5 Ways to Make Money Online From Home

It pays to cast your financial net online, where possibilities abound.

Monetizing your expertise -- whether in social networking or transcribing -- is one way to make money while sitting at your computer at home. But others also are popping up, such as taking online surveys or even predicting election results.

The good part: You don't have to pay a dime. And with some sites, you can start to make money online immediately. Most of these gigs are small, steady streams of cash. But they can add up to steady earnings over time.

To avoid scams, forget unknown or untested sites with big promises. "Find out if the site is legitimate," says Nick Mokey, associate editor of DigitalTrends.com. "How long has it been around? And what are they asking you to do?"

Also, keep a clock running so you can maximize your income without wasting your time. Follow these rules, and you'll find the Internet awash in moneymaking opportunities.

Pitch products online

Pitching other people's products is one of the Internet's best-paying gigs.

One method is being an affiliate at a mega-site such as Amazon.com, where commissions are up to 25 percent. Anytime anyone buys a product you're pitching, you get a cut. And you can choose from more than a million products, including gift cards or computers.

At ClickBank, commissions are even higher -- up to 75 percent -- and there are more than 50,000 products to choose from. Signing up is free.

On the downside, some ClickBank products can be of poor quality, says Bethany Mooradian, owner of QueenoftheRandomJob.com. So some products are easier to pitch than others. One solution is to buy the product ahead of time to assess its quality, she says.

Dish out answers

If you're an information junkie, this gig is for you.

There are several to choose from to make money online. At kgbanswers.com and JustAnswer.com, you become an expert after taking a brief test. At these websites, a customer asks a question and receives an answer from an "expert." At kgbanswers, answers come via your smartphone. At JustAnswers, answers come via email or text message. Both offer subscription and per-question alternatives.

Brainiacs are also welcome at ChaCha, which pays you small amounts of money for completing guide tasks. Advice runs the gamut from solving puzzles to answering questions on set subjects. Payouts can be small but steady.

Building a following on ChaCha is the hardest part, though, Mooradian says. The reason: You're listed along with 62,000 other experts. Also, ChaCha rates are pretty slim, ranging from 1 cent to 20 cents per task. Though savvy experts can make money online, don't give up your day job.

Perform a microgig

You can offer your services online at task marketplaces such as fiverr.com or Zaarly.com. At fiverr, workers fulfill tasks starting at $5 per job. Zaarly.com offers a similar service. It has launched its first storefront in San Francisco but has workers performing tasks all around the U.S.

Or, even better, head to Amazon Mechanical Turk, or MTurk.com, says Mokey. More than 200,000 tasks are listed there to make money online, with varying pay and work requirements. Once a task is completed, payments are deposited in your Amazon Payments account.

"In the worldwide marketplace of today, your skills can be used for anything, including mapping," Mokey says. However, you're also competing against people in developing nations who are willing to work for pennies, he says.

To maximize earnings, evaluate tasks carefully.

Can you make accurate predictions?

Are you good at forecasting election results or the price of gold?

Then predictive sites are for you. Introduced by the Chicago Board Options Exchange in 2008, binary options are financial contracts that let you earn money by predicting the rise or fall of financial assets. You can buy them at binary option brokers.

The website Intrade is another twist in prediction-making. You can predict hundreds of events -- such as presidential election results or Academy Award winners -- by buying shares if you think the event will happen or selling shares if you think it won't happen. If your prediction is accurate, you make money. If it isn't, you lose money.

"Some power users buy thousands of shares at a time," says Carl Wolfenden, exchange operations manager at Dublin-based Intrade.com. "Others put $50 down and hold their shares. It's a lot of fun."

You should be warned that you can lose your entire investment, Wolfenden says. On the winning side, your money-making potential is unlimited.

Take an online survey

Put your money where your mouth is by giving advertisers your opinions.

To find a job, head to websites such as MindFieldOnline.com, GlobalTestMarket.com or ZoomPanel.com, Mooradian says. They offer points and rewards for taking wide-ranging opinion surveys.

Another site, eJury.com, will pay you for being part of online mock juries, Mooradian says. EJurors are paid $5 to $10 per verdict.

The attorney prepares the case submission, which consists of facts from the perspective of each party. EJury converts the attorney's case submission into an HTML format and posts it to a secure location on the website where only eJurors can access the case. EJurors review the facts of the case and answer questions, each clicking a "submit verdict" button upon completion.

But don't expect big paydays. "Surveys are good for making pocket change," Mooradian says. "Payouts are only pennies to a few dollars per survey."

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THE BEST IPHONE AND IPAD APPS THAT MAKE YOU MONEY

Over the past 6 years, smartphones have seen a rapid rise in popularity. Companies such as Nokia, unable to cope with the rise of handsets such as the iPhone, have seen a steady decrease in sales of traditional cell phones.

