Microsoft Office is something that most students, working professionals, and entrepreneurs will buy at some point in their lives. While these software programs seem to be abundant in nature, they are very easy to overpaid for. Buying MS Office at a discounted price is something that everyone can appreciate. Read these five simple tips to learn how to save.
- Take Advantage of Student Discount Prices
If you’re a student, then you more than likely are going to need to get the best software you can to do well in your classes. But if you’re a student, you are also likely running on a very tight budget, and the cost of software can quickly add up. Fortunately, there are several places online where you can take advantage of your status as a student and save big on software costs. Getting a student discount on Microsoft software is easy; most online retailers will ask you to show proof of your status as a student by just simply entering your student ID number, scanning your student ID, or by some other simple form of validation.
But many online retailers won’t even go this far. All you might need to do is check a box that says “Student” and you will immediately be eligible to receive massive discounts of software. Because of this, even if you are not a student—per se—you can still take advantage of these great discounts by simply checking a box. After all, we are all at least studying something, right?
2.) Check out Office.com and Office Mobile Apps
If you are really restrained by your budget, there are still ways you can save even further. Many components of Microsoft Office can be found for free online, though they will limited in features. If you comfortable working with simplified versions of Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other components of Microsoft Office, all of these can be accessed for free on Office.com.
Because these versions are free, they are missing many of the more advanced features. They are not the complete package, rather, they are more like a downloadable version of Google Docs you can use as needed. But if you are like many people and consider these advanced features to be a luxury, then the free online version will be the perfect option for you. Furthermore, you can also access these simplified versions for free through the Office Mobile Apps. These apps are perfect for if you are on the go and need to get a project done, or are still just looking to take advantage of as much free software as you possibly can.
3.) Consider Getting an Office 365 subscription
If the free online versions of Microsoft Office simply will not cut it, then getting an Office 365 subscription is going to probably be the best solution. Though these subscriptions can be a little bit pricy, there are still numerous ways you can bring down the overall cost or at least bring down the cost you will have to pay per month.
- Buy long-term. Buying long-term will require a greater commitment up-front, but the longer you buy a subscription for, the lower the monthly rate will be.
- Buy in bulk. If you are a part of an organization that requires multiple Microsoft Office 365 subscriptions or if you are willing to organize a group of friends with common needs, then you can save a substantial amount of money per unit by buying in bulk.
- Take advantage of discounts. Online retailers and other software providers are very eager to get you to purchase your software subscriptions through them, and because of this, they are almost always offering sales, discounts, and other ways to save.
4.) Compare the subscription option to a one-time purchase
If you are satisfied with the current state of Microsoft software, and believe that whatever it exists as right now will be good enough to last you into the foreseeable future, then you may want to take advantage of the option to make a one-time purchase option. By doing this, Microsoft will essentially take a “snap shot” of what you have purchased at a given point in time, and whatever that purchase may be, it is associated with your name.
The one-time purchase option was an option introduced by Microsoft in response to a growing number of customers who were very vocally against the idea of subscription services, such as those mentioned above. These customers decided they already liked what they had, and therefore, did not feel it was fair to keep having to pay for new/updated software as time went on. The benefit of this option is that you only make a single payment. From there you are set with quality Microsoft software for theoretically the rest of your life. The biggest drawback, however, is that you do not get to take advantage of the upgrades and improvements made with each additional version of the software, and though with each version these changes may seem marginal, over time, they can quickly add up (compare current software to, say, 2008).
5.) Be sure to buy from a licensed Microsoft partner
When it comes to buying discount software online—or elsewhere—you certainly have a lot of options available, and because of this, it becomes particularly important to distinguish which online retailers are indeed the very best. Microsoft is a corporation that uniquely seeks to distribute its products through a partnership modeled system, and though there are many organizations that may be attempting to offer you Microsoft software, only some of these organizations are legitimately Microsoft partners.
There are a number of benefits from buying software exclusively from Microsoft partners:
- In-depth knowledge of savings opportunities. Microsoft partners know a lot about their products, and in order to offer you the best deals you will find on the internet, they will direct you to potential savings opportunities you may have otherwise never even imagined. Buying discount software online is an art, and Microsoft partners are their own sort of artists.
- Guaranteed security and legitimacy. There are a number of illegitimate websites online that exist for the sole purpose of gaining your credit card information, selling you counterfeit products, or finding various other ways to permanently rip you off. Only by working with licensed Microsoft partners can you be absolutely sure to avoid these potential (and sadly common) traps.
- Substantial understanding of Microsoft products. Nobody knows Microsoft products better than those who are certified to distribute them, and this can be particularly helpful if you are unfamiliar with the contracts, the conditions, or the products themselves.
- Continuous customer support. One of the great things about working with official Microsoft partners as that even after you make your purchase, they will continue to be there to assist you as long as you might need their help. Having a reliable customer support system available will be a uniquely valuable asset if you plan on using the software for a long time.
Microsoft Office is a great software package that if you are a student or businessperson will certainly come in handy. These tips are just a few ways in which you can buy your product securely, confidently, and with the greatest amount of savings possible.
