Make some easy cash in college on weekends with this side gig!
If you have the luxury of having a car, then you’re already on your way to making easy cash in college.
I’m going to share a lowkey side gig that I used in college to help me make some highkey cash.
What did our parents always tell us when we were younger? Oh yeah, don’t get into a stranger’s car. But I bet you have Lyft, Uber, or both apps downloaded on your phone right now. I sure do!
But the side gig I’m sharing works better for college students.
Nowadays, it’s so easy to order a ride to get from point A to point B. Just tap tap, and you’re there. It’s wild!
And while you’re in college, situations arise where it’s necessary to get around by car.
My college campus was legit in the middle of nowhere. I mean, there were some farms and cows and s**t, but that’s about it. But once you reached the campus, it was like a ginormous city. And it was always poppin’ from Thursdays to Sundays.
“Party schools” are notorious for having lit events on weekends. But you know what, parties = money. Let me tell you how…
If your school is like mine, most parties happened around campus or near campus. Getting to those areas by foot is not ideal, especially if you’re not in the city. That’s where I’d come in…
Once I was able to have my car on campus, I volunteered to drive as a sober driver where I was essentially a designated driver. Some schools have this program as a Safe Rider service.
At my school, it was called Sober Rides and it was completely run by students. This became such an easy way to make quick cash over the weekends!
SCHEDULING RIDES
As a sober driver, I would pick up sober students at the beginning of the night and drop them off at their party or event.
By the end of the night, I would get even more hits to pick up not-so-sober students and bring them home.
I’d normally start my drives around 8pm and finish around 2am.
Not only did I make easy cash, but it also helped prevent drunk driving.
I know you’re wondering how I was able to schedule these pickups and drop offs.
If you read my post about University Buy or Sell Pages, you’ll see how I was able to use that social media platform to help me out.
Basically, I would post that day that I was offering sober rides services from 8pm to 2am. I’d provide a phone number where I could be texted and display the cost of the ride.
I normally charged $2-$3 per person depending on the distance. If they requested a far destination, I’d simply say no.
In the FB post, I would also mention the type of car I’d be driving for added safety confirmation.
I’d also tell them I accept cash, Venmo, or Cashapp. It was also important to mention how many riders I could fit in my car because we are not in the business of creating clown cars!
WHAT YOU NEED
Before I started my night, I always made sure I had the essential items to last throughout the night.
You need a car. Just thought I’d throw that out there.
First, I made sure I had enough gas and that my car was in good shape. I would also bring some singles with me to ensure I had change for cash.
My phone charger and AUX cord were a must-have to keep up with GPS and messages. I also used a phone holder which made it easier to see the GPS.
A barf bag was also a must! Uh-uh, not in my car honey.
And of course, I had to bring some snacks to keep myself from being hangry by the end of the night.
The AUX cord was super useful for making tips because some passengers would want to play certain songs to get them hyped about their night. They could just plug in their phone and play their music.
If you have an Alexa-enabled car device like this one, then requesting songs becomes even easier. Boom, extra tips just like that!
SAFETY
The biggest thing during all of this is SAFETY.
It was important to make sure I stayed safe and didn’t pick up random non-students. I also wanted my riders to feel safe and unjudged by a fellow student driver.
That’s why offering my service on the Buy or Sell platform was the only method I’d use. Because these pages are open to students.
Another safety feature was to make sure that my riders had a university email account and student ID.
This could easily be done by sending a confirmation email to their student email address and having them display the email at the time of pickup. Plus now we all had copies of our student emails should either of you need it later. A simple and quick confirmation email would say:
“Hello [insert name], this is Sophia, your sober driver, confirming your ride for [enter time and date]. Please display this email and student ID at time of pickup.”
They could also be reminded through text to make sure they had these items. If I showed up and they didn’t have either of those, then they’re out of luck.
To help make riders feel safe, I would always say their name when arriving so they know it’s me.
This rule applies for any rideshare service out there. If the driver can’t tell you who they’re here for, then don’t get in.
Like Destiny’s Child said, you better SAY MY NAME!
If confirming their name is not enough, then confirming the destination is a bonus safety feature. I would also show up in the same car make/model that I advertised in my service post.
The BEST safety feature I probably used was having my friend in the passenger seat. There really is safety in numbers whether you’re a passenger or driver.
Plus, it made the system easier because she’d control all the scheduling while I drove. It was the best of both worlds. Just be prepared to split the earnings between you two.
I would also take note of the passenger’s picture if I was suspicious. If their picture didn’t match their Facebook profile or student ID, then that’s a red flag. I also made sure my pictures matched as well so there were no questions there.
I never had anyone ask for my student ID, but if they did I always had it on me.
Apart from concrete safety measures, using good judgement and instinct is important. If something doesn’t look or feel right, then don’t do it. Plain and simple. You reserve the right to your personal safety.
It was helpful that all of my passengers were young college students. This automatically breaks the initial trust barrier. It’s not like I was picking up a fifty year old man at a stop sign of a college campus. That’d be incredibly suspicious. Plus, the students usually traveled as a group.
As with any ride service, there’s a small risk in getting into a car with someone you don’t know. Use sound judgement and safety measures to keep yourself safe while making money.
WAS IT WORTH IT?
I’ve been asked if the sober driving experience was worth it.
Well first of all, it’s always worth saving someone from possibly driving drunk. DUI’s have affected too many peoples’ lives too many times. I personally knew people who’s lives were destroyed by drunk driving. Being a designated driver helps keep people on the safer side of drinking.
Now, was the money worth it? I’d say yes as long as I drove near campus. Any destination that was more than a few miles outside of campus was just not worth the gas and time.
But the tips also made it better. And the tips were big big by the end of the night! I’m talking $20 to $100 dollars in just tips.
Many campuses have work-study programs where your earnings go towards paying down your tuition. With sober driving, you get to keep 100% of your earnings.
It’s worth mentioning that sober driving can be a year-round experience. I can tell you that winter may stop classes but not college parties.
Students are here to turn up during any season. That’s what makes this a profitable side gig.
My friend could definitely tell you that sober driving was a really fun part of the college experience. We have so many stories and funny memories to reminisce about.
We’ve had great conversations with fellow students, sang along to some great music (shout out to the Jonas Brothers), and even helped a girl going through a recent breakup. We had those tissues and advice on deck, OKAY!
For me, the greatest memory I have was giving a free ride to a girl coming back from a frat party.
She was honest and told us she didn’t have any money, but she was really uncomfortable after spending time alone with one of the frat guys. And, we were familiar with that frat house. She just had to get out of there.
I automatically knew what that meant, and we were there for her in no time. By the time we got there, she was walking alone on a dimly lit street. The look of relief and gratitude she had when she saw us was something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Those are the moments that are truly and undeniably worth it to me.