Saving Up Money Tips For A College Student?

[DisneyObsessive]

Ive reviewed a lot of your tips for saving/making money for disney. they are all great, but most of them really dont affect me. I'm 18 and planning to go with a couple of friends next January, and the 'rents said "sure you can go, if you pay for it all yourself!" so ive got no help from them and i dont want any, anyway. id like to say i saved up all on my own, thank you!

Anyway, i dont pay bills i can cut down on, or eat out much, or spend money on coffee or anything (i dont drink it!). Youd think id have money then, but see, im not working during the semester. I cant balance my classes with a job, im taking some tough journalism courses that require me to do a lot of out in the field work so i have no time to hold a job and concentrate (and ive got scholarships i need to work hard to keep)! So i wont be working until the summer.

Ive been selling things here and there on amazon.com. Have made about $100 that way. I do those surveys online you get paid for but they come in very sporatically. And things like mypoints etc. are a hassle for me. And ive got money in the bank but i cant ADD anymore if i dont have a steady income until June. So that's my financial story, whether you cared or not lol.

Any ideas? Im going to definately start one of those change jars today. Other than that, i feel like theres no hope!

 

[Forevryoung]

Depending on what kind of college you go to there are always research projects going on that need participants. Most of the time they will pay you around $10 an hour. Most studies run an hour. Im doing research and we pay $16 for two one hour sessions (you dont have to do both) and all you have to do is listen to sentences and push some buttons on a keyboard.

 

[sskem96]

How about babysitting? College students can make some big bucks babysitting because parents trust them more than high school students. The time commitment is not much of an issue if you do it on a case by case basis instead of a daily job. You might even get lucky and find people that want to stay out late. Put the kids to bed and do your homework.

 

[kandeebunny]

I had the same problem!!! If you can get a Disney Visa card DO IT, and put things like your text books on it! Then set up a change jar. Then what I did (I went to school in Boston right by Harvard) well I did research surveys as they came along, an hour or two on the weekend for $20-40 each time. I also babysat which was great, if I had an exam coming up I would simply say I couldn't do it. If you drink cans of pop in a state that has a can/bottle return save them and turn them in (every bit helps!) OAnd save up any money given to you for holidays. Good luck!

 

[wdwpluto]

What about a yard sale? Surely you have stuff (maybe in your room @ your parents house?) that you can get rid of and make a few bucks.

Ask for Disney Dollars for birthday and holiday gifts from friends, family, whoever would normally get you a gift.

 

[twinklebug]

Are you on-campus or off? On campus you can ge a relativly easy job staffing the front desk of your dorm and have plenty of time to study whild doing so. I don't reccomend becoming an RA... too time consuming with meetings and problems cropping up.
On, or off campus, you can apply for a position staffing the computer help desk if your college has one. They'll give you some basic training, but all you really do (I'm told) is receptionist duties (take a number, sit down). The PC problems get passed along to the techs. Bring your work with you and you're paid to study!

 

[crisi]

Another good college job is to work security. Most big office buildings staff a desk 24 hours a day. You spend 15 minutes walking around and 45 minutes sitting at the desk each hour, use the desk time to study.

Frankly, you need to work at something, even if its selling your stuff. And most 18 year olds haven't aquired a lot of stuff to sell. You can sell plasma (I know a few people who got their college vactions through their veins), but for the same time investment, you could work two part time shifts a week somewhere and make more money.

 

[DisneyObsessive]

I commute to class, i live at home. We dont even have a "campus". My college is in the middle of Manhattan (I commute from Queens). Its basically three buildings in the middle of the upper east side. Ive looked into working at the bookstore, but they arn't hiring. And i found out most of the jobs they do give, jrs and seniors get first dibs and im only an upper freshmen.

And there's no way my 'rents would let me get the Disney Visa Card. i'm lucky enough im allowed my debit card!

 

[racheleich]

At the end of the semester, sell your books back (either to the bookstore or else barnesandnoble.com or another such site). I've really never used any of my textbooks again - and at least some $ is better than none.

 

[grlpwrd]

I commute to class, i live at home. We dont even have a "campus". My college is in the middle of Manhattan (I commute from Queens). Its basically three buildings in the middle of the upper east side. Ive looked into working at the bookstore, but they arn't hiring. And i found out most of the jobs they do give, jrs and seniors get first dibs and im only an upper freshmen.

And there's no way my 'rents would let me get the Disney Visa Card. i'm lucky enough im allowed my debit card!

Since you're in an ideal location have you considered ebay or half.com? I know there are thrift or consignment stores that you can scour and maybe specialize in designer clothes or something like that and resell. Or maybe find some replica or knockoff purses or handbags to sell. With half.com you could also look for textbooks and maybe other books that could get you some $$$. You don't have to invest much $$$ when you start out.

My dh used to live in Forest Hills... I wish you the best!

GL!

 

[MrsPete]

You need a job -- if you want to go on this trip, I don't see any other option. You say you can't balance a job and classes, but judging from your age I assume you're only a freshman (or possibly a young sophomore); you're still in your easiest classes! Even without the concerns about the trip, you're going to need to improve your time management before you reach your junior/senior level courses -- you'll find that they're a big step up academically.

Make yourself a week-long time grid and write down what you're doing all week. I'm sure there's some time in there that can be turned into job time -- if you want to.

 

[Forevryoung]

I dont have a job during the semester but once summer comes I double up on jobs if I have to knowing that that money is already being set aside for bigger things. I know I am going to Disney at the beginning of June before I really start working but I can pull money out of my savings account for a few weeks before I start making the big bucks if necessary

I really want to babysit but I cant't find someone who is willing to only do it "as needed"-

 

[DisneyObsessive]

Mrs. Pete... Well since i made dean's list last semester im now in an honors program where im not allowed to work during the semester. Its their whole "you need to focus on studies" rule. So if i work, i get kicked out of the program. So like i said, i cant work until June.

 

[MrsPete]

Mrs. Pete... Well since i made dean's list last semester im now in an honors program where im not allowed to work during the semester. Its their whole "you need to focus on studies" rule. So if i work, i get kicked out of the program. So like i said, i cant work until June.

Yeah, I was in a program like that many years ago. The people in them who NEED to work, do. I chose to spread myself out too thin and work because the other option was having no rent, no car, and no food. My roommates, on the other hand, had parents who were paying for most of their expenses. They didn't work; they had better social lives and nicer wardrobes, but we all kept up with our studies. By the way, I have a whole stack of dean's list certificates; I think I missed one semester the whole time I was in college.

Since you're talking about a vacation, you don't NEED to work. But you're trying to have it both ways -- plenty of study time and money for vacations -- that won't work as long as a day is only 24 hours long.

 

[DisneyObsessive]

i guess your right mrs pete.

i assume if i go back to a part time job i had earlier in my last break... ill only be making $6 an hour (which is still above min wage here, which is only 5.15). But if i work 20 hours a week... and i work the full summer lets say 12 weeks... thats $1440... more than i need. and if i can get my old boss to give me 25 hours a week... thats $1800.

My mom also offered to pay me to work for her. She has a parenting website and she needs to do book reviews etc. she said she'd pay me $25 a review. It's not technically having the parents pay if im working for her, right?

i think i might be alright. Let's hope my old boss will take me for the summer! Because other than that, jobs here for my age bracket and experience (or lack there of, ive had 2 jobs ever) are few and far between!