Every month, a new handset crashes through into market place promising eager fans an ever increasing slew of features to help make our lives easier. Every vendor has its own app store that allows owners to download the latest, greatest add-ons. But there's a common theme - most of these mobile applications have been created with the sole intention of making its developer money.

So what about you? Have you ever wondered if there was a way to make some easy cash without learning the art of development? If so, then maybe it's time to start looking at apps that can actually make YOU some money. If you're an Android user, take a look at our money making apps for Android. If you're an iPhone user, read on...

1) EARNING PERKS

Perk is one of the most popular mobile rewards programs available on iOS and Android. The premise is simple - download the free app and then use it to earn points when you shop, search, watch videos and share stuff with your friends. When you have enough points, redeem them for rewards such as cash, gift cards or airline miles.

Perk Shopping is becoming increasingly popular with brands who are looking to market their products to new audiences. The website claims to have more than 3,000 stores listed in the Perk Shopping app and you can shop and find coupons from brands including Target, Macy's, Best Buy, Groupon and more.

And you're not just limited to shopping. You can also download Perk rewards apps for search (Perk Search) and video watching (Perk TV).

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2) BECOME A FIELD AGENT

Want to become the James Bond of field research? Cool. Unholster your iPhone and download theField Agent App. Once you’ve created an account and logged in, you can browse a list of ‘jobs’ which need to be completed. To give you an example, a given task might include capturing a photo and the price of a specific item in a nearby store. Unlike Mr Bond, you get the choice of missions and the ‘Map View’ can be used to ensure you don’t have to travel far.

Not up for a little spy work? No problem. If you like something a little more sedate then why not fill out one of the many surveys presented in Field Agent. Easy work accompanied by the clink of pennies in the piggy bank.

Each job you complete pays between $3 and $12 and can be withdrawn via your Paypal account.

One tip: once you accept your task you have two hours to complete it. Get cracking

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3) GET PAID TO SHOP AND EAT

I love food. Really, I do. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard about Easy Shift, an app that pays you for, amongst other things, eating.

Like Field Agent, the app creators, a company called Quri, pay money in return for market research. Yes, it’s more spy work, but think of it as ensuring prices are kept low. Payments for each 'Shift' you complete vary and, like Field Agent, you can withdraw money through your Paypal account, normally within 48 hours of a task being completed.

The time limits for each piece of work vary. Some may be open for hours, others for far less time. However, there is a reservation limit that prevents you from re-reserving a Shift if you don’t complete it in time.

 

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4) PAID-TO-TAKE SURVEYS

Back in the mists of time, long before smartphones appeared, market research was a drawn out, tedious task. Sure, you got paid for taking part in a survey but the process was far from simple and you normally had to wait what seemed like an age to be paid. Good bye bad old days, hello survey.com.

In the early days, this app was pretty limited but, more recently, there's been an explosion of companies wanting to find out what their customers think of goods and services provided.

There is a payment threshold of $7.50 and you're normally paid within two days of completing a survey. Money is sent via PayPal which makes survey.com a fast and efficient way of making some easy money.

 

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5) FORM A GYM PACT

Are you one of those people who is willing to go the extra mile? How about pushing one more rep on the bench press? Maybe you’re more the kind of guy, or gal, who glories in the burn of lactic acid as you pump out one extra squat under a 300lb bar?

Hey, I admire you. I really do. The effort and willpower that goes into forging a pristine physic is amazing. But how about another incentive? Money!

That’s right, you can get a little extra payoff from your blood, sweat and tears by downloading Pact to your iPhone.

The app works by tracking your time in the gym. You commit a certain amount of money into a huge pot of cash and, if you maintain your agreed schedule, you can up to $5 week from other users who fall by the wayside.

Beautiful idea: get fit, crush the competition and earn some money back.

 

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6) APP TRAILERS

The world has gone crazy! No, really. Paid surveys and a little bit of sleuthing on the side are one thing, but now you have the chance to get cash in return for watching films.

At the heart of App Trailers is a system that rewards you with points in return of watching trailers of Hot Apps and Movies uploaded by users of the application.

Your points can be redeemed as hard currency through your Paypal account or as credits for other services such as buying other apps, Amazon and Starbucks gifts cards. The sky is pretty much the limit here.

But let’s not stop there. There’s an opportunity to make even more cash. Simply upload your own movies, collect ‘likes’ and your account will be credited with corresponding funds.

 

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7) SWAGBUCKS

Gift cards and rewards in return for simply filling out a survey. It’s a tried and tested way of making some extra money that is still popular in the internet age.Swagbucks is a hugely popular app with a thriving community behind the scenes. To date, those users have have earned over $60,000,000 between them.

