Easy Side Hustles for Extra Money
Turn Your Passion into Profit: Empowering Students to Succeed!"
Selling Products
How to sell products online as a student!
Selling Products on Campus
Selling from your dorm room
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"5 Platforms Where You Can Sell Products as a Student"
🌟 1. Etsy – Best for Handmade & Custom Products
Etsy is a global marketplace focused on handmade, vintage, and personalized goods. Students can sell things like jewelry, stickers, digital downloads (like planners or notes), and custom merch. It’s beginner-friendly with low startup costs — just $0.20 to list a product. You don’t need your own website; Etsy provides the storefront and audience. The platform brings traffic, so you don’t have to worry too much about marketing at the start. Their built-in SEO helps your products get discovered organically. Students who enjoy art, design, or DIY will love it here. You can set your own hours and work on orders around your class schedule. Digital products are especially great since they sell passively.
👉 Affiliate Hook: Ready to open your Etsy shop? Get 40 free listings using [this link].
🌟 2. Depop – Best for Selling Clothes, Vintage, & Thrift Finds
Depop is a social shopping app popular with Gen Z — it’s like Instagram meets eBay for fashion. Perfect for students looking to flip thrifted items, resell old clothes, or start a secondhand fashion brand. Listings are easy — just take a photo, write a description, and set a price. The app is visual, so creativity in styling and photos really pays off. Depop takes a 10% fee, but there’s no cost to list. It’s great for those with access to thrift stores or who already have clothes to resell. You can also sell handmade jewelry, Y2K pieces, or reworked fashion. Students can run the hustle entirely from their phone. Consistent posting and good reviews will boost your shop.
👉 Affiliate Hook: Download Depop and start your closet hustle here: [Your Depop affiliate link]
🌟 3. Redbubble – Best for Artists & Designers (No Inventory)
Redbubble is a print-on-demand platform where students can upload their designs and sell them on products like stickers, t-shirts, mugs, and phone cases. You create the design — Redbubble handles printing, shipping, and customer service. It’s perfect for creative students who want passive income without managing inventory. There’s no upfront cost, making it one of the easiest side hustles to start. You earn a percentage of each sale (usually 10–30%, depending on your markup). Upload once, and your art can sell over and over again. SEO and tagging are key to getting found, but social sharing helps too. Great for digital artists, illustrators, or even meme creators. You can design directly from apps like Canva or Procreate.
👉 Affiliate Hook: Want to start selling art with $0 upfront? Create your Redbubble shop here: [Your Redbubble affiliate link]
🌟 4. Shopify – Best for Students Wanting Full Brand Control
Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce platform that lets students build their own branded online store. You can sell physical or digital products, dropship, or even run a merch store. I
t’s more advanced than Etsy or Redbubble but offers total control. You manage your brand, pricing, customer experience, and marketing. Shopify supports a ton of apps, like Oberlo (for dropshipping) or Printful (for print-on-demand). They offer a 3-day free trial, and it’s super easy to use with drag-and-drop features. Shopify is ideal for students serious about turning their hustle into a business. You’ll need to drive your own traffic (e.g. via TikTok, Instagram, or student influencers). If you're entrepreneurial, Shopify is a long-term play.
👉 Affiliate Hook: Start your free trial and build your own store today: [Your Shopify affiliate link]
🌟 5. Gumroad – Best for Selling Digital Products (Super Easy Setup)
Gumroad is a platform where students can sell digital products like eBooks, guides, templates, Notion planners, study notes, or even course material. It’s perfect for non-techies — just upload your product and share your link. There’s no monthly fee; they only take a small percentage per sale. It’s ideal for students who want to share knowledge or monetize skills (like resumes, design templates, or coding cheatsheets). Gumroad has a built-in checkout system and even lets you create free products to build an email list. You can start earning in under 30 minutes — literally just drag and drop your file. Some students earn hundreds a month passively by selling what they already made for school. You can also offer “pay what you want” pricing to attract buyers. Great platform for lean, low-cost digital hustling.
👉 Affiliate Hook: Start selling your first digital product in 5 minutes — no code needed: [Your Gumroad affiliate link]
"How I Sold My First Product Online While Studying Full-Time"
My Personal story
"10 Easy Products You Can Sell as a Student (With Little to No Money)"
1. Digital Planners & Notion Templates
📌 Sell templates for students, productivity, budgeting, etc.
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Why it's easy: Free to make on Notion, Canva, or Google Sheets
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How to sell: Use Gumroad or Etsy
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Affiliate angle:- [Gumroad affiliate link] – Sell or recommend the platform -[Canva affiliate link] – For design tools -Notion affiliate link] – Refer new users
✅ Example: “Make your own Notion template and sell it for $5 on Gumroad — free to start and passive!”
