Making Money in College

In recent years college costs have soared. USA Today, The Miami Herald, CNN, PBS, NPR, MSNBC, Foxnews.com and a plethora of other sources have reported on the rising cost of tuition. Some sources even point out that tuition is rising faster than the rate of inflation. As a current college student I can attest to the absurdly high price of textbooks and meal plans. In this article I'll share some money making tips I've discovered as I've been at college.

#1 - Get a job.

This tip is number one for a reason. It's the surest way to stay afloat while you're in college. Most colleges have a campus employment office that you can use to locate a job either on campus or off campus. Don't worry if you don't qualify for work-study. There are usually too many jobs for work-study candidates to fill and there are actually some good aspects of NOT qualifying for a work-study program. Work-study students are limited to earning the amount of funds for which they qualify. If you work outside of the program there is no limit to how much money you can make.

I'd recommend getting your first job at college on campus. You won't need to worry about transportation and on-campus employers are more likely to work around your class and exam schedule. If on-campus employment doesn't seem like a good fit for you, there are always off-campus positions available. Use resources like Craigslist, Careerbuilder, and Snag-a-Job. Don't be afraid of doing entry level work or getting your hands dirty. Often these entry level jobs can lead to higher paying positions later on as you gain more experience.

Some job recommendations:

Babysitting - As long as there are couples there will be babies and young children. No matter where you go to college. Be sure you are certified in CPR and first aid.

Pet-sitting - If children aren't your thing, animals might be. There will also always animals that need watching, caring for, walking, and playing.

AVon and Mary Kay - If you're good at sales this might be a reasonable enterprise for you.

#2 - Re-sell your textbooks.

Or anything for that matter. There is a small fortune to be made on websites like Amazon and Ebay. It used to be that Amazon was where you could sell your used books and Ebay was for everything else. Now you can sell just about anything on either site. Use Amazon if you want a guarantee on how much you will make. Use Ebay if you think your items have enough demand to catch a higher selling price than what is listed on Amazon. Sell books, clothes, jewelry, cds, dvds, old toys, board games. If you have it, chances are you can probably sell it.

#3 - Donate.

Strangely enough.... you can get paid to make a donation. I'm speaking of plasma donation. Most large cities have blood and tissue donation centers that are affiliated with or can at least direct you to a plasma donation center. Payments for plasma range from $15-35 per donation. Be sure to do your research on any donation facility before you decide to donate. Bear in mind that almost no where will pay for blood so be wary of any ads that promise to do so. As far as I have seen plasma is the only donation that actually pays you. Some tips before you go: If you are squeamish about needles... this is not for you. It's a large needle and it's in your arm anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. If you do decide to donate plasma be sure you are healthy, well-hydrated, have eaten well before hand (unless you think you'll be sick), and be sure to eat plenty of green vegetables in the days preceding your donation. You will need the iron to keep you from becoming too weak and plasma donation centers require that you have a certain concentration in order to donate. Once again, be sure to do your research before you donate. Check with the Better Business Bureau in your city and take the time to visit the center and ask plenty of questions before you donate.

Recently there has been an onslaught of companies touting easy money for donations of fluids other than plasma. These companies claim that you can make easy money donating sperm or, in some cases, eggs. While there are reliable and legitamate companies that do provide these services, there are many scammers out there and this can turn into a rather embarrassing scam to fall for.

#4 - Make use of online opportunities.

More and more people are moving out of offices and online to do their work and you can too. There are opportunities for online tutoring, online customer service, and online freelance work in just about any area. Scams abound, but here are a few sites I have found to be reputable... some are even fun. Make a note, these sites will not make you rich, but they will provide some spare change to get you through.

MyLot - You are paid per post and receive a percentage of any earnings your referrals may make.

Exodus - This is actually a game where you travel across a "board" collecting "mars dollars" and at the end of the month can exchange your "mars dollars" for real dollars.

Surveys - This site awards you points for filling out surveys, most of which are actually fun. You can redeem these points for cash, prizes, or even donate the cash directly to a charity if you so wish.

There are also some sites that will pay you for blogging. If you are so technically inclined a website of your own creation with moderate traffic could generate some worthy Google Adsense revenue.

#5 - Associated Content!

There is always writing for Associated Content as well. For you literary types, this site can be quite useful. Write away!

Getting through college with your finances intact can be difficult. Hopefully, these tips will help. Check back for other articles on saving money in college and managing your credit during these "credit formative" years.