With all of the credit crunch news it seems like gas prices aren't the only things that are down. Spirits are pretty low and even if you do have a campus or local job, it can be tough to make ends meet, especially as colleges are cutting back on scholarship aid. Things can be even more difficult without a job or form of income, and with classes, homework, a social life and finding some time for yourself, making room in your day for a job just might not be possible.

Yet despite the negative economic outlook, perhaps the most innovative ways to make some extra cash are ones that you can fit into your normal routine - using the internet. Whether you're a web guru or can barely find your computer's on button (those people pretending to be your friend in the computer lab are talking behind your back...) a lot of the ways to make money online are simple, straight forward and use common sense.

These days the number of stories about get-rich-quick internet players, in particular those online, seem to be overwhelmingly disheartening. Either you make the big bucks from a hugely popular website like Facebook or Google, or it's a ponzi scheme, so recently made famous in the news. But what about using the net for some reasonable strategies to make a few extra bucks? People have garage sales all the time... sell some old text books and clothes on Ebay or other auction sites. You're writing papers every week for class, why not look for websites that want a few hundred words of content and are willing to pay?

The trick is finding money making tools online that fit your offline skills - don't expect to suddenly become an HTML master just because you're ready to put in some online elbow grease. making money online is all about taking what you're good at, learning in college, or see around you, and using it to help others who don't have those skills - exactly the same way you might do in a offline job.

The weblog Experienced People has put together a list of 101 Ways to Make Money Online that offers ideas that should fit any skill set. Take a look through and see what works for you.

Whether you make $2,000 or two cents, the result is a better understanding of where your professional and creative strengths lie, some unique additions to your resume, and, of course, the potential for a little extra income. Now I'm sure cutting down on your YouTube time is worth that!