Student Profit » Guest Writer

How to save cash by going vegan: Seven cheap vegan recipes

Guest Writer — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 12:07:58 +0000

Veganism is more popular than ever, especially with students.

Over the last few years its image has undergone radical change, becoming mainstream while shedding tired old stereotypes; one in particular – how much it costs.

So much so that 18% of students heading to University this year, according to a recent poll[1], are contemplating going vegan. This, in context, is a huge figure since it is estimated that no more than 1% of the UK population are current vegan. Given the same poll found that 90% of students worry about their budgets, how does going vegan and saving money go hand in hand?

As so many more people are making the transition, vegan-friendly options in supermarkets and eateries are becoming more widely available and, as a result, cheaper. Cheap enough to go vegan on your student loan? Absolutely.

Seven money saving Vegan recipes

Here’s a comparison of seven student staple dishes, listing the average price[2] of the meal or protein element.

1) Spaghetti bolognese v spaghetti bolognese with soya mince (vegan)
Beef mince (400g) £3.45 vs Soya mince (400g) £2.05

2) Chicken fajitas vs mixed bean fajitas
Chicken breasts (400g) £4 vs can of mixed beans 60p

3) Take away donner kebab (£2.45) v take away falafel wrap (£2.20)

4) Jacket potato, cheese and beans v Jacket potato and beans with nutritional yeast
Handful of grated cheese 33p v spoonful of nutritional yeast 23p

5) Chicken curry vs sweet potato, chickpea and spinach curry
Chicken breasts (400g) £4 vs one sweet potato, can of chickpeas and bag of spinach £1.85

6) Shepherd’s pie vs lentil shepherd’s pie
Lamb mince (400g) £3.75 vs red lentils (400g) 90p

7) Quarter pounder vs veggie burger
Quarter pounder (pack of 4) £2.65 vs spicy bean burgers (pack of 4) £1.70

Niki went vegan at University, going ‘cold-tofu’ as a fresher. She cut out all animal products from her diet “after a meat feast pizza with extra cheese”.

“I was always surprised at how much money my friends spent on meat, while still complaining that they didn’t have much money,” she said. “To their one steak or couple of chicken breasts which would only last one meal, I could buy enough food for few days.”

A favourite trick of budgeting vegans is to head to the fruit and veg stall at the local market just before closing, or a local supermarket at about 8pm to pillage the reduced section of the veg isle, and typically get a week’s worth of food for under a tenner.

It’s of course not just the financial saving. Going vegan can’t make hangovers any more manageable, but it can improve your health. Dr Terri Holloway, a qualified nutritionist, said: “Vegans, on average, have lower rates of obesity and lower BMIs than any other dietary group, and are also less likely than meat eaters to suffer from chronic diseases such as heart disease, strokes, several cancers, arthritis and type 2 diabetes.”

Then there’s the environmental impact of going vegan. Animal farming, according to the UN, generates more greenhouse gases than all transport in the world combined. And, of course, going vegan is the best possible thing any individual can do for animals.

Why not follow fresher’s week with a vegan month, on a budget? Try The Vegan Society’s 30 Day Vegan Pledge (www.vegansociety.com/pledge) for daily emails of advice, information and some delicious (and affordable) recipes.

[1] Study conducted by www.VoucherCodesPro.co.uk, polling 2,196 respondents
[2] Price average taken from mid-range products from a number of leading supermarkets

Photo by Food and Drink/REX

5 Quick and Healthy Breakfast Ideas Under £1.50

Guest Writer — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 16:01:56 +0000

We’ve all heard the excuse before; healthy eating is expensive and as students, we need to save as much as possible to keep us out of debt.

But healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive! There are several meals you can make that will keep your wallet and stomachs full. Here are 5 healthy, and delicious breakfast ideas you can make for less than £1.50.

1. Greek Yogurt Parfait

Price per serving: £1.48

This delicious recipe will help boost your protein intake with 20 grams of protein and satisfy any sweet cravings you have! It takes about 5 quick minutes to prepare and is a great snack you can bring a long to school. Here’s the full recipe.

