easiest way to collect bitcoins at the moment is to either buy it or to participate in signature campaigns
buy bitcoin is easy, but it is difficult to buy because we dont have no money and it's not a good way to collect BTC.
Buying bitcoins is really a easy way but we cannot call it collecting i guess, because we are paying money to get that and OP doesnt mean that by collecting.
And also, not everyone in this industry can buy bitcoin, maybe there are some people who have no jobs, or they are still students like me, so they won't be able to do that thing that is why they will have to find another way to collect btc.
Being a student you can still earn bitcoins though. I know it's a little harder to do now but I mined during college I had my rig at my home, not with dorms/apartments. I started with GPU mining which you can really do again with Ether. It's the first GPU coin in a long time worth mining.
Also depending on electricity asics are a possibility. But I realize both of these take investments. Most profit is going to be from things that take investments or skills. Even sign campaign takes time to really learn and be able to help out. Heck I waited till hero before I even did it. If your able to buy coins though like you mention with having it is a very interesting time to be holding coins.