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Column by Andy Milligan
miligana@findlay.edu
As college students, I’m sure that most of us know what it’s like to be strapped for cash- especially around the holidays. After all, you can’t leave anyone out, and buying the PERFECT gift for everyone is even MORE stressful on a budget.
Maybe you didn’t do your diligence and save throughout the year, or exam week hit you extra hard and you needed to buy yourself that new pair of kicks to keep your spirits up (Hey, it happens!)
Either way, you need money for gifts- fast. Well, here are the top three side hustles for students to make your bank account, and your loved ones, happy come Christmas day.
Babysitting
Most of us know families or have friends with kids, and especially around this time of year, they could use a break from the kids!! While you are home for break, offer (or kindly hint that a date night is LONG overdue) and bam, you have yourself a reliable side gig that you can come home to. And who knows? You may make a special relationship with their kids, and it is a great chance to be a role model.
Donate Plasma
Findlay has a plasma donation service located at 1789 E. Melrose Ave., and many students have signed up to donate, and it can pay as well!
You can book multiple visits, and although it can be uncomfortable at times, and is a bit time-consuming, you are free to do schoolwork while doing the transfer.
If you have any questions or want to investigate booking an appointment, you can check them out at https://www.biolifeplasma.com.
Tutoring
If you’re on top of your schoolwork (Well, congratulations, you’re doing better than most) but there may also be a great opportunity to tutor for other students here at Findlay. There are postings on WorkDay for tutoring positions in math, science, and literacy. It’s a great way to help others, meet new people, and make a buck on the side for gifts.
Housesitting
Especially for introverts, housesitting is a great way to make money over the holidays. If you happen to know an affluent family or person, they often take trips and leave their houses around the holidays. Oftentimes, these people pay you just to check in and make sure things are running smoothly. Sometimes, you may not even have to spend the night and be lonely- just check in, maybe feed the pets, and shut the lights off. Plus, this job can come with lots of benefits, like free food- but make sure your employer knows you are raiding the fridge. It is also a passive source of income to help give you some spare change over the holidays.
Get a campus job!
There are ALWAYS jobs available here on campus, and they are always available to students via the portal on WorkDay. There is also a HUGE variety of choices- whether you want to tutor, work in the library, work on the maintenance team outdoors, or even work in the barns, there are always opportunities. A few of these jobs are even remote and can be done over the holidays!
Dontworkanotherday.com offers a list of ideas on how to make some holiday cash. Some of those include:
- Food delivery
- Setup Christmas Lights
- Wrap Gifts for Cash
- Make Christmas Cards
- Complete Gift Shopping
- Deliver Groceries with Instacart
- Pick Up a Seasonal Job
- Become a Mall Santa
- Take Online Surveys
- Work as a Holiday Helper for Amazon, UPS, or FEDEX
- Sell Christmas Cookies
- Offer Christmas Photos
- Clean Homes for Cash
- Sell Old Gift Cards for Cash
All things said, there are so many opportunities to make money in the society and environment we live in- we really don’t have any excuse for being broke around the holidays. In case you needed any ideas, here are a few ideas to get you started and make some dough to give back to your loved ones.
It’s time to get to work this holiday season! Merry Christmas from everyone at the Pulse.
