Being a college student can be expensive. Beyond the costs of tuition itself, the expenses relating to housing, food, computers, books and miscellaneous supplies can really stack up – and that’s before you throw in any entertainment, travel and the odd coffee or late-night pizza. When it comes to attending college, there can be a whole host of hidden fees.
Whatever can be done to minimize these ‘out of pocket’ expenses, the better. That’s where knowing how to make the most of college student discounts comes in.
Every 10% saved here and there can really add up, as can utilizing offers for free services or products both on and off campus. But, finding these deals and discounts isn’t always easy, so here is a guide to help you.
Here are some of the best discounts that students can access to make their college years a little more affordable.
Tech deals
Tech giants Microsoft offer a variety of discounts and even freebies to students wishing to access their software. For example, for a start, any available Microsoft product can be purchased by a student at a discount of 10%.
Students are also eligible to use their Office 365 software suite for free. This suite includes the most popular applications such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel. This alone is a saving of $70 per year. Simply head to Microsoft Student Education and have your college email details handy.
Entertainment
There are so many opportunities to save money with college student discounts when you take the time to uncover what’s available. Most movie theaters offer discounts to college students, including National chains like AMC, Regal Cinemas and Cinemark. A college ID is as good as a ‘get in free’ pass for many music venues and museums. New York’s Lincoln Center and Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museums are just some examples of the cultural institutions that offer greatly discounted or free admissions.
Major League Baseball also offers discounts to students in around a dozen cities, including the Chicago cubs, the Boston Red Sox, the Atlanta Braves and more.
Commerce king Amazon offers a truckload of products favorable to students, and a good deal of discounts, too. These include free books, video and music downloads, free one-day shipping, discounts of books, music and movies, and up to 80% off items like mobile phone cases, USB adapters, packs of ramen noodles, granola bars, and more.
Amazon also offers students a six month free trial and a further 50% of their membership when the trial has ended. Prime Student subscribers can also access Amazon Music Unlimited for just .99 cents a month – a massive saving from what is usually $9.99 per month.
Transportation deals
There is certainly no shortage of great deals for students when it comes to both public and private transport.
Regarding rail, Amtrak offers a 10% discount on tickets for students who have signed up to their Student Advantage Discount Card. Rail Europe also offers a 23% discount to students taking a semester in Europe, although this does only refer to second class travel.
If you like the bus, the Student Advantage Discount Card gives you 15% off of any Greyhound tickets, for an annual fee of $30. Many college towns also offer low-cost annual or seasonal passes to take subway trains and buses across town. Contact your local town or city’s transport page or ask at your college about local train and bus deals.
Clothing, food, and more
Aimed exclusively towards college students, Unidays offers discounts to members on over 150 brand name products and services. These include companies like Apple, Samsung, American Eagle, Adidas, and more.
Simply by signing up, you automatically qualify for some amazing deals, like a free $20 Costco gift card, $20 off Apple products, and 20% of food deliveries ordered through GrubHub. This one-stop-shop allows you to select the deals you like best when you sign up – and there are plenty to choose from.
Final thoughts
Taking a moment to shop around and source great deals and discounts can save you a surprising amount of your precious student budget – leaving you feeling a little more relaxed and able to save or spend on things that have previously been a little out of reach.
