Written by HUECU | Aug 20, 2018 8:30:00 PM
Being a full time college student means saving money when and where you can. In general, the rule of thumb is to cut out unnecessary expenditures. Small purchases here and there add up. For instance, if you have dining hall access, try to avoid ordering takeout, and if you have a drying rack, save a fistful of change per week on dorm dryers.
However, this doesn’t mean that your college days should be spent counting coins. Being a student should also be about enjoying this unique time. Luckily, there are a broad range of discounts available to students that make having fun and saving at the same time possible.
Essentials
Before diving into discounts for fun purchases and excursions, it’s important to note the discounts for essential college items.
First off, there’s the obvious big ticket computer purchase. The most popular discount is Apple’s, as they have various education deals going at the start of every school year. Other tech retailers will often have start of the year deals - for instance, Lenovo, Dell, and Microsoft have 10% or $100 off style deals. Don’t forget to ask your cell phone provider for student discounts as well, on both hardware and monthly plans.
Another essential is your stack of textbooks. While not a discount per se, Barnes and Nobles offers a rental service, which mean a lot of savings. If you do end up wanting to purchase books, try out the site Chegg.
Finally, it’s important to have all the right software. Microsoft Office should be provided by your school, though you can also get Office 365 for free. The Adobe creative suite is available for students for $19.99 a month, and Amazon Prime Student, which is great for textbook purchases, is $6.49 a month.
Shopping
This section is more about purchasing for fun, rather than expressly for your studies. With your student ID, you can get all kinds of discounts on clothes and media.
For all your media needs, Spotify, Hulu, and Apple Music all have roughly half price student discounts. Audible has a pretty decent discount and signing up deal as well.
Depending on where you go to school, the local clothing and gift stores will often have student discounts - big cities filled with college students often cater to this market, so make sure to check with your favorite retailers if they offer prices for the student budget.
A simple way to get a variety of discounts is to download the app Uniday. From clothing shops to GrubHub, this app highlights a lot of nifty discounts. StudentRate is also a well known site for all your discount needs.
Going Out
As a student, it’s necessary to take a break from your studies to explore. The world outside your campus can be very much your oyster with your student ID.
Museums both in the US and internationally - for when you take your semester or year abroad - offer discounted or free entrance to students. Movie theaters also have Student Day discounts.
To get discounts on your favorite events and other off campus locales, simply check out their websites or give them a ring. Each venue, museum, or theater will have their own rules on this, though more often than not, there will be discounts to explore. As an added bonus, don’t forget to check whether your insurance provider offers discounts, for when you get a car on campus.
Harvard University Discounts
If you are a Harvard student, Cambridge, Boston, and beyond are your discounted playgrounds. The university has a number of fine museums and sporting events, all free with your ID. You can also get into the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Institute for Contemporary Arts at no cost.
Harvard also has an Outings & Innings Office, for students looking to discover more about Cambridge and Boston. They offer discounts for a variety of the area’s best events and services, and can keep you informed about all the savings on offer for Harvard students.
Boston in general is very student friendly, so nearly every business, global or local, will have some sort of discount for its enormous student population.
The moral here is to always check whether you qualify for a student discount. Over time, you will save quite a bit of money, and have fun doing it.