September 27, 2024 - On the off chance that you hadn’t noticed, most things are a lot more expensive today that they were four years ago. Discounts matter, and there are a number of ways to get them. But even in this economy, a surprising percentage of people aren’t taking advantage of them. So we’re going to take a look at some of the types of discounts and how to qualify for them. In this article, we’re going to look at college students.

College students actually do pretty well when in comes to using discounts when they shop. Recent surveys indicate that roughly 75% of students actively look for discounts when they shop. But that still means that 25% of students are missing out. And for their parents, that can be an expensive mistake.

Not all merchants offer student discounts. And among those that do, the policies for getting the discount can vary widely, as can the time frames that the discounts are available. Some merchants will accept a student ID as verification for a discount. Other require the use of a verification service. Some discount their merchandise year-round. Others will offer discounts at specific times of the year... usually around the beginning of a semester or school year. So as a shopper, you need to be somewhat educated if you want to maximize your savings.

Here are just a few of the discounts that students can qualify for and that parents need to be aware of:

Big-box retail shopping - There are a host of discounts available for retail shopping. Target offers students and teachers a 20% discount on a single purchase at the beginning of the school year. Walmart doesn’t offer a student discount but they do offer students 50% off on Walmart+, which includes perks like free delivery and some free entertainment options. And Amazon offers students their Amazon Prime service for less than $8 per month after a six-month free trial. These are just a few examples.

Clothing - J. Crew, Levi’s, Urban Outfitters, Nike and Topshop all offer student discounts that range from 10% to 15% off.

Computer software/hardware - Most large software firms offer student discounts. Microsoft offers discounts on both software and hardware. Adobe offers a staggering 60% discount to students for Creative Cloud services. Apple also offers discounts.

Eating out - A surprising number of restaurant chains offer student discounts. In some cases, the discounts are moderate - things like a free drink with a meal - but many offer 10% off. And Domino’s Pizza offers 20% off.

Obtaining these discounts usually means that you’ll have to do something. And that starts with asking. Ask merchants if they offer a student discount. If the answer is yes, find out what it takes to qualify for it and go through any required process. And if you are the parent of the student, insist that your child does this. In many cases, it’s your money that your kids are spending. You have a right to make sure that they aren’t spending more than they have to.

There is a good web page that lists out a large number of student discounts at retailmenot.com. You can find that page here.

Next time we’ll take a look at discounts for senior citizens.

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