There are a number of ways to earn what the company calls Swagbucks. Download the app, create an account then simply choose from a number of options such as shop, watch, play and answer. Complete the tasks and your account will be credited. Payouts aren’t huge, but there is a huge number of options for redeeming your Swagbucks.

If you’re stuck for ideas about how to spend your earnings why not drop by the site and look at how members use the money? Some great ideas there.

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8) IBOTTA

Ibotta is one of the more interesting apps we found on the web. Take the concept of a coupon code site, mash it up with set tasks members have to complete and, BOOM! You’ve got coupons on nitrous oxide.

You get the idea? Download the app, choose from a selection of tasks and when you’ve successfully finished, deals at your favorite retailers will be unlocked. Typically, most of the vouchers have a higher redemption value than those we found on some of the big coupon code sites.

But that’s not all! There are two other ways of earning through Ibotta: upload receipts and by linking any loyalty accounts you might have to your Ibotta account.

The receipt upload feature is effectively a cash back option. After scanning the product bar code and uploading a photo, money will be credited to your account.

Linking your loyalty card is another interesting idea. You’ll still have to complete a series of tasks but you have the added option of adding points to your card.

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9) MONEY BACK FROM SHOPKICK

You want a new flat screen TV but you have a dilemma: it's about $200 more than you can really afford to pay. Now, in most cases, the sensible option would be to put off your purchase until you have more money. This is where Shopkick comes to the rescue with a massive selection of incentives.

This app, which is also available for Android devices, gives you incentives; “kicks”. Every time you you check in at a specific shop, scan or purchase an item you are rewarded with a kick. These kicks can then be exchange for discounts that are sent out by participating retailers. And if that wasn't enough, you can earn extra kicks from referring friends - the Shopkicks app can send messages to your contact list or connect to your Facebook account (if you allow it).

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10) BREAKING INTO ADVERTISING WITH JINGIT

Let's be fair and admit that, in the grand scheme of life, we're all a little bit lazy. Sure, there's nothing wrong with kicking back and doing nothing every once in a while. But we're always being told that you don't get money for nothing. Well, not unless you're using Jingit.

Jingit is very simple and very effective - simply sign up using your Facebook account. Your profile page will then be used as a kind of digital billboard (Jingit is a paid advertising platform). Don't panic - your profile page isn't going to be littered with hideous banner ads - it's a lot more subtle than that. In return for renting space on your profile page you'll get paid. The amount you get varies depending on how many people click on the ads, but the result is the same - money for nothing.

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11) FEATUREPOINTS

If you're someone who likes to try new mobile apps thenFeaturePoints for iOS and Android devices might be worth a look. FeaturePoints rewards you with points for downloading free apps.

As your earned points increase you can redeem them through PayPal, Amazon gift cards and iTunes gift cards. There are also other rewards, such as a referral bonus (you receive 50% of the points earned by anyone you refer).

Be aware that you have to do a little bit more than just install the free apps that you download - you have to use them for up to a minute and complete any available registrations or tutorials.

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12) EBATES - CASH BACK

With over 1,800 stores and millions of products available in its search engine, Ebates is one of the biggest cash back apps out there. Ebates has been around for some time now and the service morphed from a pretty basic money back site into a behemoth.

Okay, so you get in-store coupons, but what else does Ebate give you? How about hot, daily deals delivered direct to the app? Do you want the latest information on sales and new coupon codes? Yes, they’re there too. But what I really like is the ability to create a favorite stores list. Sure it’s been done, but I prefer the look and feel of this function over that of other available apps.

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13) RECEIPT HOG

The idea of earning money by simply taking photos of your shopping receipts is a pretty odd concept. It’s also the basis for a very real app. The brains behind the app, ScoutIt, are touting it as “a fun and rewarding way to turn receipts from everyday grocery shopping into cash”. Fun is probably stretching it a little, but easy? Yes. Very.

Receipt Hog works like this: you go shopping. Grab your grocery receipt and scan it into the system. You get cash back that can be redeemed as gift cards or money. Err, that’s it. Simple, eh?

That said, like most companies, Receipt Hog gives you a couple of ways to earn. Paid surveys and there’s also a chance to win money through what is called the ‘Hog Slot Machine’ – instant payouts of up to $1,000.

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14) VIGGLE

Viggle is another great app that rewards your for simply kicking back and enjoying a huge selection of movies and music. All content is available as both streaming media and as a download to your TV, media center of mobile device. The mechanics behind Viggle are pretty simple: download to your iPhone, create an account and then browse for your preferred movies or music.