2. Baked Banana Blueberry Oatmeal

Price per serving: £0.96

Oats are a great breakfast option to keep you full throughout the day, as it’s full in fibre and other nutrients. They’re also a go-to ingredient for cheap meals! You can make pancakes, protein bars, and tons of different things using oats. You can view the full banana blueberry oatmeal recipe here.

3. Wheat Pancakes

Price per serving: £0.09

This is a great recipe to keep you full throughout the day and satisfy that pancake craving of yours! It takes about 25 minutes to prepare from start to serving. Check it out here.

4. Mexican White Bean Soup

Price per serving: £0.63

If you’re more of a soup person for breakfast than this is for you! It takes a little longer to prepare but is definitely worth it. Full of healthy nutrients and vegetables, check out the recipe!

5. Mediterranean Breakfast Sandwich

Price per serving: £1.24

This ones perfect for egg lovers! Takes only 20 minutes to make from start to finish and is full of protein and essential nutrients. Look at the full recipe here.

There you have it. 5 easy, delicious breakfast meals for under £1.50, that’s one less excuse for you to not start a healthy diet!

Moving to University on a Budget: Tips on Saving When Moving from Home to Halls

Guest Writer — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 13:36:54 +0000

Starting University is a momentous occasion for any student. For some, it’s even more special because they move away from home for the first time, and live on their own.

While all of the independence and freedom can be quite intoxicating, the reality of paying for a lot of new expenses that didn’t exist before can quickly snap students back into reality. Here are a few money saving tips that will prevent you from breaking the bank:

Contact your Housing Office

Contacting your Housing office long before you move in can be extremely beneficial when figuring out what to bring. Most offices of residency employ a list of furniture and amenities available for students, preventing them from bringing their own. For example, if there’s a huge TV room, and free DVD rentals in the library, you won’t need to purchase a TV.

Buy Real Products, not Paper

Buying a real set of cutlery, and your own cups, bowls, plates and other kitchen wares will help you in the long run when saving money. While more expensive in the present, with paper you’ll have to purchase more than once which will cost you in the long run. Washing a dish or two can save you lots of money, and it’s more eco-friendly!

Buy a Filtered Water Bottle

Using a filtration system is great, because you purchase less bottles of water, don’t have to schlep them from the store to your dorm, and you reduce your carbon footprint! The best part is that you will save so much money; you can spring for a beer or two!

Work Together With your New Flatmates

If you request it, your housing office will often supply you with some contact information for your new flatmates before you move in. Contacting them not only forges a level of friendliness and camaraderie amongst you, but also can save all of you money in the long run. You can discuss which large items each of you will be bringing, and if one person is bringing something sharable (like a fan, or a microwave) then the other doesn’t have to purchase it.

Bring Bedding from Home

While maybe not the most stylish, your old sheets and blankets from home can save you a lot of money when moving to your dorm room. An added bonus is that this bedding can serve as a comfort when inevitable home sickness kicks in.

Consult your Library

The University textbook industry is a racket to say the least. Students often spend hundreds of dollars per semester on textbooks that they use for only a couple of months. The best tip is to see if your school library carries the same books you use for your classes and head to your local copy center and just copy them.

Check other options

While these are just a few tips that you can use to save money along the way, it’s still always best to make sure that it’s cheaper to have a halls versus a private house or flat. Because of all the different amenities, some Universities offer halls that are more expensive than an private share in the same area. For cheap flats check here, and utilize these tips no matter the living space you choose.

6 Thrifty Ways to Make your Student House a Home

Guest Writer — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 21:04:11 +0000

It’s difficult to get comfortable in a room if it doesn’t look like yours.

Moving away from home to a new city is daunting enough, but when you’re left in an empty, unfamiliar room, it makes it all that little bit more difficult. Laura Durechova from Graduate Recruitment Bureau gives 6 creative tips to make your student room more homely without rinsing your student loan.

Throws and cushions

Bedding is great way to bring life into your room and make it feel more homely. Buy a few colourful throws and textures cushions and turn your bed into a work of art. Many homeware shops have student deals on things like this, so you can get really nice throws for a fraction of the price.

Photo Hangings

Photos are a perfect touch to add to any room to make it feel more like yours. But forget plastering them all over your wall in messy fashion, buy some ribbon and pegs and make your own photo hangings for less than £2. Mix up the ribbon colours to inject colour and character to your room.

