Pocket Money!

[Bastrophian]

Ok...so, i have to drive out of town to go to school. And that takes gas, and for gas i need money.... but i dont have a job, but while im looking for a job, i still need money for gas... :/ ...

Anyone here know any ways to make a little cha-ching on the side for such things. (seriously, im trying to figure something out till i can get a decent job. A friend of mine said i might be able to make some money making paper models with something called pepakura....)

 

[The Mighty Palm]

Offer to work for family members. They tend to be understanding, and really really appreciative when someone offers to do their chores for them.

 

[Bastrophian]

Offer to work for family members. They tend to be understanding, and really really appreciative when someone offers to do their chores for them.

Thanks, but i think this would probably work for almost anyone except me... . My family as a whole is basically dirt poor.

 

[Wavelength]

Get yourself a credit card if you don't already have one, use it to buy ONLY what you absolutely need to get back to school and not go hungry, and then work while you're there.

At some schools it will be really easily to find a job; at others the market might be saturated but you can always make some money at school if you get creative.  Offer to cook or clean for people for a few bucks (students rarely have the experience and will to do this on their own - I certainly had neither ), or tutor or take notes for people in a subject you're good at, or buy snacks at wholesale and resell them around the dorms.

Anyway, once you have that (small) income, immediately pay off as much of the credit card bill as you can every month, preferably all of it, and make absolutely sure that you never miss a minimum payment.

 

[Bastrophian]

Get yourself a credit card if you don't already have one, use it to buy ONLY what you absolutely need to get back to school and not go hungry, and then work while you're there.

At some schools it will be really easily to find a job; at others the market might be saturated but you can always make some money at school if you get creative.  Offer to cook or clean for people for a few bucks (students rarely have the experience and will to do this on their own - I certainly had neither ), or tutor or take notes for people in a subject you're good at, or buy snacks at wholesale and resell them around the dorms.

Anyway, once you have that (small) income, immediately pay off as much of the credit card bill as you can every month, preferably all of it, and make absolutely sure that you never miss a minimum payment.

Hmm...this will probably work....but i dunno, Credit Card scare me T_T . I'll look into this. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Drakemoore]

Hmm...this will probably work....but i dunno, Credit Card scare me T_T . I'll look into this. Thanks for the suggestion.

I would, if possible,  not get a credit card. It's a common mistake people make by thinking they can spend money that they don't have, and credit cards have some of the highest interest rates in the industry. If you need gas money immediately for school purposes, then ask around your friends / family for something minor, a little bit to  at least cover some gas.

If you live in the States, check for 'gigs' on craigslist, post a looking for work ad on there, ask all of the local shops within walking distance if they have any immediate work. Make some calls to people you know, even if you've not talked to them in awhile and ask if they, or anyone else has any work or side jobs.  Also contact local community organizations like Churches and ask if they know of any work, or if they'd be willing to pass along your request for work.

Offer to do work for people living in your neighborhood, anything possible like house cleaning, yard work, etc. A lot of people are willing to pay for a few hours of work if someone can get their house looking cleaner, or some weeds pulled, etc.

There's a job out there for you somewhere, even if it's just a side job, you just have to look hard enough.

 

[Wavelength]

It is true that credit cards can be a death trap, but only if you use them irresponsibly (which is easy to do, but avoidable if you're mature enough).  If you are willing to work however hard you need to to pay it off in a reasonable time, they can be a really good way to float yourself some money for a short time.

Deathmoore's suggestions are also very good, but when you say "I need gas money to drive back to school", I assume you don't have more than a week or two at home, and it can be hit-or-miss to find work that quickly (and you need to focus on heading back to school anyways), which is why I recommended the card.  If I misunderstood, and you have the time to work a little before you need that gas money, then yeah, that's the better way to do it.

There are also some commissions around here that you could easily use to make $50-$100 in a few days if you've got the talent for art or scripting, too.

 

[Drakemoore]

There are also some commissions around here that you could easily use to make $50-$100 in a few days if you've got the talent for art or scripting, too.

Also writing / proof reading commissions.

 

[LaFlibuste]

Maybe you can get people who'd need a ride from your area to your school's area to take your ride in exchange for some gas money? If you NEED to use your car and walking/biking isn't an option, I suppose people could be looking for rides there? In our parts, there even is an internet service to help connect those people, maybe there something similar for your region?

 

[byronclaude]

If you live in the states, go to CL, > Services...  post an add under 'Labor'.  Offer moving help.  (Helping people load, unload in moving jobs).

I did this when my job wasn't paying me enough.  Turns out...  the demand became so great, that I actually started making more money at the side-work than I was with my job!!!

Note:  People are lazy today...  and are willing to pay in order to stay lazy.  The demand has remained so great that I have since then bought a box-truck and am about 4 months from STARTING my OWN BUSINESS!!!  (Does happy dance).  I am still working my payroll job all the while because the moving work takes so little time (I even have time for rpgmaker)

Just a thought

 

[Bastrophian]

So.....ive been doing a little research, and so far the things ive come up with to make a little extra money are, Donating my Plasma, CraigsList (various), ....Plasma sounds painful, Craigslist seems fiddly. 

Well, Plasma it is,

@Byron- Awesome! Congrats! I'll look into that, thanks!

 

[Sharm]

Don't be scared, donating plasma is like donating blood only with a much easier recovery. Just drink plenty and you'll be fine.

 

[Mysticphoenix]

How about selling stuffs online? Second hand cell phones, shoes, phone accessories, etc.

