Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Living on the Cheap.
Teachers are rarely paid what they’re worth. As a result, many businesses offer discounts to educators year-round.
Teachers can get a percentage off the regular price, when they buy books and decorating supplies for their classroom, work clothes and more.
Plus, since they can only vacation during peak and pricey school break time periods, they can even save on traveling.
To get many of the special deals and discounts, you will need to show your school ID badge or confirm your educator status online.
We’ve compiled a list of discounts for teachers — on electronics, school supplies, clothing, travel, publications and more.
Electronics discounts
Apple isn’t known for offering many discounts in general. However, the tech company does offer varying discounts for teachers and students, including savings on new Macs and iPads.
Lenovo helps teachers, students and parents save money on laptop and desktop computers — an extra 5% off. It may not be huge, but bargain hunters know every little bit matters.
Adobe offers teachers and students discounts. There are versions of Adobe anyone can download at no cost, but, if you want to get fancy with document editing, you need to buy an upgraded version. Teachers can enjoy 60% off Adobe Creative Cloud with access to all Adobe apps and products.
Hello! Many cellphone providers offer teacher discounts. In addition, some providers offer special package plans for school districts. Check with individual providers for details.
Eduporium offers educators a 20% discount on STEM tools, including robotics kits, 3-D printers and more.
At Microsoft, teachers and students can get Office 365 Education for FREE, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and more. Educators also enjoy 10% off all Surface devices.
Office supply, book and newspaper discounts
Staples lets teachers earn 5% back on in-store purchases with its Classroom Rewards program. Parents can also donate rewards to teachers by using the Staples Connect app.
Pencils.com offers a 10% discount on all orders for teachers, administrators and other school officials.
Barnes & Noble’s Educator program gives teachers 20% off the publisher’s list price on all purchases for classroom use and up to 25% off list price during Educator Appreciation Days.
Half Price Books gives teachers 10% off year-round with its Educator Discount Card.
Craft and organizing product discounts
JoAnn’s Teacher Discount gives educators 15% off every purchase, every day. The discount is valid in-store and online. The fabric and craft store also offers many classes and teaching resources.
Michaels’ Teacher Discount gives educators 15% off purchases in-store and online.
Clothing and shoe discounts
Handful offers a 20% discount to teachers and students.
J.Crew offers teachers (and college students) a 15% discount in-store and online. The discount does not apply to J.Crew Factory stores.
Hanes, including Champion, One Hanes Place, and Just My Size, offer 10% off for teachers every day. The discount is also available to retired educators.
Karen Kane offers teachers a 20% discount off every purchase online.
Get verified through the gated discount site SheerID and unlock lots of teacher-only discounts at many retailers, including Books-a-Million, BritBox and Headspace.
Madewell offers teachers (and college students) a 15% discount online and in-store.
Attraction and travel discounts
Check with local attractions in your area and inquire about any teacher discounts or passes.
Kennedy Space Center’s Educator Study Pass offers teachers throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands teachers complimentary access to the visitor complex. They also offer educator resources, a newsletter and information on field trips.
Teachers qualify for a free annual pass to Crayola Experience in Orlando, Florida. The pass allows access to perks including unlimited visits for one year, 20% off on-site purchases (including merchandise and food), discounts on tickets for family and friends, and more.
In New York City, the Theater Development Fund offers deeply discounted theater tickets for teachers.
Vacations to Go offers special teacher (including retired teachers) discounts on select cruises. Qualifying teachers will be required to submit a photocopy of a teacher’s certification, union card or letter from the principal on school letterhead.
SeaWorld Orlando, SeaWorld San Antonio and Sea World San Diego offer free admission to certified K-12 teachers.
Other teacher discounts and grants
Colorescience offers a 15% discount for educators on every order.
ID.me is a portal for discounts for select groups (including teachers) at a wide variety of companies, such as New Balance, Avocado Mattress, Kind, and more.
Teach for America has teamed up with Canva.com to offer FREE classroom resources for teachers.
Liberty Mutual Insurance offers teachers exclusive savings on auto insurance.
More teacher discounts and grants
Budget Truck Rental offers teachers 20% off on local moves and 15% off on one-way moves with the discount code TEACH.
General Motors offers eligible employees of public schools, private schools, colleges and universities $500 on select Chevrolet vehicles.
23andMe offers teachers a discount on select DNA kits — up to $100 off.
Teachers with big ideas but small budgets should explore Donors Choose. Teachers present a classroom idea and encourage donors to give funds to support the goal.
TeacherLists.com allows teachers to publish a wish list of classroom supplies. Then, donors can give money online to complete the list.
Pets in the Classroom is an educational grant program that provides financial support to teachers to purchase and maintain small animals in the classroom.
And even more teacher discounts and grants
Teacher Appreciation Week begins the first full week of May every year. Teacher Appreciation Day is the Tuesday of that week. Many restaurants and businesses offer special deals for local teachers. Check out our affiliate network for deals in your area.
Teachers Pay Teachers is an online marketplace where teachers buy and sell original educational materials. Find more than 50,000 FREE items and about 300,000 for sale with many for just a couple of dollars.
Run by the American Federation of Teachers, Share My Lesson offers teachers more than 250,000 FREE educational resources for the classroom.
The National Education Association is a great resource on how and where teachers can save money. The organization offers a roundup of top discounts for teachers and education professionals.
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