Cost-effectiveness is a concept close to many students’ hearts and ultimately can be part of the fun of a college experience.
Thankfully, there are plenty of cheap (and sometimes even free) software and hardware options out there, deals to watch out for, and schemes to weigh in on, so why not take advantage and make your daily routine run as smoothly as possible?
Here are some choices you might want to watch out for.
Deals on Laptops
The laptop can be a student’s best friend, but they are undoubtedly expensive at times, and they generally do not tend to last forever.
If you need an upgrade anytime soon or want to get your hands on a great deal designed just for students like you, Lenovo might have you covered.
Free Alternatives to Word
Microsoft Word or the Office package, in general, is often essential for many students, yet it can be extremely costly for anyone needing to keep a closer eye on their wallet.
If you cannot convince your institution to give you a free copy of Office, or for some reason, your college does not register with the 365 website, there are some great free alternatives like:
- Google Docs
- Apache
- Libre
- Pages
- Zoho Writer
Failing that, you could look into buying a digital key online to unlock a copy of Microsoft Office; there are great sites like G2A and CDKeys that offer completely legitimate keys for a fraction of their ‘normal’ price.
Discounted Software
Being a student does often have its benefits, like a lack of responsibility, the ability to stay awake forever, and of course, discounts.
Even major companies offer some great deals to college students, such as Amazon with their Prime package, Spotify with a cheaper subscription option, and Adobe’s Creative Cloud can be picked up for less.
This is not just limited to tech; however, as many clothing stores, museums, galleries, and grocery stores offer student discounts, so why not start shopping around today?
An External Hard Drive
Anyone who has ever lost hours of their precious work due to a laptop melting, irretrievable data loss, or a faulty network connection will likely be able to recommend the external hard drive.
This can be a superb way of making sure your files are neatly stored away from harm and that they are well and truly backed up for future reference.
This is cost-effective in more ways than just monetarily, as it may be able to save your coursework should the worst happen and you misplace your digital assets.
There are some great budget options out there, like the Seagate 1TB external hard drive, or if your laptop is compatible, the Samsung T5 SSD.
TV
Sometimes, kicking back with your favorite show is not always as easy as it should be, especially if they are owned by the more expensive streaming services.
Thankfully, there are discounts in this area as well, so it is worth heading over to Apple TV, YouTube Premium, or Hulu (for just $2 a month) to make the most out of your discount potential.