The price of a college education can be a looming burden whether you are a graduating high school senior, a current college student, or a parent of either. Looking for ways to pay for that education can be an unpleasant task, but easy ways to save up could be right outside your front door. Here are some tips to make those three months between spring and fall semester count!

1. Have a garage sale! You will likely over pack for college. So for the sake of cutting down unnecessary belongings being taken to college, start sorting things now. Old clothes, books, bikes, furniture and tech are all things that can easily start adding up. Not only will a garage sale help you clean out clutter for when it is time to move into your dorm, but it will also give you some extra cash that you could put towards school books! Future entrepreneurs could even have a go at selling their own homemade goods whether they are cookies or crafts.
2. Babysit or nanny! Often the hardest thing for parents to do in the summer is find an available daycare that fits their hours or even has spots available for their children, so why not make yourself available? For elementary education majors, this could even be an opportunity to gain some resume worthy experience working with children and creating structured activities to keep kids busy! If your summer days don’t offer much time to babysit, another option would be to drive kids to activities or sports and charge per trip! (Extra bonus: Start networking now. If a parent has a career in your field of interest, that connection alone could open doors for future opportunities and may provide you with a great reference for applications.)
3. Walk dogs! If animals are more your thing, this could be an easy way to save up! Chances are if you have had a pet growing up, you are already equipped with the skills to take care for an animal. With something as simple as walking, you might as well combine that training and those skills and put them to work (while also getting in a little extra exercise for yourself)!
4. Give Music Lessons! Singing or playing an instrument takes a lot of hard work and dedication. But often times, unless a college student is a music major, those years of dedication wither away. Don’t let that skill get throw to the back burner! Depending on your instrument and the rarity of it, you can get paid good money for your service. The hours are flexible; with lessons usually lasting half an hour to an hour at a time.
5. Tutor! This is another great opportunity for education majors! If you have a subject you are particularly good at in school, you can pass that ability and knowledge on to younger students who may be struggling to comprehend their homework or are in summer school. Elementary and middle schools students look up to those reaching college age, so the learning environment may be a lot more beneficial for the student. And again, you can never go wrong with experience you can put on a resume!
6. Mow! This one is pretty simple. Borrow a mower from a relative or use your customer’s and invest in some gas. You then just need to advertise around with a set base price per lawn, adjust per yard size and you’re set!
7. Get a job! This tip is most likely your best bet to have a steady flow of income over summer, but probably the most daunting for students. It can be tempting to just have a lazy summer after graduation or between college semesters, but you will thank yourself In the future when you have money to put towards tuition. If you can put together a resume, you can apply to most places. Future employers will be glad to see work experience before college graduation.

There is a little something for everyone in this list and you may find your best option is a combination of a few! The price of secondary education continues to rise so don’t let yourself miss out on the opportunity to save up and put that money in a Plains Commerce Bank Savings Account!

Sources: https://www.collegecovered.com/student-life/8-ways-students-can-earn-extra-cash-this-summer/, https://www.collegecovered.com/paying-for-school/3-ways-to-save-the-summer-before-college/, http://www.campusexplorer.com/college-advice-tips/66B4312B/10-Ways-to-Earn-Cash-for-College-This-Summer/