When you set off on a learning journey you’re filled with enthusiasm. With your rose-tinted glasses on, you dream of all the possibilities that await you. But there is another side of the coin. How to earn while you learn.
Learning is a must if you want to achieve greatness, there’s no doubt about that. However, if you get drained with money troubles along the way, your desire for growth can lessen. And we don’t want that.
The solution to this peculiar study hard, work hard combo is finding ways to make money and diligently learn at the same time. The arrow should be pointed at jobs that won’t affect your studying while the cash is coming your way. Or, to the jobs that allow you to polish up relevant skills and get paid for it.
With these criteria in mind, I’ve decided to dig a little deeper. Based on personal and impersonal experience, here are my findings.
Let’s dive right into the best ways to keep a steady pile of money while managing to build your knowledge.
1. Start as an Apprentice to Become the Master
If apprenticeship sounds too middle age for you, you’ve got this whole apprentice-mentor arrangement wrong. Apprenticeship is still a thing and it is going strong.
Contrary to what many think, you can actually find apprenticeship opportunities in any niche. Want to become an IT engineer? You can find an apprenticeship in the IT industry. Are you learning to become the best marketer ever? An apprenticeship of that sort is waiting for you somewhere.
All you need to do is head to the world’s biggest know-it-all, Google, and type what kind of apprenticeship you are interested in. Or, if you know a local company or business owner in the niche of your choice, be daring enough to ask them if they want to hire a willing learner as an apprentice.
However, don’t expect the big bucks while you work as an apprentice. But do expect to get paid for learning and honing your craft.
2. Get Your Freelancing Game On
Freelancing is a big hit these days. Do you know why? Because it is awesome. You get to choose what you want to work on, how much you want to work, and when. Is this enough evidence to close the case?
If you wonder how you can fit into this freelancing picture, let me explain. First, think about your skills. There must be something that you can provide that others will pay for. For example, if you are learning to become a graphic designer you can do some freelance designer jobs on the side.
The freelancing world isn’t obsessed with credentials and diplomas. You can be a student and successfully cash in the skills you are working on.
Even if you don’t find yourself to be a person of rare skillset, no worries. Some jobs don’t ask for special skills and come with a flexible schedule. Here are a few examples:
- Managing social media accounts
- Data entry
- Writing (ghostwriting, academic writing, etc.)
- Teaching ESL online
- Part-time virtual assistant
- Transcribing
If you are thinking about where to earn while you learn as a freelancer, I must be a mind reader, as here come the most popular platforms with versatile freelance job offers:
3. Cash in Your Driver’s License
If you consider yourself to be a decent driver, your driver’s license can be your money-making shot.
Having your own car can get you in the holy circle of Uber drivers. The beauty of this kind of job is that there are no special requirements and you get full flexibility. You can even make money during your study breaks. Sounds tempting, doesn’t it?
Another way of triggering cash flow with your license is working for a food delivery service. People’s laziness can go in your favour. There are lots of companies that deliver more than food. They get anything to people’s doors. This means that you can work when you want as the demand never stops.
If you don’t know where to find such delivery companies, I’ve got you covered. Here are a few companies that allow flexible work hours:
4. Judge Your Way to Earn While You Learn
You know how people say that judging things is bad? Well, in this case, that claim doesn’t apply. Judging apps and websites can actually bring you money. Let’s clarify how.
Certain platforms pay you to review apps and websites. The task is to browse through the assigned software or website, do some set tasks, and record or describe your impression.
If you wonder why someone would pay you for something so simple, there’s a good reason. Your review gives brands an inside look into the user experience. They get to see what bothers users about their app or website and improve it based on your intel. It a classic win-win situation.
There’s not much money in this game, but it is a decent amount considering what you do and that you can do it whenever you have the time.
But let me stop my storytelling here. You can check out the platforms that offer this line of work to find out more about what exactly they have to offer:
5. Take on the Role of Both the Teacher and the Student
Who says that you can’t teach and learn? Everything is possible if you are ready to roll up your sleeves. Even being a teacher and a learner at the same time.
To put this money-earning plan into action you need to have a certain amount of knowledge you can share with others. That’s the first step.
The second step is to decide how you’ll cash in that knowledge. The options are to offer tutoring services or to film and post your teaching on platforms such as Skillshare.
Becoming a Skillshare teacher can become your reality if you have a good camera and any cool and useful skill or trick.
On the other hand, you can tutor university students, secondary-school students, or even primary schoolers. It all depends on what you know and how much patience you have.
Earn, Learn, and Prosper
You see, making money and keeping your head in the books isn’t such an unmatchable pair. These jobs show you that you can earn while you learn. In one way or another.
However, you need to multitask like a pro and level up your time-management skills. You can do it all if you are organized, hardworking, and resourceful. Are you ready to take on this challenge?