Whether you need money to pay bills, pay off debt, for everyday expenses or you’re saving up to move out; making money while attending school is hard.
It’s essentially having two jobs and only getting paid for one.
So what if you can’t get more hours at work or it’s hard to have a job and balance school at the same time?
As a college student and retail associate myself I searched long and hard for these answers too, so here’s what I’ve found that’s helped me stress less about money and I hope it helps you or someone you know as well.
1. Sell clothes: Have clothes you no longer wear or that don’t fit the way you’d like? Sell them on apps like Poshmark or Vinted, or if you don’t have time, sell them by mail to Crossroads Trading Co. (there’s one located in near Ross across Pacific Avenue) or Buffalo Exchange.
2. Consign: If you have a great eye for the worth of an item such as antique furniture or limited-edition baseball cards, sell them on Craigslist, eBay or to a consignment store.
3. Rover.com: All you need is love for animals and $10 for a background check and you can earn up to $1,000 a month dog watching and house sitting.
4. Care.com: If you love taking care of children or housekeeping, this website can help you find all sorts of local gigs in your community that pay well.
5. Free rewards programs: Often times by simply getting the app or signing up for an email club through a company’s rewards program you can earn all sorts of free food, which doesn’t help you make money, but will help you save it.
6. Coupon apps: Download RetailMeNot and shop the sales when you need to go shopping.
7. Do it yourself: For $30 bucks on Amazon you can do your nails at home and save a trip to the salon with the same results. This also applies to hair dye. Stop at DIY tattoos please.
8. Get a part time job at a fast food restaurant: Fast food gigs generally have flexible hours and usually hire quickly!
9. Exchange loose change for cash: Go to a local Coinstar after collecting loose change from your house, car or purses and exchange it for paper cash. Deposit it in the bank before it burns a hole in your pocket.
10. Share your talents for money: Sell paintings, repair services, give guitar lessons, use your photography skills professionally, etc.
11. Save money by renting used textbooks: rent textbooks from websites like Chegg or Amazon and save big time. Instead of paying anywhere from $100-$200, you can rent a textbook used for around $20-$50. For books you are only going to use for a semester, save your money.
Overall, it’s inevitably hard to be a college student and manage your money well. So the best thing we can do if to help each other along the way and learn from our financial mistakes, nothing is forever, and school gets you a better paying job in the end. So it’s all worth it.