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These are tough economic times and blah, blah, blah. I won’t bore you with another summation of our nation’s economic situation. As students, we’re no strangers to tough economic situations, as our wallets are always stretched thin regardless of how the overall economy is doing.
So, once again, through the tireless efforts of the Chuck’s Cheap Thrills team, we present another money-saving scenario – using your student ID.
We all whip out our Wesleyan IDs at the movie theaters to get discount tickets, but did you know what else your student ID can get you?
For starters, Microsoft is offering a generous discount on its new version of Windows.
I know, I know. I’m just as ticked as all of you for the release of Windows 7 on the heels of Vista (an especially hard blow to those of us who have purchased a computer in the last few years), but I think they’re trying to make up for it, to us students, anyway.
From now until Jan. 3 students can purchase Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional for $29.99. You can also get the 07 Microsoft Office Ultimate for $59.95.
Apple offers student deals as well, but it is usually in the way of a 10 percent discount on selected items. Go to www.win741.com or www.apple.com for more computer discount deals.
Another source for cheap thrills is www.studentrate.com. This site requires you to create an account, but they don’t require any personal information such as credit card or billing address, only a valid school e-mail address. It’s completely free, and once you’ve signed in there’s an array of discounts available.
Some discounts are in the form of a printable coupon, some have online codes that give access to these savings secrets.
Businesses such as T-Mobile, Nike, Sketchers, Target, Wal-Mart, Gap and Old Navy are all there just waiting to save you money. Discounts vary from the meager 10 percent to a whopping 50 to 75 percent. Go to www.studentrate.com to see what’s available.
There’s also student rush tickets available at local theaters such as Bass hall, Casa Manana and Circle Theatre. These are usually half price or less and are available usually an hour or 30 minutes before curtain – with a valid student ID.
Many restaurants, fast food places, bars, bookstores, museums, retailers, travel agents and car rental places offer a variety of student discounts as well.
Before you put money down on anything, you should always remember that magic phrase, “Do you offer any student discounts?”
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