Best Side Hustles for Students

If you're currently at university and wondering what the best side hustles for students are, we're here to help you navigate how to earn an income...

Like it or not, we’re officially in the age of the ‘side hustle’.

With the rise of technology and social media, side hustles have become increasingly popular as they can often be carried out remotely and on your own terms, meaning plenty of freedom and flexibility. 

For students in particular they can be a great way of creating an income without spreading yourself too thin, though it’s important to note that being your own boss isn’t all fun and games - you’ll have to put in a decent amount of work if you want to reap the rewards.

If you’re ready to take the leap, here are some of the best side hustles for students in the UK and our top tips on how to make them work…

What is a side hustle?

For those not in the know, a side hustle is basically work that you get paid for doing outside of your main source of income or as a way of earning some money whilst studying or undergoing training. 

It's usually a type of part-time work that helps you to bring in extra cash.

Best Online Side Hustles

Let’s be honest, if you’re about to embark on a side hustle, you’re likely doing it because you want to do it in your own time as opposed to working for a company or organisation with set working hours. 

You also probably want to do it remotely and enjoy the freedom that working from anywhere can bring. 

It goes without saying that full-time work isn’t usually an option for undergraduates (and certainly isn’t advised or is even actively prohibited by some unis), especially for those students whose courses involve a high number of contact hours. 

But with the ever worsening cost of living crisis, students are searching for ways to make a little extra cash in the form of home-based side hustles.

As much as student discount can be a godsend when it comes to helping you save those £££s, we still need money to spend in the first place...

So what are some of the best side hustles for students to start online from the comfort of your own home?

1. Blogging 

Monetising a blog isn’t as easy as it may sound, however it can be very profitable in the long run if you stick at it - consistent posting is key. 

There are so many benefits to taking up blogging as a side job, including:

• Low start-up costs

• You can monetise it in a number of ways whether that’s through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, display ads or paid for members-only content (when you reach the point of having a big enough audience of readers)

This is a popular side hustle for many, with some going on to develop full-time careers out of it - just look at award winning fashion, beauty and travel blogger Victoria Magrath who started her blog (InTheFrow) back in 2012 as, in her own words, a ‘hobby’. 

If you think you’ve got what it takes to create unique, entertaining and informative content that will keep people coming back for more, blogging could definitely be the side hustle for you. 

2. Online Tutoring

Another popular side hustle for students is online tutoring, and it's not only super rewarding but also extremely flexible.

If you have the skills and knowledge to tutor students online, you can enjoy perks such as setting your own schedule, having the ability to connect with students from all over the country (or further depending on your expertise), and receiving a great rate of pay!

You'll need excellent communication skills and relevant credentials but if you have these under your belt, the world really is your oyster.

3. Freelancing

This might seem a little vague, but that's because the options are endless depending on where your skills lie.

Whether you're a top notch copywriter or an innovative graphic designer, your skills will always be wanted in the world of freelancing!

From videography and website design to proofreading and social media management, you'd be surprised how in demand freelancers are.

For companies requiring extra assistance on both short- and long-term projects, freelancers are an absolute go to - so take advantage of this and get offering your skills!

Websites such as Upwork and Fiverr are a great way to advertise your skills and pitch for specific jobs/projects that you like the sound of. You can also set your rate of pay and work around a schedule that suits you.

Best E-Commerce Side Hustles

If you want to start up your own business selling physical products to customers, there are a number of popular e-commerce side hustles that may take your fancy.

Some of the most successful e-commerce side hustles in 2023 include:

1. Homemade gift hampers

2. Candles

3. Jewellery

4. Personalised drink and barware

5. Soap and bath bombs

6. Baked goods

You only have to check out their search volume to see how popular these products are...

Semrush shows that 'food hamper gifts' has an average monthly search volume on Google of 1,900, while 'homemade candles' is searched around 720 times per month on the search engine.

With Christmas just around the corner, now could be the perfect time to start up your e-commerce side hustle.

Most Profitable Side Hustles

If you're all about what will provide you with the most earning potential, we've got you.

According to Materials Market, the five highest paying side hustles in the UK in 2022 are:

1. Beauty Therapy

2. Jewellery Making

3. Tailoring

4. Blogging

5. Pet Sitting/Walking

Personally, we can't see how it gets much better than being paid to look after someone's pets, so the fact that this is also one of the most profitable UK side hustles makes it extremely appealing...

Easiest Side Hustles

Now, no work is ever 'easy' so to speak, but if you don't have the time to set up your own e-commerce business or dedicate hours to freelancing, we've got some quick wins for you.

Here are some of the easiest side hustles for students...

• Selling clothes via Depop, eBay and Vinted You'd be surprised how quickly you can rake in some cash for belongings that are simply sat collecting dust in your home

• Food Delivery Driver This is by no means an 'easy' job but it's a quick way to make money!

• Influencer Marketing Okay, you'll need to build an audience on your social channels first which is admittedly no easy feat. However if you post consistent, authentic and original content, you'll be surprised how quickly you can boost your following and engagement - not to mention brands are becoming increasingly keen to work with micro influencers

Top Tips

Finally, here are our top tips for starting a side hustle as a student:

• Make sure you're passionate about it and have carried out plenty of research - if you'll require a courier to deliver products, have you found out which service is best for you and factored these costs in? Will you need to invest to begin with? Can you do it alone?

• Stick to a schedule and set aside dedicated time for your side hustle

• Don't worry if it doesn't take off straight away!

Remember, TOTUM is here to help students save as much as possible with our wide range of student discounts with leading brands such as Co-op, ASOS, Samsung, Amazon Prime and more.

What's more, if you sign up now you can get 12 months FREE tastecard for every year's TOTUM membership purchased!

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