Money doesn’t stretch as far as it used to, we all know that and we are all living that every day. That means it can be difficult for students, who should be able to afford to let their hair down in amongst the expectations of academia. As Tesco once said ‘Every Little Helps’, so we have put together a little guide of places you can go to save yourself money doing the things you love to do.
UNiDAYS
If you want savings after savings after savings, UNiDAYS is the place for you. It is a free digital platform that details a whole host of exclusive discounts and benefits for students. Over 800 brands offer discounts through UNiDAYS ranging from ASOS to Apple, from Virgin Experience Days to Deliveroo, from Currys to PureGym.
All you have to do to access these discounts is to register with your personal email address and verify your student status. This will give you 12 months access and you can renew each year that you study.
Take a look here.
Student Beans
Student Beans is another place that unlocks discounts for students, with the whole aim to put more money in your pocket which in turn will help you to thrive and fulfil your potential whilst studying. You can never have enough websites/apps that allow you to save money. Why spend 100% in one place when you can spend 70% somewhere else?
There are so many discounts available, such as £50 discount per booking with TUI, up to 50% off selected GymShark styles, 10% off your first three months of parking with JustPark and a Free Sausage Roll, Vega Sausage Roll or Sweet Treat from Greggs. What more could you want?
Find out more here.
TOTUM
TOTUM, the newish name for the NUS extra card, brings you over 400 UK student discounts. TOTUM has two different membership options available to all eligible applicants. You have the option to sign up for their free TOTUM membership to access a range of online offers - or you can pay to upgrade to their TOTUM+ membership, unlocking access to a range of perks and benefits.
You can see more here.
Amazon Prime
Did you know that as a student, you an get six months’ free Amazon Prime? That means that you can watch a whole host of shows for absolutely nothing. The Boys, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Fallout and Clarkson’s Farm are just some of the great shows you can binge when wanting to wind down. Once those six months expire, you can than continue for half the price.
Not only that, it gives you free one-day delivery on so many items you can purchase through Amazon.
Microsoft Office 365
Do you want it for free? Then you may well be able to have it! If you want to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Teams then it is worth a look. Students at universities that have an institution-wide licence for Office through the Microsoft Volume Licensing programme will be eligible and Microsoft say 99.9% of universities fit that criteria, so take a look.
Martin Lewis – The Money Saving Expert
Has there ever been a man that has done more to try and save people money? Martin Lewis comes to the rescue again as he rounds up lots of places, including some of what we have mentioned above, where you can get discounts.
It is handily split into areas such as Food & Drink, Clothes & Fashion, Music & Electronics, Health & Beauty and Days Out. There is also a section that tells you savings you can have in shops such as Dunelm, IKEA and Hobby Craft.
So take a look and don’t miss out.
Loyalty Cards
An essential cost for all of us is food shopping, and if you don’t have the loyalty card for your go to shops then you are missing out on free money. So many supermarkets now have points based loyalty cards, and many people can rack up enough points throughout the year for a cheeky treat at Christmas or a free weeks shopping when you really need it.
Cashback
Using cashback sites (e.g. Quidco, Top Cashback) is a really easy way to get money for free. You will need register an account with them, search their database for the shop/service you intend to use and then purchase your item as normal.
For example, if you’re going bowling, search for Tenpin bowling, reserve your slot and after your visit and the retailer has confirmed your visit, your account will be credited with the specified amount. The rate of cashback varies and there are often additional incentives, so it is wise to keep checking what is available.
Too Good To Go
Downloading the Too Good To Go app means you can get surprise bags from the many different shops and restaurants that are signed up to the services. These businesses often produce more food than they can sell which has led to a lot of waste in the past. This app will instead pack up surprise bags which people can purchase for very little later in the day.
Why not treat yourself and hunt down those bargains.
Last Words
If in doubt, ask. No matter what shop, restaurant, café, or local activity you are at, you have nothing to lose by asking if they do discounts for students. Lots of business advertise that they offer student discounts but not all. You never know, if you ask, you might just well get.
As a University of Plymouth student, you have access to the SU Advice team who are highly experienced and can offer free, impartial, and confidential financial advice to any student who needs it. This includes advice on budgeting, discounts, travel, healthcare, welfare benefits and childcare costs to help make sure you are getting the best value for money.
SU Advice can also help you to navigate and understand Student Finance England (SFE), including your tuition fee loans, maintenance loans, and if you qualify for any bursaries or additional grants.
Our SU Advice team are here to support all University of Plymouth students, whether they are a new student, returning student, postgraduate or international student: we are here to offer information and guidance to ensure you understand your outgoing fees and available financial support.
Get in touch by emailing advice@su.plymouth.ac.uk, by calling us on 01752 588373 (and leaving a voicemail if we cannot get to the phone), or by completing the online enquiry form here.