Students create discount cards

Two separate groups of student entrepreneurs have set up local discount cards to help students save a few extra pennies.

The Splat Card and Uni4ya offer student discounts from local businesses, catering to both Warwick and Coventry University students. At a time where the price of student living is rising during the recession, students have reacted with enthusiasm to the initiatives.

The groups, independent of one another, were both created from websites. The Uni4ya discount card is part of a wider website based operation listing local businesses that might be of use to students.

Jean Malissard, the creator, a second year International Business student, described it as the “first and only interactive student directory” where local businesses are given the opportunity to promote to students.

“The card is more a complement because the students get to know where they can save thanks to the online interactive student directory”, Malissard added.

The Splat Card, launched in Freshers’ Week, was created by Tom Smith a Coventry University graduate. It is the result of the expansion of a discount voucher website into a card for “greater convenience”, according to Smith.

Smith said, “At Splat Card our main aim is to provide the students with local discounts, enabling us to have a cheaper product with a great range of localised offers”.

The card has so far been a success. Smith said, “So far the response has been incredible and far exceeded our original expectations, with a lot of hard work starting to pay off.”

Neither group wants to infringe upon the national NUS Extra card, preferring to focus on specific local businesses.

Isaac Newton Acquah, Communications Officer for the Students’ Union said, “ these cards are a good idea for students so there are more benfits for students.” He dismissed the idea this would take business away from the SU. “People go out anyway,” he concluded

Smith said the combined forces of Splat Card and Uni4ya “can only be positive for the card users, as both companies will be striving to negotiate better discounts and offers for students.”

The Uni4ya card costs £2, while the Splat Card is £5.

Both groups have expansion plans, with Splat Card setting their sights on the whole of the midlands, but the success of both cards at both Warwick and Coventry will see whether their plans for expansion become a reality.