Life is expensive. This is even more true for college students. I don’t know how many times my bank account has stopped me from doing something that I wanted to do. The price tag attached to every decision is a defining factor that cannot be ignored. But, there is an answer to the ever-present financial insecurity of the college student — student discounts.

Sure, I have heard people talk about using a student discount to get cheaper tickets at the movies, but these discounts go far beyond a couple of dollars at the AMC Theater. Food, clothing, cell phone plans, insurance and even car purchases can benefit from student discounts. There are far more opportunities out there than most students are aware of.

I know what you are thinking. Who cares about a couple of dollars? But, those dollars add up. The bigger the purchase, the bigger the reward. All you have to do is ask.

Subscriptions

One of the most famous discounts is Amazon Prime. With the constant pop-up ads attached to this offer, it is hard to ignore. Free 2-day shipping for six months and then a discount after that is a pretty good deal. However, Amazon is not the only one who capitalizes on student discounts.

Music lovers get the choice between Apple Music or Spotify Premium both for $5 a month. Instead of being interrupted by advertisements or paying per song, these options allow for a monthly deal with as many downloads as your phone can hold. The only downfall is that if you stop paying, you lose it all.

Food

My personal favorite is discounted food. Eating out is the fastest way to break the bank, but with these deals, your account gains a few dollars of security. Subway, Burger King, Waffle House, Buffalo Wild Wings, McDonalds, Taco Bell, IHOP, Arby’s and Dunkin Donuts all offer a 10 percent discount with a student ID. Chik-fil-a, Chipotle and Qdoba offer students a free drink. These percentages are small, but they make a big impact.

Clothing

Apparel is another area where student discounts are able to soften the blow. Charlotte Russe, Goodwill, Footlocker and online Target purchases are all good for 10 percent off. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Vineyard Vines, Sperry Topsider, PacSun, Hunter, Eddie Bauer, H&M, Levi’s and Kate Spade each offer 15 percent off. American Eagle even gives students 20 percent off with a student ID.

Bills

There are also areas that I would never have guessed being a student would come in handy. Insurance companies like Allstate, Geico, State Farm and Nationwide each offer rewards for good grades. All you have to do is turn in your semester’s grade report. Phone companies will also take off some of the costs when you present a student ID. AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile are all known for making deals to support students. The most cost-effective student discount comes from General Motors. Students who buy from the company have the opportunity to knock thousands of dollars off of the price of their purchase.

Of course, there are always exceptions. Some of the offers depend on location, others are universal. You just have to ask. It may seem weird and you might have a hard time remembering to do it, but pulling out your student ID can help you in a lot of ways.