The “broke college student” thing is real. I watch my money pretty carefully to make sure I always have enough to pay for groceries, school, the occasional coffee run, gas, etc. I actually really like being able to take care of that stuff on my own and not needing to ask my parents for money, but this week it happened.
Twice.
I HATE asking for money and avoid it whenever I can, but between paying for things for spring break (like train tickets and extra toiletries) and being super busy and not paying as much attention to my bank account as I should have, I got pretty poor pretty quickly. In an effort not to let this happen again, and not to let it happen to you, I have compiled my list of ways to make money in college!
1. Get a job.
Thanks, Captain Obvious.
Actually, you might be surprised at the number of people who complain about not having money and also don’t work. A logical fix to that would be to get a job, but some people honestly do not have time for that either. The luckiest break you can get in that case is getting asked to be a notetaker for a student in one of your classes who can’t take notes. It’s basically like getting paid to go to class, but you also take extra nice notes and pay attention more because you are taking them for someone else, too! I have had a few jobs, both on- and off-campus, and both situations have their perks and drawbacks. For example, getting an on-campus job can be hard if you aren’t a work study student, but on-campus jobs are often more flexible with things like school breaks and class schedules than off-campus workplaces might be. Find something that is a good fit for you and your schedule and run with it!
JobStop is a great way to find a job as a Hope student!
2. Craft to sell.
If you have a gift for painting, knitting, hand lettering, or anything artsy/crafty, you can make some pretty good money off of it if you put some effort into selling it. It may be as simple as posting a piece on Facebook and seeing if anyone would purchase it, or as involved as creating and branding your own Etsy store.
3. Sell your clothes.
I am not exaggerating when I say that I have made over $200 at Plato’s Closet this semester. I think of it as paid therapy for a recovering clothing hoarder. I free up space in my closet and my room, someone else gets to buy cool new clothes, and I make cash money. It’s a win-win-win. I sell my name-brand/more “popular” items on eBay and you can make some pretty good money there as well! Have a North Face, Patagonia, pair of Hunter boots, or Anthropologie dress sitting around that you don’t wear anymore? Stick it on eBay and see what happens!
4. Babysit.
Babysitting isn’t just for your 13-year-old sister! A bunch of my friends have steady babysitting jobs and make really good money from it. If you love kids, this is a great opportunity to take, especially because it can be hard to find little ones to hang out with when you’re off at college.
What do you do to make money while you’re at school? Let me know on Twitter @hopekathryn17, Instagram @kathrynekrieger, or via email at kathryn.krieger@hope.edu. Thanks for reading!
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…
– 1 Peter 3:15