2. Study Notes & Flashcards
📌 Sell well-organized study guides, summaries, or Anki decks.
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Why it's easy: Use your class materials!
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How to sell: Gumroad, Etsy, or StudySoup
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Affiliate angle: -[Gumroad affiliate link] -[StudySoup affiliate link] (if applicable) -[Grammarly affiliate link] – Help format notes
✅ Example: “Turn your semester’s notes into a digital study pack and sell it for $3 per subject!”
3. Print-on-Demand Merch (T-Shirts, Mugs, Stickers)
📌 Sell designs without touching inventory.
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Why it's easy: Use print-on-demand services like Printful or Redbubble
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How to sell: Shopify, Etsy, or directly through Redbubble
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Affiliate angle: -[Printful affiliate link] -[Redbubble affiliate link] -[Shopify affiliate link]
✅ Example: “Design stickers in Canva and sell them on Redbubble — no upfront cost, no shipping.”
4. Resume Templates
📌 Students need resumes — design and sell templates.
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Why it's easy: Use Canva or Google Docs
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How to sell: Gumroad, Etsy
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Affiliate angle:- [Canva affiliate link] -Gumroad affiliate link]-[Grammarly affiliate link] (to help write content)
✅ Example: “Design 1 resume template in Canva, export as a PDF, and sell it for $2 — passive income.”
5. eBooks or Mini-Guides
📌 Write short guides (how-tos, student hacks, language learning, etc.)
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Why it's easy: You already know something valuable!
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How to sell: Gumroad, Amazon KDP
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Affiliate angle: -[Gumroad affiliate link] -[Canva affiliate link] (to design covers) -[Amazon KDP affiliate program]
✅ Example: “Write a 10-page guide on ‘How I Got a 4.0 GPA’ and sell it for $5.”
6. Used Books & Textbooks
📌 Flip your old textbooks or buy/sell from classmates.
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Why it's easy: No cost if you already own the books.
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How to sell: eBay, Amazon, or Facebook Marketplace
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Affiliate angle:-[eBay affiliate program] -[Amazon Associates] (link textbooks to buy too)
✅ Example: “Sell last semester’s $80 textbook for $40 and pocket the profit.”
How do one discover their Your Unique Niche
For students looking to start selling online or launch an online business, discovering a unique niche begins with understanding their own strengths, passions, and the problems they’re naturally inclined to solve. By reflecting on what excites them—whether it's fashion, tech, fitness, gaming, or education—they can align their interests with potential online markets. Using tools like Notion to brainstorm and organize ideas, and platforms like SEMrush or Google Trends to research demand, students can identify topics with real-world interest. Micro-validating the niche through small-scale efforts—like listing a few products on Shopify or offering a service on Fiverr—helps test profitability with minimal risk.
Once a niche is validated, students can choose from various beginner-friendly business models such as print-on-demand using Printify, selling digital products on platforms like Gumroad, or engaging in affiliate marketing through networks like Impact. As they build their online presence, creating content on YouTube, Instagram, or a blog via Wix helps attract and engage audiences organically. Pairing that with email marketing tools like ConvertKit allows them to nurture customer relationships and drive sales. The key is starting small, staying consistent, and iterating based on feedback and performance.
3. Step-by-Step: How to Start a Shopify
(Process is similar for Etsy/Depop) Online Store)
💡 What Is Shopify?
Shopify is an all-in-one platform that helps you create your own online store — no coding or design skills required. You can sell physical or digital products, customize your store, and accept payments easily.
🧭 STEP-BY-STEP: How to Start a Shopify Store (for Beginners)
✅ Step 1: Create a Shopify Account
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Go to shopify.com.
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Click "Start free trial" (You get 3 days free + $1/month for 3 months after).
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Enter your email, password, and store name (you can change it later).
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Answer a few questions about your store — like what you’re selling.
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Shopify will then create your dashboard (called the Admin).
📌 Tip: You don’t need to have products yet. You can add them later.
✅ Step 2: Set Up Your Store Basics
🏪 1. Name Your Store- Your store name appears on your site and in emails to customers.
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Keep it simple, memorable, and relevant to your products.
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Example: If you’re selling handmade candles, try “Glow Home” or “LumiWick.”
🌐 2. Buy a Domain (Optional but Recommended): A domain is your website address (like glowhome.com).
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Go to Settings > Domains
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You can buy a domain from Shopify (around $14/year), or
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Connect a domain you bought elsewhere (like GoDaddy or Namecheap)
✅ Step 3: Choose a Theme (Your Store Design)- Themes control how your website looks.
