If you are like me, you have all these dreams of going on medical mission trips to Tanzania ($3,000), of traveling and diving in remote islands in the Philippines ($4,000), and of hiking to the top on Mount Everest (a colossal, massive, and gargantuan $75,000). If you could, you'd wave goodbye, get on a plane, and study abroad for the rest of your life.
But your college kid bank account barely has enough $moolah$ to last you the week only eating ramen, let alone enough to buy a ticket to the other side of the world. So what are you to do? I have given myself two options: either sit on my butt, telling myself that "one day, when you have a big kid job you'll be able to afford to travel anywhere you want," or I can find a way to make these things happen now, before my knees give out on me, and I can't climb a mountain.
There are actually so many ways to raise money. While you can go with the traditional getting a job at an ice cream shop, selling baked goods in front of the grocery store, or simply begging your parents for some cash, there are more fun and reliable ways to reach your goal.
1. Sell t-shirts.
I have never met a college student who wasn't game for a cool t-shirt. You can design your shirt through a custom t-shirt company, and either order however many you want to sell or pre-sell them to your friends and family. The great thing about t-shirts is that, while they are a fundraiser themselves, they also advertise for your cause. So if you want to, you can put the link to where people can donate directly, which brings me to...
2. Crowd funding.
Websites like GoFundMe.com, YouCaring.com, and IndieGoGo.com are crowd-funding sites where your friends, family, and strangers can donate to you directly. With these sites you need to be careful when reading the fine print, though, because many of them charge a fee of five to 10 percent of the money you raise. My advice would be to research all of them and find which one fits with you the best.
3. Start an Etsy or eBay shop.
For all my crafty people out there who love to paint, draw, and make a mess, starting an Etsy shop could be the best decision for you. You'd be surprised at how much people will pay for high quality home decor, especially if they know that it is going toward a good cause. As for starting an eBay shop, this is a great platform for selling old stuff you don't use anymore for a reasonable price, rather than selling it for five cents at a garage sale.
4. Take surveys online.
So, these aren't the kinds of surveys that tell you which Ryan Gosling character you should date, but they will make you a little bit of money just for answering some questions. Sites like Swagbucks.com allow you to earn points and then cash them out for straight up money or other prizes. InboxDollars.com has a similar drill going, except you can also watch videos to earn money.
5. Get a sponsor.
A lot of companies are looking for someone to go on medical missions in Tanzania, dive with Tiger Sharks in the Philippines, and climb to the summit of Mount Everest, while wearing their logo. To accomplish this you'll have to contact a lot of people, with only a few responding and, even then, only one saying "yes," but if they pay off your trip, I think that would be worth it. For more information on that, check out www.mounteverest.net/expguide/raising.htm.
6. Be a tutor.
Whether your subject is Calculus, Chemistry, or Biology, there is probably someone else who isn't so good at it, who could use your help and is willing to pay for it. Many schools also have their own tutoring program, which hire students who previously took a class to tutor current students.
7. The last ditch effort.
When all else fails, grab a guitar and head downtown on a Friday night to play for drunk people, who are hopefully generous.
