The recession is affecting more than the average daily worker who is searching for (or struggling to keep) a job.  It’s taking a toll on students and their futures, too.  There’s always been debate over whether or not college is worth it, but the question arises more frequently today, even among students who have been dead-set on going to college since entering high school.  The inevitable debt appears more difficult to handle, knowing how tough the job market is.  So should you even bother with college?

I’ve been told plenty of stories about people who have gone straight into the job market after high school to become car salesmen or servers in restaurants and seem to make significantly more than their peers who attended college.  Not only that, but they’re perfectly content and not nearly as deep in debt.  And I agree with these people—if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  If your job provides stability, comfortable pay, and you don’t loathe going to work everyday, why on earth would you consider a change?

College Salary vs. High School Salary

The College Board also reports that it can take up to 14 years for a college graduate to match the salary of a high school graduate, taking student loan payments into consideration.  It’s also a fact that once you do obtain a higher salary, you’ll be in a higher tax bracket.  Bummer.  Next, consider that college costs continue to rise while financial aid becomes less available.  Schools and companies that provide scholarships are always more than happy to make getting an education a little easier, but the recession has hit them, too, limiting the funds that they can set aside for those scholarships.

Tough Job Market

There might be many more college graduates without jobs right now than there have ever been, but despite all this bad news, I believe college is still worth it.  First of all, in a tough job market, your degree gives you an edge.  The sharpness of that edge may have decreased due to the high number of unemployed graduates, but that’s simply a numbers game.  You still want to be part of the crowd with degrees that will at least be considered for the position you apply for.

And if you do want the higher-paying jobs that allow you more responsibility or more creative freedom and less packing and sorting, you’ll need a degree.  Occasionally, you’ll come across a listing that asks for a degree or equivalent experience, but in most cases, it’s difficult to get the experience without the degree and a portfolio to prove your skill.  It’s in your college classes that you’ll be able to take sufficient time to learn and hone the skills related to your field, and more importantly, apply them.  You’ll also get more opportunities for internships so you can use those skills in the job market itself, and an internship could always turn into a full-time job right after graduation.  (A word to the wise, don’t let those opportunities pass by!)

Is College Part of Your Dreams?

Here’s a small tip, though.  Especially because of today’s market, you’re better off knowing what you want to study before you enter college.  You may not get to attend the college you’ve been dreaming about because of financial aid obstacles, so you may have to choose either a different school or a different field.  Know what the average salary is for people in your field.  If it’s not sufficient enough, or if your field doesn’t bring you enough joy to make up for the discrepancy in pay, choose a different field or forego college altogether to avoid the unnecessary debt.  Or if manual labor or selling cars fits your personality, makes you happy, and provides a comfortable, steady income, the college experience may not be worth your time and money.

I tell people that I graduated college with a Starving Artist degree—I went after more artistic pursuits in writing, theatre, and music.  Not too unexpectedly, my pay-the-bills job is not in any of those fields, and if I were only now entering college, I might rethink my majors, but I know I’d probably still go with the same ones despite all that rethinking—I’m too much of an optimist.  And I wouldn’t trade my college experience for anything.  I learned quite a bit there about my fields and myself that I don’t think I would’ve learned, understood, or accepted as easily and quickly on my own.

But like many things, college is always going to be a personal decision.  If you know what you want and believe that a college education can help you get there, don’t let the recession hold you back.  Don’t be discouraged by the lower number of scholarships around; apply for every single one you can find, and don’t forget about grants.  They don’t have to be repaid, either.  If your field doesn’t require a degree, you might consider college for the experience, but you should consider the recession and perhaps wait for better days.

In tough financial times, after selling all of your used items and exhausting every other possibility, you may consider getting a second job for some extra income.  It sounds like a relatively easy solution to help your finances, even temporarily, but you should explore all of the angles before you start filling out applications.  Here’s why a second job just may not be right for you.

Less Free Time

First, you’ll obviously be giving up most, if not all, of your free time, usually your nights and weekends.  Is there anything you’ll have to sacrifice by getting a second job?  Will you have to give up your usual Thursday night after-work social time?  Will you have to stop working out?  Will you have less time with your children?  And for that matter, will you have to find childcare?  That could negate any extra money you’re bringing in.  No matter what you’ll have to put on hold, the most important question is, are you willing to do so?

Exhaustion

How tired are you after getting home from your full-time job?  Consider that you may not have the energy to make it through at another place, especially if your full-time job allows you to sit down but your part-time one would have you standing or in constant motion.  Even if you’re still energetic when you get home, if you begin working significantly longer hours, you may begin to wear yourself out.  This can come at the expense of both your physical and mental health, and cause your performance at both jobs to suffer.

Higher Tax Bracket

Income from a second job may toss you into a higher tax bracket.  Just like the babysitter, this could negate the extra money you’re making—someone else is taking it all from you!  This is definitely an important point to look into before taking on the second job.  You don’t want to be working for nothing.

Conflict of Interest

You’ll also have to make sure you don’t run into a “conflict of interest” with your full-time employer.  This can exist in two ways.  Not only might your hours conflict or run too closely together, but you may have to avoid working in the same field somewhere else if it’s part of your employer’s policy.  If the conflict is in scheduling, you may put either job in jeopardy by consistently arriving late or having to leave early.  Avoiding the same field may be easy, unless perhaps that’s the field where your strengths lie and you know you may have a hard time finding a job in a different one.

Of course, if the advantages outweigh any of these, then start applying.  You’ll get extra cash, possible employee discounts, and maybe even learn some new skills.  But if any of the above disadvantages struck a chord with you, you may want to reconsider—a second job might not be a good decision.

You know your monthly income.  You know how to budget.  You’re a smart shopper.  But even the most well-prepared scout will encounter an emergency and need quick cash.  The first and easiest place to begin is by getting rid of used items that you no longer need.  Here are a few places to sell your items fast!

• Ebay.  This one will not get you immediate cash, as every auction lasts 7 days, but once you get even one bid, your item is guaranteed to sell.  If you’re new to ebay, you also have the option of finding an experienced seller to list the item for you.  You may have to share a small cut of the profit, but in certain circumstances, connecting with a trusted seller with a lot of positive feedback is the best way to go for the best selling price and the quickest bids.
• Craigslist.  This one is semi-similar to ebay, but it’s absolutely free to list your item.  You are more likely to deal with local buyers, too; just beware of scammers.  It’s best to insist on a cash only payment or use PayPal for this reason.
• Rummage sale.  If it’s that time of year in your area and you’ve got enough items waiting around to sell, set up shop at your own home and sell to your neighbors!
• Sell your jewelry.  You have a couple options on where to sell, too.  If you’re comfortable with it, you can use the mail-in companies that have been advertised a lot lately, such as Cash4Gold.  Otherwise, shop your local jewelers to see who will give you the best price.
• Resale shops.  If you have old videogames, DVDs or CDs, books, or even musical instruments that are collecting dust, there are resale shops that will pay you immediate cash for them.  You won’t get what you spent on them, and you may not get as much as you would on ebay or Craigslist depending on the item, but if you need money today rather than in a week, this option is worth checking into.

Advertise to your friends and work colleagues, too, that you have items that you’re trying to get rid of.  Word of mouth can help you connect with the person that’s looking for what you’re selling, and before you know it, you’re in the money!