The buck starts here after tuition is paid
You did it. You were accepted to a school. You found, earned or borrowed money to pay for it. You have a place to live and maybe even met your roommate if you have one. You know how you’ll pay for books and you’ve got a meal plan. You’re set. It’s all good. You’re golden.
Or, so you think
Once things get rolling and you find you’re eating more pizza and burgers, going out a little more with all your new friends, looking at all that “must have” clothing and electronics that are even more “must have” because this is college and it’s not just high school games anymore, and then your car breaks down and the stuff you need for that lab costs money and that concert is truly a once-in-a-lifetime thing and now they’re talking about a beach rental for next summer and your roommate keeps eating all the food and you really need to… WHOAAA!
This is all going cost a little more than you thought, isn’t it?
Life will always pitch a curve or bring on the unexpected. Thinking ahead will help some of these things from being total surprises and when they do arise, you’ll be better prepared. Financially, college is the perfect time to start. With many foreseen expenses and a whole lot that aren’t, college sets the stage for how things will be later, so here are a few ways to get prepared.
The traditional college job works for plenty of people, but scheduling can be rough and you might get somewhat worn out serving tables until midnight. Causing your studies to suffer because you need money is somewhat counter-productive. Take your skills or talents and work them into something a little more conducive to your schedule.
Some things that earn money at times you control or can accept/decline as it fits your schedule:
- Child or pet sitting… half an hour or a few hours, periodic or regular, this is a popular moneymaking method.
- Troubleshooting computers… geek or not, you may know a lot more about computers than the person down the hall.
- Tutoring… put what you know to use; music, languages, math, writing, whatever; help someone out and pull in a few bucks.
