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4 Easy Ways College Students Can Invest

May 21, 2018 Wise Dollar College No comments

It?s no secret that the average college student doesn?t have a lot of disposable income. In fact, most are up to their eyeballs in debt long before graduation day comes.

Despite having debt, some college students have the desire to start investing early for their futures. Considering the bleak outlook for social security benefits it shouldn?t come as a surprise to the rest of us.

Nevertheless, investing may seem complicated and it can be intimidating to some. Fortunately, there are four easy ways college students can invest.

1. Micro Investing

One of the easy ways college students can invest is by micro investing. Since they lack money in general, micro investing is a way they can start with very little cash.

Stash Invest has an app that allows them to essentially invest spare change. It links to their bank account you can start investing with as little as $5.

You get to select from a grouping of ETFs and stocks and invest based on your goals and tolerance for risk.

2. Fractional Investing

Another easy way college students can invest is through fractional investing. Some stocks they may want to invest in are thousands per share. In the past this has made investing in them a dream for college students on a limited budget.

But with apps like Stockpile, they can sign up free and start investing in their favorite choices with as little as $5.00. What?s more there are no monthly fees or minimums beyond that. It?s a fast, easy, and fun way to start investing.

3. 401(k)

There are employers that offer a 401(k) retirement plan to their employees. If a college student is lucky enough to have a job where this is offered they should sign up.

Most likely a percentage of their pay will need to be contributed. However, this is deducted before taxes are withheld. Then, the employer may offer to add funds as well if the student matches the same percentage.

College students who take advantage of this option can choose which funds to invest in. They can also place money in faster growing funds or some with lower risks.

4. Robo-advisors

Robo-advisors should be counted as one of the easy ways college students can invest. The trading fees are low and they do most of the work for their investors. This makes them a perfect choice for busy college students.

Most robo-advisors have very low minimum investment requirements. In fact, you can invest with Betterment with no minimum balance required.

Students can access their investment accounts easily and on the go from an app right on their phones. This lets them check on their investments whenever they have a few free minutes.

Additional Thoughts

While it?s true that college students should begin investing as soon as possible, they also need to learn to manage their money responsibly.

If they do not already have budgeting skills they should talk to a peer, take a class, or research about budgeting methods. Then, they should set up their own budget and continue tweaking it until they have a system that works for their needs.

Furthermore, they need to control their spending and keep their debt as low as possible. They should set financial goals that are achievable and can also be re-evaluated as time passes.

Investing for retirement in any market while still in school is not a bad idea for college students. However, they should know it needs to be a life-long process and done in coordination with other money management tactics.

Do you feel it is wise for college students to start investing? How else can college students invest?

Photo courtesy of: freestocks-photos

10 Perfect Side Hustles for College Students

December 4, 2017 Wise Dollar College, Side Gigs No comments

The cost of a college education is not cheap. Students who make it all the way to graduation may end up owing thousands in student loan debt, making it hard to make ends meet once they get out into the real world.

To avoid debt, or just earn some extra cash, many students look for jobs. However, college students face unique challenges when it comes to making money.

Classes and practice schedules can make holding down a regular job all but impossible. Traveling back to their hometown on the occasional weekend or holiday may make it difficult to get hired as well.

If any of this hits home because you are facing the same problems, there are some solutions. Below are 10 perfect side hustles for college students that can help.

1. Babysitting

Babysitting is not just for the young teenager. Many parents are looking for sitters who have more experience, especially if their kids are energetic or have special needs.

Being good with kids and having experience could get you hired to care for children in your off school hours. You might even be able to get some of your homework done at the same time and still fit everything into your hectic schedule.

2. Tutoring

When you have a lot of knowledge in some subjects, such as math, you may be able to use that to your advantage. Hire yourself out as a tutor to others who need help and make some money to pay your bills at the same time.

Usually if you are good at what you do you can set your own hours with this side hustle. Additionally, the more success your students have the more you can get paid for this service.

3. Online Surveys

This side hustle doesn?t require a lot of skills and can definitely be done when you have a hectic schedule. Some survey sites pay only a few dollars for reviews on their products and other pay significantly more.

Some good ones to get started with are?Pro Opinion?and Opinion Outpost. You can also use a site like Swagbucks to take surveys, watch videos and more.

Obviously you will need a computer for this side hustle, but as a college student you likely already have one so why not put it to work for you?

4. Use Your Voice

Did you know you could hire out your voice? There are people and businesses that will pay you to do their podcasts and other voice over work from your own home or apartment.

5. Sell Photos

Perhaps you love to take pictures. You can sell your photos online for extra cash and fit it into your schedule whenever it works for you.

