It’s no secret that college is expensive.  The U.S. Census finds that 51.8 percent of students living off-campus are  living below the poverty line. With money tight, many students are forced to find jobs to compensate for the costs of tuition, food and entertainment.  But making money can be a challenge, as a typical job does not always fit into the busy schedule of a college student, especially when trying to balance a job with school and activities.  With a little creativity, however, it is possible and two IU students have found unconventional ways to make some extra cash.

For Cameron McNamara, that’s charging Bird scooters and donating his plasma.  He first started donating plasma when his mother began to limit his spending.  By donating, he’s able to transform his plasma into about 70 dollars each week, a generous amount to pocket for spending on the side. “Since I have hockey, it’s really tough to have a job. I go to class until seven on most days and every weekend since September I’ve been out of town so it’s hard to have a full time job here that fits my schedule. I have to have something that I can just do whenever I want to.”

When Bird scooters first came to IU’s campus, McNamara hopped right on the opportunity to charge them.  He says, “It’s like getting paid while I sleep.”  Charging Bird scooters puts about 10 dollars a night into his pocket, depending on how many scooters he decides to round up for the night. Most nights, he goes out in his truck just after dark, on the hunt for scooters with the lowest battery, charges them bedside in his apartment, and returns them back to the streets of Bloomington by 7:00 a.m. the next morning.  McNamara credits finding ways to make money that work around his schedule is one of the best things he has learned to do in college.

With unique jobs, come unique opportunities.  Sam Downey, another IU student, stumbled across his current job on jobs.iu.edu.  He found the opportunity when scrolling through the site, in search of something to put a little extra spending cash in his pocket.  He began as a research assistant for an IU professor but ended up with so much more than he had anticipated; an unexpected friendship and a trip to Thailand.  Every day in between classes, Downey assists Dr. Rex Stockton, Chancellor’s Professor, with daily tasks, mostly helping him with technology.  This past summer, Downey accompanied Stockton on a research trip to Bangkok, what he calls, “the experience of a lifetime.”