Cheap Deals for Graduates

By Arielle Sachar

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Like milk sitting in a fridge, student discount cards expire. All those sweet savings down the drain. I’ll admit it; I sobbed like a schoolgirl when I lost mine. But as my tears dried, I soon found that there are tons of good deals out there. These deals let us educate our minds, nourish our bodies, and entertain our souls, all on a tight budget. Before the next age-related discount cards kick in (just 40 years until senior discounts!), follow this guide to finding the best deals.

Mind

Blowing cash on culture is like drinking wheatgrass; you know its good for you, but that doesn’t make it any less bitter. Resolution: Find cheap entertainment, join clubs, and visit museums where you can make saucy comments to elderly gentlemen about the positioning of nude sculptures.

Cheap Entertainment

Home

Buy Used – Who cares if someone in Alabama watched a copy of Old School three times before you! As long as it’s not porn or underwear, used goods rock. You can get books, movies, or CDs for sometimes just a penny at half.com. Major book chains like Amazon and Barnes & Noble have also jumped on the used goods bandwagon, but sites like Abebooks are still the best. Even check out Craigslist to swap goods with other broke folks.
Get a Library Card – With an arsenal of books and movies, local libraries are not just places for ex-cons to check their email.

Away

See a Show – Not enough dancing, prancing, and singing in your life? Sometimes musical theater is just what the doctor ordered. Places like TKTS provide discount theater tickets in NYC. Or volunteer to usher for free tickets. Some theaters offer group rates, pay-what-you-can nights, bargain matinees, standing room, or two-for-one specials. Call local theaters to see if they have similar deals and to be put on a member list with updates about upcoming shows, reduced tickets, and invites to member events.
Free events at local parks – During the summer, parks offers free screenings of movies, poetry readings, and even Shakespeare performances. Find out what's going down at your local park.
Alumni Benefits – Alumni associations often offer discounts on anything from theater to tickets for school events (sports, lectures, concerts, etc.)

Join Clubs

Choose Any Club – Whether it’s a book, wine, or hiking club, choosing something you love will make the membership fee worthwhile.
Rent Cheaply – Thanks to Netflix and Blockbuster, you can leave on the Cheeto-stained sweats and receive unlimited movies for a flat rate without ever having to leave home.
Get Carded – Some discount cards exist in the real world beyond your wrinkled bus passes.
- STA Travel offers a travel card to young folks under 25, no official student status required!
- Didn’t burn your student advantage cards during the excitement of graduation? You still have one year to use them up before they expire.
- Besides digging cars out of five feet of snow, your AAA card gives you discounts on travel, car rentals, movie tickets, theme parks, and maybe even a post-graduate spring break in Hawaii.

Bow down to Craigslist – Whether you’re looking for furniture or cheap salsa lessons, this is really the mecca of deals, and also a good place to unload your unwanted stuff to make some money for other things.
Stay aware – Just like an old grandma clipping coupons, recent grads have to put some effort into getting great deals. Keep tabs on local magazines and newspapers that have listings for free events or special deals, as well as websites that cater to your city (e.g., the Gothamist network).
Buy in bulk – Eating out and grocery shopping for one can be a huge monthly expense. Try going to bulk discount chains like Sam’s Club and BJ’s once a month instead of picking up a couple items from the more expensive local market every few days.
Share is caring (about your wallet) – Whether we swap movies with our friends or trade in our used books for new ones, being thrifty warms the heart.