Earning extra $$ during internship

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areyoubusy

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Has anyone found a way to do this? I'm in a pretty ****ty financial situation and can't take out a loan due to my credit score. I don't know how I'll make it through the year without truly destroying my credit (i.e., not being able to make credit card payments) without earning some extra cash on the side.
 
Got you fam

1) worked as a psych tech on days off. (This is where I learned that I can’t work more than 13 days in a row).

2) secret shopper.

3) sold plasma

4) marker research subject

5) research subject (I am positive there are no brain tumors up in here)

6) dog walker.

I easily doubled my income with these. Which also coincides with my first appointment with a cardiologist.
 
Here are some ideas:

1) drive for Uber or Lyft on the weekends.

2) I am a great writer and very strong in stats and made extra money in grad school as a tutor for statistics classes, writing tutor and editor/proof-reader. If you have strengths in these areas, you can charge money for these services.

3) find other “gig” work related to talents you have- play an instrument? offer music lessons or take some performing gigs. Sign up with Wag to walk dogs (plus then you get some exercise too). You can also get paid to house sit and watch animals which still allows you to make money while doing on a few extra hours of work.

4) pick up a part time job doing something rote like filing, transcribing, cleaning etc. when you are tired from internship, you may still have steam to do something like this that doesn’t take a lot of cognitive work.

5) pick up a seasonal job around the holidays. Many internships give days off for the holidays and expect that you will take PTO around that time. you can spend that time making some extra cash if you are willing to work during that time.
 
I did ABA for 5 hours a week in the afternoons during the first two years of my program. It brought in like an extra ~$150 week.
 
areyoubusy said:
Has anyone found a way to do this? I'm in a pretty ****ty financial situation and can't take out a loan due to my credit score. I don't know how I'll make it through the year without truly destroying my credit (i.e., not being able to make credit card payments) without earning some extra cash on the side.
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I’m teaching a class at a local college which will give me ~1k extra a month.

I know it’s probably too late now but perhaps you can start reaching out to colleges soon for the Spring semester.
 
Some things I did:
1. Psych Tech for neuro.
2. Tutor for nursing students ( Pharmacology & Psych )
3. Legal sports/entertainment betting.
4. Psych Tech at residential facility.
As I had more time (yrs 4-5), I spent more time doing side gigs.
 
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Mindfulpsych22 said:
Here are some ideas:

1) drive for Uber or Lyft on the weekends.
Click to expand...

Driving for Uber or Lyft has been repeatedly shown to be a horrendous decision in most markets in the US/Canada. Unless you live in a high density, high rate area, it is very tough to make more than $10-15/hour, after your taxes/expenses/depreciation are factored in. In other words, you might as well just get a part-time job at Subway at that point.

It is really appalling what these rideshare companies are doing to drivers, lured in by the promise of easy money. They have cut driver pay rates in many cities multiple times over the past few years in an effort to reach profitability. Now that they have gone public, it is unlikely they will be doing the drivers any favors.
 
madeincanada said:
Driving for Uber or Lyft has been repeatedly shown to be a horrendous decision in most markets in the US/Canada. Unless you live in a high density, high rate area, it is very tough to make more than $10-15/hour, after your taxes/expenses/depreciation are factored in. In other words, you might as well just get a part-time job at Subway at that point.

It is really appalling what these rideshare companies are doing to drivers, lured in by the promise of easy money. They have cut driver pay rates in many cities multiple times over the past few years in an effort to reach profitability. Now that they have gone public, it is unlikely they will be doing the drivers any favors.
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For FT work, it's terrible. For someone in internship, who can go do that work whenever, it can work as a stopgap. Hard to find other jobs that have a super flexible schedule.
 