For every minute you watch or listen to a selected film or song a point is added to your account. Your points can then be redeemed for rewards like music downloads, gift cards and more.

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OTHER IPHONE APPS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

AppJoy / AppNana

With AppJoy / AppNana you can earn points for watching app trailers. Points can then be converted into PayPal cash or redeemed for iTunes or Amazon gift cards. Note that gift rewards are only valid for U.S. accounts.

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Bamboo Wallet

Bamboo Wallet allows you to complete simple tasks (such as watching videos, liking Facebook pages, downloading apps and signing up for offers) to earn JunoCredits. You can then redeem your JunoCredits to receive gift cards for popular online retailers including Amazon, eBay and iTunes.

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CheckPoints

CheckPoints calls itself "the app that pays you back." The premise is simple - scan products when you go shopping or watch videos, take surveys, play games and complete offers to earn points. You can then redeem your points for gift cards, airline miles, must-have electronics or donate to charitable causes.

 

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IconZoomer

IconZoomer is a global community of Trendspotters. The premise is that you use your iPhone to complete assignments, such as taking a photo of your dinner or your shoes. You then send in the photos and receive credits in return. Most assignments are worth 5-10 points, and 200 points earns you about 10 Euros.

 

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TokenWall

TokenWall for iOS is a very simple app. No thrills, just the chance to make some fast cash. Visit the website, enrol your iPhone, browse the library of apps and then simply install and have fun. In return for your heroic effort you’ll be rewarded with a selection of gift cards or prizes.

 

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Inbox Dollars

Another app that lets you earn in a variety of ways, Inbox Dollars is similar to Field Agent. Shop online, take surveys or simply play games in order to build up a pot of money that can boost your earnings. One point to note: a Paypal account isn’t required for this service - checks are mailed to you.

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40 easy ways to make money quickly

On this page you’ll find all the best ways to make money in your spare time whilst at university based on our own experience. We’ll keep adding new ways to this page so go ahead and bookmark it. And please do share your own ideas in the comments!

Top ways to make money online and offline

1. No-risk matched betting

   Hands down the quickest way to make a lot of money (well, without breaking the law). Lots of students have genuinely made £100s from this technique. It’s completely legal, risk free, tax free, and anyone can do it.
   It works by taking advantage of free bets regularly offered by betting sites through ‘matching’ them at a betting exchange. Matched betting eliminates the risk (you are betting both for and against a certain outcome).
   This leaves you being able to squeeze out the free bet, which can be as much as £200! Multiply this by how many betting sites there are and you can quite easily come away with a profit of a few hundred pounds.
   Owen walks you through how to make your first £15 profit (using a real life example) in this gem of a guide to matched betting. If you know of any better way to make £30/hr sitting at home, please let us know!

2. Online surveys

   Credit: Julio Marquez – Flickr.com
   An increasingly popular way for students to make money is to fill out online surveys in their spare time. Research companies are always recruiting new members to answer surveys and test new products.
   For a few minutes of form filling, you can make a couple of quid which is paid as cash or rewards. You can bag up to £3 ($5) for some surveys!
   A few good ones to try are: Toluna, Vivatic, MySurvey, YouGov, SurveyBods, Valued Opinions, OnePoll, iPoll, Global Test Market, Hiving, PanelBase, The Opinion Panel, Harris Poll, Opinion Outpost, Your word, Pinecone, IPSOS, New Vista.
   Also sign up for Swagbucks.com which rewards you for surveys as well as simply surfing the web, watching videos and playing games.
   Update: See our new full guide to the best paid online surveys!

3. Paid for searching the web

   Interested in earning cash for doing what you already do online? This has to be one of the easiest methods of making money online without really any effort or change in your behavior.
   This innovative idea by Qmee.com rewards you for searching in Google, Bing or Yahoo. You just install a simple add-on to your browser and when you conduct a search there may be a few sponsored results alongside your normal search.
   Each Qmee result has a cash reward attached – if you are interested in it simply click on it and collect your reward.
   The best thing is there is no minimum to cashout – our first one was just 72p wired to our Paypal account. You also have the option to donate it to charity.
   Sign up now for free and start earning from your own searches! Click here to start.

4. Social Investment Networks

   The historically hard-to-break world of investing in stock markets and currencies has been cracked wide open. Today there is no need to be a fat cat or fund the yachts of Wolf of Wall Street style stock brokers. You can do it all yourself with the help of free online market trading platforms.
   Having spent many hours researching this new opportunity, I’ve been experimenting with eToro.com which has over 4 million users worldwide. It was recently featured in the BBC 2 documentary “Traders: Millions by the Minute” and the Financial Times.
   One of the best things on eToro is the CopyTrader feature. This lets you literally see, follow and copy the investments of other top performing traders.
   Follow George’s complete guide to trading on eToro to learn more. I think $200 is a good amount to get the most out of the learning curve by trying out a few different markets. If nothing else you’ll learn a great deal about various investments and industries.
   Warning: trading can be volatile and you can lose money, so don’t throw your life savings into it!

