As classes begin and summer gigs come to an end, you may find yourself in need of a new way to earn cash.
Walk a neighbor’s dog, sell last year’s textbooks or lay in bed transcribing an audio clip to pocket some money for groceries or going out. Peruse this list to find a side hustle fit to your interests and schedule to fund your semester.
UserTesting
If you’re looking for a flexible gig that you can work at your own pace, consider providing feedback on brands’ websites and services on the testing platform UserTesting. To get started, you merely need to submit your email address, complete a practice test and answer screening questions which take the place of an application. Based on these questions, the user is then given opportunities to test products and provide directed feedback. Rates start at $4 for a five-minute test and $10 for a 20-minute test, but users can participate in a live interview detailing their experience with the brand’s online services and earn between $30 and $130 depending on the length of the interview.
Transcription
For a hustle that lets you work on your own time and in your own space, consider transcribing audio files for TranscribeMe, an online transcribing service. Joining as a transcriber is free and once you are signed up, the only requirement is that you complete a transcription within 30 days. The files are sliced into small segments ranging between two to eight minutes. Transcribers are paid $15 per hour of audio which translates to 50 cents for a two minute audio and $1 for a four minute audio file. You can find more information about different payment rates here.
TaskRabbit
For students who are looking to get out of Foggy Bottom consider becoming a “tasker” for TaskRabbit. Taskers are assigned work in their local area that falls into several categories like cleaning, delivery, event staffing and minor home repairs. TaskRabbit requires new taskers to submit identification, pay a $25 registration fee and set their location and weekly schedule before they become eligible to complete tasks. Taskers can set their rates and pocket 100 percent of what you charge. When you sign up for a specific task, the website will give you an estimated hourly earning based on the task, your location and the demand for the task, according to the company’s website.
Dog walking
Spend some quality time with other D.C. residents’ dogs and simultaneously make some money with dog-walking website Wag. To become a Pet Caregiver, you must sign up on the website and fill out an application, which entails outlining any previous experience you have caring for dogs and taking a short dog safety quiz, to be approved. The required background check costs $29.95 and then you are cleared to take walks from pet owners in your area. For the average 30 minute walk, walkers pay $12 plus tips.
Sell used clothes
Try selling your gently used items to clear up space in your closet and make some extra cash. One option is ThredUp, which ships “Clean Out Kits” to people looking to sell their clothes sustainably. You could also try out platforms like Depop or Poshmark, which allow you to sell your garments at a price you choose and connect you directly with each buyer. Keep in mind that all of these sites take a percentage of each sale. ThredUp uses a sliding scale to determine what percentage they take while Depop and Poshmark take a set percentage of 10 percent and 20 percent respectively.
Sell used textbooks
Used textbooks are also profitable at buyback websites like BookScouter and Campus Books which accept shipments of textbooks to be sold to buyback websites. Don’t expect to sell your textbooks for their original purchase price – most used textbooks won’t sell for more than double digits. For a quick way to sell your textbooks on campus, try posting in Facebook groups with other people in your major.
