Living by yourself in an expensive city like Vancouver on a student budget can be challenging. With some of the most expensive housing costs in North America and the ever-rising cost of essentials, there is little space left for the small pleasures of life like a trip to Zara for a sweater that you do not need or the daily trip to Tim’s before and after class. Thankfully, there is a range of student discount programs and exclusive perks on offer to help you have fun on your slim student budget!
Student Exclusive Discount Programs:
Currently, the most well-known student-exclusive discount programs in Canada include SPC, StudentBeans, and UNiDAYS. These programs provide discounts on a wide range of brands, covering fashion, cafes, travel, and fitness, accessible both online and in physical stores. Signing up is simple – just verify your university email to start enjoying these discounts.
The StudentBeans and UNiDAYS programs are free of cost while the SPC requires an annual fee of $11.99. However, it is free if you have a CIBC student smart account or credit card!
Student-Exclusive Offers:
Amazon gives students 6 months of free prime subscription and 50% off after the 6 months period so binge your favorite shows for free. Having a prime subscription also qualifies you for a 12-month Dashpass from Doordash so you can also order food without any delivery charges!
Spotify offers students their first month free month and an exclusive monthly charge of $5.99 thereafter for Spotify Premium, which is almost half the cost of an individual plan!
Technology
Has your laptop broken down mid semester? Here’s some good news to ease that pain: many technology brands including Lenovo, Apple, Samsung, Dell, and HP offer additional price cuts to students so just be sure to check their websites for these exclusive discounts before making a purchase!
Health
Getting yourself back together after falling ill should never be a strain on your budget. Thankfully, studentcare.ca has partnered with Rexall to ensure just that. Just present your pay direct Studentcare card and you can get up to 50% off your out-of-pocket costs on medicines and exclusive discounts on Rexall brand products.
Other tips:
While the following offers are not exclusive to just students, they are amazing for students on a budget:
- Download the Flipp app to discover the best grocery deals around your area. The app covers most major grocery retailers and is amazing for students trying to manage groceries on a budget.
- Download mobile apps for your favorite cafes and restaurant chains and collect rewards on your purchases! There are always app-exclusive offers to help you save. All you need to do is order on your phone instead of ordering in-store whether you’re dining in or picking up
- Subscribe to Rakuten Canada and earn cash back on your purchases for almost every brand. It is free of cost and is unbelievably easy to use.
___________________________________________________________
About the Author
Usman Ali holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance. After graduating in 2021, he worked in corporate finance at an engineering firm and functional consulting at an IT consulting company before starting his MSc journey. During his free time, Usman indulges in reading fiction, spanning from fantasy to crime thrillers, and stays informed about current affairs. He also considers himself an anime enthusiast and enjoys binge-watching shows on Netflix and Prime.