CREDIT: LAM LE
There are many ways to take charge of your life, and your finances, as a student.

As a college student, I’m sure the majority of us can agree that money can get a little tight. Whether spending is put towards something useful like paying bills and school tuition, or even spent on leisure activities like going to the movies, money more than often seems to be leaving our pockets faster than coming in.

With all the stress that comes with being a student, it’d be nice if money wasn’t another thing that had to be added to the list, but then again, what can you do? Well... that’s exactly what this articles here to show you, what you can do. As a student, did you know that you’re privy to a status which actually helps you save more by spending less?

All you have to do is dig into your pocket and pull out your student card, and voila, you’ve just saved yourself a few extra dollars! Here’s a list of the best ways you can stretch your dollar further just by being a student:


1. Student Price Card (SPC). An SPC provides exclusive discounts and deals to all students in Canada. This discount card lasts for a whole year, and only costs $10 to purchase. With the help of participating locations, students are able to get up to 20 per cent off on fashion, food, and travel purchases. To learn more about SPC offers, be sure to take a look at their official website (spccard.ca).

2. Selected Grocery Stores. As a student, grocery shopping may be best done on a Tuesday. So long as you’re carrying a student ID with you, grocery stores such as Loblaws, Superstore, Food Basics, Metro, Sobeys, and Angelo’s Italian Bakery & Market offer a 10 per cent discount for students on all purchases.

3. School Textbooks. Always try and buy your school books used to save money. There are plenty of online sources for you to find school textbooks. Fanshawe College and Western University (including King’s University College, Huron University College, Brescia University College) all have school Facebook pages that are ran by students to post the books they’re interested in buying or selling. If you can’t find the book you’re looking for there, be sure to try Kijiji or Amazon.

4. Price Match. Price matching is always a great way to save money on purchases. Flipp is a mobile app that allows you to look through numerous digital coupons and flyers to compare pricing and save money. You’re also able to clip the items that you find on the app straight into your shopping list to price match at participating retailers. Some retailers that do in fact price match include: Walmart; Best Buy; Canadian Tire; Giant Tiger; Home Depot; Rona; Sleep Country; Sport Chek; Staples and The Source.

5. Phone Packages. Consider looking into a family plan with friends. Family plans offer great package deals of up to four members in a family. By splitting on the monthly bill with your friends, you’ll definitely get a great deal as opposed to a single contract.

6. Banking & Credit Building. Speak with different banks to see which has the best offer for student accounts. Many banks offer free or discounted banking for students, which will certainly help save a few dollars. It is also important to look into credit building at this point in your life, consider getting a credit card with a low interest rate, no annual fee, and additional benefits (always be sure to pay your credit card bill on time!).