[ Features Index | Metro Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]

Discount Dollar Days

Robert Scheer Spinal Tap Dancing: 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall attracts student interest with deals on the sudsy stuff and its sheer volume of beers--40 on tap and 59 in the bottle. Student deals can save crucial dough on food, fun and fantasy By Christina Malcolm WELCOME BACK TO school--and back to high class fees and overpriced textbooks. Back to being broke. Sometimes the life of a student is not all fun and frolic. But with a little help from your current student ID card--it's not just a teeth-picking tool, you know--some local businesses smile upon your student body and grant price breaks ranging from small to substantial. Consumables Caffe Pergolesi 418 Cedar St., SC (426-1775). Right up there with the beer buzz, the caffeine fix is a must for life in the student lane. Whether you need a jump-start for a study session or just life in general, this coffeehouse helps out with a 10 percent discount. China Station 2301 Mission St., SC (458-9097). Located just down the hill from UCSC, this unassuming restaurant distinguishes itself with its campus delivery service--compulsory for students on a study bender--as well as a 10 percent discount to those who prove themselves to be part of the UCSC clan. Marcelo's 1520 Mission St., SC (423-2845). Yes, it's another meal deal. Eating, however, is a student's third favorite pastime--right after sex and partying--so there can never be too many discounts on food. This one is a straight 10 percent off. 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall 110 Walnut Ave., SC (459-9999). What is the point of being a student if you can't drink lots of beer? Give your pocketbook a beer break with 20 percent off terrific microbrews--oh yeah, and food, too--with the presentation of a student discount card (in addition to your student ID). Planet Fresh 1003 Cedar St., SC (423-9799). Wrap your studious lips around the freshest burrito in town. Chicken, seafood, veggies and more commingle with just-made salsa, all enveloped in tomato, garlic-herb or spinach tortillas, just to name a few of the faves. All this and a 10 percent discount. Positively Front Street 44 Front St., SC (426-1944). This Santa Cruz icon not only takes pity on the financial hardship of students but has a soft spot for the underpaid grumblings of teachers as well. So bring your education-type ID and take advantage of its 15 percent discount. Rock N' Tacos 381 N. Soquel Ave., SC (457-9182). Get 10 percent off all the rockin' tacos you can scarf while watching surf videos set to happening music. The discount also applies to the 10 different smoothies available at its Juice Gym. Sorry, folks, alcohol is not included. Hygiene & Health Kim's 1244 Bay St., SC (458-9449). Even those students lackadaisical about their locks need their tresses trimmed once in a blue moon. Home of the $13 dry cut, this shop is the place to go. So tell your parents or significant others to put away the bowl and clippers--you are going with a professional. Positive Fitness 1131 Lincoln Ave., SC (423-3764). The former Frog Fitness health establishment offers fitness-conscious intellectuals variable packages on initiation fees, subtracting unnecessary amenities--such as towel service--to give students bare-bones prices. Robert Scheer My Aim Is True: Scotts Valley Bethany College student Dennis Biaggi takes aim at Santa Cruz's Breakroom, a local billiards hall offering an array of student deals on both pool and drink. Cheap Thrills Aqua Safaris Scuba Center 231 Evergreen St., SC (423-3483). Ever wonder who inhabits that house on the hill off Mission Boulevard, the one bedecked with the beaming dive flags? It's the dive demons of Aqua Safaris, that's who. Besides being an extremely friendly bunch, these aqua men and women offer student discounts of 15 percent off basic skin gear, and package deals for full dive-gear ensembles to those students who dare to brave the depths. Breakroom 325 Soquel Ave., SC (425-POOL). Schmooze with fellow students as you save with two-for-one pool and a whopping $2 off pitchers of beer at the Wednesday night happening that the Breakroom terms College Night. Drum Bwhana 7994 Soquel Dr., Aptos (685-6135). This place gets the discount-of-the-day award with student savings of 20 to 40 percent off its expansive array of drum and percussion items. Don't show up at Bongo Beach without visiting here first. Mission Street Cyclery 1211 Mission St., SC (426-7299). For those students traveling on that ever-popular, two-wheeled alternative transport that Santa Cruzans support with gusto, this bicycle abode offers 10 percent off all inventory, as well as service, to keep you cruzin'. Santa Cruz Travel 1519 Pacific Ave., SC (426-4900). For those students who find some extra time and money on their hands--both rare occurrences in a learned life--this vacation venue offers special student deals on international travel. Seabright Surf Shop 3617A Portola Dr., SC (423-1451). Surfing students can upgrade their gear with 10 percent off all new and used paraphernalia, excluding consignment items. Those not yet indoctrinated into surf society are encouraged to try the experience with the same discount offered on rentals and lessons. Sylvan Music 1521 Mission St., SC (427-1917). This self-proclaimed "ultimate acoustic guitar store" offers an enticing 10 percent off all instrumental inventory to those students harboring musical inclinations. Well Within 427 Cedar St., SC (458-9355). Ahh! Slip into the silky waters and feel the shock of your first fall exam melt away. Urge an equally stressed friend to join you and take advantage of Well Within's two-for-one deal on afternoon spa use from noon to 3pm daily. Yard Sale Trail Yet another discount venue is the Santa Cruz garage/yard-sale circuit. The locations are ever changing (King Street being the most consistent locale for sign spottage) and most probably don't offer a formal student discount plan, but a well-timed reference to the fact that you hold starving student status will most likely pop a few dollars off the price of any item. Scholarly Affectations Bookworks 36 Rancho Del Mar Center, Aptos (688-4554). Any monetary help with the barrage of "required" books facing today's students is always greatly appreciated. This bookstore offers its assistance with a 10 percent discount on any books ordered for a class by an instructor. Literary Guillotine 204 Locust St., SC (457-1195). Receive a reprieve from outrageous textbook prices. With prices 10 to 25 percent lower than those of the UCSC campus bookstore, these coursebooks are definitely the way to go. Kinko's 105 Laurel St., SC (425-1177) and 3555 Clares St., Capitola (476-1483). This student savior, in addition to providing round-the-clock access for the occasional--or terminal--term paper procrastinator, offers 10 percent off of its numerous student-friendly services. Museum of Art and History 705 Front St., SC (429-1964). As if students don't already get enough culture during their daily classroom adventures, this gallery lures them in with a price even they can afford--nada! So march on down and take in a day of cheap enlightenment. [ Metro Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]