Using Your Student ID Cards to Save Big

February 14, 2012 | posted by David Joseph.

When college freshman arrive on campus, one of the first things they have to do is get their student ID. The acquisition of a student ID is a big step —it serves as a final validation of your hard work in high school, while also signifying your membership into the campus community. The value of a student ID extends well beyond being a symbol—it can also be used to cash in on discounts offered at a variety of businesses. Here are some common items that students can get discounts for:

Food: In many college towns and cities, restaurants try to entice the large college crowd by offering discounts to those carrying their student ID. While 10% off on a sub or a pizza slice might not seem like a lot, these small discounts add up to big savings over the course of a semester.
Clothes: As compared to food, the savings that students can get when shopping for clothes can be more apparent. The trouble is, many retail stores make it difficult for you by not advertising these discounts. Make sure to check with the retailers near your campus to see which ones offer discounts.
Entertainment Tickets: Chances are, there are a lot of activities going on in the town/city where you are attending school. Whether it’s for a movie screening, a musical performance, a ballgame, etc., event organizers often make a certain amount of tickets available exclusively to students at discounted prices.
Gym: It might sound crazy, but many students make the mistake of paying for a local gym membership before finding out that they have access to their school’s gym for free. Don’t make this same mistake!
Counseling: With all the change that accompanies the start of college, students can easily feel overwhelmed by the stresses/pressures they face. Colleges are well aware of this fact, and many offer some great, free counseling services to help you deal with your daily challenges. Check with your college’s wellness office to find out about their offered programs.

Do you have any other ideas on how students can save big using their student ID? Let us know in the comments!

Image: PANPOTE

Written by David Joseph

David Joseph is a Business Marketing Analyst at Overture Technologies. He can be reached at djoseph at overturecorp dot com or on Twitter at @collegemoneyblg.

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