TRICIA PHILLIPS

Use your skills to pay uni bills

Students heading off to university have huge financial pressures, so many choose to work while studying. While a bar or retail job can help pay bills, you could be cashing in on your skills and helping improve your postdegree job prospects by considering freelancing instead. Analysis by online services marketplace Bidvine.com shows Spanish and Italian tutors can earn an average of £25 an hour, personal trainers £45 and video gamers £30 – by acting as ‘buddy’ coaches to new players.

INVALUABLE

Bidvine chief Sohrab Jahanbani says: “Not only can students make more money and have more control of their time, they’ll also gain invaluable and transferable job skills.

“The current jobs market is very competitive, so it’s important students offer future bosses something that sets them apart.

“Whether that’s something complementary to their studies or radically different to diversify their employment options, it’s better than working a minimum wage job.”

Even pet-sitting and furniture assembly pay more than the traditional student jobs. Sohrab adds: “Working for yourself can open the door to better paid jobs that fit in with your schedule.

“Not only is pulling pints at a pub badly paid – standing on your feet until midnight is tiring and will impact on your studies.”