My Top 5 Ways to Make/Save Money in College

Everyone has heard the timeless description of college students as being “broke”. Well, I’ll tell you that description still stands. Between juggling classes and busy schedules, it is hard to find a steady part-time job, or at least one with flexibility. Coming from a junior, it’s been almost three years and I am yet to find one! With that being said, I have compiled my top 5 ways to make and save money as a college student.

1. Babysitting

This pretty much goes without saying, but if you can stand to be around kids, babysitting is a perfect option to make money in college. There are no time constraints, as you can create your own schedule. Furthermore, depending on the family, parents tend to pay babysitters very well, most of the time more than you would make working a normal part time job. Finding a consistent family and growing close with them can bring other benefits as well.

2. Selling Clothes

This is a method I just started doing this year, but it has honestly helped me to make quite a bit of money. Yes, sometimes girls have separation anxiety with clothes, but what helps me let go is really thinking to myself, realistically will I ever wear this again? Most of the time the answer is no, and to my Poshmark it goes. The two main platforms I use for selling my clothes are Poshmark and Curtsy, and you would be surprised what some people will buy off you for how much. Not to mention, the shipping process is also painless and easy. Both apps generate a shipping label for you once an item sells, and all that’s left to do is bring the item to the nearest post office.

3. Eating in

I think I have been much better about this one since living in a house this year with a real kitchen, but the amount of money I have saved from eating in this year is crazy. The $18 salads I “could not go a week without” last year were really not worth it. I have found ways to make my favorite meals on my own, and they often taste just as good. Yes, I still like to eat out every once in a while, but I have found the satisfaction of mastering my own yummy meals from home just as rewarding.

4. Fashion Pass

Clothing rental sites have been gaining in popularity over the last year, and my favorite one to use is Fashion Pass. The reason why it is my favorite is that I can send back my package every week, making for 4 new clothing items for each weekend. Although each package varies in price and items, with my package I can rent up to 16 items for $128 per month. This has been the perfect solution for my shopping addiction, and I always have something new to wear out on the weekends. I definitely recommend getting Fashion Pass if you get sick of your clothes and want to try something new.

5. Trader Joe’s

I have found that doing the majority of my grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s has saved me a lot of money when it comes to food. Compared to places like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s is leaps and bounds cheaper and still has just as much stuff. Even if you eat healthy, they still have so many options no matter what you are looking for. It still shocks me at how inexpensive the food is there in comparison to other higher end grocery stores.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love to go out and occasionally splurge on certain things, but these are just 5 ways that have helped me throughout the years to make sure my bank account stays above the negatives.