Almost three out of four undergraduate students have experienced some form of financial struggle in the past year. This can be due to the increased prices in groceries, bills, tuition and other expenses.
However, there are discounts offered to college students that can help make life a little bit more enjoyable. Whether they are found in small businesses in St. George or offered by corporate companies, here are some college discounts that can help you save an extra dollar.
Food
The Blazer Pantry is Utah Tech University’s food pantry and is available to all students, faculty and staff experiencing food insecurity. Found in the Browning Learning Center, the Blazer Pantry offers nutritious and safe food, with the option to also order fresh food online.
One way to get discounted food is with the Starving Student Card, which can be found on printed cards or through the app. From a free order of breadsticks from Papa John’s to a free four-ounce yogurt from Yogurtland, the Starving Student card offers a variety of deals at restaurants, businesses and events.
Wanting to enjoy a coffee or chai while doing homework in a fun environment? Well, Caffe Elevato is the place for this. Students get 15% off of their order when a student’s ID is presented at the register. Caffe Elevato also hosts weekly events like Open Mic Night on Mondays at 7:00 p.m., Poetry Night on Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m., or Karaoke Night every Friday at 6 p.m.
Trevor Miner, owner of Caffe Elevato, said he is always open to hosting events for college students. Usually, a couple of times a year, they partner with the science department at Utah Tech and host events that highlight different topics like local rocks or light pollution. At the cafe, they also have board games and a stage of instruments that are available to the community for usage.
“I really just wanted to create a space where people can come and get together with their friends and hang out or play board games,” Miner said.
Entertainment
Want to be able to watch TV series and movies but don’t want to pay an arm or leg a month? Hulu offers a student discounted price for $1.99 a month. There is also a music and streaming service bundle, where you can get both Hulu and Spotify Premium for $5.99 a month. The first month is free for this bundle, so you can easily cancel it if you’re not enjoying it.
On the other hand, Amazon Prime is discounted for college students to $7.49 a month. This deal includes access to their streaming services and two-day prime shipping.
Nikke Northrup, a senior psychology major from Henderson, Nevada, uses both the Spotify and Hulu bundle discount and Amazon discount. She said she enjoys using the bundle to watch Hulu with her friends while also getting music access.
“With Amazon Prime, it’s been nice if I ever need a textbook, and it gets you free shipping,” Northrup said.
If you’re a movie fan, Megaplex Theatres offers $5 movie tickets on Tuesdays for any movie throughout the day. This can be a cheap way for you and your friends to go watch new movies without putting a hole in your wallet.
Activities
The Trailblazing Traditions app also offers discounted events from time to time. Recently, Utah Tech students were invited to play top golf at BigShots Golf for free.
Jade Hill, a sophomore dental hygiene major from Sunset, went to this event with her roommates, where they got to play for an hour and choose free food from a select menu.
“We were not rushed during our experience, and we got to have a fun time,” Hill said. “And it was free. That’s always the best part.”
Hill said she has also participated in multiple events offered through Freebie Fridays by the Utah Tech Alumni Association. Every Friday, the Trailblazing Traditions app offers Freebie Fridays, which are free items for Utah Tech students when the coupon is presented. This can be anything from a free cookie to a free round of golf.
Another app that offers discounts for college students is Unidays. After verifying that you’re a college student, the app consists of a variety of different coupons and discounts that are offered. It is a great way to get discounted prices from some of your favorite companies like Apple and American Eagle.
The next time you tell your friends you can’t go out because you need to save money, instead, use some of the student discounts that are offered throughout St. George. Being a “broke college student” shouldn’t mean you can’t get that college experience, so summon your inner grandma and use some discounts or coupons to save money.