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WisNeuro said:
For FT work, it's terrible. For someone in internship, who can go do that work whenever, it can work as a stopgap. Hard to find other jobs that have a super flexible schedule.
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That still doesn't change the arithmetic in the situation. Would you sign up for a PT job, as flexible as it may be, where you barely earn $10/hour, while constantly running the risk of getting into an accident? My point is that even as a stopgap, it is a horrendous decision. The other options listed in this thread are substantially better choices, if they are feasible for the OP.

Some fun reading for the reality of being an Uber driver, versus what they market as this incredibly flexible 'job':
www.vox.com

Half of U.S. Uber drivers make less than $10 an hour after vehicle expenses, according to a new study

They would make more at an Amazon warehouse.
www.vox.com www.vox.com
www.thestreet.com

How Much Do Uber and Lyft Drivers Make?

How much can you make driving for Uber, Lyft or other ridesharing services? Not a whole heck of a lot.
www.thestreet.com www.thestreet.com
www.bloomberg.com

Uber Better Not Be the Future of Work

The ride-hailing service requires a commitment to a bad business decision.
www.bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com

I think the Bloomberg link summarizes the situation the best: "The ride-hailing service requires a commitment to a bad business decision."
 
madeincanada said:
That still doesn't change the arithmetic in the situation. Would you sign up for a PT job, as flexible as it may be, where you barely earn $10/hour, while constantly running the risk of getting into an accident? My point is that even as a stopgap, it is a horrendous decision. The other options listed in this thread are substantially better choices, if they are feasible for the OP.

Some fun reading for the reality of being an Uber driver, versus what they market as this incredibly flexible 'job':
www.vox.com

Half of U.S. Uber drivers make less than $10 an hour after vehicle expenses, according to a new study

They would make more at an Amazon warehouse.
www.vox.com www.vox.com
www.thestreet.com

How Much Do Uber and Lyft Drivers Make?

How much can you make driving for Uber, Lyft or other ridesharing services? Not a whole heck of a lot.
www.thestreet.com www.thestreet.com
www.bloomberg.com

Uber Better Not Be the Future of Work

The ride-hailing service requires a commitment to a bad business decision.
www.bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com

I think the Bloomberg link summarizes the situation the best: "The ride-hailing service requires a commitment to a bad business decision."
Click to expand...

You are making an assumption that the options provided are available in all situations. For example, psych tech for a neuro placement? One, these jobs are limited, 2) the # of these jobs that have availability outside of your FT internship hours are exceedingly rare. They wanted ideas of how to make money, this isn't the best, but it's one. I have no skin in the game, but you're overestimating the availability of these side options for most people.
 
WisNeuro said:
You are making an assumption that the options provided are available in all situations. For example, psych tech for a neuro placement? One, these jobs are limited, 2) the # of these jobs that have availability outside of your FT internship hours are exceedingly rare. They wanted ideas of how to make money, this isn't the best, but it's one. I have no skin in the game, but you're overestimating the availability of these side options for most people.
Click to expand...

You have chosen one job that is limited. Better options already listed in this thread by other members:
  1. Secret shopper
  2. Selling plasma
  3. Research subject
  4. Dog walker
  5. Teaching a class
  6. Tutor
These are readily available side options, many of which come with high flexibility.
 
They're all options, some are more lucrative, some are not easily available, some are not flexible. Give the options and let the person decide what works for them. Also, Frankie says relax, there isn't going to be an Occupy Uber movement anytime soon.
 
areyoubusy said:
Has anyone found a way to do this? I'm in a pretty ****ty financial situation and can't take out a loan due to my credit score. I don't know how I'll make it through the year without truly destroying my credit (i.e., not being able to make credit card payments) without earning some extra cash on the side.
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity, how are you currently making ends meet, and what is it about internship that will drastically change your situation? You've asked about increasing your income, but might you be able to further decrease your expenses (eg, living with a roommate, commuting by bus, etc.)?
 
MamaPhD said:
Out of curiosity, how are you currently making ends meet, and what is it about internship that will drastically change your situation? You've asked about increasing your income, but might you be able to further decrease your expenses (eg, living with a roommate, commuting by bus, etc.)?
Click to expand...

