As a Portland State student, there are plenty of perks beyond an excellent education. There are many local businesses, as well as major corporations, that offer discounts to those with a PSU ID. When it comes to money in college, things can get sticky. Often there is no time to work, as passing classes takes priority. Luckily many other people, beyond students, understand the student budget.
Utilizing your student ID for discounts on entertainment, food and bills can be very beneficial for your wallet.
Flash your ID at Living Room Theater (341 S.W. 10th Ave.) and you can catch a $7 flick on their plush couch seating. That’s $3 off the normal ticket price. If you happen to be a part of the 21+ crowd you can even catch their happy hour (available weekday afternoons) for affordable snacks and cocktails delivered right to your seat.
If you’re looking to grab lunch before the flick, head over to Veggie Grill (508 S.W. Taylor St.), a vegan specialty restaurant, and they’ll reduce the cost of your meal down to $6. Even if you’re not vegan, you’ll find something delicious to satisfy your appetite.
Seriously, it’s really good. And there’s never a good reason to pass up cheap eats!
There are plenty of other avenues to discounted Portland entertainment. The Oregon Symphony offers $10 concert tickets to certain performances. You can inquire via their website or call ahead. There are some restrictions on when and what kinds of tickets you can purchase, so it’s best to check beforehand.
Another great option for exploring the city is the Portland Art Museum (1219 S.W. Park Ave.), which offers $15 yearlong student memberships. Since the exhibits change regularly, this discount offers plenty of value and a year of solid entertainment.
When it comes to large and unavoidable student related purchases, both Apple and Dell offer student rates for many of their mainstream items such as tablets and laptops. Most of these listings you can find on their websites.
Some major software items such as Adobe and ProTools are also offered at a student rate. Though these versions may not have all the bells and whistles of the full priced versions, they are still more than enough to complete the tasks at hand. It’s also a great way to get familiarized with industry-standard software relevant to your major.
For things like groceries, restaurants and other daily eccentricities there’s a little app called Chinook Book (chinookbook.net). It’s available for any smartphone and the icing on the cake is that it’s free. Chinook Book is an app filled with sustainable coupons. You pick the coupons you want and then pay for the bundle. However, as a student, you have multiple free coupons that automatically load to your device. All you have to do is use your student email (@pdx.edu) when registering and the coupons are yours. Coupons range from Whole Foods to Pizzicato, and deals include buy-one-get-one-free, reductions to your final bill and some things that are just plain free. The possibilities are endless and the deals change regularly.
Never be afraid to ask a retailer if they offer student specials. You never know what you could save unless you ask. For example, most cell phone and insurance companies offer university discounts. Also, when it comes to local businesses, they often support local students.
After all, a penny saved is a penny earned, and if you aren’t earning money the saving becomes crucial. So, now that you’re equipped with this valuable information, it would nearly be a crime against your wallet to not use it.
See the map below for the mentioned locations that grant student discounts.
