So I have a mage who wants to settle down with his wife away from the college but he doesn't have the money. Now he could buy a house but he has needs, he's building a house but of course, things have gone over budget and funds have run dry. He's a novice mage so he can't really go out and kill stuff and raid bandits and he also doesn't want to do non mage things. Right now he's chopping wood in riverwood but he wants something more exciting.

AKA what can my mage do that a mage would do? What do your mages do for gold? again he's like level 6 so he can't go out raiding tombs just yet and he's not the dragon born (don't like dragons) so ideas? like I said chopping wood is slow and not what I think a mage would want to do... ideas?

Even if you don't like it, you'll have to go dungeon diving. Bring a follower.

At level 6 I was just exploring, whether it be in the wilderness or dungeons. But I'd always have a follower at that level, being a person or something conjured. Made it a lot easier.

if I were to say my mage is a chicken... or is a peacful mage? jk

The reason I don't dungeon is because in my main account I have good camps or dungeons that don't respawn... ever! like the two towers by fellglow keep, and the camps in the valley by whiterun... no joke they never ever respawn... but thanks i'll do that lol

Potions and making enchanted jewelry. Since you don't want to dungeon dive, making potions it is. Just runaway from enemies if you happen upon them.

Maybe experiment with alchemy since you don't have to kill anything, just gather ingredients and brew potions, then sell them. Or try enchanting some jewelry, buy an empty soulgem and soultrap a rabbit

Could turn iron ore into gold ore. My mage character doesn't mine or use a smelter or smith, but if you did making gold necklaces from starting with Iron ore can be profitable and it involves using a spell (Magic!).

My character just turned the iron ore she found and sold it as is, but a little extra work and she'd be very wealthy in no time.

Perhaps take some bounties?

Ignore the ones if you're sent to take care of a Giant, unless you want to explore space...

Do favors for people within the cities.

Enchanting, if you can get your hands on a wepon with banish you have hit pay dirt. DE it, and make the loots, then sell the loots. Profit.

Edit:
Oh wait, your level 6, banish ain't happening. Hmm...hmmmmm...... I'd still go with enchanting. Any enchant will vastly...eh, moderately, increase the value of an item. Smith iron daggers, iron because you're a mage not a smith, enchant and sell them.

The easiest way to make money Sir. Transmutate spell is every Mage's best friend in this regard. Buy as many iron ores you can, make them golden, smith rings/necklaces and add some enchantments to them - Enjoy the fortune.