Why don’t you use your student discount more often? Yeah, you… I know you’re not utilizing all the wonderful perks you can get as a student-there’s just too many to choose from!
I’ve been on the hunt for as many free things as I can find while I’m still a student. I pay enough in tuition to at least have earned that. It can be surprisingly difficult to find free student perks because they’re often not advertised (gotta make that $). So here are my top picks that I’ve been using and loving.
3 months free, 4 years discounted!!
This was an Instagram ad that got me good, but I am SO happy I signed up! Alo Moves is an app where you can access yoga, fitness, meditation, and skill building classes/videos. They have videos of all lengths that fit so well into my busy schedule. I love doing some mid-day meditations, putting on a walking workout in the morning, and learning to improve my mobility with this app. It’s been so good for my mental and physical health.
One year free, can renew every year you’re in school
Since we’re talking about saving money, the YNAB platform is such an easy, user-friendly way to create a budget. I have never known how to budget and always struggled with saving and spending, especially as a broke college student. This platform has saved my life! If you’re new to budgeting or if you’re just looking for an easy way to do so, I definitely recommend this free resource!
Professional Organizations
Free membership while enrolled
No matter what field you’re going into, joining a professional organization is always a great idea, but it can be really expensive. Luckily, most of these organizations allow students to join for free or for a much smaller fee than usual. I’m a Social Work student, so I was able to join the National Association of Social Workers for less than $50 instead of hundreds-this gave me access to free webinars, connection to other social work students and professionals, and discounts on annual conferences. Definitely check out your professional organizations of choice for student memberships!
The New York Times subscription
$1 a week
Okay, this isn’t totally free, but it is only $1 per week which is a huge steal. This subscription is available for as long as you’re a student-there’s no limit on how many weeks or months you get the discount. The New York Times is a great resource for school papers, as well as just getting your daily news. I also love playing the crossword puzzle and Wordle every day. Just sign up using your school email to receive your discount!
Coursera Course
1 free course
I wish this discount were more extensive, but I still used it and loved it! If you’re looking to learn a new skill that you can’t in school for any reason, Coursera offers one free course of your choice to students. Being a Social Work student, my schedule is full of interesting courses preparing me to work with people and communities. I really wanted to learn how to code – I know, totally outside my wheelhouse – to beef up my resume and skill set. Coursera had tons of course options for this and I was able to learn the basics over the summer for free!