5 Cool Term-Time Jobs

The new school year is starting soon for most of us (and it has already started for some!) and while that means that we have another year of new insights, academic challenges and triumphs, and a whole new set of classes to look forward to, it also is a time of the year when many of us are thinking about our finances.

From http://blog30x30.blogspot.de/2009/06/which-student-are-you.html

There are enough reasons to be stressed without financial worry factoring in, but the truth is that it often does. School is expensive, guys. Even if you look beyond tuition and rent, there are so many other expenses:

Food.
Books.
Supplies.
A computer (and computer repairs, if yours is a little older).
Clothes.
Fun stuff.
Field Trips.
Transportation.

The list goes on and on and on and on, but most students don't have wallets that are equally matched. To mitigate student debt, it can be a really great idea to work during your studies.

But what sorts of part-time jobs can students, without loads of work experience and often with limited availability due to class schedules, get?

1) Babysitting.

This one is tried and true, but it pops up time and time again on these sorts of lists for that very reason. Babysitting is a job that often allows a lot of flexibility and can often also get you more than minimum wage per hour! I personally use Urbansitter and Sittercity to help me find jobs, since network/word of mouth jobs can be hard to get in a new town.

2) Tutoring.

Relatedly, you can give tutoring a go. I know there are some tutoring websites out there, like Wyzant, but I haven't personally had much success with them. These jobs can be even more lucrative than babysitting jobs, paying double or triple the hourly minimum wage rate (and why not start getting some returns on all that hard-earned education?) but they can also be much harder to get. If you want top-dollar pay, you'll usually have to work for a tutoring agency and those tend to only employ tutors with either lots of experience or an actual teaching degree. Some even require master's degrees!

Don't let this be yours.

3) On-campus Jobs.

While these tend to pay around minimum wage, in my experience, some schools are good about trying to keep the hourly wages more fair. These jobs tend to be more flexible and more willing to work around class schedules, but be aware that most jobs will require you to keep up your schedule throughout the busy midterm and final exam periods, since they rely on almost exclusively student workers who are just as busy as you are during those times. On the upside, these jobs can be easier to get than unaffiliated work, especially if you have work-study funding!

4) Petcare.

Whether it's dog-walking, cat-sitting, or the like, these jobs are great as a temporary work option in case you're around during major holidays or if you just want to get some fresh air with 'man's best friend' while lightening the burden of textbook expenses.

5) DIY jobs.

By this, I mean making up your own job! If you want a way to stay active and make some money, you might find that yard work is a good fit for you. Decide what your rate is (keep it fair if you want to get customers) and print out a few flyers with rip-off tabs on the bottom with your phone number or email address. Hang them around campus and, if what you're offering is needed in the air and priced right, you can find yourself making money helping faculty, staff, and other community members in no time!

I hope at least some of these help ease the path to graduation for you!

How do you make extra money?

If you babysit, how do you find jobs?

What's the best part-time job you've ever had?