Ways NSU students can save money

By Jennifer Griggs •

Considering tuition, textbooks and the general cost of living, students can go off budget very quickly if not attentive to discounts and other money-saving opportunities.

Many entertainment platforms, like Spotify, offer special packages for students. Spotify Premium usually costs $9.99 per month after a three-month free trial. The student plan costs $4.99 per month after a one-month free trial. This student plan also includes access to the streaming platforms Hulu (with an ad-supported plan) and Showtime.

Alexis Crass, a freshman chemistry major, takes advantage of this student plan.

“It is very beneficial be-cause my parents pay for it, and they are happier paying less money,” Crass said. “Right now, because I don’t have a job, I wouldn’t be able to pay for it, so this kind of discount helps.”

Madison Hurtado, junior communication major and campus brand representative for HBO Max, recommends using the HBO Max student plan. NSU students have automatic free access to Xfinity, which gives them free access to HBO Max. Students just have to sign into HBO Max with “Xfinity On Campus” and select NSU from the provided list of universities.

“I would say that it’s just a great opportunity because your family can use it and you can use those extra bucks to go toward food or gas,” Hurtado said.

Access to these student deals lasts until the individual graduates, or their N number and university email are discontinued.

Edge adviser Erika Rodriguez recommended other various platforms that offer students discounts like Amazon and Pandora, as well as banks like Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo offers checking accounts for college students that include certain fee waivers.

To save money while shopping, Rodriguez mentioned the website ID.me. After creating an account with their school emails, students gain access to a variety of discounts on technology, clothes and other items. She also recommends shopping for clothes at thrift stores like Goodwill.

For entertainment, Regal Cinemas provides discounts on movie tickets when students present their shark cards.

And for food, especially for students who like to cook, Rodriguez said HelloFresh may be exactly what they are looking for.

“HelloFresh is a mobile meal service where they give you groceries you would need to make different meals, and then you cook it at home,” Rodriguez said. “It is essentially a take home kit where they deliver all the food you would need and then you prepare it at home.”

The cost of school sup-plies can also add up quickly. Anne Sylvie Jean Louise, sophomore psychology major, uses different techniques to save money on textbooks. She recommended renting instead of buying from websites like Amazon or Chegg, searching the internet for a PDF version or reaching out to an upperclassman or someone who has taken the class already to see if they would sell it at a discounted price.

“Definitely look around before making a decision to buy it from the bookstore because you can potentially save hundreds of dollars by just trying to ask someone who has taken the class or trying to rent it from Amazon,” Louise said.

Louise also tries to save money on school supplies by buying notebooks and stationery from stores like Five Below and Dollar Tree. She said these stores are relatively cheap but still offer many good quality items.

She also goes to these stores to buy supplies to make gifts for friends, instead of buying the more expensive or branded products. She said this saves her money and gives her gifts a greater sentimental value.

“I’m creative so, for me, I make something because I like to put time into things and make a more sentimental present,” Louise said. “Also, instead of getting something extravagant, I would get something that I know the person would like or care about.”