Photo frames

You can head to Ikea and buy pack of colourful picture frames for £2.50. In addition to your hanging photos, you can place these frames on shelves and bedside tables to make your room really feel like home. Try mixing up the size of frames to add more character by creating photo collages as well as single photos.

Bunting

Bunting is a typical addition to a student room, but have you thought of making your own? Most textiles shops have fabric scraps that are sold in bundles for very cheaply (I’m talking 50p-£1.) Buy a stack, cut them into diamonds and secure them over the left over ribbon from your photo hangings. They’re a great addition to bookshelves, simply put the end of the ribbon under some books and there’s your fuss free bunting!

Pot plants

Many universities have potted plant sales where you can buy a range of coloured and green cacti for under £5. These plants are great to have on your windowsill or shelf as they throw some character into your room, add a bit of green and don’t need any looking after!

Homemade Pots

Whether it’s a pot for your cactus, or a pencil holder, you can save money and upcycle your rubbish at the same time! It takes one minute to soak of the labels from bean tins and jam jars. These both make useful, rustic and homely pots and holders to place on your desk or shelves.

Here’s how to stop wasting money on energy now

Guest Writer — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 22:57:31 +0000

Here’s how to stop wasting money on your energy bills with some top cost saving tips for students.

The good news is that winter looks to be well and truly behind us – but despite our dependency on our boilers disappearing, many of us will still be looking for ways to lower our energy bills. Here, Tom Young from GB Energy discusses some of the ways you can reduce your energy bills.

The Obvious

Some of the most obvious ways of saving energy are the ones we overlook on a daily basis. Remember to do the following and the small savings can add up to a considerable amount over the year.

• Switch off lights when you don’t need them. This doesn’t just mean when you leave the room – remember to open your curtains to allow natural light to flood the room instead of relying on a lightbulb.

• Fill your kettle only with as much water as you need – one cup of tea doesn’t half a kettle of boiled water.

• When appliances aren’t in use don’t just turn them off at the mains, unplug them as well – computers, televisions, toasters and DVD players are some of the biggest energy suckers even when turned off, although pulling out your washing machine or dishwasher to get access to the power socket isn’t worth the effort. Fridges and freezers should definitely be left on at all times.

• Try to limit the amount of time you spend in the shower – a song or two should be more than enough to get you clean from head to toe. If you’re a member of a gym make sure to take advantage of the free showers!

• Use the right size pan for the job – heating a large pan for something small wastes a colossal amount of energy.

• Rely on readings, not estimates – taking an energy reading isn’t complicated and could save you money. If you’re not sure where your energy meter is ask your landlord!

The Housemates

Becoming more energy conscious should be a household effort, so don’t be afraid to remind your housemates to turn off lights when they’re not needed and to put on a sweater before cranking up the heat.
And what about those stragglers that are around so often that they might as well be housemates? You know, the boyfriends and girlfriends that are happy to shower in your home every other morning but don’t contribute to any bills? You shouldn’t be expected to pay for other people, so sit your housemate down and have a polite discussion about what’s fair. If you’re the one with the energy-zapping other half do the right thing and initiate the conversation yourself.

Switching suppliers

According to Ofgem 66% of people have never switched energy suppliers – while there isn’t an official estimate on how many students haven’t switched, it will understandably be much higher. It’s easy to understand why students don’t switch: for a start, since they’re only renting the property, they might not think they’re allowed to switch. However, anyone that pays their bills directly is allowed to switch – if you’re reading this, that’s probably you.
Another reason students are reluctant to switch is because they just don’t think it’s worth it, especially if they’ll only be living in a house for a year or two before moving on. Ofgem estimates that the average switcher will save around £200 on their annual bills, while some switchers will be £400 a year better off (and that’s before any savings from reducing your energy usage).
Comparison sites are a good place to start your search for cheaper energy, but be aware that they don’t all show every supplier and every tariff.

And when it gets cold again…

While it might be tempting to whack up the thermostat as soon as the temperature starts to dip, you should be looking at other ways to keep warm.

