Tuition, books, computer, printing materials, room and board... College students, and their parents, are faced with a seemingly endless list of costs and expenses. There isn't a college student out there, then who could not use a bit of extra money. Most of them find, however, that the jobs available to them lack both incentives and compensation. So, what is a college student to do? How about starting a business?
Some Business Ideas for College Students
- TUTORING - Perhaps the most obvious business idea for college students is to do some tutoring. If you are particularly knowledgeable in a specific subject, why not help others, and make some extra money at the same time. Keep in mind, though, that you must be good at explaining concepts. It's not enough to have knowledge; you must be able to convey it. Also, don't forget that peak business times will also coincide with your busiest times as a student: midterms and finals. That said, tutoring others can bring in an extra $15-25 per hour, which can really add up.
- DELIVERY SERVICE - If you own a car or motorcycle, this might be an option for you. Start a delivery service. You could offer to deliver pretty much anything from groceries to mail, fast food (which doesn't already deliver) to flowers. Hey, you could even do something innovative like offer to pick up and return library books. The point is to run those errands which others don't have the time, resources or desire to do themselves. Of course, charge a fee for the favor!
- FREELANCING - This is a particularly good idea for English majors and computer geeks. Offer your writing and/or tech services to other members of the community. If you are really good with computers, you could even offer your services to faculty and employees (provided the school bylaws don't frown upon that kind of interaction). Good writers can offer to edit and proofread papers (NEVER offer to write other people's papers for them, though. That's cheating!). There are also online sites like eLance and Guru where you could bid for real writing jobs you can do right over the internet.
The BEST Business for College Students
- BECOME AN INTERNET ENTREPRENEUR - Yes, it IS possible to go to college and start a real online business with real income potential. The key is to follow due diligence. Do your research and carefully examine any opportunity or program before spending even a penny. Legitimate businesses require start-up funds. But, start-up costs for online businesses are typically considerably lower than most other businesses. Don't be fooled, though. Building a business takes effort and time. If a claim sounds too good to be true, it more than likely is. Also, if the business does not involve a real product or service, then it is NOT legitimate.
There is hope for college students and their parents. A business for college students is not an unrealistic proposition. The key is to weigh all the options carefully and be creative. The rewards will be well worth the effort in the end.
