If you’re starting from nothing as a college student, you’ll have to work hard. There’s no question about the effort you’ll have to put in. However, it’s not impossible to creatively sustain yourself. You don’t have to be a broke college student who’s reliant upon loans to survive. It’s okay if your parents don’t have tons of money saved up for your college tuition either. There are ways to successfully work your way through school, maintain a great GPA and become financially responsible.
Table of Contents
Time Management
If there’s an area that any adult can work on, it’s the art of time management. So many people waste time on frivolous activities like the mindless social media scroll. Instead, be intentional with the time you have. Develop a schedule that allows you to work efficiently within the hours that work best for you. Make sure you’re taking care of your body by eating right and exercising. It’s also essential to get lots of rest. When you’re a sleep-deprived college student, you’ll decrease your chances of optimal productivity.
Income Streams
Never solely rely on one stream of income. This is an excellent lesson to learn while you’re in college. If you’re relying on one stream of income, you’re living dangerously. If you lost your job, you’d end up homeless. When you’re in college, it might seem impossible to figure out how you can develop streams of income. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to get started. Even if you just have $10, head over to the local thrift store to purchase a few items. Whether it’s a stylish pair of boots or a vintage sweater, take pictures to post the items on sites like eBay and Poshmark. Once you make a sale, use the profits to reinvest. As you build up your inventory, you’ll be able to create a formidable income stream. Most thrift stores have walls of random bags. Those bags can have items like beauty products to toys inside. You can easily buy a bag or two for a dollar each. Use the eBay or the Amazon app to see how much those items are selling for. Once you’re clear on the potential profit you can make, go ahead and purchase the items. You can even resell certain beauty products that are half-way filled like perfume, lotion and body wash. It’s best to avoid used makeup though. You want to maintain some sanitary practices. Reselling is an example of an income stream that the average college student can build into a lucrative opportunity. As more money comes, use a portion of the money to continue reselling. However, pivot to create another income stream. As you pace yourself and work efficiently, you’ll be able to manage and increase your income exponentially.
Marketing Strategies
If people don’t know about your products or services, they won’t be able to buy them. Develop strong marketing strategies to promote. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. Talk about what you’re selling. When it’s good, you’ll want the world to know about it. You can develop a few accounts on different social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. It’s wise to choose platforms that work well for your audience. If you’re selling beauty products to Millennials, you’ll want to hang out on a platform like Instagram the most. Maintain a great website that serves as its own form of marketing. In addition to capturing leads with a great opt-in incentive, your site needs to be functional. If you’re selling lots of merchandise, research the differences between big commerce enterprise vs shopify plus to figure out which option works the best for your company’s needs. As you pay attention to those details, your client base will appreciate the attention to detail. When they have great interactions with your company, they will serve as promoters for your business. Word-of-mouth marketing is the best way to go because it’s fully reliant on the customer’s experience.
Systems
When you’re looking to maintain a strong sense of organization, you’ll have to create systems. Develop a rhythm surrounding the times you work more efficiently. If you have a blog that’s bringing in money, you’ll want to make sure you have a system to manage the comment sections, brand partnerships and more. Whether you are replying to every single customer or a virtual assistant is, develop a system that allows you to work smarter instead of harder. After all, you are in college. There’s no reason why you’ll want to crumble under the effects of burn-out. Whether you’re dealing with budgeting or working with your accountant, you’ll want to maintain systems for your finances as well. An excellent financial advisor will even show you some of the greatest and most efficient ways to invest your money so that it works for you in the long run. The sooner you start investing, the better off you’ll be in the future.
