Photo by Joseph Gonzalez on Unsplash
As you close out the first semester, you’re probably looking forward to some rest and relaxation over your fall break, right? Right. But here’s something I want you to think about: You really don’t want to spend your entire break lying around or wasting time watching TV.
If you get too used to the feeling of having no responsibilities, restarting school could be a rude awakening. On the other hand, there’s a countless number of ways you can spend your break productively — and even save or earn some serious cash! Let’s talk about some of them:
Cook at Home – Commit to eating at home for your entire break. Host a potluck with your friends to test out the cooking skills you’ve learned.
Hang Christmas Lights – It’s time to earn some money before the approaching Christmas season. Find a friend who also wants to make extra money and offer your decorating services to neighbors, your friends’ parents, and your church community.
Run Errands for Neighbors – Let your neighbors know you’ll be home for fall break and see what errands you can run for them. Do they need their groceries picked up? Do they need you to return items to Target? Busy families will love this service!
Teach Your Skills – Do you know how to play drums? Do you speak Spanish? Teach your skills to others. This is something you could do to make some serious cash!
Clean Cars – Ask your parents or family to promote your car service at their workplaces and schedule washing a few cars a day in the parking lot of their offices. This will be convenient for the customer, and you can hitch a ride with family to save money on gas.
Mow Lawns – Lawn maintenance is time-consuming — and an important task when guests are arriving for the holiday season. Offer to rake leaves and mow lawns during your time off.
Tutor – Do you excel at a subject in high school? Offer your tutoring services to students who need help in that subject.
Turn Your Hobby into Cash – Are you crafty or a great baker? Are you a painter? Sell your items on Facebook or at the local farmers market.
Volunteer – Spend your break volunteering at your local food bank, library, or animal shelter. If you’re busy helping others, you’ll be less likely to blow money on going out. More importantly, you’ll be making a difference in your community.
Case Your Closet – Take a good look in your closet for items like clothes or old gaming systems to see what you can part with and sell what you can.
House-Sitting – It’s the holiday season, so that means many people are going to visit family and will need someone to watch their house. Since this doesn’t require a lot of time, pair it with another one of my moneymaking tips, and you’ll be rolling in cash!
Pressure Wash Driveways and/or Houses – Everyone wants their house to look good during the holidays. Borrow or rent a pressure washer and offer to clean neighbors’ driveways and vinyl siding. If you can, hand out flyers for your services a few weeks before break so you can get started right away.
Meal Prep for Others – If you’re a good cook and a planner, you are a busy family’s best friend. Post on local Facebook parenting and neighborhood groups and start making meal plans and casseroles. But here are a couple of safety tips: First, always meet for meal delivery in a safe place or have someone you know go with you if you don’t know the person. Also, check to be sure you’re in compliance with any local or state laws regarding food health and storage.
Job Shadow – Find a professional in your area with a career that interests you and request to shadow them on the job during break. Pack your lunch daily to save money while gaining knowledge to move forward in a career.
Apply for Scholarships – It’s never too early to start researching or applying for scholarships for college or summer programs. You’ll thank yourself for using your time wisely!
Anthony O'Neal is a youth and money expert focused on helping students. Find more tips at anthonyoneal.com.