Unfortunately, the rise in tuition fees and living costs in the last few years have made work an important part of many students’ lives. Gone are the days when students could lounge around in the union bar slowly dwindling their grants without a worry in the world. What you need is a job that will fit around your studies, an employer that can be flexible when you’re busy, and a pay packet decent enough to get you out of bed in the morning.

retail

The traditional jobs done by students are mainly in the retail and bar sector, with good reasons. You can work in trendy places, meet plenty of people and the work is usually regular but flexible. Try to find a job in one of your favourite shops as you are likely to get a tasty discount or first pickings of sale items. If you opt for bar work, make sure your mates regularly come in so you can enjoy yourself while you work. When you get to university check out other jobs available on campus or in the student union, such as in catering or security, as they employ lots of people and offer great flexibility!

Think early however; you may be considering applying for a part-time job later in the term, but the best jobs will undoubtedly be taken by then. If you know where you want to work, it’s a good idea to get in there first (there is often a waiting list or competitive application process).

temping

If you plan to get work in your uni vacation through a temping agency, it’s worth registering your CV at the beginning of term and letting them know your availability so that you’re first on their list of contacts at Christmas or Easter. You could also let your agent know that you’re only available for odd days and give them a list in advance. It’s important to keep harassing your temping agent – unless you’re in their thoughts when a job comes through, you won’t get a call. Once you’ve established a good reputation, your phone should be ringing regularly with plenty of temporary jobs.

events

With the explosion in the number of festivals around the UK as well as a regular supply of major events, most university towns have lots of ad-hoc events’ jobs on offer. Do your research and contact major local venues or your university job centre early and you could get some great work (as well as free admission to cool conferences and sports events). Wimbledon advertise for staff from early May, and you could work selling strawberries and cream to tennis fans on Henman Hill (soon to be renamed Murray Hill as Tim has little chance of winning Wimbledon!).

silver service

Silver service isn’t as easy as one might think! Unlike serving burgers to your mates as the local pub, silver service requires training and finesse. You will be paid more than normal waitressing, however, and so training may be worth investing in if you plan to make a living from it for the next three years. There’s usually plenty of work available – ask at agencies or wedding reception venues. If this doesn’t appeal to you, other waitressing jobs also pay quite well. There may even be the odd free meal going, saving your supermarket bills!

part-time entrepreneur

Brainstorm ways to make money doing things you love. If you get a buzz from organising parties, think about setting up a club night on a night when your local club isn’t so busy. The owner might be happy to charge you a reduced venue hire price for getting the punters in! Or you could offer private tuition to local families, e.g. homework help, music lessons. If you’re an art student you may find your design services are popular with local businesses seeking designers for their logo or website.

internet business

The market for selling items on the internet is becoming saturated, but there are still gaps in the market, and the advantage of the internet is in its vast marketplace and cheap overhead costs. If you question why you are spending so much money on certain items why don’t you do something about it and set up your own business. The owners of Google, Facebook and YouTube were all students when they started and they are all extremely well off now! If you want to start smaller you could start by selling your old gear on Ebay or another auction site and if something is selling well, see if you could get some more stock and flog it at a profit! Check whether you’ll need to pay tax on your new found wealth though.

online surveys

Students are a hot demographic as far as retailers are concerned. Much student expenditure goes on the latest fashions and gadgets, and students also have a large disposable income when they enter graduate employment. You can register and complete online surveys in the comfort of your own home. Some sites can be bogus so check out the authenticity first, and many will charge an upfront registration fee. Check out our useful sites page for details of sites offering cash for comments. You could earn between £3 and £50 per survey!

house sitting and dog walking

You normally have to be in the right place or know the right people but if you can find someone going abroad with a large house, then you could find yourself with a free pad and some extra income on top. Beware though, no large house parties (it’s inevitable that something will go wrong when it’s not your house!).

If you like our canine friends, make a nice set of posters and business cards for ‘Woofwalkers’, post them through the doors of nearby posh estates and wait for the calls.

other jobs

If you feel strongly about supporting a charity, you could take to the streets and ask for generous donations from the public. However, charities seem to prefer direct debit mandates to the odd coin in the box these days, and therefore you will need unwavering enthusiasm and persuasiveness. You’re likely to be on commission so get practising that coathanger smile!

Local boutiques and hair salons often want models for competitions and magazines and they may prefer to ask local people rather than paying agency fees, so keep your eyes open and look out for adverts in shop windows. At the very least you’ll get a discount on your haircuts.

Companies employ mystery shoppers to visit their stores and secretly test sales assistants’ customer relations skills. They sometimes train you and will pay you a small amount for each visit. Mystery shopping could also involve trying out hotels and restaurants as well as shops. Always check whether you can keep the goods!

The police usually need people to do ID parades. They don’t pay much, but if you’re of average height, average build then you might get lucky.

If you do a life guarding qualification you could get work as a lifeguard at your local pool. 99% of your time will be spent staring towards the pool and blowing your whistle at rowdy children but you need to be alert for the odd occasion when you may need to use your life saving skills in the water.

Life modelling can also provide some extra cash, but you will have to sit in the buff for a few hours for relatively little pay. Avoid the ‘Abstract life class’ or you will see your body presented in some very strange ways.

tax

Contrary to popular belief, you may have to pay income tax and national insurance contributions as a student. Generally, if you earn over £100 per week throughout the year, then this is likely to be the case. If your salary fluctuates or you earn below the income tax threshold, then you could claim some tax back. The income tax boundaries (2007/08) are:

 < £5,225  Tax free
£5,226 - 7,455  10%
£7,455 - £34,600  22%
>34,601  40%

If you have a seasonal job, keep a close record of your gross income and know when the important tax deadlines are. If you’re unlikely to earn over £5,225, ask your employer for a form P38S form and you may not need to pay any tax from the outset. If you need more information about tax, national insurance and benefits check out www.hmrc.gov.uk or www.direct.gov.uk.