Christmas approaches and for most this means a few days or a few weeks of respite, (depending on your personal situation) some time for yourself, maybe to catch up on some reading, or to spend time with the family, or maybe just being able to look forward to that glorious feeling of going to bed without needing to set an alarm for the following day. However, for final year students it could also mean something else entirely. That they're one step closer to graduating, starting graduate careers and having to repay that indomitable student loan.
For most, student loans are a necessary evil. And for those that are yet to secure a graduate job they may even appear as the Hail Mary of nagging afterthoughts! The question of how and when to pay back student loans is I'm sure an issue that plagues the majority of student minds. This will be even more the case for future students that will have to battle with the drastic increase in tuition fees. So this brings me back to my initial question, would you like to buy my face?
Founders of BuyMyFace.com Ross Harper and Ed Moyse, set up a website as a means of paying off their combined student debt of £50,000. They have been gathering an online following since day one when their faces sold for £1, and now two months into the project, they have made £10,000. As the price of their faces increases with mounting website activity, the future looks bright for these two best friends. The idea is simple but effective. Advertising is sold through their website as 366 separate days during which Ross and Ed are painting a logo or message on their faces, uploading pictures to the website and online calendar. It would seem that BuyMyFace.com has exceeded expectations and Ross believes that they're 'on track to make £200,000' within this year alone.
So you see, buying someone's face has turned into a lucrative business venture. Why did I decide to share this with you? Because I think it's important for students to remain positive and more importantly creative when considering how to pay back their student loans. You might want to consider unconventional routes, pursue novel ideas or investigate alternative opportunities. I'm sure that if someone suggested to you to sell your face, you might have laughed at them. Now Ross Harper and Ed Moyse will be laughing all the way to the bank.
Charles, GRB Journalist
