By Mya Gelet
The holiday season is officially here, and since we’re all college students trying to keep our wallets alive, I wanted to share a few of my favorite ways to shop for gifts without draining your bank account.
First stop: student deals. Stores like Ulta, Target, and others have student discount programs you can sign up for using your school email. You can score free goodies, major discounts, and deals on everything from essentials to fun extras.
Even Amazon looks out for students. You get six months of Prime for free, and when that ends, you still don’t have to pay full price! They offer a discounted Prime Student rate. It’s perfect for gift shopping because you get access to Prime deals and fast, free shipping. Even beyond holiday shopping, Prime Student gives you better pricing on digital and physical textbooks than you’ll find almost anywhere else.
There are also apps like UNiDAYS (https://www.myunidays.com/US/en-US) and StudentBeans (https://www.studentbeans.com/), which compile all the best student discounts in one place. It’s free, easy to use, and one of the quickest ways to save without searching for it online yourself.
If you want even more online and in-person exclusive deals, you can check out this list of student discounts: https://www.collegedata.com/resources/study-break/best-student-discounts-to-use-in-college
My personal favorite way to shop, though, is the discount and liquidation stores. These places get brand-new items from big retailers that just didn’t sell fast enough, so they drop the prices.
In Lansdale, there are two spots within about 15 minutes of each other: Total Liquidators and The Half Price Store.
- Total Liquidators carries Target and Amazon inventory.
- The Half Price Store is mostly Target goods.
Total Liquidators are my go-to. They have everything! From makeup, clothes, shoes, hair care, dorm/apartment essentials, furniture, toys, workout equipment, supplements…and more. And most of it is less than half the regular price.
If you’re open to secondhand shopping, there are a few places that are absolutely worth checking out:
- ReStore: Multiple locations, high-quality items since the staff filters what goes on the shelves, plus some shops even get deadstock from retailers. Prices are fair, and profits help build homes for people in need. Items from furniture, clothes, appliances, glassware, toys, etc. On Tuesdays, students get 10-15% with a valid student ID.
- Worthwhile Thrift: A nonprofit shop where the money directly supports victims of human trafficking and helps fund recovery programs. On Tuesdays, students get 15% off with a valid student ID as well!
- New to You Thrift Boutique: A smaller, curated thrift boutique that gives back to the local community and supports a cat colony for adoption. They usually have higher-quality pieces, unique finds, and great prices.
Between the deals, the quality, and the good causes behind these shops, you can stretch your holiday budget and give back to the community at the same time!
If you’re trying to save money this season, grab a friend and make a day out of checking these places out. You’ll be amazed at the deals you can find, and you’ll feel good about where your money is going.
Happy holidays, and happy shopping!
