As college students, we will do anything for free and discounted things. We are attracted to the idea of “free.”
Spin a wheel and win a prize? Okay.
Fill out 10 online surveys and get $5? Sure, why not?
Freebies and giveaways are right under your nose; you just have to look in the right places.
Amazon.com has a list of roughly 2,000 downloadable MP3s that are free! iTunes has a plethora of free songs, usually found at the bottom of the iTunes store page.
Next to music, college kids love free food the most.
IHOP hosts a National Pancake Day celebration to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Chiptole has been known to host Free Burrito Days, and just this past Tuesday from 5 – 8 p.m., Cold Stone Creamery dished out their Sprinkled with Wishes flavor in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. We can’t forget free Rita’s Italian Ice on the first day of spring!
Sophomore education major Mickey Molchany loves free food.
“I get free Rita’s every year, sometimes multiple times in that same day,” said Molchany.
When he’s not studying or running, you can usually find Mickey eating ice cream in Romo’s. However, he loves free food the most.
“It’s pretty much people giving you food for no price. What could be better?” he asked.
Don’t forget about discounts and deals. Many local businesses offer RMU students cheaper rates just by showing their Freedom Card.
At Selma’s BBQ, located on University Blvd across from Sheetz, 10 percent is taken off a food purchase with your student ID.
Need a haircut? Walk over to Great Clips, located in the Moon Plaza, and it will be just $10.
Adrianne Barnes, the manager of Great Clips, says she usually sees 2 – 3 students per day for their student hair cut deal.
An abundance of coupons are also online.
Websites like Groupon and Living Social have specials for different businesses and restaurants in the area, and sometimes, just by simply performing a search on Google for “coupon codes,” you will find discounts on online purchases.
If you go to the Robert Morris website and click on the “Robert’s Rebates” link on the Current Students page, you will find printable coupons for places like AJ Bambino’s, Patrick’s Pub, Iron City Grille and North Star Chevy.
According to Kyle Fisher, vice president for public relations and marketing at RMU, as of Sept. 18, 1,406 coupons have been downloaded off the “Robert’s Rebates” section of the website.
In the end, we all love free stuff. Students will do cartwheels and back flips just to get a free t-shirt.
Sometimes a donation of a couple dollars is attached, but hey, what’s a few dollars to us?