University life can be expensive, and students are constantly looking for ways to budget and save money. If you haven’t dived into the world of coupons and discounts, now is the time to.
Why Use Coupons?
Students are constantly trying to discover new ways of saving money. Using coupons does exactly this and can make your shopping trips a lot cheaper.
Types of Coupons
There are many different types of coupons to look out for and explore.
Printable Coupons
These can be printed and shown to the cashier when you’re buying items. Some supermarkets print coupons for you to use when you shop. You can also find them in some newspapers.
Digital Coupons
This is similar to a paper coupon but can be accessed online on your phone. These may come in the form of a barcode or a digital code of numbers and letters that you have to type in. Some of these can be used at the till, and others can be used for online shopping.
Cashback Offers
Many places like supermarkets, retail companies and food establishments have loyalty cards with cashback offers. When you reach a certain spending threshold, some of these give you rewards, or sometimes points that can be used instead of cash. For example, when using a Boots Advantage card you’ll get three points every time you spend £1. Once these points build up, you’ll be able to use them instead of cash when shopping in Boots. Many cafés also have loyalty cards where you can collect stamps and get your 10th drink free.
Where to Find the Best Coupons
There are many places to look for discounts and money-saving deals. Below are some examples of popular sites amongst students.
Coupon Websites
There’re many coupon websites which allow you to easily save money and find amazing deals. Honey is part of the PayPal family and is a free browser extension which automatically finds promo codes across the internet whilst you shop online. If any are found, they’re automatically applied at checkout. Rakuten is another website you can use. Companies pay Rakuten a commission for sending their members to shop on their websites. Rakuten then splits this commission with their members in the form of Cashback.
Signing Up for Student Discounts
If you’re out shopping and you notice there’s a student discount, many shops will offer it to you if you show your student card. However, there are student discount sites you can sign up for which have specific offers. A popular site is UNiDAYS which costs nothing to sign up for. You can enjoy discounts on well-known brands in fashion, technology, travel, food, fitness and more. Another site many students use is called TOTUM. A full TOTUM+ membership costs £14.99 and you can also get discounts with many well known brands.
Tracking Social Media for Offers
Many influencers work with brands and get given a unique discount code that you can use. For example, if you follow an influencer who does food reviews, they might have a discount code for a specific food brand. Following your favourite brands on social media is also useful, as they’re likely to post about any relevant sales and exclusive offers. Many companies also hold competitions which you can enter for free – you never know, you might win something.
Where Can I Find Digital Coupon Offers for Me Specifically?
There are some places you may not have considered looking yet which could unlock some amazing deals.
Certain Banking Apps
Lloyds Bank offers customers the chance to earn cashback with selected retailers when they pay by direct debit or card. To do this, you must opt in for Everyday Offers on their banking app. The Bank of Scotland also have Everyday Offers which you can activate in your Mobile Banking app. Some banks also have competitions you can enter to win prizes. Be careful that the competitions you’re entering are actually with your bank and aren’t scams.
Specific-Business Apps
Trello is a visual collaboration tool which helps teams organise their work. It’s also very useful for university projects and other group work. They offer an education discount so the platform can be used in schools and universities. When using a business app, always check what discounts and codes are available.
Emails
If you sign up for your favourite company’s mailing list, you can be the first one to know about exclusive sales and new launches. Some companies send out coupons to customers via email, so look out!
Discover Time-Saving Student Bill Management With TSEG
Coupons are a great way to save you both money and time. The Student Energy Group is a trusted student bills company, and we also help you save money and time. We’ll combine all your bills into one monthly student bills package to make your life easier. This includes gas, electricity, internet, water and your TV licence. This can then be split between you and your housemates to make paying your bills easier. If you sign up with TSEG, we’ll plant a tree as well! Get a free, no-obligation quote from us today.