Thanks all for the suggestions!

Right now, I'm making ends meet by getting deeper into debt. Internship slightly changed my financial circumstances because my rent + living expenses are way higher (my internship is in a big city, grad school in a small town). I have some health problems and the medical expenses have also contributed to the debt. I've already started internship and signed a year long lease (I got screwed by one of those 'apartment search helper" companies) - no roommate because I have a neurotic dog and didn't think I should subject a stranger to her without them knowing what they were getting into. I bike everywhere (no car - I live in a big city).

If I didn't have to pay off cards every month, I could make ends meet without going into further debt. But with rent, insurance, utilities (no wifi, no cable), and the credit card bills, I have less than $50 of expendable income left. I am not kidding.

I'm looking into tutoring, plasma, and dog walking. I'd love to teach a class somewhere but can't quite figure out where to look! My internship hours aren't regular enough for me to be a psych tech - I work 2 evenings a week 🙁 otherwise I'd do that. If my internship were 9-5 that'd be a bit easier!!

Thanks everyone, I really do appreciate the suggestions. I'm really struggling here financially. Everything else is so great; I love this internship and am so happy. But the stress of money is eating away at me.
 
It seems like one of those internet scam comments but I tutor for the Princeton Review which is done entirely online and involves zero prep and the pay is decent considering 80% of the time they end up paying me to do my own work/watch TV while I wait for students to connect for drop in sessions. It's easy to Google or you can DM me if you want more info. They're hard up for stats tutors right now.
 
areyoubusy said:
Thanks all for the suggestions!

Right now, I'm making ends meet by getting deeper into debt. Internship slightly changed my financial circumstances because my rent + living expenses are way higher (my internship is in a big city, grad school in a small town). I have some health problems and the medical expenses have also contributed to the debt. I've already started internship and signed a year long lease (I got screwed by one of those 'apartment search helper" companies) - no roommate because I have a neurotic dog and didn't think I should subject a stranger to her without them knowing what they were getting into. I bike everywhere (no car - I live in a big city).

If I didn't have to pay off cards every month, I could make ends meet without going into further debt. But with rent, insurance, utilities (no wifi, no cable), and the credit card bills, I have less than $50 of expendable income left. I am not kidding.

I'm looking into tutoring, plasma, and dog walking. I'd love to teach a class somewhere but can't quite figure out where to look! My internship hours aren't regular enough for me to be a psych tech - I work 2 evenings a week 🙁 otherwise I'd do that. If my internship were 9-5 that'd be a bit easier!!

Thanks everyone, I really do appreciate the suggestions. I'm really struggling here financially. Everything else is so great; I love this internship and am so happy. But the stress of money is eating away at me.
Click to expand...

Psych tech positions often hire per diem with flexible scheduling. If you can somehow get through a few days of (paid) orientation they can be great positions to have on the side, and could schedule you for days, evenings, weekends, overnights, etc. Depending where you work it can also be a pretty low effort job, which allows time for studying and stuff while on duty.

Source: I've worked two different psych tech positions in different cities and both were flexible and laid back in terms of scheduling and responsibilities
 
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Regarding where to look for teaching, I simply looked up colleges that were conveniently located near me and emailed the chair introducing myself, attached my cv and asked if they had any positions available for part time instructors.
 
How did folks handle doing extra work during internship? I ask bc I had an internship where I was out the door at 5:00pm (4:30 during summer), and I defended my dissertation before I left for internship.... and I was completely exhausted by the time I got home. I couldn't imagine swinging an adjunct instructor position at the same time. I was also F-1 on OPT at the time so I couldn't take another job; I just lived VERY cheaply during internship (cheapest, cruddy apartment in town; entertainment was free stuff like hikes).
 
