Need a little more cash in your wallet? Well, here’s some good news: as a student, you can save money by using these student deals, discounts and secret tips.
Deals & Discounts
Technology is vital to college learning, but computers and phones can get pricey. Nevertheless, you can score a great deal with student discounts!
Apple: Apple offers 5 percent off most purchases for both students and educators, resulting in you potentially saving up to $200 on a new Mac or iPad. Check out Apple’s Education Pricing.
In addition, Apple Music is only $4.99 a month for students.
Lenovo: With Lenovo’s student and teacher discounts, you can save 5 percent on your entire purchase..
Adobe: Full-time students get discounts at Adobe, so definitely check them out to get over 60 percent off on Creative Cloud.
Cell Phone: Let’s not forget cell phone plans. The last thing you want is to be stranded without a way to get a ride or help because you’re on a tight budget and your service ran out.
Verizon Wireless, AT&T and Sprint all offer deals for students. If you register with studentrate.com, T-Mobile will waive your activation fee, and you may receive $50 credit on your phone bill.
Travel & Transportation: Travel can be a breeze if you utilize discounts. Check out the Student Advantage Discount Card that Greyhound and Amtrak offer. You can save 20 percent on fares at Greyhound. You can also use credit card rewards toward your travel.
For transportation, you can receive a discounted price on a Chevrolet, GMC or Buick vehicle.
Amazon Prime: Students can save 50 percent off Amazon Prime with Amazon Student. Not only can you access their streaming services and unlimited two-day shipping with this deal, but, in addition, you will get exclusive offers, discounts and eligibility for contests and sweepstakes.
Stores: Stores also help students out. Banana Republic offers a 15 percent discount on in-store purchases. Other places with deals include Alex & Ani, Sam’s Club and Levi’s.
The Movies: At participating AMC theaters, you can get a lower price on Thursdays if you bring your student ID.
Apps
Apps can help you save money not only by managing your bills, but also by offering free services.
Automatic savings apps can help you save money and not break your budget. For example, Acorns is an app that helps you save spare change, building your savings so you will have a cushion for your budget. You can invest as little as $5 a day, week or month. It’s supported by BlackRock, PayPal, Ashton Kutcher and CNBC.
The free “You Need a Budget” app tracks your expenses and alerts you when you’re going over your budget. It gives your dollars “jobs,” so that every bill and investment is accounted for. They advertise that, on average, new users save $600 in the first two months and more than $6,000 in the first year.
Honey can be applied to your phone or computer, and it essentially finds and applies discounts and promo codes for you.
Outside of money apps, you should take advantage of free entertainment apps. Tubi is a free, legal streaming app where you can watch movies and TV series. The only downside is that there is a smaller selection.
Credit Card or No?
Are you better off with a credit card or without the hassle? That all depends on how responsible you are. If you can handle paying off your card each month, then you can earn rewards and big-time savings. But, if you aren’t great at managing bills, it might be better to stick with a debit card until you get the hang of living on your own.
Having a credit card builds your credit—which can be necessary when it comes to renting an apartment, landing a job or financing a car.
To get you started, here are three good options:
- International students should consider the Deserve Edu Mastercard for Students. You can still get this card without a U.S. credit history or social security number.
- Discover it Student Cash Back offers 5 percent cash back on chosen categories they reselect after three months and 1 percent on all other spending. Late payments don’t increase your interest rate.
- Discover it Student Chrome offers rewards for gas and restaurants, and you can earn a $20 statement each year if you have a 3.0 GPA .
Everything adds up when it comes to finances, so it’s always good to look ahead. Keep an eye out for deals wherever you go. You might be surprised what you’ll find!
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