From money-saving to rewards programs, these 10 great apps are essential for every college student:
1.Venmo
Pay your friends back instantly when you connect the app to your bank account. No more trudging to the nearest ATM for cash or worrying about writing a check. Link to join.
2. Starbucks
Although a little dangerous, this handy app lets you pay the barista directly from your phone. Just make sure you're connected to your bank account. Every $1 you spend earns you 2 stars, and luckily they add up quickly. Every 125 stars earns a free drink or food item of your choice. Basic White Girl status just went up. Link to join.
3. 7Rewards by 7-11
Every 7th cup you buy gets you a free cup of your choice. You can also save your favorite stores and have your barcode pop up once you get there. There's also exclusive deals on products just for members. And 7-11's are everywhere. It's a win-win. Link to join.
4.Hooked
Various deals from local businesses, including restaurants and coffee shops. This app is primarily relevant to college towns. But watch the time limits on these, because they don't last all day. Link to join.
5. Pocket Points (Have to be on-campus)
Lock your phone during class and get rewarded for it. Before you lock your phone, make sure you're connected to the campus Wi-Fi. Use your earned points on anything within the app, from restaurants and businesses around town to clothing websites. Link to join.
6. Target and Cartwheel by Target
Any basic white girl (including me) could rave about these apps for days. From exclusive offers for Cartwheel members and store maps for your local Target, these apps have everything to make you a pro at Target runs. Link to join Cartwheel. Link to join Target.
7. Domino's Pizza
Besides some amazing pizza places here in Fort Collins, Domino's is one of my favorite pizza delivery services. Every $10 or more you spend through your account earns you 10 points. Get to 60 points, and earn a free pizza. 10/10 amazing. Link to join.
8. Jimmy John's Sandwiches
Although there isn't a rewards program for Jimmy John's, it's one of my favorite places to grab a sandwich. Create an account through the app or online, and save your favorite subs as your "Freaky Fast" orders. With just a few taps or clicks, your sandwich is ordered. Jimmy's also prides themselves in "Freaky Fast Delivery", which is so true. Link to join.
9.Amazon
Amazon offers Prime Student, a program exclusively for college students. You get all the benefits of Prime, such as free two-day shipping on select items. You get it at a 50% off discounted rate, and they let you start with a free 6-month trial. If you're already a Prime member through your parents, you're ahead of the game. Thanks mom and dad! Join Prime Student.
10. Spotify
It costs $4.99/month for their Premium service (ad-free, play on-demand, listen offline, and high-quality sound) for students for a year, when it's normally $9.99. Spotify also likes to sneak in little $0.99/month deals on occasion, so if you don't like settling for the more expensive rate, look out for these. Download Spotify on a laptop and get the app to sync your devices together. So if you're heading out, pick up right where you left off on your song right on your phone.