Student Discounts
If there’s one thing you’ll quickly learn about college, it’s that it is the absolute greatest thing that you will ever experience, and there are multiple reasons for that.
You get to create your class schedule, hang out with your friends all day and night, and eat whatever (and whenever) you want. All of those things are great, but saving money is even better, don’t you think?
I know it seems impossible to save money while being a college student, but it’s possible, I promise — and all because of your student status. Your student ID card is a magical pass that can do much more than just rent a library book for your research paper. This card is going to be one of the single most important things that you ever receive throughout your years in college.
Let me tell you why: because student discounts are a very real thing.
Your ID can get you discounts just about anywhere. From movie theaters to fast food restaurants to clothing stores, people love to give college students money off — and all you need is your student ID or your university email address. Other than just getting your midnight pizza for dirt cheap, technology companies offer some great student discounts, and believe me, you’re going to need technology. Here are a few of the companies that offer discounts:
Apple offers back to school discounts with special education pricing, and they even give you a $100 gift card if you buy your own Mac computer. Dell offers students a free tablet with the purchase of select PC’s worth $699 or more. Norton Software offers students great discounts (up to 50% off) on antivirus protection for your electronics.
Technology isn’t the only thing you can save money on, though. As I mentioned above, movie theaters honor the student discount as well.
AMC Theatres and Cinemark both offer discounts to students on movie tickets, but it all just depends on where you live. But movies aren’t the only kind of entertainment that you can get discounted — many museums and aquariums offer student discounts as well, but you’ll have to check this out for your particular area, too.
Major phone providers (Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Cricket) offer discounts to students on their monthly bill, but check with the company first to see if your university participates in this discount.
There are also some really great student discounts for some subscriptions and memberships, and yes, Amazon Prime is one of them. Amazon Prime, for those of you who don’t know, is an online retailer where you can buy textbooks and random items alike. Not only do you have tons of great, random knickknacks at your fingertips, but students also get access to free two-day shipping AND video streaming. It’s free for six months and then after that you pay just $39 a month! (This is a deal you need to jump on top of.)
Sam’s Club and Spotify are two other great memberships/subscriptions that you should take note of. Why, do you ask? Well, Sam’s Club is a great idea if you’re looking to go grocery shopping with roommates. They have everything in bulk so it’s a super cost-efficient way to shop. They give students a discounted membership and even give you a $15 gift card when you sign up.
Spotify is one of the best music streaming services ever created, in my opinion. It’s also one of the best things that will happen to your music library. And guess what? You can follow all of your friends’ personal playlists! They offer premium status (no ads or limits) to students for 50% of the original price. (AKA another great deal.)
In addition to all of the great discounts listed above, you should know that most chain restaurants offer student discounts, too. Some of my favorites are: Chipotle, Subway, Taco Bell, and Buffalo Wild Wings. They normally offer about 10% off your order or a free drink, which doesn’t seem like much, but believe me, it adds up quickly.
Online shopping is one of the easiest ways to shop in today’s market, and this is where your university email address will come in handy. Many online retailers will give discounts just with the purchase from a .edu email address. With online shopping in mind, make sure you check out Studentrate.com before completing any online order — they’ll let you in on tons of online deals.
This last discount isn’t just one discount. It’s an International Student Identity Card which is an identification card used for over 40,000 discounts in 125 countries! This is for any full-time student over the age of 12 and there are no upper age limits. They have different types of cards, so there are options for teachers and people under 30 traveling around the globe. They cost anywhere from 4–25 USD so they’re very affordable.
So, now you know that it is possible to study in the U.S. (or anywhere for that matter) without it costing you an arm and a leg. Students get discounts almost anywhere; so whenever you pull out your debit card or a $20 bill, don’t forget to pull out your student ID, too. You may just save yourself a few bucks.
