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making money in college

How to Make Money in College

Brink's Money

29 Nov 2021

While it is an exciting time and some of the most transformative years of your life, college is also the time when you start learning about financial wellness. From the moment you consider your financial options when choosing a school, you start thinking about money management. When you start college, you might find that your parents are able to give you a hand, you were given scholarships to help with the cost of tuition, or you are considering helping out with expenses yourself. Moving away from home and paying for things on your own can seem daunting at first but in reality it's a step towards learning financial wellness. If you are looking for ways to get started, here are a few opportunities you can take advantage of:

Get a Paid Internship

College is the time for you to take every experience as a learning opportunity so why not get paid for it? Getting an internship while you’re still in school is a great way to learn about the field you are considering going into or to see if it's the right fit for you. Depending on the type of internship you land, you can get paid. An internship can help you build your resume, get you better prepared to enter the workforce, and even lead to securing a job post-graduation.

Become an RA

A job opportunity unique to college students is to become an RA or resident assistant. As a resident assistant, you are there to provide other college students with support on campus and foster a welcoming environment for a sense of home away from home. Becoming a resident assistant is an important role in which you’ll learn leadership skills and time management. Perhaps one of the perks of the job is that in most cases your room and board are free and you are provided with a stipend for the semester.

Work a FWS Job

When you start applying for college, you may have filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you received a financial aid award letter along with your college acceptance then you may be eligible for a federal work study (FWS) position on campus. FWS jobs are fully funded by the government and are perhaps one of the best opportunities to make money while having the time to manage your school work. As part of the job, you can find yourself working at the library or in the lobby of a residence hall.

Sell Your Old Textbooks

The truth is that textbooks aren’t cheap. If you have been in college for more than a semester, you probably have a couple textbooks lying around that you spent a good chunk of money on and you no longer need. Instead of having them in your room and taking up space why not sell them? Selling your old textbooks will not only get you a couple bucks but it will help out the next group of students in need of the course material for that class.

Become a Delivery Driver

If you have some extra time in your schedule or want to get off campus then you might consider becoming a delivery driver. Nowadays, making deliveries goes beyond handing out takeout. There’s now so many different apps and services you can take advantage of whether that is making a food delivery or going on the run for someone’s grocery list. Taking on this job as a delivery driver means you can make the most of getting tips and it’s also an opportunity to familiarize yourself with your new college town.

Pet Sit or Babysit

If you have previous experience babysitting or are looking for a way to earn extra income while in school, babysitting or walking dogs could be a great choice. When it comes to babysitting, oftentimes parents are looking for someone to work in the afternoon or weekends which could fit really well with your class schedule. There are various sites that could be helpful in landing a job or be on the lookout for flyers on campus about opportunities. On the other hand, if you’re an animal lover and want to spend more time outdoors, then you can consider pet sitting or dog walking. Dog walking is a more tranquil alternative to a job on campus and it’s a rather easy job to do between classes and you can decide when you want to work.

Become a Tutor

Do you find that you really excel in a certain area of school? Then chances are you could probably use that skill and offer your services as a tutor. Universities usually have a tutoring center where students go to get extra help on classes that you could apply to work in. If your university doesn’t have a tutoring center, you can offer private tutoring sessions and market yourself by putting up flyers or letting your friends and people in your classes know you’re able to help.

 

If you are a college student looking for ways to make some extra money between classes and to get started on earning your own income, there are several opportunities you can make the most of. If you weren’t sure about where to start looking for opportunities, then we hope these tips provide better insight about the types of side hustles you can take on.

 

Want to get a better grip on managing your money and learn how to budget your income? Learn more about financial wellness with the Brink’s Money Prepaid Mastercard.

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