For most, being a college student means living on a tight budget, but some local stores offer a little financial relief. 

Jo-Ann Fabrics at 632 Lincoln Way offers students a discount program that allows them to take 10 percent off their total purchase each time the student discount card is presented at checkout.

“We get a mixture of students using the program for personal and school projects,” said Courtney Dunmire, employee at Jo-Ann Fabrics. “If it’s for school these purchases are tax deductible, but it still costs a fortune to buy a bunch of fabric.”

Jo-Ann Fabrics is just one of the many businesses in town that offer a student discount program. ISU-affiliated associations also can help students save money.

The Student Alumni Association allows student members unlimited access to numerous local and online discounts. Students can present their SAA membership card to local businesses to receive discounts on services or apply membership codes to purchases from a variety of online stores. The year-long cards costs $20. 

Businesses offering student discounts range from local pizza joints and Thai restaurants to printing services and haircut salons. This includes Copyworks, which offers SAA student members 25 percent off printing services.

The SAA attempts to reach out to students and educate them about what the program offers and how students can use member discounts to save money. The SAA attends and hosts events before and during the school year, including student orientation and Destination Iowa State. This gives students an opportunity to learn about the benefits included in an SAA membership.

“It’s beneficial to students because not only are they getting the discount, they’re getting a face-to-face interaction with the direct resources,” said Sarah Crim, assistant director of membership and member services at the SAA.

In addition to getting discounts and being part of the campus’s largest student organization, Crim said the SAA is an opportunity for students to network with ISU alumni, who could land students an internship or even a future job.

Crim said the SAA strives to help students by offering them as many opportunities as possible.

“Since we’re reaching out to students to let them know we’re here, they’re more likely to reach out to us as an alum,” Crim said.

Discount benefits for ISU students aren’t limited to those who are members of the SAA. Nationally, many restaurants, newspapers and businesses including Chick-fil-A, The New York Times and Adobe offer student discounts detailed on their websites.

Ali Peters, sophomore in pre-graphic design, said she plans to use student discounts to save on programs she will need in future classes.

“Creative Cloud is expensive,” Peters said. “So it’s nice they (Adobe) have a discounted program just so that it makes it easier to afford the tools I need to ensure that I can actually do graphic design.”