Students funds drain at alarming rate

A misplaced sense of security for some

By Chase Christensen

For some students at Utah State University selling security systems over the summer allowed them to attend school without worrying about a job for the rest of the year, according to Gavin Johnson, a student who sold for Pinnacle Security. But with that freedom came other concerns, he said, the largest being how to budget that money for the rest of the year. It is a situation often compounded by Black Friday sales and lower holiday prices, tempting some students into spending their hard-earned savings.

Security system companies lure college students to sell for them with incentives such as commissions and bonuses. They offer an enticing pay scale which increases by number of sales, Johnson said.

“You can make good money doing it,” Johnson said. “They will tell you that you can make up to $100,000 in a summer, which you can, but that hardly ever happens. You can realistically make up to $40,000 if you are a good salesman; on average though I would say most bring home a little under $20,000.”

Security sales present a possible income level that is difficult for a student to find elsewhere.

“You can’t make that kind of money doing anything else,” Johnson said. “Not as a student anyway. But it’s not easy, you work all summer non-stop.”

But the benefit of not having to work all school year outweighed the cost of a summer spent working, he said.

As Black Friday specials and gifting giving concerns start to surface around the holidays, it can be difficult for some students who sold security systems to stay on a budget.

“You get home and see that money in your account and it’s hard to restrain yourself,” said Dan Smith, a USU student who performed installations for Vivint Security. “Especially around the holidays. The sales are almost too good to pass up and you have the money right then, plus you need gifts for everyone so it can be hard not to spend a lot.”

Poor fiscal planning along with urges to spend money can prove overwhelming for some.

“I know some guys that spend a lot around the holidays,” Johnson said. “And before they know it they are looking for another job to make it to the end of the year. By then it’s almost too late because Logan can be a hard place to find a job.”

But not all students who sold and installed security systems have had a hard time budgeting, according to Smith.

“Lots of guys make it through the school year just fine,” Smith said. “It just takes some restraint is all; I don’t see it being a problem.”