• Embrace layers – you should be able to get three on your top half easily. That goes for bedtime as well – an extra blanket or duvet can keep you toasty in bed.

• Turn your thermostat down – even if it’s just by one degree, as a slight adjustment can take a significant chunk out of your energy bill. Don’t turn off your boiler completely however – if you think being a little chilly is bad just wait until your pipes freezing and burst.

• Use rugs and matts – theseto make hard

• Keep your radiators clear – you might need to rearrange the living room, but having a sofa in front of a radiator simply absorbs all the heat, rather than allowing it to fill the room.

• Spend time in the library – your student fees pay for the library, so you might as well make the most of it! Bring your own lunch and flask of coffee to make sure your energy savings aren’t gobbled up by catering costs.

• Turn off radiators in unused rooms and keep doors closed – if you’re going to be away for the weekend you won’t need a warm bedroom. (You can always ask your housemate to turn it back on an hour or two before your scheduled return!)

• Cover bare floors with rugs – not only does this help insulate the room, but they feel great on your feet!

More ways to make money with your mobile

Guest Writer — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 22:11:54 +0000

There are countless ways to save money on your mobile. From finding great deals on a new phone, to using it to find great prices on all kinds of products, there has never been a better time to be a mobile-savvy student.

After all, why pay over the odds when you can put the money saved to better or more entertaining uses? However saving money with your phone is only half the story, the savvy amongst you may already be using your mobile phone to make money.

Richard Patterson of mobile phone advice site The Dog and Bone talks us through some of the best ways to make money with you mobile for those of you who have already exhausted our previous list of money making apps.

Apps that reward

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to get paid just for using your mobile? In fact, there are plenty of apps for Android and iOS that do just that. And because there are lots of ways to get paid these days (such as PayPal, Google Wallet, Amazon credit or iTunes vouchers), it’s never been easier to earn cash or rewards for completing some easy tasks. You won’t get rich quick by using these apps, but you could earn enough to pay for a few great nights out, or even a new phone.

If you are keen to make spare cash by using apps, make sure you read their privacy policy first and check out what type of information is collected. It’s also important to only download apps from trustworthy and reliable sources such as Google Play or the Apple App Store, and never download any app from a link in an SMS.

AppTrailers (iPhone and Android)

AppTrailers shows you short video trailers of new apps you may want to download and install. Each trailer that you watch earns money, and if you actually download and use the recommended apps, you can earn even more. The more you watch the more points are awarded, which can then be redeemed using PayPal or converted into gift cards. It’s a fun and convenient way to earn money, and is extremely simple and intuitive to use. If you love apps too, it’s a no-brainer.

Instant Rewards (iPhone and Android)

Instant Rewards is an incredibly popular app at the moment, and lets you choose either an Amazon gift card or cash via PayPal as a reward. The app includes several ways to make money, for instance by watching app trailers, liking a page on Facebook, or taking short surveys. The company claims that it pays out more than competing apps, but you could always install several different ones to see which is the best.

Roamler (iPhone and Android)

If you have ever heard of the term “mystery shopper”, you’ll be instantly familiar with the idea behind Roamler. It’s all based around anonymous product and service testing, to check a brand or product success in the marketplace. Roamler has turned the idea into quite a fun pastime that you can perform on a social level. It’s actually quite addictive, and the more you do, the higher your experience level becomes, leading to larger payouts for completing tasks.

Assignments might include things such as taking a photograph, filling out a checklist, or reviewing a product’s presentation – some of it is at home and some tasks need you to go and find the items, for example in stores or restaurants. Roamler is a lot of fun, and offers users rewards for continuing to interact with the app, and the tasks are mainly things that we spend our time doing anyway.

You can find out more about Roamler at http://www.roamler.co.uk.

Surveys and polls

These type of apps typically payout for completing online surveys or polls on a variety of topics. The reason is that many firms pay a lot for market research, and what better way to collect it than an army of smartphone users? Survey apps typically pay out different amounts based on factors such as the length of the survey, how many qualified people are taking a survey, and whether it requires special knowledge or expertise.

