Which side Business is best for students? We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 side businesses for students.
Which Side Business is Best for Students: If you’re currently going to school, you probably don’t have any money of your own to start a business with. You might be wondering how you can start making money on the side while in school, which is what most students want after all.
Which Side Business is Best for Students?
In fact, 70% of college students say they’d like to start their own business while they’re in school. The good news? You can do just that! Here are some ideas on how to start a successful side business as a student.
What Is A Good Side Business For A Student
For students, it can be hard sometimes to find good business ideas for a side business that is not too complicated, expensive, or just aren’t worth doing. Having a job on top of school work may seem impossible but with time management and focus you could run two different businesses at once while still being able to have time for yourself. With so many online opportunities today there are also many viable options you can use while continuing your education.
Here are several ideas we suggest you consider when thinking about starting a side business while in school Researching these ideas and more will help give you a better idea of what kind of side business is best for students. Don’t forget though that you should always make sure any type of business venture is legal in your state before investing too much time into it.
Also, keep in mind if there are any special licenses or permits required by law to run your chosen business idea. As long as all goes well and things go according to plan then hopefully after college graduation, you will already have some cash saved up from running your own successful student-based side business! Good luck!
Selling Goods
Some people are naturals at selling and can make money by peddling their wares on sites like Etsy or even Facebook. If you have some extra time and want to set up shop, there’s nothing wrong with that. Remember, though, that if you are taking your side business seriously and looking for ways to grow it into a full-time endeavor, then you must treat it accordingly.
That means that if you will be hiring employees who work for your company, you need to think about those costs—in addition to everything else—when determining how much money is coming in. If you’re planning on growing big enough so that outside investors could be interested, then read up on funding sources and market trends before spending too much time building out your operation. This is not only important for your own success but also for that any future employees.
After all, no one wants to get into a situation where they might lose their job because of an ill-timed investment decision made by someone else. On top of all that, remember to keep track of what’s going on with taxes, especially if you live in one of these states: California, New York, and Texas (and possibly more depending on what kind of goods you’re dealing with). The IRS has its eyes everywhere these days and knows when something doesn’t look right.
Reselling
You don’t have to have deep pockets to start a side business. You could also choose something that involves shopping, like reselling items you can find at thrift stores and garage sales. Take some time and make sure you know how much it costs for every step of your process. Don’t forget about shipping fees, eBay/PayPal fees, and taxes (yes, even on garage sale profits).
Remember – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! It’s important to be careful when starting any side business, especially when dealing with online transactions. Be smart and safe out there! If you want to learn more about selling on eBay, check out our post here. And if you’re looking for other ideas, check out these 20+ Legitimate Ways to Make Money Online.
Running errands for people
One of my favorite side businesses I’ve started is from running errands for people in my neighborhood. I live in a more rural area where people don’t mind driving 15 minutes out of their way to pick up tools they left at home or grab something they forgot at someone else’s house. Because I have reliable transportation, it makes sense for me to make an offer: if you pay me X dollars, I will drive your item over myself.
You can use my time however you need—to get groceries or run an errand yourself, for example. It doesn’t make sense to own a car if you rarely leave your house and don’t have errands that require driving. But if you do, then renting out your vehicle can be a great source of extra income. This business idea has allowed me to earn anywhere between $50-$200 per month depending on how much time I invest in it (sometimes there are months when I do nothing).
Picking up pets, dropping off groceries
One of the biggest and most common side business ideas for students is pet-sitting or dog walking. If you are not allergic, these are great options that can make you money. Also, if you do like animals and don’t mind picking up after them and feeding them, try taking care of your friends’ pets for fun. If your friends can set it up for you so there’s no taking care involved, that works too! Just be sure to check with your parents first.
As for grocery delivery, ask around at local stores if they have any extra bags lying around that they need picking up. You could also offer to pick up groceries from nearby stores in exchange for a small fee. This can be an easy way to make some quick cash on weekends without having to go out at all! As always, just be careful about how much time you spend doing things outside of school work because remember—school comes first!
Drop-Shipping
One of the most popular and profitable side business ideas, dropshipping can be lucrative if you know what you’re doing. Simply put, dropshipping is when you advertise products on your site and have your supplier ship them directly to customers. The best part is that it will cost almost nothing for you to get started since all you need is a computer and an internet connection.
Once your store has proven itself and generates revenue, there are plenty of ways for growth with selling strategies such as open box items (which involves using unopened merchandise), eBay sales, Amazon Marketplace, and more. Just remember that when starting out it can take a while before sales start rolling in due to slow customer response time.
However, once your business gains momentum you’ll see much better results. It should also be noted that some sellers do not offer returns on their products which may result in lost revenue or even legal troubles. It’s important to do your research prior to getting involved in any type of dropshipping business.
Doing Other People’s Chores Online
Do you like making money? If so, cleaning out garages or organizing messy closets is a great way to do it. But if you’re not an expert at garage sales and organizing messy closets, there are websites that let you put your skills and talents up for hire (one site we particularly like is TaskRabbit). There are also websites that let businesses—from virtual assistants to copywriters—find people who can get things done.
These sites charge employers when they make a successful match, usually between $3-$15 per hour depending on what services are required. So if you’ve got free time and some spare cash, why not build yourself a small side business doing other people’s chores online?
Getting Paid To Exercise
If you love to exercise, creating an opportunity for yourself that takes advantage of your passion can be a win-win situation. There are three basic ways to turn your fitness hobby into money: become a trainer, sell products or services related to health and wellness, or create your own subscription-based online community. This third option gives you complete control over both product and delivery of content.
Whether it’s video tutorials on how to do yoga poses properly or weekly webinars where you lead discussions with people looking for guidance on health and wellness, having control over what you create is one of many reasons starting an online business related to exercise makes sense. In lieu of an office job, becoming a personal trainer or starting your own gym is another option. You’ll be your own boss, but you’ll also have clients who can help pay for that vacation if it’s ever on your mind!
Just remember, their success is reliant on yours; so treat it like any other business and try not to burn out or get too emotionally invested. Exercise doesn’t just affect how you look either—it can actually make you smarter and healthier too. Before launching your business, check with local health departments about regulations.
Also Read: What is the Best Business For a Woman to Start?
Conclusion
Some side businesses are better for students than others. The best side business ideas for students have great earning potential and don’t require long, involved hours or tons of skills. (Remember: Don’t bite off more than you can chew.)
For example, starting an online store is a great student side business idea, but it requires serious dedication in terms of time and tech skills—so unless you can devote tons of hours and have a knack for web development and design, it might not be your best bet.
Additionally, some websites allow students to create niche stores so they can sell their goods through larger marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy; however, success usually hinges on being able to produce very high-quality products at competitive prices.
