I know if you are anything like me then you can’t wait until that refund check comes in the mail or by direct deposit from the government. The question is how long does it take to get tax refund back?

The answer to that is simple yet a little complicated.  The length of time it takes to get tax refunds back depends on when and also how you filed your taxes.  If you are filed your taxes electronically then you will receive it back faster than if you mailed it in.  According to the IRS it should take about 3 weeks if you are like the 2 out of every 3 people that filed their taxes electronically.  If you are that other 1 out of 3 then it can take at least 8 weeks before you receive a check in the mail.  That is, if you did everything correctly.  If this amount of time has passed and you did not get your tax refund back then there is a system in place that allows you to check on the process and see what the hold up is and when to expect to receive your money.

Now once you’ve received your refund there are lots of ways to put that money to work for you other than just spending it frivolously. For example, you can always save that money for a rainy day,  pay off your debts,  invest it, or use your refund check as start up money to start some type of business or service that will generate even more cash for you. There are lots of business that you can start up on a shoestring budget. Some ideas are:

Bookkeeping/ Accounting – this is an in-demand services that many small businesses would rather hire someone to do.  And the good thing is, you don’t need to be an accountant to do it.

Petsitter or Housesitter – people are always on the lookout for someone to watch their  homes or pets while they’re out of town. For this business, you don’t need any particular skills or training  just reliability and trustworthiness.

Tutoring – many parents would love to have additional instruction for their children. If you’ve got a subject that you’re particularly good in, you can start a home tutoring business.

Secretarial Service -there are lots of people and small businesses that have the need for secretarial services. You can offer services such as proofreading, typing and transcription services.

Catering Service-  in the fast paced world we live in, many people just don’t have time to cook.  If you like cooking, you could start your own catering services. You can also cater for business or parties.

Cleaning Services – cleaning is another activity that people don’t seem to have a lot of time for nowadays.  If you’re good at cleaning and organizing, you could easily take advantage of this in demand service.

Personal or Shopping Services – this is another great service to offer, especially during the holiday season.  One of the most important characteristics for this is dependability and trustworthiness.

With most of the above businesses, start up is quite low. Not only that but you can get going with these tasks quickly and easily. The most important aspect of getting started in any of the above businesses is advertising your services. But even this is doable.

If none of the above businesses sound like anything you’d be interested in, just do some brainstorming of your own. The type of business or service you begin depends on your skills and interest.  When starting a business or service think about something that you like and know how to do well that can turn a profit.  For example, if you like to bake cakes, cookies, pies and that sort of thing, then you could take your refund check and use it to start a business selling these items out of your your home.  If you do something you love and make money while doing it, then that’s a win-win situation.

So now that you know how long it takes to get tax refunds back, and what to do with it once the money arrives -  its up to you  how you’re going to spend it.

It may be tough just thinking about how to collect money for everyday things when you are a struggling college student. But it’s even more challenging thinking about the idea of scrounging up enough cash to invest for the future. However, investing money while in college is a great way to get a head start in building your financial future. Most college students find that a little money tucked away can go a long way when you start investing early in lie. Many investment firms now offer low or no minimum investment amounts, meaning you can probably scrape together your first investment simply be skipping that morning cup of Starbucks for a few weeks. But once you have the money to spend, where should you invest it?

Going For Gold
As a lot of people are discovering now, there is a lot to be said for having at least a little of the shiny stuff in your possession. There is no doubt about it, the price of gold is increasing daily and has doubled over the last decade. A couple years ago I bought a few gold coins and those very same coins are have now doubled for me in value.  I could kick myself for not buying more at the low price I bought them for when I had the chance. But that doesn’t really matter because after studying the trends and looking at what some of the top people in the world on the subject have to say on the matter, I’m convinced the the price of gold is set to double – even triple in the years to come. So while I still have the chance, I buy at least a small piece of gold each and every month. If you are still not convinced to “go for the gold” while investing money in college, I have a few more reasons to consider.

The Safe, Consistent Choice
Gold has been a safe investment hedge against inflation, economic instability and a declining dollar. Gold is valued and accumulated, while other metals are purchased for consumption. Gold also never changes through corrosion, either. The gold that you buy today will be the same gold when your golden years begin to look you in the eye. It’s the investment that keeps on giving for a lifetime, and in a time of uncertainty with many investments, gold is an excellent choice for college students to invest in while in college.

Double Or Nothing

In these worsening economic times, gold is one of the few investments that is increasing in value and in many cases doubling in value. As I mentioned earlier, the gold coins that I bought just a few years ago has doubled in time. As a college student, it’s one of the few processions that I own that’s going up in value. While the value of my dollars are dwindling, the value of the gold coins I own are increasing.  What many people don’t tell you is that gold is in fact one of the best investments available to everyday people. Haven’t you seen the commercials on tv and on ads all over the place where companies are offering to buy your old gold? Well why do you think they’re doing that? It’s because they know something that you don’t. And that is that gold is set to double and even triple in the years to come. What better investment could you want than that?

Supply and Demand
It is a fact that the demand for gold consistently outweighs the supply of this precious metal. And this is not only the case in the United States. Other countries, like India and China are also on the hunt for gold, and are in the process of revamping laws to make the purchase of gold easier in both countries. When this process is complete, the demand for gold will continue to go up; in countries that have plenty of money to spend on such items. This is good news for your gold investment, if you begin investing money while in college.

What to Buy and Where

If you want to invest money while in college, you should definitely go for the gold. But if you’re wondering what kind of gold you should buy, then the answer is that any kind of gold you buy is a good idea. But for those really serious about investing while their in college, then gold coins is an excellent investment. They are small and easy to store. Not only that, they are not that difficult to purchase and you don’t have to be rich to buy them. You can even buy them on ebay if you like. But if you’re looking a reputable company that sells gold coins that you can trust, then you can check out GovernmentMint which sells all kinds of gold coins at a reasonable price.

Investing money while in college is a great way to begin your investment portfolio and take the first step on the road to financial freedom. Despite the current downturn of the market in many areas, there are still investments that will bring a good return on the dollar. One of the best places to put your money, even during tough economic times, is in gold bars and coins. If you would like to check out this investment vehicle more closely, click here for more information about the real value of gold.