The last few articles on this website discussed how I made extra cash to pay off student loans by working two part-time gigs that almost anyone with an internet connection can work. This post explains how I made extra money through freelancing, and like the side-hustles discussed in prior articles, many people can pursue freelance opportunities. In addition, several popular websites enable individuals to offer services with a minimal amount of effort. It is a little more difficult to locate and pursue freelance opportunities than it is to work some of the other side-hustles already discussed on this website, but with some effort, freelancing can help you pay off your student loans.
If you have student debt, it likely means that you earned one or more degrees, and you can use these credentials when pursuing freelance opportunities. Usually, the services you offer will be related to your primary job, since this is the field in which you are most qualified. For instance, if you are an accountant, you might have the opportunity to make additional money preparing tax returns on the side during tax season.
However, some of my friends offer services in fields completely unrelated to their main jobs. A few of my friends teach fitness classes, others host trivia nights at bars, and one of my friends makes a decent amount of money as a stand-up comic. You can be creative with the types of opportunities you pursue as a freelancer, and in many instances, you can make money freelancing in a field you enjoy more than your primary job.
I personally earned money as a freelancer by providing legal services to a few attorneys with whom I had prior connections. This opportunity fell into my lap one day when a colleague of mine who had his own law firm needed someone to conduct a small amount of legal research. I liked the challenge of answering his questions, and I quickly conducted the research and summarized my results. Over time, we had an arrangement where I would be paid a percentage of the money that attorney generated from my work.
Eventually, I provided services to a few different attorneys I knew. Most of the work I did involved legal research, and sometimes, I wrote summaries and draft letters as well. I always made sure to not utilize resources from my main job when conducting this work, and I usually used lower-quality legal research platforms I was able to access on the cheap when completing these projects. I also conducted this work when I was employed by businesses that did not have a policy against freelancing. If you take these precautions, you should be able to complete this work on the side without having issues with your primary employer.
If you are unable to obtain freelance gigs by word-of-mouth, there are a few websites you can use to offer services and accept opportunities. At one point, I tried to provide law school mentoring services, and I researched various websites on which I could advertise my services. Although I was never successful in getting this law school mentoring gig off the ground, I still learned valuable information about freelancing platforms along the way.
Fiverr and Upwork are the two biggest websites that allow users to offer freelance services. Fiverr enables people to offer services for a minimum of five dollars, and many of the services available on the website are listed for only five dollars. There is definitely a market for services that cost as little as five dollars, and if you think you will offer services for around this amount, Fiverr is a great platform for you. Of course, you can offer services for more than five dollars on this platform too, and everyone hoping to offer any type of service should check out Fiverr.
Upwork is another website on which freelancers can offer services for a set price. From what I can tell, this website is used more by professionals, and many accountants, lawyers, and other professionals offer services through this platform. Ultimately, you should research multiple different platforms before settling on a place to offer services, and it might make sense to even pursue opportunities on a few different websites.
If you cannot think of a specific service you want to provide, and would rather sign up to complete specific tasks for money, then TaskRabbit is perfect you. TaskRabbit is a platform through which individuals can sign up to complete work for money. Unlike Mechanical Turk, which was discussed in a prior article, these tasks usually cannot be performed over the internet, and individuals usually must appear in person to complete the work. Some tasks you can be paid to complete through TaskRabbit include assembling furniture, helping people move, staffing events, and other jobs. You need to be approved to work for TaskRabbit, and although I signed up to work through this platform, TaskRabbit didn’t accept me! I think TaskRabbit already had too many workers in my area, and they didn’t need anyone else. In any case, I hold no hard feelings against this service, and working for TaskRabbit can be a great way to make extra money.
In sum, freelancing can be an amazing way to earn extra cash to devote more money to student debt. If you have existing connections, you can pursue freelance opportunities by word-of-mouth like I did. If you do not already have a network, you can also offer services through various websites. Freelancing requires much time and commitment, and it is difficult to earn a significant amount of money from this side-hustle. However, if you do great work and distinguish yourself in the marketplace, freelancing can be a great way to make extra money to pay off your student loans.