27 Creative Ways to Make Money in College Without Working Fast Food
Make money in college without working fast food – Being a broke college student is practically a rite of passage — but it doesn’t have to be. From flexible part-time jobs to online side hustles you can do from your dorm, there are tons of ways to stack some cash without frying fries or working the drive-thru. Let’s dive into 27 clever ways to make money in college — without working fast food.
1. Watch Short Videos and Earn Up to $225/Month
✅ Try: InboxDollars
💸 Pays in cash, not points
🛋️ Do it from your couch while bingeing Netflix
InboxDollars pays you to watch movie previews and short videos. It’s free to sign up, and you get a $5 bonus right away.
📸 Image Suggestion: Screenshot of InboxDollars dashboard
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2. Make Money Sharing Your Opinions
Sites like Swagbucks and MyPoints reward you for answering surveys. Earn gift cards or cash during your downtime between classes.
🔥 Sign-up Bonus: $5–$10
⏱️ Time required: Just a few minutes per survey
📸 Image Suggestion: Photo of a student answering surveys on phone
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3. Invest in Real Estate With Just $10
Think real estate’s just for millionaires? Think again. Fundrise lets you invest in properties across the U.S. with as little as $10.
💼 Earn passive income from rent and property value appreciation
📈 Historically pays out quarterly dividends
🚨 Reminder: All investments come with risks
📸 Image Suggestion: Modern apartment buildings or student on laptop looking at investments
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4. Get Paid to Lose Weight
Apps like HealthyWage reward you for hitting your fitness goals.
🏋️ Place a bet on your weight loss
💰 Win up to $10,000 if you hit your goal
🎯 Motivation = money
5. Drive With Lyft in Your Free Time
If you have a car, sign up for Lyft and earn money on your schedule. Great for weekends or late-night shifts.
🧾 Requirements: Age 21+, valid license, 1-year experience
🚘 Car must be 2007 or newer
6. Earn Rewards for Good Grades
Some colleges offer cash bonuses for a high GPA. Check with your dean’s office — yes, seriously.
7. Participate in Clinical Trials or Studies
Be a test subject for medical studies or market research.
🧪 Check out JustAnotherLabRat.com
🔍 Or search ClinicalTrials.gov
8. Resell Textbooks for Profit
Buy cheap textbooks on eBay and resell them using BookScouter.
💰 Potential: $5–$10 profit/book
📚 Sell 5/day = $750/month
9. Save Money as a Team with Ibotta
Download Ibotta, earn cashback, and compete with friends for bonuses. Even your late-night pizza run could earn you money.
10. Tutor Other Students
Use your knowledge to help others — and get paid.
📍Try: On-campus tutoring or use Wyzant to find online gigs
💸 Set your own rates
11. Find Free Money You Didn’t Know Existed
Search for unclaimed money at unclaimed.org. You could have forgotten funds from old jobs or bank accounts. Make money in college without working fast food
12. Work as a Virtual Assistant or Transcriber
Try freelance sites like ZipRecruiter, Fiverr, or Upwork for gigs like:
- Virtual assistant
- Recruiter
- Transcriber
13. Start Freelancing – Make money in college without working fast food
Got a skill like design, writing, or coding? Turn it into cash.
📍Best platforms: Fiverr, Upwork, Toptal Make money in college without working fast food
14. Sell Craft Supplies on Etsy
No time to knit? No problem. Sell kits and crafting supplies instead.
🔍 Source from thrift stores, resell online
15. Try Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk)
Perform quick tasks like data entry, surveys, and content tagging for a few bucks each.
⏱️ Choose your hours
💻 Work from anywhere
16. Braid Horse Manes (Yes, Really)
If you’re good with hair, offer braiding services at local horse shows. Seasonal and mostly weekends!
17. Offer Odd Jobs via Apps
Use TaskRabbit to help people move, clean, or assemble furniture. Or try Instacart for delivery gigs. Make money in college without working fast food
18. Be a “Grandkid on Demand” With Papa App
Get paid to spend time with seniors and help them with small tasks.
📍$11–$12/hour + gas
🎓 Available only to college students in select states
19. Apply to Be on a Game Show
Shows like Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! have open applications. It’s fun, and you might win big. Make money in college without working fast food
20. Claim Class-Action Settlements
Sites like TopClassActions.com list available settlements you may qualify for.
💰 You could get free products or checks up to $5,000
21. Deliver Packages With Amazon Flex
Earn $18–$25/hour delivering packages on your own time. Make money in college without working fast food
📦 Weekly pay
📱 Easy to schedule through app
22. Try Your Luck With Lucky Day App
Play scratch-offs and lotteries on your phone for a chance at real money. Free to use, just fun and maybe lucky!
23. Sell Your Photos on Foap
Got a smartphone and a good eye? Upload your pics to Foap and earn $5 every time someone downloads one. Make money in college without working fast food
📸 Best-sellers: Landscapes, food, and lifestyle shots
24. Become a Mock Juror Online
Sign up for eJury and help lawyers test their cases. Earn $5–$10 per mock trial. Make money in college without working fast food
25. Sell Your Clutter
Make money by purging unused stuff.
- Clothes → Poshmark
- Books → Amazon Trade-In
- Electronics → Decluttr
26. Babysit or Nanny for Local Families
Great for flexible hours and decent pay. Use Care.com or tap into your campus community.
27. Make Money With Your Phone on KashKick
Get paid for downloading apps, answering surveys, or watching videos. It adds up quickly — up to $500/month. Make money in college without working fast food
