How to Save Money With a Part-Time Job

Are you someone who is wondering how to save money with a part-time job? Maybe you want to save for a new vehicle or to buy something you’ve wanted for a while like a new computer or something that involves a hobby. Or perhaps you’re trying to do the responsible thing and save for college or to make a down payment on a home.

Working a part-time job is very common for teens and also for those who are working their way through college. It’s a rite of passage that many go through before entering the workforce full-time.

Unfortunately, many people aren’t very good at saving money. According to a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Americans only save about 4.5% of their income. Europeans save about 8%, and Australians save over 11%.

How do you save money with a part-time job then when you have bills to pay? Many part-time jobs, after all, don’t pay a lot. They also may not provide any benefits.

There are some things you can do to save money if you aren’t currently working full-time. Let’s take a look at a few strategies.

1. Earn More Money

I know what you’re thinking…

“How can I possibly earn more money if I’m already working as many hours as I can in my job?”

You may be able to earn more money by sourcing used products from flea markets, thrift stores, yard sales, auctions, and other places and then selling them for profit on eBay.

It’s called flipping.

Bargains can be found all the time – you just have to know where to look and what to look for. And if you focus your efforts on products that can sell for a lot of money, you may not have to do as many flips to earn some good money compared to someone who flips many inexpensive products.

The idea is to look for products that you can sell for 5-10 times what you paid for them. For example, if you find a used product for $50, ideally you want to be able to sell it for $250-$500.

In some cases, you may even be able to find things for free that you can sell on eBay. People discard things all the time that still have value. You may even be able to find free things on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other online marketplaces.

Can you see the profit potential in flipping? This is something that many people can do in their spare time – without having to give up their jobs. Some people enjoy flipping used things so much that they decide to go full-time with it – like Rob and Melissa Stephenson.

In addition to operating a thriving flipping business, Rob and Melissa Stephenson also teach others how to flip used items for profit in their online course Flipper University. The course teaches you everything you need to know to get started and scale your flipping business including:

• Sourcing products
• Listing products on eBay
• Shipping large items
• Running an eBay store
• And many other things

If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, Rob and Melissa offer a free online webinar about the flipping business, what’s involved in flipping, and how they earn a full-time income flipping used items.

Check out the free Flipper University webinar to learn more about flipping used things for profit.

2. Track Your Spending

Another thing you can do to save money with a part-time job is to track your spending for a while to see if there is anything you can either cut back on or eliminate.

Do you know where all of your money goes each month?

Many people don’t. When you track your spending for a month and then review the results, it could be shocking. All of those “little” things can really add up over time. Eating out, entertainment, snacks and drinks, and other things can really make a dent in your budget.

Tracking your spending is very easy to do. All you need is a simple notebook and either a pen or a pencil. To get a good idea about your spending habits, commit to tracking your spending for at least a month. Be sure to write everything down – no expense is too small to record.

At the end of the month, go through your notebook and review the results. Look for things you bought that weren’t absolutely necessary – and then consider not buying those things in the future.

3. Save Money With Your Student ID

If you are a college student, you may be able to save money at some places just by showing your student ID. Many businesses offer student discounts – and they can sometimes be substantial.

It’s important to keep in mind that not all places advertise that they offer student discounts – especially small businesses. Sometimes you have to ask.

If you live in a college or university town, many restaurants, stores, and other organizations in the area may offer special discounts to attract students to their businesses. Don’t be afraid to ask about a student discount when you are shopping. You may end up paying more than you have to if you don’t.

4. Sell Stuff You No Longer Use or Need

Another way to save money with a part-time job is to simply sell things that you are no longer using. Many people accumulate a lot of stuff over the years that just takes up space in their homes. In addition to earning some money that you can save by selling your old stuff, you may also be able to eliminate some clutter in and around your home.

If you find some things in your home to sell, you have several options for listing them. If you want to reach a nationwide audience, eBay is a great place to list your items. If you have some large things to sell that you don’t want to ship, you can list them for sale locally through OfferUp or Craigslist.

5. Use Coupons

In a way, coupons are kind of like free money. It’s possible to save money by using them to buy groceries and other items. Coupons can be found at many different places including manufacturer and store websites, in fliers, in stores, and other places.

When you plan on buying something, always check to see if there’s a coupon for it. A simple way to find coupons for a specific item is to do an internet search for that item followed by “coupon.” For example, if you need to buy some toothpaste, simply search for “toothpaste coupon.”

It’s also possible in some cases to get products for free with coupons by combining coupons with store discounts. This usually only works for very inexpensive products like soap, toothpaste, canned soup, deodorant, and other things.

6. Wait to Make Big Purchases

Another way to save money with a part-time job is to wait a while before making big purchases. Put yourself in time-out.

The idea behind waiting a while to purchase expensive things is so you can have time to think about whether you really need to buy whatever it is you have your eye on. Do you really need it? Can you live without it?

How long you should wait is up to you. It’s your call. Some people may wait a week to make expensive purchases, while others may wait longer. The interesting thing about this money-saving strategy is that some people will completely forget about the thing they wanted to purchase while they are waiting.

7. Do Odd Jobs

Another way to earn more money is to do odd jobs for people in your community. People need help with things all the time. Due to work and other obligations, many people don’t have the time to take care of chores around their homes.

That’s where you come in.

There are many types of odd jobs you can do to earn extra money. Just a few possibilities include:

• Mowing lawns
• Landscaping
• Painting
• Walking dogs
• Fixing things
• Helping with moving
• Cleaning out garages
• Running errands

You may be able to find work by going door-to-door and asking. Also, if someone says they don’t have any work for you, that person may know someone who does. Be sure to ask for referrals.

Another way you may be able to find work is to promote your services online in local Facebook groups, on Craigslist, and other places.

8. Automate Your Savings

A great investing strategy for saving money with a part-time job is to automate your savings. If you are paid via direct deposit, for example, you may be able to work with your employer to have a certain percentage of your payments automatically deposited in a savings account.

The theory behind this strategy is that if money is automatically deposited in a savings account, you may not miss it from your checking account. The savings happen automatically – you don’t have to think about it.

9. Lower Your Cell Phone Bill

Monthly cell phone plans are expenses that many people could reduce by shopping around. Cell phone plan rates vary a great deal depending on the company. Also, companies occasionally come out with new plans that offer you more for your money.

If it’s been a while since you’ve shopped for a cell phone plan, you may be able to save some money by seeing what other companies are offering. Also, the company you’re currently with may offer a new plan that may be better than the one you now have.

10. Shop at Discount Grocery Stores

Another great way to potentially save money is to do your grocery shopping at a discount grocery store instead of one of the big chain stores. Discount grocery stores are usually very plain, and the products are often displayed on the shelves in the original boxes they were shipped in.

The simplicity of these stores is the primary reason why they are often more affordable than the big chain stores. It takes a lot of money to pay for fancy displays, special lighting, extra employees, and other things. By having leaner operations, these stores can pass the savings on to their customers with lower-priced products.

Simple Savings

There are two ways you can save money with a part-time job. You can either earn more money with side-jobs or you can lower your expenses by cutting back on things you don’t need or by looking for better deals. You may also be able to combine the two strategies to save even more money.

Saving money with a part-time job is definitely do-able, but it does take effort and commitment to make it happen. By finding ways to decrease your spending and by earning more money through odd jobs and other ways, you may be able to start increasing your savings sooner than you may think.