With A-Level results day now in the rear view mirror for students such as myself, it's important to look forward to the next few years whether you're going to university, undertaking an apprenticeship or going straight into the world of work. If you're off to university this time next month, it's integral that you get everything in order before you go, including all the benefits of being a student.
Student discounts are the first thing that spring to mind with sites such as UNIDAYS and StudentBeans offering discounts on everything from technology to fashion to help students along with their day-to-day lives and let’s be honest here, who doesn’t love a good discount? With supported sites ranging from Apple to Pretty Green or Lenovo to Levis, it’s guaranteed that they’ll be something for everyone. A lot of my friends have already made use of these discounts when purchasing new laptops or clothes for university and it’s really worth getting involved in. Plus, if you install any apps for such discount sites, every so often you’ll get a push notification to notify you of any new deals.
If you’re looking for some more discounts, the NUS-endorsed TOTUM card offers over 200 discounts domestically and with 1 year’s free ISIC included (International Study Identity Card), it unlocks an additional 42,000 discounts across 130 countries. Where UNIDAYS for instance doesn’t cover some brands such as Canon or Squarespace, the outlay required for a TOTUM card (£24.99 for 3 years at its current rate) doesn’t seem all too much, especially when you consider the sheer scale of discounts available. Moreover, a TOTUM card also acts as a proof of age and a surefire way of gaining discounts in-store as an official University identification card may be turned down.
Another thing that’ll be key is a student bank account - a bank account specifically for people entering or in higher education. Banks usually offer incentives to make you choose to open an account with them, be it a free railcard or a £100 signing-on bonus. It’s not just to retailers that students are a lucrative sector, especially since the banks always try to outdo each other with offers. Santander for instance offer a free 4 year railcard with any new student account and Natwest offer a choice of incentives from free Amazon Prime Student (more on that later) to a card offering discounted National Express coach travel. Regardless of the offered ‘gift’ however, opening a student bank account is vital for your time at university, and be sure to take note of other additional benefits such as the amount of overdraft you’ll get in case your budget doesn’t go quite as far as you thought.
If you’re going to be doing a lot of online shopping and want things quickly, investing in an Amazon Prime Student subscription is certainly worthwhile. With the link below (as an Amazon affiliate, we may earn an affiliate commission) you gain access to a six-month trial of Prime Student and then £3.99 a month afterwards, 50% off the normal price. Prime Student doesn’t just give you unlimited one day delivery, but also allows you to access the Prime Video library with exciting original shows such as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel or The Grand Tour and a vast film library that currently includes classics such as Back To The Future and The Truman Show and newer films such as Game Night and Knives Out. Prime Music allows you to stream your favourite songs, and if you couple it with an Amazon Echo device, you can also link it up to Spotify to play your tunes from there. Moreover, Prime Student can also allow you to take advantage of discounts such as 10% off textbooks and 20% off any AmazonBasics goods you might want.
To any firm out there, students are certainly a lucrative sector, and with a seeming record number of us off to university this year, it certainly makes sense to reap all of the financial benefits that it comes with. You can sign up to to Prime Student here and make full use of the 6 month free trial that Amazon offer, as well as signing up for UNIDAYS here.
UNTITLED may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through the links on our site. Find out more here.