NOVEMBER 21, 2025 | FEATURES | By Grace Bean
The holiday season feels exciting until you look at your bank account. Gifts, travel, winter clothes and last-minute purchases add up fast, especially on a student budget. The good news is that students have access to some of the strongest discounts of the entire year. These markdowns are easy to forget, so here is a guide to the ones you should absolutely use before winter break.
Tech savings that matter
This is the most beneficial category to maximize because tech is expensive and the discounts are real.
Apple’s Education Store offers students up to $150 off Mac laptops, along with holiday gift card promotions. Best Buy offers exclusive student pricing on laptops and headphones when you sign up with your school email. Adobe Creative Cloud offers more than 60% off for students, one of the best education discounts on the market. If you know you will need creative software for classes next semester, lock this in before prices rise.
Clothing and lifestyle deals that students always forget to use
Holiday shopping feels less painful when you stack a student discount on top of seasonal sales.
Madewell offers 15% off with a student ID. Athleta offers 15% off in-store. J. Crew also gives 15% off. Princess Polly, Girlfriend Collective and ASOS also offer verified student pricing. These savings matter most if you are interested in buying high-cost items without having to wait for an end-of-season sale.
Subscription and entertainment savings worth claiming
Spotify Premium for Students includes Hulu and Showtime for a very low monthly cost. YouTube Premium also offers reduced pricing with a student ID. The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post each offer major student discounts that are significantly cheaper than full price subscriptions. If you want news access for classes or interviews, this is the time to subscribe.
Travel savings for students going home
If you travel for the holidays, do not skip. This flight price tracker offers up to $1,000 discounts to students. Student Universe partners with airlines to offer lower fares for verified students. If you are considering traveling abroad, apply for every grant or travel voucher offered online to make the most of your summer savings while living overseas.
These fares disappear fast, so checking early is essential. Amtrak offers 15% off with a college ID, which helps if you are traveling within the region. With the cost of flights rising, this is one of the most essential savings opportunities of the season.
The key to saving money during the holiday season is in taking advantage of the discounts that make the greatest financial difference. Tech, travel, clothing basics and subscriptions are the categories that stretch your money the furthest. Checking these before the holidays lets you give generously, spend wisely and start the new year without financial stress.