Seven_Costanza said:
Regarding where to look for teaching, I simply looked up colleges that were conveniently located near me and emailed the chair introducing myself, attached my cv and asked if they had any positions available for part time instructors.
Click to expand...
I thought I had posted this already but I don't see it. I did the same thing. I contacted local community/city colleges and had a teaching gig within a couple weeks.
 
PsyDintern said:
I thought I had posted this already but I don't see it. I did the same thing. I contacted local community/city colleges and had a teaching gig within a couple weeks.
Click to expand...

Oh that's good to hear! It's overwhelming to look for all these in a big city but there are some good ideas here!
 
MCParent said:
How did folks handle doing extra work during internship? I ask bc I had an internship where I was out the door at 5:00pm (4:30 during summer), and I defended my dissertation before I left for internship.... and I was completely exhausted by the time I got home. I couldn't imagine swinging an adjunct instructor position at the same time. I was also F-1 on OPT at the time so I couldn't take another job; I just lived VERY cheaply during internship (cheapest, cruddy apartment in town; entertainment was free stuff like hikes).
Click to expand...

Well I’m about to find out!

Unfortunately, some of us don’t have too much of a choice. The cheapest apartments within an hour drive of my site are still $1500/month and in very unsafe areas. I’m also older, so I would much rather endure a very stressful year of working than come home to a roommate every day. All of of the interns in my program either come from wealthy families, are living with family in the area, or live with their working partners, so they don’t rely on the internship salary for everything as much as I do.

It’s definitely less than ideal.
 
MCParent said:
How did folks handle doing extra work during internship? I ask bc I had an internship where I was out the door at 5:00pm (4:30 during summer), and I defended my dissertation before I left for internship.... and I was completely exhausted by the time I got home. I couldn't imagine swinging an adjunct instructor position at the same time. I was also F-1 on OPT at the time so I couldn't take another job; I just lived VERY cheaply during internship (cheapest, cruddy apartment in town; entertainment was free stuff like hikes).
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I also don't understand where one finds time for another job. I was defending my dissertation, working on papers, hating internship, and looking for postdocs during that time, which occupied a great deal of time. Uber/Lyft weren't an option for me but that seems like the only thing I could have done b/c I wouldn't have been able to work with that flexibility. I guess Rover would work as well.
 
DynamicDidactic said:
I also don't understand where one finds time for another job. I was defending my dissertation, working on papers, hating internship, and looking for postdocs during that time, which occupied a great deal of time. Uber/Lyft weren't an option for me but that seems like the only thing I could have done b/c I wouldn't have been able to work with that flexibility. I guess Rover would work as well.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you don't mean your response to sound condescending, but it's not like I just have so much time on my hands or have a cushy internship that I want to make some pocket money--which is why this is such a hard situation. I don't know how I'm going to do it either. I am also finishing up my dissertation revisions, working on papers, my internship (luckily I love it), etc.. I don't want to be homeless.
Right now I'm trying to figure out if I'd end up saving money by breaking my lease, paying the fine, and moving somewhere cheaper. I don't know how people live off this in a big city!!
 
Just meaning to say that Lyft, Uber, and Rover seem like the most time flexible jobs for your needs.
 
Is there any way you can still take out some extra student loan money to help you get by this year? I am generally against this idea, but there are times when this may be a good, and necessary, way to get you to the finish line.
 
AbnormalPsych said:
Is there any way you can still take out some extra student loan money to help you get by this year? I am generally against this idea, but there are times when this may be a good, and necessary, way to get you to the finish line.
Click to expand...

I'm going to look into it; it's a good idea. (Luckily?) I don't have student loans, it's all credit card debt so I haven't even given it a lot of thought, but maybe I can still get a small student loan without a perfect credit score. After this year, I'll be okay I think. I realized that my credit card debt is nowhere near the amount some people owe in student loans after grad school (except CC debt you don't get to delay paying).
 
areyoubusy said:
I'm going to look into it; it's a good idea. (Luckily?) I don't have student loans, it's all credit card debt so I haven't even given it a lot of thought, but maybe I can still get a small student loan without a perfect credit score. After this year, I'll be okay I think. I realized that my credit card debt is nowhere near the amount some people owe in student loans after grad school (except CC debt you don't get to delay paying).
Click to expand...

