Spending money never felt so wallet-friendly!
It doesn’t matter what your job is or how much money you make, everyone loves discounts. But if there’s a group of people who love discounts more than anyone else, it’s students.
We all know it’s been tough recently. While juggling school and work, you also have to worry about your finances with tuition costs and increased grocery prices. It’s even more challenging for students doing unpaid internships, which IGNITE advocates against.
One of the perks of being a student is that many businesses offer student discounts that can help alleviate your pockets. Here’s a list of places that offer student discounts that you can make use of as a Humber College or the University of Guelph-Humber student. This wallet-friendly list won’t stop your wallet from crying, because we all love to spend some money, but it will certainly make it cry less.
Get a Student Price Card membership
This student loyalty program is a must-have if you’re a student. The Student Price Card (SPC) is a student discount program that costs only $11.99 a year and gives you up to 25 per cent off at over 450 participating stores in Canada.
If you think this is only a loyalty program for clothing stores, you’re wrong. SPC covers categories like fashion, tech, food, beauty, travel, fitness, entertainment, lifestyle and local. Listing all the participating stores would take forever – and this article would be too long – but some of the notable names include Ray-Ban, Ardene, Grammarly, Voilà, Vichy, Champs Sports, Saje and more. SPC also offers limited-time deals, giving you exclusive discounts all the time.
The discounts can be used both in-store and online. According to the loyalty program, students save an average of $340 each year.
You can sign up for a membership online. If you have a CIBC account, you can get SPC+ for free! So waste no time in getting your student loyalty program and start saving some dollars on your daily purchases today.
Give a new look to your setup
Are you looking for a new monitor? A new keyboard? New headphones? What about a new phone? Whatever your tech needs are, there are many companies that offer student discounts.
Apple has an exclusive section on their website called the Education Store, where students can purchase Macs, iPads, iPhones, Apple Watches and even AirPods with discounts. Besides accessories like the Apple Pencil, which is also part of the program, Apple offers 20 per cent off on AppleCare+, extending your coverage and adding unlimited incidents of accidental damage protection.
If you’re more of a gaming person and prefer a PC, Microsoft also offers student discounts. Students are eligible for 10 per cent off on selected products like desktop computers, laptops and tablets. One of the best things about Microsoft is that you can use Office 365 apps for free! Essential apps like Outlook, Word and Excel can be all available on your computer for free!
Dell is another great option. All you have to do is sign up for their coupon and you will have 48 hours to use it.
If you were thinking of upgrading your setup, consider purchasing from brands that offer student discounts so you can save some extra pennies.
Save some money on groceries
We’ve all noticed an increase in grocery prices over the past few years. Every time those PC Optimum points are enough for a discount, everyone gets excited to use them. But did you know can save some money on groceries at certain stores?
This subheading is for those who commute from Guelph, Hamilton, London and Windsor – trust me, some of your peers drive from those cities every day. Food Basics offers a 10 per cent discount for students on Tuesdays at its locations in Guelph, London (Oxford Street and Wonderland Road), Hamilton and Windsor.
All you have to do is show your student ID on Tuesdays to get a discount on your groceries. Just a heads up, there’s a limit of one transaction per student per day and this cannot be combined with any other offers.
Save money on transit
If you use public transit to get to school every day, your transportation bills can be intimidating at the end of the month. But as a post-secondary student, you can save money on GO Train and TTC rides.
This might sound unbelievable, but you can save 40 per cent on GO Train fares. That’s right, FORTY per cent off. The process is very simple. First, purchase a PRESTO card. Then, set up the student fare by showing your student ID. Next, apply online for a GO student ID and redeem your voucher. Always make sure to carry both your student and GO student ID when riding the train, as fare inspectors will request them.
The TTC also offers a discounted monthly pass on PRESTO. The regular TTC Monthly Pass, which gives you unlimited travel on the TTC, costs $156 a month or $143 for a 12-month pass for an adult. As a post-secondary student, you can purchase it at a discounted price of $128.15 a month. You can set up your fare type at any Shoppers Drug Mart location or at the TTC Customer Service Centre above Davisville Station. You will also need a TTC post-secondary student photo ID, obtainable only at the TTC Photo ID Office at Bathurst Station.
If commuting is part of your daily routine, take advantage of these discounts and save on transportation.
Discount on entertainment
If you want to have a good time and entertain yourself, there are places in the city where you can have fun either for free or with a discounted entrance price.
The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is free for anyone aged 25 and younger, and every first Wednesday night of each month, between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., it’s free for everyone. While the AGO doesn’t really offer specific discounts for students, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) does.
The ROM is free for students on Tuesdays and has a discounted entry fee of $20, which is $6 cheaper than the regular price, on other days. For both free and discounted admission, you have to show your valid student ID.
If you want to learn more about art and culture while scoring a deal, make sure to visit the AGO and the ROM while you’re a student.
These are some of the spots in town where you can take advantage of student discounts. From essentials like groceries to upgrading your setup, there are always discounts available if you dig around.
If you’re doing an unpaid internship and struggling to pay your bills, applications for the IGNITE Glow Bursary open on Sept. 9. We believe hands-on opportunities are crucial for students’ development, but they should be getting paid for their work.
If you know any other establishments that offer discounts to students, hit us up @shareignite.
Feature image courtesy of Artem Beliaikin via Unsplash.
Do you want to learn more about work-integrated learning? Check out what happened at the College Student Alliance May Conference!
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