Saving Money Tips: 5 Easy Ways To Make Money Fast

Gavin is a junior at Loyola Academy and a reporter for The Mash, a weekly teen publication distributed to Chicagoland high schools.

Already counting down the months until school’s over? It’s time to start saving up! Don’t let three months of movie tickets, baseball games and restaurant meals break the bank this year.

Many Chicago teens will quickly discover that landing a job remains a thorny task. Ryan Hunt, a career advisor at job-search site CareerBuilder, points to an increase in users across every age group as an indication of the tight labor market. And with teen unemployment teetering around 20 percent for the past three years, candidates must distinguish themselves on the application. Every employer asks, “Is this person going to be reliable?” so Hunt suggests emphasizing putting personal references -- from teachers, coaches or other authority figures -- on your resume.

But there’s no reason to let the weeks slip away as you wait for an interview. With a little flexibility and a dose of creativity, you can use the time to pocket a little extra spending money.

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