Maximiles (iPhone and Android)

Maximiles is a survey website and a mobile app, which allows you take surveys and short polls to earn points. Furthermore, there are plenty of different types of rewards, such as DVDs, magazine subscriptions, gift cards and more.

MySurvey (iPhone and Android)

MySurvey is one of the most popular online survey companies, and it’s hard to beat MySurvey in terms of reliability because it’s one of the first survey panels that started paying people for their opinions. The first step requires you to sign-up on their website by filling out some simple forms.You will be asked to fill out some of your personal details and demographics. Once this is done, you can start answering different surveys right away.

There is a video that explains how it works on the company’s website and here on YouTube.

Freelance work and blogs on a smartphone or tablet

Aside from the small selection of apps that we have listed, which could help you earn some well deserved extra cash, there are other ways to use your mobile phone with even higher earnings potential. Here are just a small selection of ideas.

Create a blog and get Google to pay you

These days, it’s extremely easy to create a professional-looking, interesting blog (as long as you have something vaguely interesting to say, of course!) using free tools like WordPress and Joomla. You could start by purchasing a website domain name through a company such as GoDaddy, and set everything up there in just a few clicks. Alternatively, take the quicker route and have your blog hosted on sites like WordPress.com – you can always move it later on.

If you do decide to start a blog with the aim of making money, you need an interesting topic or at least something interesting to say that will get readers coming back for more. But the great thing about blogging is that it’s easy, quick, and with a bit of luck can build up an audience in no time.

How do you make money this way? You could either sell advertising space to companies that wish to put a banner somewhere on your site. Another way is to create a Google Adsense account and get ads automatically displayed on various pages, which means every time someone clicks on an advert, Google will pay you — typically a small amount — but this could reach hundreds of pounds every month with a bit of work and promotion on social media sites.

The beauty of blogging is that you can do it on your smartphone or tablet, using apps such as WordPress that let you blog directly and publish, or just use a standard word processor to create the content and upload it later on. You can blog about any topic imaginable – shopping, technology, student life, movies, or video games – the possibilities are endless.

There are thousands of resources online to get started writing a blog – you just need a little inspiration to get going, but when you do, why not get paid to write for fun?

Freelance writing or web design…

If you don’t fancy starting a blog and trying to figure out how to earn money from it, you can use popular freelancer sites such as PeoplePerHour and Freelancer.com to generate some extra income. If you have any in-demand skills (such as writing short articles for blogs or web design), there are literally thousands of jobs popping up each day.

The amount you get paid varies, but if you can find several small jobs that pay regularly, you can be earning hundreds of pounds quite easily and do the work when it suits you. Many of these freelance jobs (such as travel writing) only take a few hours each, and can be done on a tablet, laptop or smartphone – literally anywhere in the world. Imagine that you have successfully bid on a job to design a logo – there’s no reason you can’t do that on your smartphone with image editing apps and a little skill.

Most of the freelancer sites work like this – you register your details and create a profile, outlining what skills you have. You can then bid on jobs against other people, and typically have a limit to how many you can bid for each month. It’s not always the cheapest bids that win either, as the people that need the work doing will look at your previous work and how highly rated you are. The more work you do and receive positive feedback, the higher your rating will be. They also pay out directly to your bank account or PayPal, but note they tend to take a percentage of the work (up to a certain amount each month).

For this type of work, it usually takes a little while to get going if you’re new, but once you’ve completed a few jobs (usually at a lower rate, to begin with), you gain feedback, ratings, and can start to charge more. It really is a great way to generate additional income, and established freelancers can earn thousands every month, depending on what type of job is required.

For more information about freelance work, it’s worth checking out popular sites such as:

Final words

It’s a lot easier than you might think to make money using your mobile phone. Whenever you have a few hours to kill, you could put that time to use by completing surveys, doing small tasks, or simply watching the latest app videos.

If you have any more suggestions for fun, interesting or simple ways to earn extra cash using your phone, please let us know…

How to Move House on a Budget: Top tips to save money

Guest Writer — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 16:11:54 +0000

Relocating isn’t at all a fun exercise, whether it’s moving between student flats or away from home for the first time.

Even with the prospects of moving into a new, (hopefully) beautiful home, the planning, packing, transporting and unpacking of goods and, more importantly, the costs can drive any sane person up the wall.