The amount of money you make for selling photos will vary, but you could earn as much as half the selling price.

6. Dog Walking

If you consider animals to be some of your best friends, maybe you should try making money becoming a dog walker. This side hustle is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, get your furry fix, and still get all of your studying done.

7. Tailoring

Experience with a needle and thread or sewing machine can benefit you as a side hustle when you are in college. Advertise a few times, do a good job mending or tailoring and you will be making money in a stitch.

8. Baking

Lots of busy people need baking or cooking done and have no time to do it. If you love to cook and are good at it, hire yourself out to others for this service.

You may be able to do the cooking in between classes and in the evenings to make the money you need. Let others sample your work to help you get started.

9. Cleaning

Although this is not a glamorous side hustle it is one that many people have the need for. If you have experience and are good at cleaning this side hustle is a great one you can do on your own schedule.

10. Car Detailing

Many people don?t take the time to clean their cars inside and out even though the need is there. You may not need a lot of equipment to do this side hustle either, but a little elbow grease may be required.

Even though crazy schedules can make working difficult for college students, there are ways it can be done. Try out one of these 10 perfect side hustles for college students to help you keep debt down and earn extra cash.

What other side hustles might be perfect for college students?

Photo courtesy of: sasint

5 Ways to Pay Off Student Loans Faster

June 21, 2017 Wise Dollar College No comments

Graduating from college is a great step toward a strong financial future. College graduates tend to make significantly more money over the course of their careers than do those only holding a high school education.

However, for most people, college graduation comes with a price ? student loans. Most people leave college with at least some amount of student loan debt, which can be tough when you are living on a modest salary to start your adult life.

So, is there a way to pay off student loans faster?in order to free yourself from this debt? While you might not be able to pay them down as quickly as you would like, the following tips should help you cut into this debt faster than your friends.

1. Make Extra Payments

Okay ? so this might be a somewhat obvious point, but it is important because some people do not know that they can make extra payments each month. When submitting your payment, consider adding even a small amount to cut down on your principal. The extra money you submit will be applied to the principal of the loan, so it will go directly to pay off student loans faster.

2. Live Modestly

While you are still under the pressure of student loan debt, resist the temptation to spend beyond your means. Start out of college by living somewhere affordable and taking on as few other debts as possible. As the years go by, your earning potential should increase and you should be able to afford more and more luxuries in life without jeopardizing your financial well-being.

3. Side Work

These days, it is easy to find a ?side hustle?. While it used to be difficult to take on a part-time job in addition to your full-time employment, the story has changed in the modern world. Look for a part-time job online or at a location near you to make it as convenient as possible. If you dedicate this extra money to your student loans, you can pay off student loans faster than you thought possible.

4. Stick with the Payment Schedule

Most student loans will allow you to restructure the payment schedule in order to extend the life of the loan ? and reduce the monthly payment amount. This is a good option if you simply can?t make the monthly obligation, but do your best to avoid going down this road. It is preferable to stick with the payment schedule in order to get rid of the loan as quickly as you can.

5. Create a Budget

If you fall behind on your finances overall, you might wind up having to delay your student loan payment schedule ? meaning you will be making payments for longer overall. By living on a budget, and sticking to that budget, you can avoid getting into trouble down the line. Be consistent with your budget from month to month and prioritize debt payments over other expenditures.

There are ways to pay off student loans faster so you don’t have to be stuck with them for years to come.

What are you doing to pay off student loans faster??When will your student loans be paid off?

Photo courtesy of: maura24

3 Ways to Pay Off Student Loans Quicker

June 15, 2016 Wise Dollar College, Debt One comment

Getting a college degree is a great way to start off your adult life. People who hold degrees tend to make significantly more money over the course of a lifetime than do people with only a high school education.

Of course, in many cases, some of those extra earnings are directed toward student loans which have been racked up in order to pay for college. If you have a significant amount of student loan debt that you would like to get off of your shoulders, consider these three tips?to help you pay off student loans quicker.

Make Them a Priority

Simply put, you can pay off your student loans faster if you decide to move them up in your budget ?priority list.’

Everyone has to make budget choices on a day to day basis, so keeping your student loans near the front of your mind can go a long way toward paying them off sooner.

For example, instead of going out for dinner tonight, you could choose to eat at home and use the $20 you saved to pay down your loans. While that might not seem like much, it can quickly add up in a big way. If you make that choice once per week for an entire year, you will have saved more than $1,000 that could be used toward your student loans. These decisions might not be fun in the short-term, but they will feel great in the long run when you are able to work your way out from under the debt you accrued.

