Do you often think about your future? Do you plan on how you can make money and afford the lifestyle you hope to achieve? Well, if you answered no, you probably should start thinking. I personally am constantly thinking about different ways I can make money to save up for my college years and future. I work every day 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and also teach three dance classes to elementary students weekly. These two things give me a steady income as a high school student, and I have the opportunity to build up my bank account. You need money to live, which is why it is a necessity to always be seeking ways to earn some yourself.
I have been brainstorming different ideas to make even more money (besides having a normal job) before I go to college. These are all really easy and beneficial.
The first one is selling clothes/items you do not use anymore. This is something so easy, you can post your clothes online or have them at a yard sale. Each item should not be priced ridiculously, especially if they have been worn. Make sure not to try to sell any clothes that are too worn out or have any stains, tears, etc. This could make people feel different about purchasing your clothes and just does not give off a good look. I am a dancer and have been forever, so I will also be getting rid of all of my dance leotards, leggings, shorts, and other apparel that dancers at my studio may be interested in. Not only do you earn money from doing this, but you get rid of clothes you do not need anymore. I typically do a closet clean out every few months. It gives me money and more room for new clothes.
The next easy way to make money is to offer yourself as a babysitter. I personally do not do this, but I know it is something easy to start that other people may be interested in doing. Babysitting can be fun: you get to play house for a few hours. If you get to babysit at night, I have heard that is even better. You put the kids to bed and then relax on the couch watching TV or scrolling on your phone and get paid to do so. If you do not like kids this would not be best for you, but if you do not have any other forms of income then you should be willing to do anything.
The next idea that is easy enough, can be used in high school or in college. Since we live in a small town, it would probably be best to do this in your college town however. It is UberEats, Grubhub, or DoorDash. These are all food delivery services. It might not sound great at first, but all that’s to it is to check the app for orders, get in your car, go to the restaurant to pick up the food and drop it off on the clients doorstep. You get paid to drive your own car and pick something up for somebody. You can listen to your own music, have friends with you, and basically do whatever you want. Another good part is that you do not have to do it all the time. If you are bored and see somebody ordered, then you can offer to be the worker to get it. I plan on doing this in college if I ever need a few extra bucks, or if you just don’t have anything else to do. Someone who partook in this job told me they made $200 in one night before, so it must be worth it.
The last idea is to start your own small business. Be a little entrepreneur. Corry alumni has done this themselves. One graduate of 2023 has advertised her own photography business, in which she holds photoshoots and takes appointments when she comes home from college. By the looks of it, it seems pretty successful. You do need to invest and purchase a camera and you need to have a type of way to edit, but it looks promising enough that she is earning all of the money back from that. Another graduate of 2023 is advertising her own knitting business. She posted pictures of beautifully crocheted blankets. She included the price, and has a variety of yarn colors to choose from. You do not have to do these two specific things, but something like this could be easy and fun for you. If there is something that interests you that you are good at and could profit off of it, then try it out.
I personally am lucky enough to have received a high enough scholarship that my parents offered to pay for the rest of my college bills. Why is that relevant? Because even though my parents are doing me a huge favor, I still am always eager to get more money to save up to ensure that I have the future I dream of. If you currently have absolutely no flow of money, I don’t know how you are living without having an anxiety attack about it every five minutes. Because if I, someone who has their college covered and am employed, is always worried about getting even more money, then you definitely should be, too. Even if the money will just be used to splurge on trending items, buy concert tickets, or buy Starbucks, extra money is always nice. You do not have to put every dollar made into savings; go ahead and give yourselves fun experiences. But without any income, you have a lot less opportunity. Take this advice and go get paid!