However, it can be less strenuous when you’ve walked away from the move with some cash still in your wallet, and this is how you can do that.

1. Get Rid of Unwanted Belongings

Living in one place for too long comes with literal baggage. You purchase belongings and receive some gifts, many of which end up in the storage. Those items count towards much of the excessive costs experienced when moving. Therefore, before relocating you should consider offloading those items. An option would be to arrange a garage sale, which is quite a lucrative option. Alternatively, you can give those items away as gifts. However, remember that most of these items might also be gifts you received, so try to avoid giving them back to the person who got them for you.

2. Get multiple quotes from moving companies

Moving companies like man and vans services vary in the quality of service and costs. You might want to do a lot of research before choosing a specific mover to help you. You can do so by visiting their respective sites that will have calculators readily available or at least an option to request a quote. Acquire at least 5 quotes, read up on the reviews left by other customers, take into consideration their services and balance the three aspects in accordance to what you’re willing to spend.

3. Save money on gas and electricity

In your first month you might be tight with money, which will make the power bills even worse to bare. If this is the case, try purchase energy saving electronics or just lightbulbs and follow other energy saving tips. This will reduce the bill enough to make you breathe easy for the coming month. Moving house is also a great time to compare suppliers and check if you’re getting the best deal.

4. Cut out any leisurely spending

A month or two before and after you move, you might want to cut out any unnecessary spending. This might include denying yourself the wine you enjoy with dinner or your nights out. It might feel like your social life has died in a fiery blaze of cardboard boxes, but this will help you save. It will also give you an opportunity to learn about cost saving activities that you might enjoy even after you’ve rebounded from the move.

5. Get second hand packaging

Buying new boxes and bubble wrap is a good idea, but secondhand packaging works just as well. What’s more, you might not even have to spend a dime for them. Simply visit your grocery store or a wholesaler close by and kindly request for boxes and bubble wrap they might not be using. You’ll be surprised just how much they’re willing to give these things to you as it helps them managing waste.

Top Romantic and Inexpensive Gift Ideas

Guest Writer — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 20:11:39 +0000

Are you trying to impress someone to make him/her feel special? Do you wish to turn your relationship into a more exciting one? Or are you trying to bring back the cheesy feeling of when you first started going out? If you are in need of ideas of what to give to your loved one, here are the top 3 romantic gifts you could give without having to spend a lot.

Top Romantic and Inexpensive Gift Ideas

1. Handwritten card

You do not have to be a professional writer or a poet to express your feelings well through a letter. Simply personally writing him/her a card is already a plus point to show your love and sincerity. Bad writing as well would not really matter because the content and meaning of your letter are much more significant. Nonetheless, you should still make sure that it would be understood by your reader.

Personalization is key. Drop the thought of buying fancy love cards because a printout of your own card is just as sweet. Designing your own card is better because you would be able to customize it to the shape and images you wish to put. You can even form a collage of pictures of you two together.

2. Homemade food

Preparing food for your loved one is the probably the most romantic surprise gift you may offer. Especially if you’re not really into cooking or baking, the effort of trying and learning makes it even more praiseworthy because it could surely represent the determination and affection you have for him/her.

Learn how to bake his/her favorite cake or pie or cook something that he/she likes to eat. You may also prepare a breakfast meal in the morning to kick start the day with energy. Otherwise, you may bring a packed lunchbox to his/her office as a surprise and eat the food you cooked.

3. Personalized item

You’ll never go wrong and will always instantly become a romantic if you give a personalized item. It may be a scrapbook covering your love story or a photo album with all your photos together. You may also create a video or a slideshow to confess your love, or a set of personalized coupons for fun. If he/she is always cold, knit a sweater, cardigan or scarf.

Another unique personalized item is a perfume you made yourself. Perfumes are usually very expensive and it wouldn’t be as impressive if you only give a cheap and unfamiliar brand of perfume. Thus, perfume making shall be your savior which is even sweeter than merely buying one outside.

Flowers are also cheaper and guaranteed to be fresh to be bought than ready made extravagant smelling perfumes offered in the malls. Through this, you would be able to choose exactly which scent your loved one likes for you to make.

