Retire on a Budget Utilizing Student Discounts

What’s in your wallet? Hopefully a college id because with it the savings can add up quickly improving your retirement buying power in the best college towns. Students with college id’s receive discounts on movie tickets, trains, hotels, retail clothing stores, electronic stores such as Apple and Dell, discounted cell phone service, restaurants and bulk food stores. Colleges gift enrollees free tickets to their school’s home game sporting events. Age is not a barrier in becoming a college student. At age 48, I carry an active college student id even though I get strange looks sometimes when I present it.

Here is a list of the Best Student Discounts to help you save money after you figure out where to retire. By choosing one of the best college towns, it positions you in an environment of students living on a budget. Free concerts, lectures and educational events are everyday activities in these youthful towns in the Southeast. All of these colleges listed below have Osher Lifelong Learning programs designed for mature adults over 62 or you can enroll in regular college courses which interest you. Check out our favorite best college towns and learn why:

• Asheville North Carolina - The University of North Carolina and Asheville-Buncombe Technical College are located in Western North Carolina. More than 10,000 students are enrolled between the two colleges. Art and music dominate the cultural vibe along with an organic consciousness. Students who enjoy backpacking, camping and bicycling the Blue Ridge Parkway find Asheville particularly appealing. Asheville is named America's Happiest City. Living in downtown Asheville is not the least expensive area to retire in Western North Carolina. Towns like Waynesville, Black Mountain, Hendersonville have more affordable master planned communities and are located less than 30 minutes from downtown Asheville. 

• Athens Georgia - The University of Georgia is the largest college in Georgia with 35,000 students enrolled. Athens GA is one of the most exciting best college towns if you enjoy collegiate sports, cheap food and free music. The Georgia Bulldogs mascot and team colors of red and white are on display everywhere in town. Athens GA is on the list of America’s 40 Best Music Venues and is a college town where famous bands launched their careers in music. One of our favorite master planned communities is within biking distance of The University of Georgia. 

• Blowing Rock North Carolina - The Appalachian State University is located in Blowing Rock NC and continues to expand each year. More than 15,000 students attend ASU. Winter sports are as popular as summer sports in the High Country of North Carolina. Sugar Mountain, Beech Mountain and Appalachian Ski Mountain is where you’ll find college students snowboarding and skiing. The Blue Ridge Parkway winds through Blowing Rock NC passing by Grandfather Mountain. Whitewater rafting, zip lines and hiking trails are busy during the summer season. There are excellent condominium values in today’s market along with quality master planned communities. Blowing Rock NC is named one of America’s Prettiest Small Towns. 

• Charleston South Carolina - The College of Charleston, Medical University of South Carolina and The Citadel are colleges in Charleston South Carolina. More than 12,000 students are enrolled between the three colleges. Charleston SC is growing quickly with the help of Boeing choosing Charleston as the location to build their 787 Dreamliner airplanes. This year Charleston SC was voted America's Favorite City and is considered one of the most desirable coastal areas when searching for where to retire. The islands of Charleston are particularly appealing because of the variety of fabulous beaches, golf courses and Intracoastal Waterways for boating. Towns like Seabrook Island, the Isle of Palms and Daniel Island have affordable condominiums, villas and single family homes for sale and are all located less than 30 minutes from downtown Charleston SC.

• Chattanooga Tennessee - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Chattanooga State Community College call Chattanooga home. More than 21,000 students are enrolled between the two colleges. Chattanooga TN is another success story, a city revitalized attracting high tech and health care companies to the Scenic City. The North Shore and the South Shore of the Tennessee River are filled with art museums, restaurants and beautiful waterfront parks. The Tennessee Aquarium is the state’s most visited tourist attraction. Just about every weekend, some type of festival, open-air market or sporting event takes place in downtown Chattanooga TN. Condominiums along the waterfront are great choices for retirees seeking urban living or choose from a number of attractive master planned communities within 20 minutes of downtown Chattanooga TN.

• Greenville South Carolina - Clemson University, Bob Jones University, Furman University and Anderson University are located in the Upcountry of South Carolina. More than 28,000 students attend the four colleges. Greenville SC is named one of the Best Places to Live in America and is crowned as the City of Arts. BMW rekindled a once deteriorated city into a chic smart city for the automotive industry. The Clemson Tiger’s championship collegiate teams are celebrated by local's, through tailgate parties and downtown parties. Downtown Greenville SC is an easy walking city with excellent restaurants and exciting night life along the Reedy River. The Blue Ridge Parkway, beautiful lakes and mountains to the north of Greenville SC appeal to outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. There are a number of outstanding master planned communities in the Greenville SC area attracting highly educated Baby Boomers searching for where to retire in a best college town.

• Nashville Tennessee - Vanderbilt University, Tennessee State University, Volunteer State College, Belmont University and Lipscolm University are located in Nashville. Between the five colleges, more than 27,000 students attend college in Nashville TN. Could it be because it is Music City or Nash Vegas? No doubt, the exciting night life combined with more than 109 community parks and greenways in Nashville TN make the city a fantastic outdoor playground for college students and retirees alike. Whether you desire a contemporary condominium in The Gulch or prefer a golf or Tennessee lake community on Old Hickory Lake, Nashville has excellent home options with quick access to downtown Nashville TN. 

• Savannah Georgia - The Savannah College of Art & Design, Armstrong State Atlantic University, Savannah State University and Savannah Technical College are the four colleges in the Lowcountry of Georgia. More than 23,000 students attend the four colleges in Savannah GA. The southern charm of the city is undisputed nicknaming Savannah Hostess City. Southern cooking, british pubs and the famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade attract millions of visitors to historic Savannah each year. It’s not hard to find a party in the streets of downtown Savannah GA at any time of the year. As an industrial city, Baby Boomer's may find Savannah neighborhoods beyond the city limits more laid back for retirement.

• Wilmington North Carolina - The University of Wilmington and Cape Fear Community College are the two primary college campuses. More than 30,000 students are enrolled at these two schools. Is it because of the number of beautiful beaches in the area or the movie industry’s recent attraction to Wilmington? Downtown Wilmington is a great walking city and is named one of the Best Places to Live. Award winning restaurants, eclectic shops and watering holes line the streets and river. Wilmington NC is fast growing city in the coastal region of North Carolina and has a number of affordable master planned communities in the heart of the city and to the south.

Most Baby Boomers have children entering college, children enrolled in college or are college graduates. Pick their brains to uncover all the hidden student discounts you may not know about saving you money adding to your retirement buying power. When you decide where to retire, utilize every student discount you can find to keep more money in your wallet. 

Please share with us your favorite student discounts, by leaving a comment.