How Can Students Make Money While Studying in 2014?

The idea of creating a blog and earning money from it might have been considered 'thinking outside the box' a few years ago. But as of now, it is residing deep inside the box. Hence, the need of a change of perspective, or mindset if you will.

Seems far-fetched, doesn't it? Looks like an ad similar to the ones that say 'Google pays me so and so', yes? Well, you might be only half right, because nothing is impossible, or should I say, impossible is nothing in the world. It is only a matter of perspective and setting up goals. Now most of you are thinking, people can easily earn money by creating a blog, but that money definitely isn't in seven figures. Well, perhaps it's time to think outside the box.

You can make some serious money if you have the right aptitude for it. Students, of course are the best fit, because they are quicker learners. But this doesn't other people can't read this post, which will discuss about some of the productive ways of earning money.

Besides creating a blog and earning through advertisements and affiliate programs, you can do many things to earn some good money. Nowadays, earning money is no longer easy. With evolving trends in the industries, skill is the need of the hour. Those who have equipped themselves with it are earning millions, while others are sitting back and waiting for people to lick on their ads (:P). So the bottom line is, people, especially students need to spend their time in more productive things, rather than playing games and chatting on Facebook.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not saying that earning through blogs is a bad idea, or that blogging is not productive. Oh no! Quite the contrary! If you have a blog, then that's excellent! It will help you all the more. But maybe, it's time to equip yourself with some new skills so you can counter anything coming your way in the future.

So the big question is, what to do? Well, here are a few suggestions.

Learn web development

Information Technology has already taken over out lives. Already, online connectivity is the need of the many, with new trends towards online usage growing the form of cloud computing and more. If there;s one thing for certain, it's that computers and the internet are definitely here to stay. So that makes web technologies all the more important.

The amazing thing about this field is, it hasn't gone stale. Ever since Tim Breners-Lee created HTTP in the late 80s, the field has grown in importance. Look at Mark Zuckerberg. He was a student when he created Facebook. In any of you have seen his movie, The Social Network, you'll know how he first created a website called Face Mash, which earned him reputation, and he eventually got approached by some seniors who had a project in mind, which later became Facebook. See how developing a simple website turned his luck? Now, he is a $20 Billion man!

There are other countless examples! Look at Larry Page, the founder of Google. As big as it seems now, Google must have started from scratch at one point. And it didn't just become a proper search engine at once. It was built, little by little. Look where it is now. You can find countless other such examples, like Matt Mullenweg - founder of WordPress, or Sergey Brin, founder of O'Reilly Media. All of these started from zero, yet used their skills to make their companies what they are now.

There are many places you can learn the required skills from. Just Google what you want to do. Personally, I'd recommend Lynda.com, and O'Reilly Media. They are simply the best resources available on the web today!

You don't necessarily need to make a website. You could create your own tools for your blog, or make a web app and implement it on your blog/website etc. There are literally thousands of ways you can put your skills to good use.

Create an app

For those of you who are into programming, creating an app for a smartphone is a really good idea! Not many people think about it, which makes it that much more special. Again, you can learn how to make apps fro the leading online resources such as Lynda.com and O'Reilly Media. There's really no shortage of resources one can complain about.

Now about the app itself. The important thing is to start. The challenge seems daunting, which is why most people can't get past the thinking phase. Grab any good idea that comes to your head, and run with it. Remember; for your first app, you don't really need to be unique. You can make something as simple as a currency-converter or a calculator. This will get you acquainted with the working of things. Once you have your first app, you can start thinking of a unique game or app idea. Forget Angry birds, believe me, there are people who are earning loads of money from much simpler ideas. You can make a simple app too. It'll either be popular, or it won't. But in either case, you'll learn something, and that is why you'll always be the winner.

Popular smartphone platforms are Android and iOS. So it'd be wise to create an app for them. Symbian and Blackberry platforms have since lost their touch. And as a beginner, you ought to give yourself the best chances.

Freelance projects

If you aren't into programming, then you can always look for other work that best suits your needs. Freelance workers are being hired ever day for all sorts of works. Maybe you can show them your skills and get hired. Picking up freelance projects can really buff up your pocket. There are many freelance websites where you could look for work.

Sometimes, it might be hard to find freelance work, because you have nothing to show on your portfolio. You can, however, start with the small websites, such as fiverr, or its alternatives. These will give you a fairer opportunity to show your skills to the world. And also, they will help you get your freelancing career started.

Write articles

Freelance writing is another profitable way to earn money. If you have a good grammar and good writing skills, then you should definitely try this. You can either write for big article directories, such as EzineArticles, or write for blogs that are looking for paid authors. Visit different blogs on a regular basis, and see which ones are looking for paid authors.

Those were some of the killer ways you could make money. It isn't easy, except for the last one, but if you get them right, you can be raking in bucks. And it never hurts to learn something that's not on your course :)

Author : Wajid Ali

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