Conclusion

Certainly, giving something where your effort can be seen is more special and romantic. Even if your gift does not cost thousands or millions, the emotions that could be felt are still overflowing with passion and sincerity to bring your relationship back to life.

15 Best and Quick Ways to Make Money as a Teenager – Free, Fast and Easy

Guest Writer — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 21:32:04 +0000

If you’re under 18 then these 15 ways to make quick cash as a teenager (or younger) are for you.

A new trend has been raising high nowadays with kids and teens making their pocket-money by earning in their own way.

They are crazy about experiencing distinct routes to get few quid in their spare time. They don’t even inform their parents that they are engaged into making fast funds easily.

Though they haven’t become adults, still they have a craving to gain more in young age only. Just as time is changing with new technologies pouring in daily, in the same way the kids and teens are also maturing early.

They are becoming techno-savvy, and also have a hunger of achieving success by taking this path. They are always enthusiastic in executing new works that keep them happy and helping others too in some manner.

We’ve listed here some of the 15 best ways regarding how kids and teenagers can make money. Those who do not know the right ways can definitely take the help of our guide.

1. Paid Surveys

Paid surveys are the excellent ways to earn a good sum of money for the teens. But alas, few surveys are not legit and do not pay much amount. So you need to really play safe to gain better pay from the well-known legal surveys, and for this you can connect with quite many potential panels. Since all the survey companies have limited quantity of offers, you should pick up your selected set of panels only. If you are really interested in getting into the paid surveys for money-making, then the best one is EliteSurveySites.com. This site is one of the most progressive blogs on the basis of paid surveys. They endow with links to the highest paying survey, and also provide huge information and details of how one should formulate more money.

2. Do People’s Household Chores

Nowadays people are so much busy that they don’t have time to work on their daily chores. So they are hiring small kids and teens who are interested to earn some pocket-money for them, and help them in their regular works. So if you know someone who needs such help, you can go ahead in completing their chores on part-time basis, and earn little money too.

3. Wash Cars

Many car owners lack time in cleaning their own car so they can offer car wash to the kids and teens. This is a superb way of gaining money by washing cars of either showrooms, or family or neighbors.

4. House Sitting and Pet Sitting

You can assist your friends, family and neighbours in house sitting or pet sitting. If you like pets and can control them, then you are in for it. If you can manage somebody else’s house efficiently and in the absence of the owner, then you can pick this opportunity.

5. Juice and Lemonade Stand

With the approach of summer, people often become thirsty while travelling or going out for work. So you can be around the corner with your juice or lemonade stand that can help others in fulfilling their thirsts by drinking your juice.

6. Recycling of Mobile Phones

With the use of in-house mobile phone price comparison tool, you can recycle your old unused mobile phones with particular companies, and facilitate your environment, at the same time grab some money via cheque or net-banking process. Make sure to take help of your parents who can support you in executing this easy work for a good cause.

7. Paid for Searching the Web

Searching various websites and earning money online is the easiest way for you. It is unique idea created by Qmee that rewards you for searching in Yahoo, Google, Bing, and many other sites. You only have to install an easy add-on to your browser, and start searching as per the rules mentioned on the site, and you may also come across some sponsored results, besides your normal search.

8. Mowing the grass

Quite many people have lawns in their backyards or in the front of their house. So you can certainly try out mowing their lawns, or you can even mow nearby park lawns, or garden lawns with the permission of their owners, and make some extra money quickly.

9. Babysitting

Many families require babysitting because they do not have time in hand for handling their own babies as both moms and dads are going out for professional works. If you being a teen are good at playing with little kids, and keeping them entertained, then this is certainly an effectual way to earn money.

10. Reviewing Music for Money

If you being a teen love and enjoy listening to music, then reviewing music for the sake of earning money can be an interesting business. You can sign up and review various types of music that is being listed, and be paid. You can start with Slicethepie to earn money. The users who have already begun have informed that they get a good payment on monthly basis.

