QC Cash Grabs: How I'm Not Starving Between Classes
okay so i live in this concrete jungle called quezon city and let me tell you - my wallet is perpetually on life support. i’m a broke student juggling tuition and the urge to eat more than instant noodles, so part-time gigs aren’t just an option, they’re survival. first off, the rent here? hell if you want your own pad near katipunan but if you’re cool with sharing in teacher’s village, you might scrape by on ₱8k/month. minimum wage is ₱537/day but good luck getting that for student work.
right now outside, the weather’s doing that thing where it’s 90% sweat and 10% oppressive humidity, but hey, at least manila’s just a ₱20 jeepney ride away if you wanna pretend you’re in a city with actual seasons. speaking of rides, grab food delivery saved my life last month. you can sign up as a part-time rider with your student id and make ₱200-₱300/day during peak hours. pro-tip: avoid the maginhawa area during dinner unless you wanna navigate a war zone of food trucks.
here’s the real tea from locals:
> "never take the call center gig near cubao unless you enjoy being sleep-deprived and eating questionable street food at 3am." - overheard at the katipunan mcdonald’s
> "that tutoring gig at fairview pays ₱300/hour but the kid’s parents will ask why you’re not married by 22." - something the sari-sari store owner whispered
actual jobs? tutoring is gold if you’re not allergic to kids. english rates go up to ₱400/hour in cubao. or you can be a barista in maginhawa - those coffee shops are popping like zits. bonus: you get free burnt espresso. my friend swears by the call center night shift but i’d rather gargle glass.
budget hacks that actually work:
- sell your old notes to freshmen - textbook resale is a thing
- join the up diliman flea market on sundays (bring ₱500 for initial stock)
- that ₱99/hr co-working space in eastwood? free coffee = meal replacement
heard a rumor that the city government’s offering ₱5k/month internships through qc jobs portal but it’s probably just wishful thinking. anyway, gotta run - my next gig’s as a product photographer for a small biz in murphy. check out this reddit thread for more gigs, and if you’re desperate enough to tutor, yelp’s list might help. survival mode activated.
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