Managing your money as a student can sometimes be a bit tough. But one thing that does help is the amount of student discounts you can get!
That’s why this article is all about all the great deals you can get just by being a student.
NUS Extra TOTUM card
Probably the most well-known student discount scheme, apprenticeship, college and university students can apply for a NUS Extra card which have been created in association with TOTUM.
It costs £12 for a year, £22 for two years or £32 for three years. But you'll definitely make that back in discounts!
There are a whole host of discounts you can get from having this card. We don’t even scratch the surface by mentioning 10% off at Co-op, 10% off at ASOS and 25% off Odeon student priced tickets.
What’s more, the card now comes with a year of free ISIC, the International Student Identity Card, which has 42,000 of its own discounts over more than 130 countries.
Find out more about the Totum Card
UNiDaYS
You don’t need to pay anything to access the discounts that UNiDAYS offers, but you will need to be able to sign into your university’s system so it can confirm you’re a student.
Like NUS Extra, the website has a whole host of online discounts, including 10% off New Look, Apple and Cath Kidston.
Discounts are often boosted for a limited time and you'll get the notifications through the app. You will have to take a picture of yourself though, so only you can use the discounts!
Find out more about UNiDAYS
Travel
If you’re living away from home, it’s worth investing in either a 16-25 Railcard or a Young Person’s Coachcard. Both offer you a third off fares, either on trains or with National Express coaches. While they both reference age, mature students are also eligible.
The railcard costs £30 for a year, or £70 for three years. The coach card is £12.50 for a year, or £30 for three years. Some student bank accounts will offer a coach or railcard as an incentive for opening an account with them.
While the coachcard is valid for all standard and fully flexible fares, be careful with the railcard. For peak journeys (classed as between 4.30-10am Monday to Friday, except public holidays, July and August), a £12 minimum fare applies.
Find out more about the 16-25 Railcard
Find out more about the Young Persons Coach Card
And that's not all...
There are a whole host of websites out there dedicated to keeping you up to date with the latest discounts, so we’ll do everyone a favour and just give you the links – they’re on the right hand side of the page.
A decadent day of discounts
Okay, let’s say you’re in Southampton for the weekend, you’ve got money to blow but don’t want to pay full whack. What can you do to really make the most of your discounts?
- 10am: Let’s assume you don’t live in Southampton. Having a railcard or coachcard has netted you a third off the fare.
- 11am: Once you’re here, head to the shops! New Look, Oasis and Jack Wills all offer you 10% off. And you'll find regular discounts and offers at places like River Island, Urban Outfitters, Schuh, and Hollister with either your NUS Extra TOTUM card or UNiDAYS app.
- 1pm: Starting to feel a bit hungry? There are SO many places to eat in Southampton and SO many discounts too.
- 3pm: In the afternoon, you’ll be able to get a student discount at either the Mayflower Theatre, the Odeon cinema, or Hollywood Bowl.
- 6pm: If you're still peckish after lunch, just check out the discounts available for other places you can eat! Or even just use the 10% off at the Co-op with an NUS TOTUM discount card! Then you can grab a sandwich.
- 8pm: There are quite a few bars and pubs in Southampton which are catered to students and often offer deals on drinks. You can find out more on our going out page.
- Then you can get your train home whenever! Or if you need somewhere to stay, you can use your UNiDAYS discount and get up to 40% off Hotels.com. Sorted!
Tasks for this week:
- Apply for an NUS TOTUM Extra card, if you like the sound of those discounts.
- Look up your favourite shops and see whether they offer any discounts.
- Sign up for UNiDAYS or, if you can't yet, save the website for future reference.