Student Discounts: My New Midlife Superpower (Yes, I Have a Student ID Now)

Discount Cheat Sheet

I recently got a student ID in the mail from Wake Forest.

(Go Deacs!)

At 56. For a Master of Science in AI Strategy. Which is equal parts inspiring and hilarious, because I feel like I should have received it along with a complimentary coupon for back pain relief and a note that says “please do not pull a hamstring walking to class.”

But once that card showed up, a dangerous thought hit me. If I’m officially a student again…can I get student discounts?

And then the even more dangerous thought hit me. Are these discounts better than the AARP discounts I’m so fond of?

So I went digging. Here’s what I found, plus a bunch of extra deals worth knowing about. Forward this to your kids, your nieces, your nephews, or that one friend who has been in college since the invention of Facebook. Everyone likes a deal.

First Things First:
Does a Student ID Actually Work?Sometimes. But most modern student discounts don’t rely on the physical card. They rely on verification.
That usually means one of these:

1. A .edu email address (easy, common).
2. A verification service like SheerID, ID.me, UNiDAYS, or Student Beans (very common).
3. Uploading proof (student ID, enrollment letter, portal login).

So yes, the student ID can help, but your .edu email and verification tools are the real keys to the kingdom.

Are Student Discounts Better Than AARP?

Different weapons for different wars.

Student discounts tend to be elite for:

• Tech and software (Apple, Adobe, Microsoft-type stuff)
• Streaming bundles (Spotify, Hulu, YouTube, etc.)
• Fashion and lifestyle brands

AARP tends to be strong for:

• Travel and hotels
• Car rentals
• Insurance and broader “adulting” discounts (because, well, we are adults)

My conclusion: don’t pick a side. Be greedy. Check both every time. It’s the only responsible thing to do.

Student Discount Aggregators (Start Here)
These portals are basically the “student savings mall.” If you do nothing else, do this.

• UNiDAYS: https://www.myunidays.com/
• Student Beans (app + Chrome extension): https://www.studentbeans.com/us
• ID.me student discounts: https://shop.id.me/student
• SheerID student deals: https://shop.sheerid.com/studentdeals/
• Rove Miles (not strictly student, but cool for miles): https://www.rovemiles.com/

Pro tip: these sites change constantly, so treat them like Costco. Go in with a plan, or you’ll walk out with things you didn’t know existed.

The Best Discount Category: Tech (Where Real Money Gets Saved)
Apple Education StoreApple’s education store is real, and it’s ongoing. The “big gift card” promo is seasonal (summer back-to-school), not always live. In 2025 the promo ran June 17 through September 30.

• Apple Education Store: https://www.apple.com/us-edu/store
• Software:  Most universities have a portal where you can download MS Office for free.  Just search your school portal, and follow the steps.  I was able to get Office, Adobe Cloud, and a host of other solutions for free on my school computer.  This is better than the discounts you get from Microsoft, becasue it is likely FREE!

Microsoft, Samsung, Lenovo, Logitech, HPMany of these run through education portals or ID.me/UNiDAYS, and the discounts vary by product and timing.   ID.me is a good hub to start with.

Streaming and Subscriptions (Where Students Eat Like Kings)

Here’s where the student life gets weirdly luxurious.

• Hulu student plan: $1.99/month for Hulu (With Ads), verified through SheerID: https://www.hulu.com/student
• Spotify Premium Student: currently $6.99/month and includes Hulu (With Ads): https://www.spotify.com/us/student/
• YouTube Premium student: $7.99/month: https://www.youtube.com/premium/student
• Apple Music student: $5.99/month and includes Apple TV access (this offer can change, but it’s currently promoted): https://offers.applemusic.apple/student-offer
• Max (HBO Max) student: currently advertised at $5.49/month: https://www.hbomax.com/student

If you’re paying full price for any of these as a verified student, you’re basically donating money to Big Streaming.

Food and Delivery (Because Studying Creates Hunger)

• DoorDash DashPass for Students: $4.99/month: https://shop.sheerid.com/offers/dashpass-for-students-pays-for-itself-in-just-one-order/

Fast food “student discounts” are often location-specific. Translation: you have to ask. Yes, it feels awkward. Yes, it’s worth it.  Whip out that ID card!

Travel Discounts (A Surprise Twist)

This is the one area where age matters. Example: Amtrak’s national student discount is aimed at ages 17–24. So my fellow “adult students” may not qualify there.  

• Rove Miles (not strictly student, but cool for miles): https://www.rovemiles.com/

But travel discounts absolutely exist through other student portals (hotels, experiences, etc.), and ID.me shows student offers from big travel brands like Expedia and Hotels.com depending on the day.

Phone and Internet Plans (Real Savings, Not Cute Savings)

Verizon has legit student discounts on mobile and Fios, after verification:

• Verizon student page: https://www.verizon.com/featured/students/
• Unlimited plan discount FAQ (up to $25/month depending on lines): https://www.verizon.com/support/college-students-discount-faqs/

This is the kind of discount that actually moves the needle.

The Sleeper Hit: “Serious Student” Tools (Especially if You Build Stuff)

If you have a student in your family who codes, designs, builds, or creates, don’t skip these:

• GitHub Student Developer Pack (a treasure chest of free tools): https://education.github.com/pack
• JetBrains Student Pack (free IDE licenses, but not for commercial use): https://www.jetbrains.com/academy/student-pack/
• Notion for Education (free for students): https://www.notion.com/product/notion-for-education

These can be worth hundreds (or thousands) per year if someone’s actually using them.

My Simple “Never Pay Full Price Again” System

1. Before you buy anything online, check Student Beans or UNiDAYS.
2. If you’re an AARP person too, check AARP offers right after.
3. If the discount requires verification, use the official verification flow (don’t mess around with sketchy codes).
4. Stack savings when allowed: student discount + sale price + cash back card.
5. Re-verify yearly when required (a lot of these expire every 12 months).

Final Thought From Your Newest Student

Getting a student ID at 56 is objectively funny. But if the universe is handing me a card that can lower my monthly bills, I’m not asking questions. I’m swiping it like a teenager with a prepaid debit card.
And no, student discounts aren’t “better” than AARP. They’re different. The real power move is knowing how to use both.

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