PHOTO BY SARA SHEIKH / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY
University students are hardworking, fun-loving and also broke. We love a good deal and student discounts are something we look forward to. Whether that be 10% off with an SPC or the free drink at Starbucks on our birthday.
At Laurier Brantford, coming across student discounts is difficult despite the partnership that the university and One Card have with many restaurants on campus. While there are not solid discounts put in place for students, I, for one, love to take advantage of coupons I get in the mail for places like Subway, McDonalds or Harveys.
I think that the university should put more emphasis on student discounts in the Brantford area. This will have many benefits not only for students but for businesses as well. The focus should also be on necessities for the students and the big box stores that do not usually honour discounts.
As much as students appreciate saving on clothes and food, our major expenses come out of things like technology for school, groceries and general expenses now that we are not living at home. Student discounts should focus on that for multiple reasons.
One reason is that in a student budget these expenses are major and also a necessity rather than clothes and take out which are seen as extra purchases or “fun” purchases. If students are also able to save money here and there on their necessary purchases, they would not feel as guilty when they indulge in fun purchases, or even other things like going out with friends.
One place student discounts need to be introduced is at grocery stores. Especially at Laurier Brantford where students do not get a meal plan like other universities; they spend money beginning from first year on groceries and cooking for themselves.
Something students have also known is that fresh groceries and those that are seen as healthy are much more expensive than frozen foods or ready-to-eat foods. Introducing a student discount at the local FreshCo, No Frills or Walmart will help students save money and push them towards cooking for themselves and not depending on take-out or frozen foods.
Another place student discounts need to be introduced at stores like Walmart, Staples, Best Buy – and even the campus bookstore that sells essentials for students. Often, students have passed on essential items because they cannot afford them, or they also opt to share things like textbooks with their peers to save money.
If students were given discounts, they may be able to succeed in their education and not have to compromise on essentials like school supplies.
Overall, I think that in the four years that students are at school, they should be able to use student discounts. University – in terms of tuition and rent prices – is not cheap, and if the school can work with companies to help students save money on essentials, then they should.
