6 ways to make money while living in the barracks

Mar 31, 2018 3:00 AM PDT

1 minute read

SUMMARY

If there’s one common complaint among members of the United States Armed Forces (aka the best people in the world), it’s that the pay sucks. When getting paid less than minimum wage grows old (and it does, fast), a servicemember might be inclined …

If there's one common complaint among members of the United States Armed Forces (aka the best people in the world), it's that the pay sucks. When getting paid less than minimum wage grows old (and it does, fast), a servicemember might be inclined to find a way to supplement their income.

So, we asked what a few veterans what they did to fill in the financial gap.

Related: 5 ways to skate in Marine Corps boot camp

6. Taking someone's barracks duty

When the duty roster hits, there's always a few people who get screwed out of something. Taking someone's duty is a great service — one that others just might be willing to pay for. Given how unfavorable of a job it is, the competition is low. You could make a killing by taking someone else's duty.

The duty has no friends, though. (Image via Rod Keller YouTube)

5. Doing another servicemember's taxes

There are plenty of people living in the barracks who feel like doing their taxes take up valuable drinking time — all you need to do is plug in their W-2 information and charge a few bones for your services.

4. Fixing other troops' cars

Given how much some local auto shops charge, it's usually much cheaper and more convenient to consult with one of the many barracks grease monkeys.

(Image via Marines.mil)

3. Becoming a tattoo artist

Military service and tattoos go hand-in-hand, like peanut butter and jelly or grunts and rain. If you've got the skill, equipment, and you don't mind the carpal tunnel, this option may be for you.

Hopefully, this isn't the kind of tattoo you get (or give) at the barracks (Image via Warner Brother's We're the Millers)

2. Make some of that "good-good"

This one is a bit out there, but times can get tough and not everyone has the talent for pole dancing, so they might turn to becoming their barracks' own Walter White or Tony Montana.

When your normal military pay doesn't cut it and you need to pay off that Mustang at 30% APR (Image from AMC's Breaking Bad)

[Editor's Note: We are absolutely not suggesting you actually open a drug lab. Come on. You're smarter than that — we hope.]

1. Giving others barracks haircuts

This one is definitely the most popular and it's not very hard to do. Just get a set of clippers, watch a YouTube tutorial, and, even with all the competition, this one is guaranteed to rake in the cash.