5. Review websites & apps for cash

   Well it seems like you’re pretty nifty with a web browser, so perhaps it’s time to turn pro and browse websites as a paid and fun job!
   Introducing UserTesting.com – a new platform that pays everyday people to review all kinds of websites. Each review takes around 20 minutes and bags you $10 (£6.50) via Paypal.
   Simply sign up here, complete a test review and look forward to receiving websites in your inbox.

6. The ‘Disney Vault’ secret

   To keep demand high across generations, Disney Studios carefully restrict the supply of some home release classics. They are locked away in the ‘vault’ for 8-10 years before being released for a short unspecified time.
   Buy them in this window at normal retail price and you can turn a nice profit when they go off sale for another decade or so.
   For example, in 2011 you could buy Beauty and the Beast on Blu-ray 3D for just £24.99. In just a couple of years it was on Amazon for a staggering £74.99!Importantly, not all Disney releases are subject to the vault and only the true classics will maintain such demand.
   Right now there are just 2 titles out of the vault which I would recommend snapping up. They are Bambi Diamond Edition Blu-ray and Cinderella Diamond Edition Blu-ray.

7. ‘Get Paid To’ sites

   Similar to making money from online surveys, GPT sites reward you in cash and vouchers for completing various offers or activities online.
   The most popular sites today are Toluna, Swagbucks.com, InboxPounds and PaidOffers.
   Exciting update! We’ll soon be launching our own GPT service for our readers. Invites will be limited and UK only, please join our mailing list if you’re interested in hearing once it’s live:
   

8. Start your own website

   If you’ve ever seen the film The Social Network then you’ve most likely had your brain spinning as to what website you can start-up to make you billions.
   And of course there are lots of stories out there about successful students who have started a site while at university, or even bought a domain name and later sold it for 1000s.
   In fact, Save the Student is one such example of a website started at university by Owen Burek in his first year, which has since grown into a full-time and successful enterprise.
   Read Owen’s 4-step guide to setting up a website if you’re interested in finding out more. It’s really not that difficult to get started and there are plenty of opportunities to make money online.

9. Sell your notes

   If you don’t mind sharing your notes with other students it’s a great way to generate a little extra cash. There are sites out there that you can upload your notes to, along with your price, and then when another student downloads them you get paid.
   Sites like Notesale are free for you to list your notes but tend to take a cut of your profit in order to handle the marketing etc so that you don’t have to go out there and promote your notes yourself.
   You will most likely have to upload PDFs but it’s worth it for the return and you can submit handwritten notes but you’re likely to make more money if they’re typed up.

10. Write and publish a Kindle eBook

    If students are good at anything, it’s researching and writing. With the Amazon Kindle store, anyone can publish an eBook and make money.
    And the Kindle app is now available on almost any device (laptops, iPads, smartphones and yes, Kindles) so your global market is huge!
    List your book for £1.49 – £6.99 and you earn 70% of the sale. Considering Amazon is the ultimate selling machine (and remember people are looking to spend), that is a fantastic deal.
    The key to success with eBooks is to create value, and write non-fiction. Simply bundling information you have researched and complied on a common problem (eg. ‘secrets’ to finding a job) and then presenting it in an easy to digest format (an eBook) justifies someone spending a few quid on it.
    Another big tip is to have a great cover designed so it stands out, and once your book is live on the Kindle store it’s really important to get some reviews so it shows up higher in results. Encourage readers to leave an honest review at the end of your book.
    The best thing about this lucrative idea is that once you’ve invested the time (say 20 hours), you’ll earn a passive income for years to come! For a step-by-step guide to publishing and earning with eBooks, see “How to write a nonfiction eBook in 21 days“.

11. Affiliate marketing

    If you’ve got a good presence on social media or perhaps you even have a blog or website, you can start bringing in money immediately by promoting all sorts of companies, products, services and offers online.
    Sign up to an affiliate network such as Affiliate Window, check their offers blog or browse the merchant listings to find something you think your friends would be interested in, grab your affiliate link and share it. If someone buys (can be within up to 90 days) using your link you’ll make a nice commission.
    To take it a step further, set up a website (read our guide) or a topical Facebook page and invite all your friends to join it and post your affiliate offers on there.

