Five Ways to Make Quick Cash as a Student

Discover some quick and simple ways you can earn some money while in school.

This article was written by Simran, a University of Waterloo student.

This is a question many of you will ask yourself at some point over the next several years, regardless of whether you’re in high school or university. So, if that’s you, you came to the right place. Here are five cool (and totally legal) ways to make money as a student.

1. Take online surveys and get paid for doing them

This may seem a little sketchy at first, but it really is legit. There are a bunch of verified websites that will pay you for completing surveys as more and more companies are looking to gain greater insight into the mindset of their consumer base. You may end up with actual cash or gift cards, but either way, it’s not a bad deal for simply voicing your opinions!

Back in September, I did a survey for the Government of Canada that was conducted by a third-party organization. In turn, for about 45 minutes of sharing my views on certain topics, I got a $50 gift card to Amazon. Pretty sweet, if you ask me!

2. Sell things you're not using anymore

A lot of people, myself included, are guilty of hoarding things, thinking that they might need it someday. You want the cold, hard truth? If you haven’t used something in over a year, you probably won’t use it a year later (at least, that’s what my mother used to say when she forced me to get rid of things).

When I came to university, I sold about 80% of the stuff I wasn’t using on Kijiji and donated everything that was left over. At the end of the day, I was left with a good amount of cash, I felt good about donating some of my things, and I had so much more closet space (for new things, let’s be real). So yes, while it can be hard to part ways with things you’ve had for a long time, it does provide an opportunity for new and exciting stuff to come your way!

3. Sign up to deliver food

It seems like people everywhere are getting lazier, or maybe just busier. Either way, it’s great for companies like UberEats and SkipTheDishes, and by extension, for students like us. If you’re looking to make some money on your own time, you should consider delivering food for these companies. And the best part? You don’t even need access to a car! Having a bicycle works just as well, and it can serve as your workout at the same time.

4. Sign up for a rewards plan

There are a number of rewards plans out there that “reward” you for doing everyday things, like going grocery shopping and buying coffee. Personally, I use Drop Rewards. Through it, I’ve been able to gain reward points every time I shop at Walmart or buy Tim Hortons. Then, I can convert these points into gift cards, and trust me, the options are pretty good. I usually end up getting the Amazon gift cards because I’m addicted to the #PrimeLife.

5. Look into tutoring

Tutoring is definitely a quick way to make cash while doing a good deed by sharing your knowledge to help others! It’s rewarding monetarily, but it’ll also help solidify your own understanding of a topic, and it looks great on a resumé.

My younger sister tutors a group of Grade 4 kids in math twice a week, and it pays pretty well! She’s able to make a lot of quick cash while doing something she finds extremely easy. Doesn’t get much better than that!

All in all, there are a number of totally legal and legitimate ways out there to earn some extra cash quickly. You just need to be on the lookout for them! Other possibilities could include dog walking, babysitting, shovelling driveways and raking yards, mowing lawns, and so much more! Like I said, you may have to get a little creative, but at the end of the day, the opportunities are endless!