I can't take it anymore.

[EyeSeeCold]

I'm ready to work my ass off just to have a place of my own. I'm so desperate....I'm seriously gonna freak out if I don't leave soon. .

I need advice guys.

What are the best jobs for working while still in school? Should I take up two jobs? Other ways to generate income?

So far I know I could donate plasma, and I have financial aid, that'll cover my personal/food expenses and probably backup rent money.

 

[ApostateAbe]

Maybe the most important thing is to find a room with cheap rent. Comb through craigslist, newspaper classifieds, college bulletin boards, and ask around to find the cheapest room. Eat cheap--white rice will be your main staple. Ask the Asians you know where you can find a good rice cooker for cheap. Every Asian has a good rice cooker. If not, then of course Walmart.

Now to find a job. Your college may have a department, an employment center or something, that has leads on campus jobs. If you can be computer lab monitor, that would be your best option. You can spend most of the time on the job sitting at a computer doing school work. School has got to remain your second highest priority, just below eating. Some people can handle two jobs and school, but I wouldn't, and I probably wouldn't be qualified for graduate school and sufficient financial aid if I did that--you need to keep your grades up. Contact someone in the IT department or a current lab monitor to get some leads. Generally, campus jobs are your best opportunity, since they are much more available to students than to outsiders. If not on campus, then you can get the best leads on local jobs at your city's employment office, set up to help citizens like you find jobs and businesses find job seekers.

 

[Fraywing]

Oh man, I have been in this situation before. I've been in an almost panicked state trying to formulate ideas and abstract ways to create funds from air.

Honestly a good way to make some money fast is doing sales door-to-door. You do it whenever you want and it obeys your schedule. I did it one year and made really good money. Look up a security system sales group in your area (depending on where you are at) and go into a neighborhood and try to convince someone to buy a security system. You'll make like 350+ a sale. (you'll also learn alot about yourself in the process )

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Maybe the most important thing is to find a room with cheap rent. Comb through craigslist, newspaper classifieds, college bulletin boards, and ask around to find the cheapest room. Eat cheap--white rice will be your main staple. Ask the Asians you know where you can find a good rice cooker for cheap. Every Asian has a good rice cooker. If not, then of course Walmart.

Now to find a job. Your college may have a department, an employment center or something, that has leads on campus jobs.

Damn, I had the phone number of some renters..I hope I can find it, $700/month. I'll go see what my college has in terms of jobs. They gave me a paper but I think I threw that away.

Honestly a good way to make some money fast is doing sales door-to-door. You do it whenever you want and it obeys your schedule. I did it one year and made really good money. Look up a security system sales group in your area (depending on where you are at) and go into a neighborhood and try to convince someone to buy a security system. You'll make like 350+ a sale. (you'll also learn alot about yourself in the process )

As profitable as that sounds, there's no way I could do that. I'm no good at persuasion as I really don't care about other's intentions.

 

[ApostateAbe]

Damn, I had the phone number of some renters..I hope I can find it, $700/month. I'll go see what my college has in terms of jobs. They gave me a paper but I think I threw that away.

I am not sure exactly where you live in California, but $700 seems too expensive regardless. I lived in the University District in Seattle where I found a room in a shared house for $375. It was barely bigger than a closet (maybe it once was a closet a few decades ago), but it was all I needed. Landlords who know what they are doing require that you have a monthly income that is at least three times the rent.

 

[s0nystyle]

If he lives in socal $700 seems rather low from what i've seen. Are you attending a college up north or down south? Ill see if i can find you a place, i know boat loads of people who are looking for roomates in San Diego.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

2 year community, near the beaches. Socal
For a rented room $700 does seem like a lot. The ad said they wouldn't be in the house much because of school. I'm guessing it was full house renting.

 

[s0nystyle]

2 year community, near the beaches. Socal
For a rented room $700 does seem like a lot. The ad said they wouldn't be in the house much because of school. I'm guessing it was full house renting.

try asking alice(aka emily), she's transferring next semester i believe and might have an open room @ her place. Are you going to community in the OC? If so you might be able to crash @ my place b/c we have an open room ever since my sister moved out, don't know about the rent situation tho have to talk with the owners about that.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

That's way too far. I'm closer to the Palos Verdes peninsula, the area is called the South Bay.

 

[s0nystyle]

WOW palos verdes? thats REALLY far, its somewhere by santa monica right? >.> k nvm then sorry i couldnt be of halp

 

[ApostateAbe]

I don't know your situation, but moving and transferring to another college may be a sound option, especially if it is difficult to get by with the high rent. People who live in such areas tend to lose more money than they gain, dropping further into debt. That should not be first experience out of your parent's home.

 

[Inappropriate Behavior]

I take it whoring or drug dealing are out of the question?

Well if you can stand the crowds or the noise, bartenders make far more money than they deserve. I worked as one in college for a short while and pulled in as much as $750 on a single Friday night. It isn't easy working a college bar but still, a months rent in one night...

Otherwise I'd follow up on Apostate's initial idea if I were you. And do live within your means as well.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I don't know your situation, but moving and transferring to another college may be a sound option, especially if it is difficult to get by with the high rent. People who live in such areas tend to lose more money than they gain, dropping further into debt. That should not be first experience out of your parent's home.

I don't have enough credits yet for a 2 year transfer, so I'm pretty skeptical about leaving the college I'm already at.

I take it whoring or drug dealing are out of the question?

Well if you can stand the crowds or the noise, bartenders make far more money than they deserve. I worked as one in college for a short while and pulled in as much as $750 on a single Friday night. It isn't easy working a college bar but still, a months rent in one night...

I could sell my body to science .
That sounds profitable, I wonder how hard it is to find an open position though.

 

[ApostateAbe]

I don't have enough credits yet for a 2 year transfer, so I'm pretty skeptical about leaving the college I'm already at.

You don't need an even two years to transfer and make all or almost all of your credits count. You will probably want to complete the quarter that you started, if you can tough it out with your parents for a little longer. Talk to your academic adviser about it, if you have one, or talk to someone in the registrar's office.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

You're talking about a lower division(first year) transfer right? If so, yeah I've thought about it, I'm looking at universities, but I just need a scholarship or student loan.

 

[Dansk]

Roommates may drive you mental, but they're also the cheapest way to live. I had my own apartment for eight months and it was possibly the worst decision I'd ever made, I had no money to do anything. Everything I earned at work bought me rent and food, end of story. It was the most boring and stressful winter I've ever been through.