Moving away from home and starting a degree can be expensive, but there are many deals out there which can help students keep costs down along the way.
Once you get your student card, make sure to bring it with you everywhere you go. Most businesses and retailers will ask to see your student card before applying a discount.
It is always a good idea to ask if a student discount is available, even if you’re not sure. It can feel uncomfortable at first, but the worst case scenario is they say no, and the best case is you grab yourself a bargain.
To help you get started, The Irish News has pulled together a list of discounts and the best places to grab a bargain.
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Transport
While you’re at university, one of your biggest regular expenses will probably be transport, especially for students still living at home and commuting to campus daily.
This is where Translink’s yLink card comes in. With the smartcard, students aged between 16 and 23 get 50% off bus and rail travel, as well as up to 50% off Enterprise fares for up to eight years.
Full-time students aged 24 and over are also eligible for discounts through Translink’s 24+ Student Railcard. It is valid for one year and will knock a third off bus and train travel, and, like the yLink card, you can get up to 50% off Enterprise fares.
Food and drink
Whether you’re studying in Belfast, Coleraine or Derry, there are lots of deals and offers available.
Found along Botanic Avenue and in the McClay library, a yLink card will get you 15% off hot drinks at Clements Coffee Shop. The cafe also operates a loyalty card scheme allowing you to collect points which you can then redeem against purchases.
The Parlour pub on Elmwood Avenue is another great place to grab a bargain. Here you can get lunch for £5 between 12 and 3pm, and pizza from £4 between 3pm and 6pm.
As well as regular entertainment in the evenings, The Parlour also has a range of drinks offers which can take the sting out of the cost of a night out.
Closer to Ulster University’s new Belfast campus, the MAC Cafe Bar offers a 30% discount to Ulster University students while HJEM Coffee House gives students a 10% discount.
And with 10 restaurants in the north, including three in Belfast, pizzeria Little Wing also offers a 10% discount to students on food.
For those studying in Derry, coffee shop Hang Ten Brewbar and The Scullery both offer a 10% discount.
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Also in Derry, The Bentley Complex offers 10% discount across all of their venues, while The Brickwork hosts a range of events from karaoke to drag nights and regularly offers deals on drinks.
Student Unions are also great places to grab a bite and a drink on a budget. At Queen’s Union Bar you can grab a pizza from £4.50, a panini from £5 and cocktails from £5.
At Ulster University the CQ Social bar in Belfast, The Bann View Social in Coleraine and The Rock Road Social in Magee are all great places to grab a bargain.
Tech and university essentials
Starting a new course can mean that you need to upgrade your tech, and this can be an expensive endeavour. But with the start of a new term around the corner, some major tech businesses and other smaller retailers have a few offers worth checking out.
Apple has a range of deals on laptops and iPads which mean you can receive a gift card of up to £120 when you make a purchase. You can also get 20% off AppleCare.
Microsoft also offer up to 10% off certain laptops and MS Office is available for free to anyone with a valid student email address.
And if you’re looking for a new bag to keep your laptop safe, Co Armagh social enterprise Madlug is currently offering students a free laptop case when you buy one of their classic backpacks before the end of September.
Set up in 2015, for every product sold Madlug donates a bag to a child in care, so you’ll be supporting a great cause.
And remember major retailers also offer a range of discounts and offers to students and you can stay on top of these using the Unidays and StudentBeans apps.