12. Mobile phone recycling

    Credit: CannedTuna – Flickr.com
    See how much you can get for your old mobile phone using our in-house mobile phone price comparison tool! Maybe ask your parents if they have any lying around too.
    You can get some good money and help the environment by recycling mobile phones with certain companies listed on the comparison tool. But be aware: you won’t always get the quoted cash since it depends on ‘condition’. We recommend Mobile Cash Mate for the fairest and highest payouts in most cases (they sent us a £203 cheque for an iPhone 5).

13. Become a ‘Clickworker’

    
    The Clickworker.com concept is based on ‘internet crowd-sourcing’ where businesses advertise specific, scalable tasks they need completing quickly. And for us, it’s an easy way to make fast cash from our couch.
    There are a variety of tasks, but most commonly they involve mindless data entry, web research or form filling. You are rewarded and paid in cash (via Paypal) for the work you do, and you can choose for what and when you work. Give it a go. [If you’re US based, also try Amazon’s ‘Mechanical Turk‘].

14. Claim tax back

    Many students work part-time or during the summer months, and others will be on placements or paid internships. More often than not, if you are a student working during the year, you will be overpaying income tax.
    Why? Simply because few students reach the personal tax-free income allowance each year but are put on an emergency basic tax-code by their employers meaning tax is being paid when it shouldn’t be.
    Use our student tax-back service to help you reclaim any tax you should not have paid. Just enter your details in the calculator here to work out what you may be owed. Otherwise for more information read our guide on claiming tax back here.

15. Get cashback when shopping

    

    I earned this much in 2 years
    This is not only a way to make money but also to save money as a student. If you look at it in a different way then you are making money with every purchase you would have made anyway, whether it be 10% or 0.5% cashback.
    There are a number of cashback sites out there which pay you the commission they otherwise would have earned.
    We recommend signing up with both Top Cashback and Quidco.com which are free and offer the best selection of retailers and exclusives.

16. A part-time job

    A part-time job is the obvious first choice, opted for by most students looking to supplement their student loan. It provides a pretty steady flow of income and can enable you to gain valuable work experience.
    However, depending on where you live, jobs are not always easy to find. Check local classifieds, our student job search, student job websites and your university careers service for vacancies.
    It’s also worth signing up with the Graduate Recruitment Bureau, a free service which will match you with both part-time jobs or graduate opportunities.
    Read our guide to finding a part-time job whilst studying for more tips.

17. Gigs on Fiverr

    Fiverr is now the world’s largest marketplace for people to make money selling small services (known as ‘gigs’).
    What you offer could be absolutely anything, from writing and translating, social media posting, playing pranks and teaching to creating music, voiceovers and short video clips for people all around the world!
    The default price is $5 (hence Fiverr..), but you can attach extra services to gigs for more money. Whilst it might not seem like much, it can quickly add up and there are plenty of examples of people making a really good living from the site. The key is to get a system in place which minimises the time spent on each gig.
    But there is another way to profit even more from Fiverr for potentially far less work. How? By simply reselling gigs elsewhere. For example, find a decent logo designer then reply to jobs on Elance or even local classifieds. A $5 spend can easily become $50+, and it’s repeatable!
    If you’re not interested in selling at all there’s SO much good stuff you can get done for yourself. Have a browse and get inspired!

18. Review music for money

    If you love music, make it your business by reviewing unsigned bands and artists online for cash with Slicethepie.
    It can take a while to build up your reputation but some users of the site have said that they earn £40 a month. This may not sound like much, but if it’s something you enjoy then it shouldn’t be hard work and is another thing for your CV. Money you earn will be in $US but anyone can sign up and review.
    To get started, head over to Slicethepie now or read our quick guide for more info.

19. Sell second-hand course books

    One great way to make money is to buy other students’ text books at the end of the year, and then sell them just after freshers’ week – when the new intake of students know that they need them!
    You can either advertise on campus or list them online very easily on Amazon.co.uk Books Trade-In (just bear in mind they take a commission on books sold).
    For more tips on selling items online click here.

20. Competitions

    Entering competitions of course comes with no guarantees, but there is a growing community of so-called ‘compers’ in the UK consistently making up to £50,000 a year through all sorts of competitions.
    Types of competitions available to enter range from simple registration forms and Facebook page liking to answering questions correctly over the phone to being a TV game show contestant. Imagine you made it onto Deal or No Deal instead of just watching it!
    Start by entering our very own monthly student competition (Like our Facebook page to see when our next one is)!
    Then head to our active competitions page to enter other free competitions that we have found. Just note that some of these sites may send you spam so use an alias email address and opt-out of as many of the offers as possible.
    For loads more tips on achieving success and making money from competitions, read our guide to entering competitions.

