Living on a college budget while having fun can be challenging! It seems as if all the shops and restaurants we want to go to are pricey. Luckily, many businesses offer student discounts. Read more to find out about some awesome student offers that you should consider taking advantage of!
We always hear about student discounts, but rarely do we ever actually use them.
As college students, minimizing expenses is important to stay on a budget (Don’t have a budget? I talk more about budgeting here.) While half of the “minimize expenses” process involves cutting out things we don’t need, it is nice to spend less on the things we decide are important.
Unless it is explicitly advertised, most of us don’t know who offers student discounts in the first place. The reality is, several companies offer promotions for students, and some discounts are better than others.
First of all, when interacting with local businesses, don’t be afraid to ask if they offer student discounts! For business owners, offering discounts is a great way to advertise. When students are aware of a discount, they will share this info with their friends, which creates new customers. You might find that your favorite restaurant offers a discount that you didn’t even realize! It doesn’t hurt to ask.
Now, on to the discounts. The following are some of my favorite discounts that I either have personally used, or have recommended to friends.
Malwarebytes
First, Malwarebytes. If you use a computer to surf or download files from the internet, you should have antivirus software. Malwarebytes is the program I use. It automatically crawls my computer files in search of viruses and malware. Real time protection means that I can download files from a variety of sites for school and work, and be confident that my computer is safe.
I put this entry first because the discount for students is massive. The premium service costs $6.67 a month and protects 5 devices, which comes out to around $80 per year. Students get 4 YEARS for just 20 DOLLARS. That is less than 50 cents a month. Just do it.
Follow the link to take advantage of this offer: https://www.malwarebytes.com/student-discount/
Spotify
Everyone’s favorite music streaming service, Spotify, is half off for students. This 4.99 monthly plan also comes with Hulu and SHOWTIME. What a deal! The basic non-student price for Hulu alone is 5.99, so you really are getting a bang for your buck. If you are a new member, the first month is free!
Check it out here: https://www.spotify.com/us/student/
Adobe Creative Suite
For students in the Digital Media programs, you are probably already familiar with Adobe’s student plans. If you aren’t, you might be surprised to know that students can get over 60% off of their plans. A subscription to the Creative Cloud (20+ apps including Photoshop, Premiere, and After Effects) is only 19.99 a month. Compare this against the standard rate of $52.99, and you will see this is a great deal!
If you enjoy photography, videography or graphic design, check this offer out. You can even get your feet wet with a 7 day free trial.
Check it out here: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/buy/students.html
Apple and Windows
For many of us students, a good laptop or tablet is crucial for classes. If you are looking to purchase a brand new device, consider taking advantage of educational pricing by Microsoft and Apple. Promotional pricing for students comes in around 10% cheaper, which adds up to quite a bit for expensive devices. The student pricing is limited to certain items, with Microsoft offering a wider range of discounted accessories. To check out what kind of offers are available, click here:
Student pricing for Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/b/education
Student pricing for Apple: https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop
Now, these are just my favorites.
That said, there are some awesome resources available to discover many more discounts. Here are good places to start:
Student Beans. Not only is the site regularly updated with the latest student promos, but will notify you when new promotions are discovered! If you are looking for a great resource to find great offers for students, click here!
Reddit. Reddit is my go-to when I want real people’s tips or insight on something I am not familiar with. Searching the site for student discounts is how I found most of the student discounts that I listed above. If you are looking for a good way to find more recent and lesser-known promotions, check out Reddit!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alex Christodoulou
Student Author - Spring 2021