Good luck! I am unable to take student loans out on internship year in my program, but I know of other programs that allow you to.
 
areyoubusy said:
I'm going to look into it; it's a good idea. (Luckily?) I don't have student loans, it's all credit card debt so I haven't even given it a lot of thought, but maybe I can still get a small student loan without a perfect credit score. After this year, I'll be okay I think. I realized that my credit card debt is nowhere near the amount some people owe in student loans after grad school (except CC debt you don't get to delay paying).
Click to expand...

Student loan interest rates are typically way lower than credit card interest rates. Might be in your best interest to get a student loan if you can to use that money for living expenses now and pay off some of your credit card debt.
 
str63 said:
Student loan interest rates are typically way lower than credit card interest rates. Might be in your best interest to get a student loan if you can to use that money for living expenses now and pay off some of your credit card debt.
Click to expand...
This is good advice. Student loans are also "better debt" than CC debt. Only caveat is they can't be discharged in bankruptcy.
 
Psycycle said:
This is good advice. Student loans are also "better debt" than CC debt. Only caveat is they can't be discharged in bankruptcy.
Click to expand...
Good points all around. Typically your monthly payment and interest rates are going to be much lower with student debt than credit card debt. If you go the federal government route, there are loan repayment programs available as well, whereas credit cards don't have this option. It's also not a bad idea to see what your interest rate is on the student loan vs the credit card. If it's significantly lower, it might make sense to pay off all the CC with the student loan, cover your costs of living, and pay back whatever is left over. Interest is a killer.
 
WisNeuro said:
They're all options, some are more lucrative, some are not easily available, some are not flexible. Give the options and let the person decide what works for them. Also, Frankie says relax, there isn't going to be an Occupy Uber movement anytime soon.
Click to expand...

Telling someone "Frankie says relax" is patronizing.

The OP is an adult and should make informed decisions. As someone who knows of multiple trainees who have driven rideshare, only to quit after realizing how much of a money loser it is, I am simply providing the OP with relevant information. Driving for Uber is not just less lucrative than other options, it literally could end up pushing the OP further into debt.

The Wall Street Journal just published an article further confirming how bad of a financial decision rideshare driving is. Happy to continue this conversation and I encourage you to provide numbers, rather than re-iterating the flexibility (which is exactly how Uber lures in unsuspecting drivers).

www.wsj.com

Opinion | How Uber Makes Its Drivers Pay

The firm’s reported costs don’t include the cars’ lost value: almost $11 billion.
www.wsj.com www.wsj.com
 
forcefive17 said:
Good points all around. Typically your monthly payment and interest rates are going to be much lower with student debt than credit card debt. If you go the federal government route, there are loan repayment programs available as well, whereas credit cards don't have this option. It's also not a bad idea to see what your interest rate is on the student loan vs the credit card. If it's significantly lower, it might make sense to pay off all the CC with the student loan, cover your costs of living, and pay back whatever is left over. Interest is a killer.
Click to expand...
I would never advise someone to pay off CC debt with a student loan. CC debt can be discharged, and it also can be renegotiated. There are other types of loans one could get if you really needed to lower the interest rate, and which could still be discharged via bankruptcy if necessary. It is possible to repair credit after a bankruptcy, and it is unfortunately not uncommon for medical debt to result in such drastic action. But please don't convert any sizeable amount of flexible debt into permanent debt without talking to a professional. Make an appointment with a fiduciary financial advisor before making any big changes to your debt situation. Most mistakes can be fixed, but some are permanent.
 
