Going to college doesn’t have to mean living between allowances or pinching your pennies. Many students new to college often times have poor spending habits, and tend to make purchases on a whim, or simply because we have the freedom to do so. Weekends are usually filled with social events, restaurants, movies, games, etc which can quite easily leave a burning hole in our wallets that really comes back to bite you come Monday morning.
Although we usually think of the social aspect of college as the primary cause of a student’s lack of funding, there are many factors that lead students to this point. School supplies, the need to purchase books or any extra resources that may be required for a class can easily leave your coffers empty just as much as those wild party weekends. As one who has experienced this first hand, I’ve tried many alter.natives toward landing a few extra dollars in my pockets.
1. Provide Tutoring
College students starting out with a fresh with a heavy class schedule or assignments may be in need of tutoring services. If you’ve taken a few classes and ended with a particularly high standing, consider offering your assistance as a tutor. Many college campuses around the country have special organizations on campus that will pay students to tutor students! Classes in subjects such as math, science, psychology, etc are always difficult, and many students can benefit from the assitance of someone who has already taken the course and passed. Consider posting flyers on-campus or online ads (sites like craigslist) offering your services for a given fee. You will not only fatten your wallet, but benefit from helping those in need!
2. Make and Sell Stuff
If you have a flair for artistic endeavors, or skillful with your hands, you should consider putting these talents to use. Try taking your artwork, or small handmade knickknacks and selling them around campus or town. Even consider putting them online and selling them on sites like craigslist, ebay, or even open your own online store!
3. Participate In Clinical Studies
Many larger schools, especially those with medical schools, often times offer clinical trials which offer lucrative payment. Often times, these schools have entire research departments who offer many of these trials. These are often posted around campus on bulletin boards, or even on your school websites. My suggestion, keep your eyes peeled for these kinds of money makers. If you’re not into being injected with drugs or poked and prodded, try and join these trials as a part of the control groups.
4. Fill Out Online Surveys
Although tedious at times, this is a great option for making a few extra dollars on the side. Many sites, such as Opinon Outpost and others like it offer you points which you can redeem for actual cash value or even gift cards to sites such as Amazon, Ebay, etc.
