Use your skills to reduce your bills

Rather than paying for lessons or tutors, students should exchange services to help each other out. This will benefit a lot of students and help them save some cash.

As college students, most of us struggle with money. We have many needs to fulfill, but can’t always afford to. Going to school full time and trying to maintain a steady work schedule is tough. An education can be expensive, and our part-time minimum wage jobs don’t always cut it.

According to fa-mag.com, 77 percent of college seniors reported that they had run out of money during their time at school. Not enough financial aid, high textbook costs and high college tuition are a few of the many reasons why students tend to go broke.

Of course, there are some free tutors offered on campus, but not all subjects are available and the hours for the Center of Academic Success (CAS) might not be convenient for everyone. Trading services with another student allows you to set up a time and date that works for the both of you.

Students should not have to pay for tutors for private lessons when they already have a hard time earning money just to get by.

If you know someone that is good at math and that happens to be a subject in which you struggle, you could exchange a service with them, such as tutoring them in a subject that they have trouble with and that you’re good at.

Guitar lessons for drumming lessons, a math tutor for a Spanish tutor, swimming lessons for basketball lessons—the list is vast.

Students could post flyers around campus offering their services in exchange for others. These flyers can be posted on designated bulletins along the mall, in the Village and by the art hill.

Student Services can offer a program that allows us to provide a helping hand. It can be divided into different categories such as academics, athletics and arts where we can look up a subject that we would like to improve on.

At the beginning of each semester, students can walk into the Student Services Building and give their name, contact information, subject or area that they are strong in and the subject that they need assistance with. This information can be posted on the Pierce College website for students who are interested.

By trading services, we are helping one another out. It’s not everyday when someone returns the favor. Helping someone not only will help them achieve their goals, but in this case, it will also help you achieve your own.

We are all talented, and sharing our skills to help others can go a long way. We can think of it as work experience. It gives us a chance to teach others and expand our abilities while receiving a favor in return.