11. Online Surveys

There are many sites that execute online surveys, such as The Opinion Panel, Valued Opinions, Vivatic, iPoll, Global Test, Pinecone, Toluna, SurveyBods, MySurvey, PanelBase, IPSOS, Hiving, New Vista, Harris Poll, and YourWord. So the teens can go for making money by doing online surveys through any of these sites in their free time. The research companies are employing fresh members to answer their survey questions and test their latest products. Thus it will take just few minutes to fill the given form, and get paid soon.

12. Throw a Garden or Garage Sale

Few people want to get rid of unnecessary stuffs from their house. Then you can assist them by throwing a large yard sale where you can sell their old and new stuffs that they are currently not using, and in return get some money from the owner and also from the customers who took your stuffs. You can even sell your own unused stuffs and gain some bucks on weekly basis.

13. Competitions

Distinct kinds of competitions are accessible to make an entry, varying from Facebook page liking and easy registration forms in order to answer questions rightly via phone for becoming the television game show contestant. Kids and teens are making ample of money per year by entering all kinds of competitions.

14. Writing and Publishing a Kindle eBook

If you are good at writing as kid or teen, you have a lovely opportunity of writing non-fiction stories or features of your own. With the help of Kindle app that is available on smartphones, iPads, laptops and Kindles, you can collect some information regarding a top after doing research, and compile them properly, and further present the story in an easy way. This will further assist in gaining some money. You can publish your own eBook at Amazon Kindle store, and make good money too.

15. ‘Get-Paid To’ Websites

GPT websites will help paying you in vouchers and cash for finishing different website offers, or also completing some activities available online. You can use InboxPounds, Paid Offers, Toluna and Swagbucks to make some cash for yourself.

Hence, the above ways can be a really helpful lesson, especially if the kids and teens are new and not being aware of making money effortlessly. Please feel free in reading this article, and share your comments too with us!

Getting a job as a student: Useful Apps for Job Seekers

Guest Writer — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 11:28:39 +0000

Sending out resumes may simply not be enough in today’s highly competitive work environment.

It forces young applicants to consider diverse ways of finding a job. Take a look at our top six career-boosting apps every savvy job seeker needs to know.

It’s no secret that social networking has opened many doors. If you somehow have not heard about LinkedIn yet, you must give it a try this second! It has started out as a professional networking website and now you can enjoy all its benefits through a handy app. If you are not a member yet, register right away and join a group of 300 million international professionals.

> LinkedIn app on Google Play

Indeed Job Search

Indeed is an extremely popular search engine that puts together information about job openings from all over the world. Don’t worry though, GPS tracker will find the openings in your neighbourhood for you. The advantages of creating a profile are endless – you can upload your resumes and keep them handy, follow your favourite companies and get notifications about their openings, search for job offers by company, position, or location. Indeed.com describes itself as World’s #1 job search and I believe that 100 million users prove that to be true.

> Indeed Mobile

Monster Job Search

Many companies choose to post their job offers exclusively through Monster Job Search. Together with Monster account you can access your resumes and cover letters anytime and manage them through the app. You can also save preferences and receive notifications about new openings. Thanks to that, the application proves to be a powerful tool that you should most definitely have on your smartphone.

> Monster app on Google Play

LinkUp

Optimized for iPhone 5, LinkUp is currently one of the fastest growing search engines. The application collects information about job openings directly from company websites, offering you legitimate information straightforwardly. With LinkUp you can forget about repetitive ads, spam, and outdated offers.

> LinkUp app on App Store

ResumeBear

ResumeBear is one of these apps that bring faith to weary job seekers, as it notifies you when your resume is being read. You don’t need to worry anymore that your e-mails are just landing in a black hole of recruiters’ inboxes.

> ResumeBear app on Google Play

Evernote

Last, but not least, take a look at Evernote – personalized digital notebook that can be used in many ways across different fields. We all know that organization is the key to both professional and personal success. With Evernote, you can take notes and recordings, create to-do lists, save articles and websites, plan trips, and even keep track of your expenses. What’s more, you can connect all your devices to one account and use your Evernote on either smartphone, laptop, or tablet. And to top all that, New York Times has featured Evernote as one of top 10 must-have apps. Give it a try!

> Evernote app on Google Play

These days, successful application process involves different strategies, so feel free to experiment with various channels of communication. Try out our recommendations and make the job hunt a little easier.