Whether you live on- or off-campus, every student should try to find ways to save money while going to school.
If you live on-campus, chances are you can cut the cost of your living expenses with a meal plan, the nearby campus store and having roommates willing to split the costs of household items.
If you live off-campus, things like rent, utilities, groceries and other living expenses tend to add up.
But being a student also has its perks. Oftentimes, your OneCard can get you a lot of sweet discounts on clothing, restaurants and grocery stores.
Some nearby stores that can give you great discounts with your OneCard are:
Metro: The Gould Street location offers students 10 per cent off on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Shoppers Drug Mart: The store at Yonge and College offers various discounts to students.
Roots Canada: The Roots inside the Eaton Centre gives all students 20 per cent off, and an additional 10 per cent taken off anything on sale.
H&M: At most locations you can show your student ID and receive 15 per cent off any full-priced item.
Forever 21: The location at the Eaton Centre gives you 15 per cent off of any full-priced item.
If you want to get better deals without your OneCard (because we all know that student who’s lost their OneCard and hasn’t replaced it), then there are many options within Ryerson — or just a streetcar ride away — that can help you save your money.
Some stores nearby that can give you great discounts are:
No Frills: Cosimo’s No Frills is located at 449 Parliament St., and is about a kilometre away from school. Some weekends they have $1 sales on a majority of food items.
FreshCo: The nearest location to Ryerson is 325 Parliament St. FreshCo is a grocery store with the best deals next to No Frills. Prices are extremely student-friendly.
Adidas: The flagship location on Yonge and Dundas has a 30 per cent off discount for full-priced items and 15 per cent off sale items. You can claim your code online by putting in your school email and following their instructions.
Tools for Shopping
These are some tools for shopping. Always be prepared. You never know how much you need until you realize you don’t have it at home.
Price Matching
Price matching is your best friend. If a competing store is selling an item at a cheaper price, bring their flyer to your favourite store and have them match their price. A few stores that price match are Walmart, No Frills, Best Buy, The Source, FreshCo and Canadian Tire.
Sale Section
Look for discount shelves at your local groceries stores. On these discount shelves you can get anything from household cleaners to groceries for up to 50 per cent off. The tags are hard to miss and are usually pink triangle stickers. Always double-check that perishable items are not past their expiry date.
So get to spending and saving with this student-friendly guide. Don’t let your lack of funds hold you back. Whether you live on-campus, off-campus or commute, these tips will have you saving more for things that are worth your money (like buying a new laptop).
Arts and Life Editor and Reporter at Ryersonian for the 2017/2018 academic year.