Earn Extra Money Online

There are a number of ways to earn money online these days ? and you could choose to use one of those methods in order to make extra payments on your student loans. For instance, you could pick up some freelance work in a field in which you are trained, and you could set that money aside for student loan payments.

Even if you are only able to spend a little bit of time on this kind of work each day, you may be able to make a big dent after just a short period of time. Of course, there are a number of ?make money from home? scams around the web, so make sure you are pursuing a legitimate work from home opportunity. As a good rule of thumb, you shouldn?t have to invest any money upfront in order to work. If you are being asked for money, consider that a red flag that the ?opportunity? you have found is not a good one.

Save on Home and Car

If you aren?t yet locked into a mortgage or a big car payment, consider living in a smaller place or driving a cheaper car until you are able to pay off your loans. By keeping your expenses on these big items to a minimum, you should be able to clear our space in your budget for extra payments on your student loans.

Once your loans have been satisfied, you can then consider upgrading in one or both of these departments if you wish.

Have you done any of these things to help pay off student loans? What else can you do to help pay off student loans quicker?

Photo courtesy of:?Wokandapix

How to Survive College by Tutoring Online

June 15, 2016 Wise Dollar College No comments

The current economic climate has left a lot of people feeling a bit tight on their budgets. To some, this can only be a mild inconvenience that stops them from an occasional indulgence. To others, it can become a matter of survival.

While it is not unsound advice to encourage thriftiness and frugality for college students, this is not always an option. For those who need to throw hundreds of dollars on textbooks, it means passing down on good health care or a healthy meal.

These kind of situations can generate anxiety and stress for most college students ? which ends up affecting their academic performance.

Most college students are already juggling their education and one part- or full-time job to make ends meet. ?This, in itself, is quite remarkable, especially when you consider the huge academic loads they are also carrying. For this reason alone, it might be very hard for a student to take a second job, even if having an extra income would help their cause

Now, we all know that sacrifices must be made at some point in our lives to hopefully enjoy a better future. And, while these students are definitely investing in their future well-being, their present state should also be considered. Working yourself half-to-death for books and tuition could end up causing more harm than good in the long run.

This is why you should consider online tutoring to help you make ends meet and survive college.

Online Tutoring as a Way to Catch a Break

The good thing is, though, that college students possess two qualities that make them the perfect candidates to serve as online tutors: the knowledge they have acquired during their year in college and the experience of navigating the world that they acquired, well, since before they went on to college.

Also, chances are that most students have, at least, some informal teaching experience; whether it be from explaining something to a fellow classmate or an underclassman. And, even when this is lacking, they have first-hand experience being taught and have, for sure, determined which methods are more effective when it comes to transmitting knowledge.

What are the Advantages of Online Tutoring?

For college students, the most clear-cut advantage to online tutoring is the flexible schedule they?d be allowed to take. Since online tutors select their own working hours, they will never have to worry about their routines clashing. See, with online tutoring, the tutor gets to decide what times of the day will be devoted to the work. So, for days that are completely hectic, the student would have the freedom to simply not check-in to work. And, in the days of complete leisure, the student could choose to spend their entire day devoted to the work.

Another advantage is the freedom to choose which subjects to teach about. A student with a current major in Literature, for example, could teach English and Writing while a student with a major in Business Administration, could teach economics and finances. And, for those with multidisciplinary talents, could make their teaching experience as varied as they?d like because while the tutors can choose to specialize in their areas of interest, this does not limit their ability to take on other subjects.

Where to Settle In?

If you do decide to take on the task, there are different platforms available that will let you set up shop. The signup process is usually rather simple: register, create your profile, and set your rates. Now, depending on the platform the modality of teaching might change which is why I?d recommend you to go through as many in order to find your perfect fit. For first time tutors, the best options can be:

WizIQ offers various ways for you to handle your tutoring business. Here, you will be able to set up private classes or group lectures. You choose your hourly rates for both kind of lectures,
Studypool lets you handle tutoring on a Question and Answer basis. You bid to take control of a question and then get paid once you have answered. Notebank, a feature which allows you to upload your notes, and get paid by those who wish to buy them.
BuddySchool like WizIQ, lets you choose between personal and group lectures. It has its own grading system which students use to give you a score depending on your performance. The higher you score, the greater the amount of students coming your way will be.

Keep in mind that your attitude will be as important as your knowledge. Be kind with your student and, if you can, bask in the noble pursuit that is sharing information. This kind of job might not just fill your pockets but also your soul. Oh, and one more thing: Never forget to spend wisely.

Have you ever done any online tutoring? Did you consider online tutoring to make money in college?

Photo courtesy of: Unsplash

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