 

[Alexander Amnell]

   Unfortunately it's a bit late in the year for this advice but if you find yourself needing money next summer still and you can invest in a cheap lawnmower and offer to mow grass, you'll likely be shocked and amazed at how much the adults in suburban families are willing to pay a willing neighbor/wandering lawncutter. I've made  as much as 20-30 per hour of work before in my youth just chugging along with a little push mower, it's hot and sweaty work but it's a simple way to make money without the requirements of schooling and experience blocking your way. 

   Another idea, although not immediately lucrative is to learn a trade on the side like electricity, carpentry, car repair or plumbing. Obviously without becoming licensed, bonded and making a career out of it you won't make much money but knowing how to maintain your own property is one of the biggest money savers in existence and exponentially reduces your cost of living like nothing else can. For this I'd recommend joining a church of all things, not one of the new youth churches but one of those where you walk in and feel like the only 20-40 year old there in a sea of oldsters and grand kids, get to know the people there and chances are there will be the odd oldster handyman or two who's made taking care of the upkeep of the poorer more struggling members of the congregation his spiritual calling and more than likely will be more than happy to teach you a thing or two in exchange for a pair of young hands. 

   Used to everybody knew a little bit of all of that stuff, but the world we live in today discourages such noble work as beneath the usual populous and discourages their young from engaging in them, which in my opinion is one of the largest contributors to why the cost of living is viewed as such a large, disproportionate mountain compared to the minimum wage. I've gained this opinion by hanging out with the type of old handymen I'm referring to, my dad gave me a good start luckily but when he passed when I was twelve I took solace in continuing from the foundation he started by doing just that, one of the greatest strengths of religion that I've witnessed in my life is the inspiration to help others that it implants in it's fervent followers, whether you are spiritual or not just be honest and find these wonderful, wise people who devote their retirements to helping others with the trades they've practiced all their lives. They aren't hard to find and most of them bemoan the state of the world today where next to no one seems to know how to take care of themselves without the use of a giant pile of money. More so they are eager to pass on their wisdom in most cases, and it's only the ignorance of our younger generations that stagnate that knowledge. (not only that but if you found yourself actually liking that kind of work with a little experience you could easily make a career out of it in the future, construction in all facets is a high demand job populated primarily by people 50+ at the moment because there just isn't enough young blood that takes an interest in the work, so full on the lies of college = success anything else = failure mentality our society today imposes on it's youth to frighten them into going 100k+ in debt to get that degree.)

 

[Bastrophian]

Don't be scared, donating plasma is like donating blood only with a much easier recovery. Just drink plenty and you'll be fine.

@Sharm- I was gonna go today, but im a little stuck helping another friend unlock her house. What do they even do with Plasma anyway....

How about selling stuffs online? Second hand cell phones, shoes, phone accessories, etc.

@Pheonix- Im thinking about selling this old game cube, and ps2 and some games. Anybody interested? Their a little dusty but they still work. 

   Unfortunately it's a bit late in the year for this advice but if you find yourself needing money next summer still and you can invest in a cheap lawnmower and offer to mow grass, you'll likely be shocked and amazed at how much the adults in suburban families are willing to pay a willing neighbor/wandering lawncutter. I've made  as much as 20-30 per hour of work before in my youth just chugging along with a little push mower, it's hot and sweaty work but it's a simple way to make money without the requirements of schooling and experience blocking your way. 

   Another idea, although not immediately lucrative is to learn a trade on the side like electricity, carpentry, car repair or plumbing. Obviously without becoming licensed, bonded and making a career out of it you won't make much money but knowing how to maintain your own property is one of the biggest money savers in existence and exponentially reduces your cost of living like nothing else can. For this I'd recommend joining a church of all things, not one of the new youth churches but one of those where you walk in and feel like the only 20-40 year old there in a sea of oldsters and grand kids, get to know the people there and chances are there will be the odd oldster handyman or two who's made taking care of the upkeep of the poorer more struggling members of the congregation his spiritual calling and more than likely will be more than happy to teach you a thing or two in exchange for a pair of young hands. 

   Used to everybody knew a little bit of all of that stuff, but the world we live in today discourages such noble work as beneath the usual populous and discourages their young from engaging in them, which in my opinion is one of the largest contributors to why the cost of living is viewed as such a large, disproportionate mountain compared to the minimum wage. I've gained this opinion by hanging out with the type of old handymen I'm referring to, my dad gave me a good start luckily but when he passed when I was twelve I took solace in continuing from the foundation he started by doing just that, one of the greatest strengths of religion that I've witnessed in my life is the inspiration to help others that it implants in it's fervent followers, whether you are spiritual or not just be honest and find these wonderful, wise people who devote their retirements to helping others with the trades they've practiced all their lives. They aren't hard to find and most of them bemoan the state of the world today where next to no one seems to know how to take care of themselves without the use of a giant pile of money. More so they are eager to pass on their wisdom in most cases, and it's only the ignorance of our younger generations that stagnate that knowledge. (not only that but if you found yourself actually liking that kind of work with a little experience you could easily make a career out of it in the future, construction in all facets is a high demand job populated primarily by people 50+ at the moment because there just isn't enough young blood that takes an interest in the work, so full on the lies of college = success anything else = failure mentality our society today imposes on it's youth to frighten them into going 100k+ in debt to get that degree.)

@Alaxander- Thats the kind of stuff id like to learn anyway... :< but no body i know ever seems to have the time, not even the guys at my church.