StellaB said:
I would never advise someone to pay off CC debt with a student loan. CC debt can be discharged, and it also can be renegotiated. There are other types of loans one could get if you really needed to lower the interest rate, and which could still be discharged via bankruptcy if necessary. It is possible to repair credit after a bankruptcy, and it is unfortunately not uncommon for medical debt to result in such drastic action. But please don't convert any sizeable amount of flexible debt into permanent debt without talking to a professional. Make an appointment with a fiduciary financial advisor before making any big changes to your debt situation. Most mistakes can be fixed, but some are permanent.
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Good point. Don't listen to us too seriously on financial matters. What seems like a good idea to me might actually be an awful idea, depending on circumstances, for you.
 
Thanks, all. I guess I should go to one of those free financial consultations somewhere to get help. It sucks because in a year, this won't be so out of hand since I'll make more money. But this year, I could destroy my credit!
 
areyoubusy said:
Thanks, all. I guess I should go to one of those free financial consultations somewhere to get help. It sucks because in a year, this won't be so out of hand since I'll make more money. But this year, I could destroy my credit!
Click to expand...
Be aware that free financial consultations are typically worth that you paid (nothing). I do agree that talking with a financial person is a good idea, even if it costs a couple hundred bucks for a consultation.

A better free option could be the personal finance Reddit. I have learned a ton about basic finance stuff from reading different scenarios ppl post.
 
The WhiteCoatInvestor has a intro finance book that is very digestible for most people, even if you don't know much about finance. I'd start there. After that, the Reddit finance can be ok, the Bogleheads forum is very good if you want to get a little deeper.
 
areyoubusy said:
Thanks, all. I guess I should go to one of those free financial consultations somewhere to get help. It sucks because in a year, this won't be so out of hand since I'll make more money. But this year, I could destroy my credit!
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Make more? Probably. But you may not find yourself in a much improved financial situation. I did a year of (research) post-doc at an R1 in a major East Coast city. Through some (IMO, questionable) accounting, the university classified post-docs as independent contractors, meaning we had to pay the employer's share of taxes and got no benefits (I paid for an independent study credit and then signed up for grad student insurance through that) despite making us work a set schedule. It really ate at our NIH-recommended, not-COL-adjusted pay,
 
futureapppsy2 said:
Make more? Probably. But you may not find yourself in a much improved financial situation. I did a year of (research) post-doc at an R1 in a major East Coast city. Through some (IMO, questionable) accounting, the university classified post-docs as independent contractors, meaning we had to pay the employer's share of taxes and got no benefits (I paid for an independent study credit and then signed up for grad student insurance through that) despite making us work a set schedule. It really ate at our NIH-recommended, not-COL-adjusted pay,
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Haha um.... thanks for the optimism?
 
You should check your program handbook to make sure that any psych-related outside work is even permissible. In our program, it is not, due to liability and insurance issues. If someone wants to wait tables or drive an uber, we would not be involved in that. But providing any kind of clinical service outside of the full-time internship? Not allowed per our program guidelines.
 
Have you tried contacting the credit card companies to negotiate a lower payment? Ultimately they want your money and they won't get that if you work yourself to the point of exhaustion or don't have enough money left over for food and can't function. They might be willing to reduce the payments just enough to give you a little more cushion.
 
Spydra said:
Have you tried contacting the credit card companies to negotiate a lower payment? Ultimately they want your money and they won't get that if you work yourself to the point of exhaustion or don't have enough money left over for food and can't function. They might be willing to reduce the payments just enough to give you a little more cushion.
Click to expand...

It's funny, but I never thought that could actually work. I might as well give it a shot.
 
areyoubusy said:
It's funny, but I never thought that could actually work. I might as well give it a shot.
Click to expand...

Well I don't know for sure if it will work, because companies vary in how flexible they're willing to be. I've heard of people calling every week asking until they cough up an opportunity, but I've also heard that sometimes being persistent still ends up in a no. So really you have nothing to lose by trying.
 
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