Get a Job

This may seem very basic, but many students choose to devote all their attention to their studies. Commitment to school like this is by no means a bad thing, it’s just expensive. If you want to avoid loans, then a job is your only option unless you’ve already got the money for college.


Start with a small, part time gig where you work 15-25 hours a week. Don’t go overboard and get a full time job. That will only get you burnt out. College students have traditionally gotten jobs working at coffee shops, restaurants, and other service industries, but you might also look into being a lifeguard, courier, or even a teacher/tutor of some sort. If you’ve got a skill that you could teach others to do (music/math/computer lessons), I would suggest you do it since it will probably make you more money per hour than a service job. On the flip side, this might be more complicated because you’d be working for yourself rather than an established company.


What’s nice about working for a big company is that they will guarantee a certain amount of hours. There is no uncertainty about how much money you will make. Also, they might give you money simply because you are a student! Pretty sweet huh?! I know that companies like Starbucks, Office Depot, and UPS offer tuition assistance to part time employees. You’ll have to do some research on other benefits that these companies can provide, but I know that a lot of them offer some pretty good stuff.


So there are a lot of different options available to you when it comes to making money. It just depends on what you know how to do and what you like to do. It also depends on your personality. Are you the type of person that likes a little risk or would you prefer a safe/dependable job? Do you want to strike out on your own, or do you like the idea of jumping in where someone else has started? Whatever you choose to do, make sure you are getting some sort of consistent income. The bills pile up quick.