Desktops, laptops and gaming systems are typical big-ticket desirables, but if you're a student, you won't have to break the bank to get them.
"We do 10 percent discounts off one accessory, whatever it is," said Ravane Fall, operations manager at Best Buy in TigerTown.
This isn't a Best Buy policy, but Fall said because the store is in a college town, they like to cut students a break.
"Let's say you bought a computer," Fall said. "You would need a printer, you would probably need a case, you would need antivirus or whatnot.
"You can pick the most expensive accessory--one of them--and we will give you 10 percent off of it."
Best Buy may be the place to go if any of these items are going on your Christmas wish list.
"Around the Thanksgiving holiday, come in, and we'll be having some huge discounts for them then," said Karl Word, assistant manager.
Best Buy is also able to offer students $100 off any Macintosh product.
Mac discounts take the spotlight in the tech center in the Auburn University Bookstore as well.
"On Apple hardware, you get a certain discount on various models of the computers," said Dan Draper, bookstore employee and Apple sales associate.
Students can receive between $50 and $200 off a MacBook Pro, depending on its size and specifications, and $50 off the iMac.
Discounts on software are also available.
"The Adobe products, which retail for between $1,000 and $3,000, are either $200 or $350," Draper said. "Officially, you're only allowed to use it educationally, so you can't use it professionally, but no one's going to come after you if you did."
With Christmas close at hand, the bookstore is also offering a deal on iPods.
"We're offering a bundle where you buy an iPod Touch and get a free case, or you buy a new iPod Nano and get a free screen protector," Draper said.
Dell is another company offering computers at a discounted rate.
"The more expensive the computer is, the bigger the instant savings," said Bill White, inside sales representative for Dell. "Let's say that you're looking at an Inspiron.
"Generally speaking, if you get a low-end Inspiron computer, that's going to have about 10 percent off; and if you're looking at a higher-end Inspiron, that's going to have about 15 to 20 percent off; and if you're looking at our XPS and Alienware systems, those are going to have 20 percent to as much as 30 percent off."
To access these discounts, students can use the membership ID from the Dell link on the "Hardware for Employees and Students" section of the Hardware and Software tab on OIT's website.
At the bookstore and Best Buy, students must have a student ID, but at Best Buy, Fall said they cut students some slack.
"We understand that students can sometimes just forget their ID or may not have it," Fall said, "so we kind of believe them if they just tell us that they are students."
To get discounts on software packages and updates from Microsoft's website (www.microsoft.com/student), students need only their University-affiliated e-mail address.
You could pay about $65 for the Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Upgrade, instead of $200. Or maybe you'd like the Office Language Pack 2010 for $10 instead of $25.
Being a student has its perks.
"If you're a student and you come in here, it doesn't have to be school-related stuff," Fall said. "It could be, 'You know what, I'm an avid video gamer and I need an Xbox 360 and a television.'
"We will always, every single time, think of a way to package it out. You will never hear no."
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