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Go to Online Store > Themes
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Scroll to Free themes (great for beginners) or explore Paid themes
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Click Customize to change:
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Colors
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Fonts
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Layout
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Logo
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Homepage sections (e.g., Featured Products, About Us)
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📌 Tip: Start simple! You can upgrade or change later.
✅ Step 4: Add Your Products
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Go to Products > Add product
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Fill in:
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Product name (e.g., "Lavender Soy Candle")
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Description (What it is, why it’s great, how to use it)
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Photos (Clear, well-lit, multiple angles)
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Price
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Quantity in stock
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Variants (Sizes, colors, etc. — optional)
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📌 High-quality photos = more sales. Try using a clean background and natural lighting.
✅ Step 5: Set Up Payments - You need to get paid! Shopify makes this easy.
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Go to Settings > Payments
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Choose your method:
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Shopify Payments (fastest — accepts credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay)
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Or connect PayPal or Stripe
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📌 Shopify Payments is usually best for beginners because it's built-in.
✅ Step 6: Set Up Shipping
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Go to Settings > Shipping and delivery
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Choose how you want to ship:
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Flat rate (e.g., $5 for all U.S. orders)
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Free shipping (build it into the product price)
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Real-time rates (for more advanced stores)
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Add shipping zones (e.g., U.S. only, Worldwide)
📌 Start simple. Free shipping is a great incentive for customers.
✅ Step 7: Add Legal Pages - These protect you and inform your customers.
Go to Settings > Policies, then:
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Generate a Refund Policy
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Create a Privacy Policy
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Add Terms of Service
Shopify can generate basic versions you can edit.
✅ Step 8: Test Everything- Before launching:
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Use the Preview button to see how your site looks
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Make a test order using Shopify's “Bogus Gateway” (optional)
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Check mobile view — many shoppers use phones!
✅ Step 9: Remove Password Protection & Launch (When you're ready to go live)
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Go to Online Store > Preferences
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Scroll down and remove password protection
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Click "Publish"
Your store is now live to the public!
"The 3-Step Method I Use to Price My Products for Profit"
Step 1: Know Your Costs
Start by figuring out how much it costs to make or sell your product. This includes:
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The product itself (or production cost if using print-on-demand like Printify)
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Website or platform fees (e.g. Shopify)
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Payment fees (PayPal, Stripe, etc.)
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Any marketing or shipping costs
👉 Example:
If a t-shirt costs $12 to make, and other fees add $3, your total cost is $15.
Step 2: Add Your Profit Margin
Now decide how much profit you want to make. A common method is to multiply your cost by 2 or 3.
👉 Example:
If your total cost is $15, and you want a 2x markup:
$15 × 2 = $30 selling price
This gives you $15 profit per sale.
Step 3: Check Competitors & Adjust
Look at what others in your niche are charging for similar products. You don’t have to be the cheapest—just make sure your price makes sense and reflects your quality, design, or uniqueness.
👉 Use tools like SEMrush to research your niche and competition.
The most common Q&A most students ask about selling online as a student”
1. Can I sell online as a student?
Yes! Many students start small businesses online. You don’t need a business degree or lots of money—just a good idea and a bit of time.
2. Do I need money to start?
Not much. You can start with free tools like Canva for design or sell digital products on Gumroad with zero upfront cost.
3. What can I sell as a student?
You can sell things like:
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Digital products (ebooks, templates)
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Print-on-demand items (t-shirts, mugs)
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Handmade crafts or art
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Your services (tutoring, design, writing)
4. Do I need a website to sell online?
No. You can sell on platforms like Etsy, Shopify, or even on Instagram or TikTok. A website helps, but it’s not required to start.
5. How do I accept payments?
You can use payment processors like PayPal, Stripe, or platforms like Shopify and Gumroad which handle payments for you.
6. Is it legal for students to sell online?
Yes, it's legal. But depending on your country, you may need to register your business if you earn over a certain amount. Always check your local laws.
7. How much time do I need to run an online business?
You can start with just 1–2 hours a day. Many students manage their businesses alongside school. Start small and grow as you go.
8. How do I market my products for free?
Use social media (Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest), post in student groups, or create short videos showing your product in use. These methods can bring in traffic without paying for ads.
9. How do I price my products?
Use the simple formula:
(Cost to make + platform fees) × 2 or 3 = Selling Price
This helps cover your costs and gives you profit. More tips here: Pricing Method
10. Can I balance school and business?
Absolutely! Start small, stay organized, and use tools like Notion or Google Calendar to manage your time. Many students use their business as a way to build experience for future careers too.
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