Not sure how you’re going to pay for college? Don’t have enough in financial aid or regular scholarships? It’s time to start thinking outside the box. We came up with a few ways to  make money that don’t require you to beg, borrow, or steal. Sure, they’re a little odd, but they’re also pretty reliable, too! Keep reading to learn more.
Paying for college isn’t as cut and dry as it really should be. With a little creative legwork, you can use clinical trials, teenage side hustles, and off-the-wall scholarships to pay your way through. We’ll tell you how to get involved with these options to better your bank account below the fold.
There are Plenty of Unique Ways to Pay for College and Most of Your Friends Haven’t Thought of Them Yet.
Don’t want to graduate with a mountain of student loan over your head? Simply don’t have the money to go to school or the means to even get a loan? There are plenty of things you can do to pay for your classes – especially if you are willing to think outside the box and get a little creative.
Explore Clinical Trials
The National Institutes of Health run ClinicalTrials.gov, a database where a lot of clinical trials are listed. You can often find them on Craigslist and other websites, too. Acting like a human guinea pig may seem off the wall, but it can be pretty lucrative, too. If your school has a medical program, you may want to check with them or with the psychology department. There is always someone willing to pay for a study participant and you stand to bank anywhere from $300 to $750+ if you are chosen to participate in a session.
Mow Those Lawns
Seriously. It’s not just a job for tweens and teens. As a matter of fact, some people are more comfortable hiring older teens and young adults for what is sometimes perceived as a somewhat dangerous task. Find access to a lawn mower (borrow a good one in exchange for mowing the owner’s lawn for free), and start mowing. Gene Caballero did so well he graduated college debt-free. Now he runs Your Green Pal, an app you can use to make yourself available to mow lawns Uber-style.
Look for Weird Scholarships
Think outside the box when it comes to looking for scholarships. Sure, there are plenty out there for academics, minority groups, and athletes – but what if those aren’t enough?
Look for the bizarre, and don’t be afraid to apply. Duct Tape sponsors a contest every year for prom goers who make prom attire out of Duct Tape with scholarships as prizes. Other colleges have scholarships for left-handed students, or students with weird talents. Don’t be afraid to dig a little deeper for scholarships that will reward your unique interests and characteristics.
College takes work – and that includes paying for it. Keep your eyes peeled and you may be surprised at the unique ways you can make it through your four years without accumulating a ton of debt. With ways to make money, there’s nothing holding you back from signing up to start your program right now.
