Being broke is all part of the joy of being a student. Those who are loaded (financially) during their college years never really get the same satisfaction from their first proper pay cheque. They also don't get to look back all misty-eyed and say: "We were poor, but we were happy." Admittedly, being poor is all very well in retrospect, but if you're facing it now, it probably doesn't seem that thrilling. If you get a part-time job, make sure it is part-time, try and keep it to one or two evenings a week and maybe a day at the weekend ... - even that much is a significant chunk out of your life. The Christmas exams are a good test of how your job is affecting you. If you fail them all miserably, it's time for a rethink.