By Julia Skoczypiec

Students in university and college often have a lot on their minds when it comes to finances. From tuition fees to textbook prices, life as a postsecondary student gets pricey. While there are many life hacks and DIY tutorials that exist to help save a few dollars on groceries and daily household items, a lot of extra costs for students come from ordering take-out food, purchasing clothing, and spending time out with friends.

So how do students save money? How can someone in postsecondary school afford to have nights out with their friends, and wear the trendiest clothes, all while having enough in the bank for that once-in-a-lifetime summer trip? Here are four discount programs in Canada that every postsecondary student should consider to keep more money saved.

1. Get an SPC Card.

The Student Price Card (SPC) is a student-centered loyalty program in Canada that offers many discounts on food, clothing, travel, and more. Hundreds of restaurants, stores, and websites offer deals through SPC. Some major companies include Apple, Adidas, DoorDash, Shein, Foot Locker, Samsung, and many, many more. It costs $10 per year to own an SPC card and account. Students signed up with CIBC banking can get an SPC card for free and receive an SPC+ membership that allows them to unlock even more deals. Sign up seamlessly through the SPC website.

2. Sign up for Student Beans.

Student Beans is a free app downloadable on all Apple and Android devices and an online discount program. While it was originally exclusive to the UK, the app has recently branched out to offer discounts to students across the globe. In Canada, discounts include fashion products, streaming platforms like Disney+, food subscription services like HelloFresh, and deals on tech. Signing up for Student Beans is also free! For more information, visit their website.

3. Get an ISIC Card.

For those who like to travel, an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) may be the perfect money saver. Full-time students in college or university are eligible to apply for these cards. The ISIC program allows card holders to prove their student status worldwide and have access to over 150,000 discounts. These deals include lower rates on airline tickets, gym memberships, clothing, mobile plans, restaurants, and more! To get the card, students must pay a $20 one-time fee, provide an updated digital photograph, and have a scanned copy of their student enrollment forms as well as a proof of identity document. Check out the ISIC website to sign up.

4. Download the UNiDAYS app.

UNiDAYS is another free app available for all Apple and Android devices. It is free to download and sign up for this discount program. With just a few taps, students gain access to discounts from over 800 top brands. These include Nike, Apple, H&M, Sonos, and Chefs Plate — just to name a few. Through UNiDAYS, students get exclusive discount codes that can be applied when shopping online or in store. Also, by referring other friends to the app and sharing it on social media, they can earn more discount dollars! More details can be found on their website.

Sources

Bautista, Theresa. “Canadian Student Discount Guide: The Ultimate List.” Dealhack. https://dealhack.ca/blog/canadian-student-discounts.

creditcardGenius. “31 Places To Get Student Discounts In Canada: 2022 Edition.” https://creditcardgenius.ca/blog/student-discount-canada#unidays-student-discounts-canada.

Drake, Tom. “What Every Student Needs to Know About the SPC Card.” Maple Money. https://maplemoney.com/spc-card/.

International Student Identity Card. https://www.isic.org/.

SPC. https://www.spccard.ca/.

Student Beans. https://www.studentbeans.com/student-discount/ca/all?source=nav.

UNiDAYS. “Fast, free, exclusive deals for students.” https://www.myunidays.com/CA/en-CA/content/about.