Most college students have to work their way through school these days. Many are able to make ends meet during the school year by taking out student loans and receiving grants and scholarships. Often, though, students need to find work during the summer to pay for housing and those little things like car payments and insurance.

Finding a summer job used to be a fairly simple task. In a down economy, though, even jobs like waiting tables can be hard to come by. How can you get over this hurdle? Use the critical thinking skills that you are learning in college and come up with a solution that is innovative and unique.

If you live near the beach, a theme park, a sports stadium, or even a public park, you may be able to earn money by providing essential items to the public. How many times have you been at the beach or at a park and had your sunglasses break on you? How often have you been in a public place and unable to find a concession stand or even a vending machine?

You can play the hero and earn some pay this way. Selling things like cold bottled water and other drinks, sunglasses, battery-operated fans, and other necessities to hot, sweaty citizens can be rewarding both financially and personally. Be sure to check on any necessary permits or sales tax requirements before you begin your venture. You don’t want to get stuck with a fine that eats up all your profit.

Once you’ve got the idea of what sells best and where, you can concentrate on these locations and items to maximize your profits. Lower your costs by shopping at your local dollar store for inventory and boost your earnings even higher.

This is just one example of thinking outside of the box and using your natural creativity to make the best of a tough situation. And who knows, maybe you’ll actually be able to make a career in business out of your idea. Stranger things have happened.