21. Buy and sell domain names

    A domain name is just a website address (eg. ‘savethestudent.org’ or ‘mysite.co.uk’) and there are lots of extensions (.com, .net, .co.uk etc).
    They cost as little as £1.99 to register with 123-reg.co.uk or GoDaddy.com yet premium domain names can fetch £1,000s if not millions when sold on. In 2007 VacationRentals.com went for a cool $35m!
    Now you’re probably not going to come across anything like that, but you can still turn a quick profit with a bit of searching. The trick is to find available domain names which have some commercial value, snap them up and then list them for sale on a site like Sedo.com.

22. Mystery shopping

    Today becoming a mystery shopper is easier than you think and you can get rewarded handsomely.
    We’ve recently come across a really fun smartphone app called Roamler that pays you in cash for completing various tasks in your local area. So definitely check that out first!
    More traditionally, there are plenty of agencies that pay you to visit all sorts of shops to feedback on how they are performing. For more info on where to apply see our guide to becoming a mystery shopper.

23. Be an extra

    Do you fancy yourself as a budding young actor or just that person that walks past in the background shot of an episode of Eastenders? It could be you if you apply to be an extra.
    The pay isn’t bad either – £60-80 a day on average, and you hardly have to do anything!
    You can apply at Be On Screen for a number of opportunities or 2020 casting is another agency (just know they take a cut from your earnings).

24. Sell all your old CDs, games and movies

    If you are looking to make a very quick buck, then selling your old bits and bobs that are cluttering up your room is a good idea.
    The best thing about it is that you can rip all the songs and films onto your laptop or external hard drive before selling them. This means that you are only really selling the plastic and artwork!
    You can earn anything from 10p to £20 per item, and the earnings can really add up if you have a large collection. Whilst you’re at it, see if your parents have any ‘clutter’ they’d be happy to see the back of.
    You can also sell almost anything for free on Amazon Trade-In or Preloved and sites like MusicMagpie will pay you instantly for sending in unwanted items.
    For more tips and places to sell check out our guide on selling DVDs, CDs and games.

25. Sell on your education!

    Become a tutor to local GCSE or A-level students (find out more about tutoring here). There are now a few online tutor sites too, so you can go also global without too much hassle.
    You may feel as if you aren’t qualified to be a tutor, but seeing as you are at university you will most likely have the qualifications to tutor for GCSE or even A-Level. Some parents may feel that their child will react better to a younger tutor, and it can be great experience, so why not give it a go?
    You can advertise on SchoolsTrader or sign up with UK Tutors. You can expect to earn around £10 an hour. However, make sure you don’t have to do too much tutoring around your exams!

26. Sell your photos

    If you think you’ve got a good shot and a little creativity, try uploading your photographs for free to stock websites. A good starting point is Fotolia or istockphoto.
    Make more money selling photo subjects that people are demanding, and there’s a great resource to find this out here. It might be a good idea to test them out in print first yourself (get free photo prints here).

27. Rent out your car parking space

    Some student accommodation comes with a drive or garage. If you aren’t using your parking space and you live in a busy area then you might be in luck. There are plenty of people that may work in the city centre and are fed up of paying through the roof for daily parking.
    Advertise your space on Gumtree, Parklet or Just Park.
    Or, check out our full guide to renting out your parking space.

28. Work as a charity collector

    Ok so this job takes a certain kind of person, as you’ll have to take a lot of rejection and be persistent.
    But if you are bubbly, personable and reckon you could sell ice to an Eskimo then this could actually be a great student money making idea. You get paid commission on new sign ups (typically around £20).
    Have a look at Wesser as well as charity websites like Oxfam.

29. Babysitting

    It’s a classic money-maker, and for good reason. You get paid (well) to watch TV and not very much else!
    Be warned that you will need a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check to look after small children, even though some parents may not ask for one. If you are wondering what to charge, look at local Gumtree ads, but you can expect to be paid over £8ph even if you aren’t trained in child care.
    Aside from advertising yourself, you might want to try creating a profile on Findababysitter.com. It really is easy money (unless you get stuck with the child from hell!).

30. Dog walking & sitting

    If babies ain’t your thing, then maybe canines are… looking after other people’s dogs is big business. Just think that as a student you’re likely to have free time during the day when others are out at work and worried about their pets at home.
    You could bag around £7 per dog for an hour walk, and it’s also a great way to keep fit. Join Tailster who will match you up with dog owners. Alternatively advertise your services locally with fliers or on classified websites such as Gumtree.

31. Become a freelance interviewer

    Do you have ambitions to take on a career in HR? Do you love asking questions? Believe it or not, there are companies that will ask you to carry out interviews for them and pay you for your time. It couldn’t be simpler.
    You could make £185 a week plus have your travelling costs covered. The downside is that you will have to commit to at least 20 hours a week, so make sure that you have the time! Apply at NatCen.

