Updated on May 20th, 2024
In many cases, college students are a bit cash poor. That means that making every dollar count is important. Otherwise, it’s easy to end up in financial trouble, especially if your student has to rack up debt simply to survive.
Luckily, there is a vast array of student discounts available today. Not only can your student save big on large expenses, like computers, they can also keep their everyday costs low.
However, student discounts are only helpful if students know who offers them. Often, these programs aren’t widely advertised and are never automatically applied, so your student has to know that the opportunity is there if they are going to take advantage of it.
With that in mind, here are 32 amazing student discounts your college student shouldn’t miss.
Retail Student Discounts
There are certain items that no one can go without. Clothing and shoes fall into that category. If your student needs to refresh their wardrobe, shopping at retailers that offer a student discount can help them get more bang for their buck.
Here are a few retailers that offer student discounts:
- Amazon Prime Student
- Banana Republic – 15% Off
- Club Monaco – 15% Off
- Dockers – 20% Off
- Express – 15% Off
- Forever 21 – 10% Off
- J. Crew – 15% Off
- Levi’s – 40% Off
- Nike – 10% Off
- Puma – 10% Off
- Reebok – 20% Off
- TopShop – 10% Off
Technology Student Discounts
Few college students can survive without some form of tech. Laptops, software, and similar technology purchases are often pretty expensive, but many companies provide discounts to students.
Here are some of the student discounts available in the tech category:
- Apple – 5% and up
- Adobe – 60% Off Creative Cloud All Apps Plan
- Best Buy – Varies
- Dell – Varies
- Lenovo – Varies
- Microsoft – Up to 10%
- Norton – 70% and up on Antivirus/Security Software
Movie Ticket Student Discounts
Just because your student is in college that doesn’t mean they won’t need to cut loose from time to time. Doing something fun can help them keep their batteries charged, but having a night out at discount prices makes it even better.
Here are some movie ticket student discounts that can help them stay entertained:
- AMC Theatres – Varies
- Cinemark – Varies
- Regal Cinemas – Varies
Transportation Discounts
Many college students spend some time traveling. Whether it’s heading home on holidays or exploring an exotic destination during spring break, being able to get around for less can be a boon.
Here are a few of the travel-oriented student discounts that are available:
Cell Phone Plan Student Discounts
Some cell phone carriers offer discounts to college students, though not every school is eligible for each program. Additionally, some require that your student is an employee of the school, not just a student, making it harder to land some of these details.
Still, these possible student discounts are worth exploring if your student is paying their own wireless bill:
Related articles:
- Dorm Room Checklist & How to Set Up on a Budget
- Best Places to Find Affordable College Textbooks
- 75 Easy Ways to Save Money in College
Warehouse Stores Memberships
While they don’t always provide shopping discounts, many warehouse stores provide students with lower-cost memberships or a free gift card (which offsets some of the membership price_, which could help them save. Here are two worth checking out:
- Costco
- Sam’s Club
Don’t See a Favorite Store on the List? That Doesn’t Mean There Isn’t a Discount!
If your student doesn’t see their favorite store on the list, then they may want to check out what is available through the Student Advantage Card.
The Student Advantage Card can be used to score student discounts through a wide variety of stores, restaurants, travel companies, and more. However, the list of participating companies can vary, so it’s wise to take a look and see if there is a great one available before your student spends a dime.
One of the biggest steps college students can take to help keep their costs under control is to get comfortable with talking with store employees about discounts.
While asking about student discounts can feel a bit forward, your student won’t know if there is savings available if they don’t bring it up!
Store employees are usually well aware of any discounts that are available, so they’ll be able to respond with a quick “yes” or “no” without interrupting the flow at the register. And, the worst-case scenario is that there isn’t one available, so there really is no harm in asking.
Plus, this can be a critical step if your student heads to a restaurant or fast food joint. Many food and drink establishments do provide discounts to college students, but, since this can vary dramatically by location, they aren’t widely advertised. This means your student needs to speak up and have their college ID ready. Otherwise, they are spending more than they have to, and that’s never a good thing.
Ultimately, your student should work to find every discount that can make staying in budget easier. After all, college can be expensive, so why not make an effort to ensure that every dollar goes as far as possible.
If you and your student are working on the scholarship process, make sure you don’t miss our free scholarship training. It’s about 45 to 60 minutes long and I cover exactly where you can find more scholarships your student is actually eligible for and are legitimate. Grab your spot here: 6 Steps to Quickly Securing Scholarships for College.
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