College is expensive and can set the stage for debt payments for years and years to come. The average student today expects to rack up about $40,000 in student loans and believes it will take 10 years to pay off them off. According to U.S. News “The standard repayment plan for federal student loans puts borrowers on a 10-year track to pay off their debt, but research has shown the average bachelor’s degree holder takes 21 years to pay off his or her loans.”
The first step is to make every effort to not rack up the debt in the first place this can include things like going to Community College to get the basics first (at a much lower cost) and earning money while in college. See: 8 Steps to Cut Education Costs for more info.
If you’re looking for ways to make money when you’re not attending classes, here are a few lucrative ideas that can help you.
Start freelancing
To make it in the world of freelancing, all you need is basic knowledge of the stuff you’re doing, enough free time, and a working computer, so if you’ve got that, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t explore the options that are available to you. The idea most college kids just love these days is being a freelance writer, and writing anything from blogs to online content is a way to get paid. Alternatively, you could get into web design, especially if you’re artistic and can draw, and you may start earning money as a logo designer sooner than you think.
Explore online surveys
This is another easy way to make a couple of bucks on the side, and while this job won’t turn you into a millionaire, it might open up a few doors. Filling out online surveys is probably one of the easiest jobs out there, and all you have to do is browse the Internet – which you’re already doing – and make a few clicks – you’re doing that at the moment as well – and you’ll start making money straight away. There are lots of different survey sites you can explore, so just pick the topics that interest you the most, and you might actually enjoy this idea quite a lot.
Become a tutor
This is another job people in college love doing, because it helps them make money and do some much-needed revision for their exams, so it’s a win-win situation. Tutoring your colleagues will also make you more sociable and you could meet more people than you normally would. Just pick a subject you’re good at, and post a few flyers around campus. Teaching English is one of the most popular ideas out there, especially if you’re attending a college with lots of foreign students, but be sure to brush up on your English first. Taking those amazing Monkey Tree TEFL courses first will help you perfect your knowledge, and you’ll be able to charge more for your tutoring.
Secure the campus
If you’re already spending a ton of time on campus, being friendly and hanging out with people, why not turn it into a career and make some money? Working for your campus security might not be the fanciest job in the world, but it’s still a way to earn a decent amount of cash – and much safer than being a bouncer in a night club with lots of drunk people putting your life in danger. Just talk to the security guards around your campus and tell them you’re interested in joining them, and you’ll surely find a way to fit this job into your busy schedule.
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