I'll be going to college next fall, but I need to have some type of income. I don't like working normal jobs like flipping burgers at McD etc, and I've heard about tons of kids who sell things online during college to make ends meet. I do plan on getting a job until then so I do have some money to invest/save up in case I can't make any money but I'd much prefer to start making money BEFORE getting there and then finding out I can't or something else and not having a job... What suggestions do you have for me?
Find something you enjoy and blog about it, include ads Or look at becoming a dropshipper. im sure their are plenty of threads with ideas.
I looked up info on dropshipping but the threads I found were well over a year old and most of the information/links don't work any more.
You can try become an affiliate, try clickbank read some free ebook or paid ebook about clickbank you don't have to pay for paid ebook though, you can look for free paid-ebook on forums(not here though)
The quickest start would be dropshipping. Find a dropshipper, use a free cart like magento, post some products, set up adwords, start making $... Very possibly overnight...
You could get paid to be a copy writter. Write content for others through the marketplace. You can charge per xxx words, on varied topics, and for multiple websites. Check out how some other people represent themselves and charge to get a better idea how to yourself.
I would recommend AdSense, affiliate programs, and starting your own site, using free CRM open source software. This way, while you're in college working on your degree, you can build your online business simultaneously, and potentially build up enough income to pay your way through school all the way to Ph.D, after the 1st 2 years of being online. Just do a Google search for affiliate programs to join, and it should give you a nice long list =) Hope this helps!
And, getting a job, even if it is flipping burgers is something good to do. I can't even get a job after how much I try, but keep trying...something will surface for you, my friend! =)
I agree find a market, find some people who will supply you the same kind of products with nice margins, get a nice looking site up say $1k, get another $1,500 to spend on adwords to bankroll your first month you should be able to then clear $2,500/3,000 a month with around $1k plus pre-tax profit. I wouldn't bother with what others are saying about affiliate marketing or blogging you'll either waste your time or find yourself totally broke. Don't start a business from a position of weakness because you have no control over the merchant site that your promotting and it's a weak position to be in, in my personal opinion. I'd have to be on drugs before I would start promotting someone else site with my own hard earned money.
How about online tutoring? If you really stand out in a certain subject, put those skills to work for you online.
You're going to college! You should see about getting a job at your college's bookstore. If you can get a peak at their Master ISBN list for books that the professors will require for studies for the upcoming semester & every semester there after than you can create an Amazon store or your own website selling those books to other students attending the same school you'll be attending. You only affiliate market other sites when you already have a blog or other applicable website generating traffic to place their ads on your site to advertise their products and/or services if its applicable to your niche market unless they're competitors than you don't market their ads on your website. Take a cue from major competitors in any industry, they're not marketing the competition via their website, they're marketing themselves via their own websites unless they're a major retailer (e.g. Wal-Mart). For dropshipping, you can use Worldwide Brands or other Chinese trading/wholesaling sites like AliExpress, Tradetang, etc.
One idea would be to get into guerrilla marketing. I live near a university and lots of the students get jobs handing out free samples of stuff at the beach and shopping malls. Companies like redbull and the snack companies, suntan lotion, etc. all hire people to hand out free stuff, my old neighbor ended up with a redbull car to drive to school so she could do promotions on the weekend taking it around and handing out free samples. If you can't find a job with a marketing company, you could kinda do the same thing referring students to websites. For example, I am setting up an online swimwear store since I have direct access to some clothing wholesalers. If you handed out coupons worth $10 off a swimsuit around campus before spring break you could earn $5 to $15 on each sale and make some friends. It's and idea...
Try to put together around 2-4 websites that can generate you some slow but consistent income. Studying while trying to make sales would be too hectic. Try something that you will only need to update once or twice per day.
Online businesses offer the benefit of making your own hours and choosing a niche that you love...but beware! They take A LOT of time to get started. If you need to focus on your studies...I suggest you pick up a job as a waiter and look at a website as more of a hobby. If you start a website based on a passion you have, after some time and effort you can start to see a profit, but it certainly doesn't happen easily or overnight.