Being a student means having to budget a lot. Not everybody’s rich enough to be able to afford a worry-free spending life, so being aware of your financial needs and abilities is important, especially if you are in college. As many students realize sooner or later, money seems to leave the pocket much sooner when it is your own, so here are a few practical tips on how to replenish your wallet and worry less.
Saving vs. Making Money as a Student
The first thing that comes to the mind of a student is that you have to save money. Needless to say, you shouldn’t be spending relentlessly. However, when you put the numbers on paper, it turns out rather than saving it, you should earn money being a student. If you visit Starbucks just three times a week and decide to put back on that habit, you will save around $1,500 a year. However, if you translate this into working extra hours to make that money, you would have to work for around 100 hours for an entire year if you’re paid $15 per hour.
5 Real Ways to Make Money in College
Bearing this in mind, spending time to increase your income as a student pays off way more than spending time to find ways to save money. After all, you can only cut back on your expenses so much while your earning potential is limitless. To help you realize your money-making potential while in college, here are five ways to save money:
Take up an On-Campus Job
Taking up an on-campus job is the perfect way to make some side money. The job should be on campus because you should be able to commute fast and not miss much of your classes. This takes some time, but if you delegate a part of your college work to somebody else and check out an essay example, you can save tons of time on studying. Working in a local coffee shop or the campus library is a sure way to make some money on the side.
Start a Furniture Flip Job
As you are probably aware, many seniors ditch their furniture or sell it for next to nothing at the end of their final year. If you live nearby, you could offer to take their furniture for free or pay very little for it, store it somewhere close, clean it during summer and then sell it to freshmen at the beginning of the next year. You can make some serious money here, although it is a seasonal job.
Sell Your Old Books and Notes
College books are super expensive, so sell them for half the money at the end of the school year. Someone will use your old books and save money. You will make some in the process.
Teach Younger Students
If you are particularly good in a group of subjects, you can offer tuition classes for younger students who may be struggling. You can attract more students by offering a lower price and forming groups of students. This job is best done on the weekends when everybody has enough time to do it.
Start Writing Online
Starting your own blog is a long-term investment of your time and resources. However, being able to cash in on your interests and doing so in your leisure time should be the wind to your back. Choose your niche and start writing.
Final Considerations
Making money as a student sounds way better than simply saving money and hoping you’ll have enough cash to last you a semester. Starting work while still in college also means that you’ll have some extra work experience at the end of your studies and that you will be able to start a side hustle, making you more financially independent in the long run.
Ashley Carter
Ashley Carter loves art and shape theory. She enjoys pop music and loves reading about art theory. She hopes to work in Europe one day and is inspired by the public gardens of European capitals.