Are you a student working to make ends meet? Or are you a student who is also running your own business? I am a student with my own business and I would like to offer you some advice on how to take advantage of the many discounts and resources available only to students.
1. Take advantage of student discounts on computers and software. Many of these are significant and often available only while you are a student. Sometimes it may seem like these kinds of purchases are very expensive and they are, but, in many cases you will pay as much as double or even triple if you wait until you are no longer a student.
2. Do you have a student advantage travel card? If not get one right away from statravel.com. You can get amazing deals on airline tickets and much more. I was even able to save almost $100 on tickets to attend my company’s convention.
3. Use your school library’s interlibrary loan. You will be able to get almost any book there is and you can read nearly all of the self-help books you need to read to be successful in your business without having to buy them.
4. Are you studying to become either a teacher or a librarian? Twice a year Borders offers students of these subjects as well as those already in the profession a 20% of discount.
5. Use your school’s printers to print off flyers and paper materials for your business. You often have a quota and you pay for the pages anyway so make sure you use them.
6. Take advantage of your unique position as a student entrepreneur. Often you will be able to target students easier while you are a student than later after you have left school.
7. Grow your business as much as possible while you are still in school. Chances are high that after you have graduated you won’t have the kind of flexibility in time and finances that you do now.
8. Ask every business possible for a student discount. There are many places who will offer you one, if you just ask.
9. Try networking with other students. Either in person or online. One great place to do this online is the young entrepreneurs forum.
10. Realize that being a student in business is a great opportunity. Take advantage of it.
11. Join your local chamber of commerce. This will give you many networking opportunities and it will also validate you as a real business and give you the chance to meet many other business owners and entrepreneurs in your local area.
