Great at Something? Become a Tutor and Earn Money

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This is a money making tip for the 50/50 Challenge.

Earning Great Money as a Tutor

Have you ever tutored someone, either for pay or not? I started tutoring while in elementary school.

My teacher grouped us so we could help each other out on different subjects. Besides teaching us how to work with one another it also fueled a desire in me to tutor others.

The great thing about tutoring on the side is that you can make a decent amount of money with just 4-5 hours a week. It's a mutually beneficial relationship- someone gets help on a subject and you get some extra income. You also get to brush up on your skills.

It's a mutually beneficial relationship- someone gets help on a subject and you get some extra income. You also get to brush up on your skills.

How do you tutor for money? How can maximize your earnings? I've included some tips to get you started. Hopefully, it'll help you reach your financial goals.

Find a Niche

You should market yourself as a specific type of tutor.Are you a math whiz or are a literary genius? Having a specialty can help you with designing an elevator pitch. Yes, you need one even if you're tutoring on the side.

Are you a math whiz or are a literary genius? Having a specialty can help you with designing an elevator pitch. Yes, you need one even if you're tutoring on the side.

I tutored students with different backgrounds, but my passion was helping students with learning disabilities.

I found it extremely rewarding to help others discover how they learned best for their classes. As an added bonus, I was also able to earn more by having my niche.

Finding Clients

The best way to find clients is word of mouth. Tell students that you'll offer them a discount or a free session if they refer you to their friends and classmates.

Make sure you only mention this to the students you enjoy. People tend to flock around similar personalities so if your student drives you nuts, you might not like who they refer!

I started off by tutoring classmates in high school and expanded my circle from there. I never had a huge client list, but I didn't need it.

I had students I enjoyed working with and made the money I wanted.

Extra Income Tutoring

Besides having your regular tutoring sessions, you can mix it up and add a bit more to your bottom line without tutoring becoming a full-time job.

Group Sessions

If you're really looking at getting the most bang for your buck you may want to consider small group sessions.

Not everyone can afford your hourly rate, but if you allow group sessions you can fit these students in and still keep your income flowing.

Group sessions work well around mid-term and finals, so make sure you keep a couple of slots open for those opportunities.

Test Prep

If your clients are high school juniors and seniors, then you may want to offer tutoring sessions for the SATs, college essays, and even financial aid and scholarship applications.

These are big things for students and I'm sure parents would gladly appreciate someone helping their kid with college essays and scholarship entries.

If you're a frugal and savvy person, host a financial aid group session with your clients to help them find grants and scholarships that fit them.

Thoughts on Tutoring

How many of you have tutored in the past? What did you teach and what did you charge? Have you thought about starting it up again?