UPDATED: September 06, 2021

You’ve graduated from college and your student loans are going to be due before you know it. You use a calculator and discover your minimum payment is going to be more than you can afford unless you can find some ways to earn money to make your student loan payments. You certainly don’t want to incur penalties by missing any payments, so the best way to settle your debts is to earn more money. These ways to add cash to your bank account will help you afford your student loan payments.

Tutor Other Students

Since you’ve just finished your education program, you are the perfect person to help others who are still in the classes you’ve already completed. These days, you don’t even have to tutor them in person because there are all sorts of programs that use technology to tutor online. Advertise your services to your friends who are still at the school, in the academic counseling department, and even to your former professors. 

Take Surveys and Focus Groups

Recent college graduates are smack dab in the demographic that most companies want to target. Sign up to take surveys or participate in focus groups to receive much-needed cash from these companies who need to know how to market to your demographic. The best part about taking surveys and focus groups is that you can sign up for them whenever you have time or need extra money. If one doesn’t fit your schedule, you can simply say no and they’ll contact you for the next one.

Join the Gig Economy

An excellent way to generate more income when you need it most is to become a part of the gig economy by driving for Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, or any of the other dozens of companies that use independent contractors to deliver their services nationwide. You can work as little or as much as you want (or need) and do it in your spare time. A great strategy for using the gig economy for paying your student loan is to work the job until you make your payment for the month and then stop until the next month. These jobs allow you that flexibility, which is why they’re so popular.

Pet Sit or Babysit

This is one of the easier ways to make additional money, especially if you know people with pets or kids. Even offering a discounted rate compared to other babysitters and pet sitters in the area will earn you a significant amount for taking care of children or pets for a short time. The going rate for babysitting these days is nearly $15 per hour, so offering $10 or $12 per hour could be enough to help you make your monthly payment. Just be sure you are able to take care of the children or pets in your care since this is a huge responsibility.

Conclusion

There are many ways to earn extra cash each month to help you make your student loan payment. You just have to be willing to put in the effort to find the opportunities. Even if you can already make your payment with just your regular job, earning extra money is an excellent way to pay your loan off faster as well.