How Students Can Earn Extra Money This Summer
When you’ve finished university for the year and the summer is here, there are loads of things that you want to do.
Although, it is important that you give yourself enough rest and downtime to recover from a gruelling year of study.
This is important, as returning to university next year fully recharged and raring to go will give you a better chance to work hard and get those high grades you are looking for.
There are some top summer destinations that you can choose to go on a student summer holiday, so take a look and find somewhere for a quick break away, whether in the UK or abroad.
As well as relaxing for a bit, going on holiday, and catching up with family and friends, you might want to think about how to earn money this summer.
Saving up a little extra on the side could pay for your holiday away, it gets you out there meeting new people and making new friends, keeps your body and mind active, and allows you to put away some money for the future too.
What are the options out there for you to earn money in summer?
1. A Part-time Retail Job
Loads of students choose to go down the part-time retail route during their summer break, as there are always so many companies looking to take on seasonal staff.
Big retailers like high-street clothes stores and supermarkets are looking for staff during the summer months.
Thinking outside the box could bag you a job at a theme park, a national park, theatre, bus station, or somewhere like Royal Mail who look for temporary staff during the summer and then again during the busier weeks around Christmas.
Any job will pay you some money for the summer and give you extra experience to put on your CV.
2. Taking A Job As A Delivery Driver
It is hard work being a delivery driver, we’re not gonna lie, but it can be rewarding and help you earn money this summer if you are clever with it and use it as a little extra.
Think Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats and how you could be that lovely person bringing hot, fresh food to the door of customers.
You will need your own bike or car to deliver within the fast time frames.
You’ll also need good time management skills, to understand the local area and fastest routes, and have a thick skin should orders go wrong, but it can be very rewarding when it goes well.
If you live in a town or city where there is plenty of scope for orders, you could get out there on your own hours, and become a delivery driver to make some extra money.
3. Summer Internship
If you want to try and get ahead in your chosen field of study or try out a role within a future career that interests you, you can look to gain direct experience with a summer internship.
Not all internships are unpaid, with some providing you with a chance to gain experience and earn money this summer.
They can be difficult to get onto sometimes though, especially in certain industries, so be prepared to fight for a place, and you can even begin to look ahead to next summer’s internship programmes.
4. Sell Stuff On Vinted
Vinted is an app-based marketplace where you can buy and sell both used and new items, ranging from clothes and shoes to tech and toiletries.
If you are thinking of selling on the app you could make a fair bit of money. If you’re having a declutter and thinking of throwing away some old clothes, why not make some money on it?
You can search for similar items before you post yours, so you can see what type of money items are selling for and you can price yours accordingly.
Selling on Vinted is free, which makes it a better option that eBay immediately, with a protection fee based on a percentage of the item paid for by the buyer.
5. Work At Summer Festivals
If you love music and want to attend some festivals this year, but you’re not sure if you have the funds or your mates aren’t quite as up for it as you are, why not look into working at a festival?
There are some great perks to working at a music festival.
Such as getting to see some of your favourite bands live, having some staff discounts for food and merch and soaking up the incredible atmosphere.
If it’s a camping festival, you might even have access to some nicer facilities and entrances than the average punter (this isn’t always the case).
There are agencies always on the look-put for both paid roles and volunteers for music festivals, big sporting events, food festivals, and other big summer events.
This could help you make some extra money, as well as boost your CV and have a good time in the process this summer!
6. Summer Camps
Working at a summer camp is so much fun. You get to make new friends, work outdoors and get paid for essentially having a good time and ensuring the kids joining the summer camp have a good time.
There are day camps and residential camps for summer school and a whole host of other organisations for you to choose from, both in the UK and abroad. It is a lot of hard work but is very fulfilling.
Application processes begin in December of each year, so start to plan ahead and think about whether or not you’d like to apply to work at a summer camp next year.
7. Become A Film and TV Extra
Do you love film and television? Have you ever wondered how to become one of those extras you see in the background of almost every scene?
If you love film or not, becoming an extra is an exciting part-time job with flexible hours and a decent rate of pay – you could earn around £80+ per day.
In the bigger cities you are more likely to find film and TV production units looking for local extras on a more consistent basis than in smaller towns and the countryside.
However, if you are interested it is an interesting way to earn some extra money this summer. You might even become famous!
8. Pet Sitting and Walking
If you love animals, becoming a pet sitter has its advantages for sure.
There are so many people with dogs that need to be walked multiple times a day, but they are busy out at work, or people looking for someone to look after their cats whilst they go away on holiday.
Dog walking in particular can become a lucrative career in some cases, and it gets you out of the house for your daily exercise.
Who wouldn’t want to pet some fury friends? What a job!
9. Cleaning Jobs
Another industry that is always crying out for temporary and part-time roles to be filled is the cleaning industry.
Every business and home needs cleaning, and if you can find yourself a cleaning role it can be a fulfilling job that gets you out of the house.
You can also practice your own cleaning skills that you can transfer to keep your own place clean and tidy, and it gives you that extra bit of cash in your back pocket this summer.
10. Work Freelance
Another way you can utilise your summer break is by working freelance, this will give you valuable experience and help you gain some extra cash!
You can explore freelance opportunities in fields like graphic design, content writing, web development, or social media management, depending on your interests and expertise.
There are plenty of online platforms and freelancing websites out there where you can search for job opportunities.
Working freelance during the summertime isn’t an easy job, but it can help you build up a professional portfolio, boost connections, and develop time management skills.
Things To Remember
If you are looking to get a summer job this year, always be prepared.
Think about sprucing up your CV and making it as up-to-date and accurate as you can, including anything new that has come up since you’ve been away at university.
It all helps when trying to gain an advantage in the competitive summer student market for employment.
Once you have got your CV handy and an idea of what type of role you are looking for, that suits your interests and will get you that money you’re after, look for different student job sites that can help you find the perfect roles to apply for.
Remember, looking for a job can be a job in itself, so don’t get too disheartened if you don’t get accepted for an interview for the first job you apply for, if you crack on and keep a positive attitude, your chance will come.
As you can see, there are so many ways in which you can earn money this summer, from paid internships to delivery driving, working in retail or at a summer festival.
Whatever it is that you fancy doing, put the hard work in, make new friends, experience new things, and have as much fun doing it whilst you can.
It won’t be long before you’re heading back to university for another year of study, so you really do need to make the most of your summer break, to recharge, relax, but also gain some experience whilst you make some money.