients.
If you find it tiresome to set up the entire writing service on your own, sign up on existing ones. There are many companies offering jobs for freelance writers. Working with an established company reduces the initial costs for this business.
Furniture Lending
Many students move into their dorm rooms with new furniture. Most times, it is specifically designed for the room. When they move out, they have to get rid of the furniture because it does not suit their new room well. Having a rental furniture service solves this problem.
If you rent out custom furniture to new students, they can move in without the hassle of buying new ones. When they move out, the incoming students can rent the furniture too. This business has high entry demands but can pay off well.
Tutoring
Do you know someone in your class who is having a hard time with classwork? You can offer to tutor them at a fee. If you are good at it, they will refer their friends to you. Tutoring is a great opportunity for you to revise, as well. The demand for such services is high on campus, so you are guaranteed good returns.
Event Promotion
College social scenes are vibrant. There are multiple events every week. Capitalizing on this knowledge is a great way to make money. Event management, promotion, and consulting is a lucrative business.
Networking with local entertainers and venue owners is the first step. You may use flyers, posters, and word of mouth to get people interested in the events. Social media marketing is a great asset to use.
Conclusion
As a college entrepreneur, you will face a lot of challenges. Stress, exhaustion, and self-doubt are some of them. However, if you are focused and determined, you will succeed. Know that you have to make real sacrifices and difficult decisions. In the end, all your effort will pay off.
Author bio:
Jennifer Walter is a psychology professor, an independent researcher, writer, and contributor. He is the guru to hundreds of students, the author of hundreds of analysis studies, and the voice behind most liked articles on content creation and strategy at privatewriting.com .
