Student discounts & deal sites

Lesson 7 of 12 in our free Food & Everyday Spending guide: a 5-minute money game with the key points below.

This lesson is in the full version.

Free with a code from your uni, college, council, landlord or employer (worth £600/year). Lesson 1 of Food & Everyday Spending is free for everyone.

Questions you'll answer

A jacket is £50. Shop A gives 10% student discount. Shop B has it at £48 with no discount but £3.99 delivery. Mo's buying it anyway. Cheapest?

Red flag: “you've been selected for an EXCLUSIVE student discount card.” — 'You've been selected' for something you never applied for is the hook.
Red flag: “75% off EVERYTHING at every shop for a full year” — Way too good to be true. Real student discounts are usually 10–20% at specific shops.
Red flag: “Just pay a £1 'verification fee' with your card details on our site” — A tiny 'fee' is a classic way to grab card details, then charge much more.
Red flag: “and send us a photo of your student ID and passport” — No real discount scheme needs your passport via DM. That's identity theft bait.
Red flag: “Offer ends in 20 mins!!!” — Fake urgency stops you thinking. Quick quick, urgent urgent = Ronnie.
Asking for a student discount on a laptop you'd already budgeted for → Smart. Planned purchase + discount = green flag.
Signing up for a 'student' subscription that auto-renews at full price after a year → Trap. Not always a trap, but set a reminder before it renews — or it becomes one.
Using a 16–25 Railcard on trips you were taking anyway → Smart. A third off fares on journeys you need is a real saving.
Buying three tops because '20% off ends tonight' → Trap. The deadline is marketing. 20% off £45 you didn't plan to spend is still £36 gone.
Using free uni facilities (gym sessions, printing credits, events) before paying elsewhere → Smart. Your fees may already cover them. Use what's included first.