You asked:

Most of my friends have made their summer plans, but I don’t know what to do with myself. I need money, but I want to spend time doing something fun. How can I make that work?

Believe it or not, you can make money and have fun during your time off from school. Here are some ideas:

Get a fun job! Instead of working at a fast-food joint, try searching for a job that allows you to have fun this summer. Love little kids? Become a counselor at a day camp. Or, work at a local resort or amusement park. That way, you can rake in some cash and actually enjoy working.

Make friends at work. Even if you hate going to work every day, try to chum up with some of your co-workers. The job might not be all that enjoyable, but at least you can kick it with your work buddies -- during the workday and after you’ve punched out.

Work part-time. A viable option, especially if you’re living at home for the summer, is to cut back on your work hours. As long as you don’t have a whole lot of living expenses, there’s no need for you to pull a 40-hour workweek. This will give you more time to spend having fun with your friends.

Cut your schedule short. If you’re unable to arrange a part-time position and must work full-time, give your final notice to your employer a week or two before school starts back up so you’ll have some personal vacation time to enjoy. Just be sure to create a budget for yourself so you can monitor your moolah and make up for the lost pay.

Start a summer biz. If you really want to slice-and-dice your days to your own liking, make your money by being self-employed. Build a lawn-care business for your neighbors, or turn your jewelry-making hobby into a money-making opp. This is a great way to hone some entrepreneurial skills, which could come in mighty handy in the future.

Name: Jonathan Fieweger
School: New York University
Major: Arts Administration and Cultural Policy
His deal: Jonathan is an R.A. for sophomores at NYU. He is tour guide in the undergraduate admissions office on campus and is also president of a food rescue and sustainability club on campus. Currently, he works at DreamWorks Theatricals as a press and marketing intern.

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