32. Rent out your house for filming

    Directors for TV and film are always on the hunt for houses to film in. For instance, a scene for Coronation Street was recently filmed in the student house one of the Save the Student editors used to live in!
    Not only can you make good money but it’s crazy seeing your own place on TV. Start out by looking at My House Your Shoot.

33. Rent out your body

    According to our recent survey, 7% of students use their body in some way to make a buck.
    If you are comfortable taking off your kit then why not try life modelling. Sit there in the buff while budding artists capture your every curve (or pokey bits) in frightening detail! Try RAM, a website especially designed for these kind of jobs.
    You could also get involved in clinical drug trials. If this scares you a little then you can find more information here about what’s involved.
    Warning: Do not do anything you are not comfortable with, no matter how desperate you are for money! There has been an unhealthy rise in student prostitution in recent years – do not fall victim to it!

34. Freelance work

    Perhaps you enjoy writing, managing Facebook pages or doing a little bit of graphic design in your spare time. There are so many freelance jobs out there that require simple skills or just time that someone else might not have.
    And the best thing about freelancing is that you can work for clients in the UK and around the world with just an internet connection from home, to your own hours whilst developing valuable skills.
    A great place to start is with the leading freelance site Upwork.com. Or try using our student job search to find freelance jobs closer to home.

35. Busking

    If you can sing or dance then this is your time to shine baby! Did you know that Justin Bieber started off busking? That’s right, with a little work you can be as annoying as him.
    There are really no tips for this except choose a good spot with high footfall, make sure you are good and play your heart out. Some buskers in the past have been known to make upwards of £20 hour.

36. Sell clothes on eBay

    Everyone’s best friend when it comes to getting rid of junk is eBay. Online auctions are a sure-fire way to turn that sleeveless jacket (which came in and out of fashion in a week) into hard cash.
    Some eBay sellers look at trends and try to predict what will be big ahead of the market. If you are good and don’t mind taking a risk then you can buy early in bulk and sell on when the craze hits.
    For lots more tips on selling on eBay read this guide.

37. Sell your stories and videos

    If you have an interesting story then you could try selling it to the papers. It could be anything from sleeping with a professional footballer to getting caught in a clothes horse!
    One of the Save the Student team was unfortunate enough to have a pigeon fly through and smash their window at university and sold the story to The Sun for a tidy £50.
    You could also film your mates at all times and send it into You’ve Been Framed to net yourself £250 and a few seconds of fame.

38. YouTube videos

    According to recent stats we now watch more videos on YouTube than searches on Google. And with the recently introduced YouTube Partner Program you can now profit from making and uploading videos. You will receive a percentage of the advertising revenue collected per 1,000 views.
    Depending on how successful you are (virality, subscriber base and topic) you can make a lot of money, and there are plenty of stories every week of more and more YouTubers making it their career.
    For more tips read our guide to making money from YouTube.

39. Network marketing

    Also known as Multi-Level Marketing (MLM), this is a business model that allows you to generate ongoing income in two ways: by making a commission selling products and by recruiting other members who go on to sell. The later allows you to make money from the sales made by those you have recruited.
    Importantly, this is not a pyramid scheme (they are illegal) because there is an end goal which involves a customer buying a product or service of value.
    It’s also not a ‘get rich quick’ scheme. You will have to work I’m afraid! However with the growth of social media, network marketing is becoming easier and lots of people are now making a decent living from it.
    This is a serious way of making good money on your own terms and it’s well worth reading up on it. I recommend getting “The Business of the 21st Century” by Robert Kiyosaki.

40. Source property for wealthy investors

    We all know how much money there is in property, but on the surface (with house prices as high as they are) you might be thinking this market is off-limits.
    Truth is, lots of people make a great deal of cash simply sourcing suitable properties for wealthy investors who simply have no time.
    The trick is to find properties below market value (BMV) by avoiding estate agents and instead flyering your area with your contact details offering to buy houses. Then approach investors with a no-brainer offer to pass on the details of cut-price property in exchange for a % of the sale value.
    Most cities will have monthly networking events for landlords and property investors. Track these down, sign up, put on your best suit and go along with lots of business cards. Or you could start on LinkedIn or even Twitter to build some initial contacts.
    As you might imagine, this isn’t necessarily a quick way to make money but once you’ve got a few investors in your phone book it can prove to be very lucrative in the long run. If you’re interested, I recommend reading this book.

There are many other creative ways to make money as a student, such as our 50 business ideas. With any luck you’ll be on the road to making millions! Please feel free to share your own ideas by leaving a comment below.

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