Online concerts, workouts and apps, oh my! Here are all the freebies and discounts to get you through self-isolation and lockdown in the age of coronavirus.
COVID-19 has sent shockwaves throughout the world, putting our way of life on hold indefinitely. Classes have been moved online, people are losing work, and if the economy could talk, we’re sure it would be saying, “eughhhh.”
If you’re one of the lucky ones, you have a place to stay and a roof over your head to ride out the next however-many weeks of isolation and the biggest thing you have to worry about is cabin fever. If this is you, then you can distract yourself with…. some good old-fashioned retail therapy!
But wait, you can’t leave the house… problem solved! All kinds of different businesses are pulling out the stops to lend their services during this current crisis. With special discounts, offers and deliveries. Now, you don’t even have to get off your couch to hit the shops. And with these discounts your bank account – which may be a little stagnant at the moment – won’t have to suffer for it!
Adobe
That bank account is looking a little sparse and you’re thinking of making cuts. Fair enough. You don’t have to cut off your Adobe subscription, though! They’ve got your back during this quarantine. Adobe is offering two-months free for anyone with an already existing Creative Cloud subscription! If you don’t have a subscription but you’re a student or teacher who usually has a lab subscription you can’t access at home, you’re in luck! Adobe has granted at-home access to these subscriptions for no additional cost until May 31 2020… maybe even longer, depending how long this quarantine lasts! If you’re unsure, ask your professor or institution whether or not you have a lab subscription.
Concerts
As you may have guessed, big festivals and concerts are no longer viable with social distancing and all non-essential gatherings being banned. The music industry across the world has taken a massive hit with artists no longer being able to tour or create – but, as the saying goes, the show must go on… and go on it does! All your favourite artists are hopping in front of their laptop screens and working from home, just like you! Virtual concerts and live online performances are popping up on the likes of YouTube and Instagram, so you can rock out to all the latest tunes for free instead of having to sell an arm and a leg to see the hottest DJ at Splendour. FaceTime your friends and have a boogie in your bedroom – just because you can’t go to the party doesn’t mean you can’t bring the party to you.
Foxtel
If you’ve got a FOXTEL cable, regardless of what channels or subscription you have, FOXTEL is opening its content library for all users. That’s right! More content, more entertainment, even the fancy stuff you have to pay extra for like ShowTime or E!. The company’s done it all themselves so you don’t even need to sign up or make a change, just sit back and binge to your heart’s content until May 31.
Chris Hemsworth’s Fitness App
Miss the gym? YouTube workouts just not cutting it for you? Well, Thor is here to the rescue! Chris Hemsworth is offering 6 free weeks on his new fitness app, ‘Centr.’ Some workouts have been made with COVID in mind, using every household items as training tools – laundry liquid, cans of beans, two-litre juice bottles, you name it! If you’re looking for more home workouts, check out our favourites here.
Online Learning Courses
Want to upskill and have a productive isolation? The Australian government has got you sorted. The Federal Department of Education has asked universities and providers to develop short six-month courses to be delivered online with discounted student fees – $1250 for the entire 6 months! Topics range from teaching, foreign languages, psychology, engineering and much more, offering diploma levels to graduate certificates. I don’t know about you, but it would be pretty handy to learn some Spanish or get a qualification in Environmental Science, just from my bed.
All your favourite brands and services understand the state of the world right now, so you won’t be hard-pressed to find a ton of discounts being offered by your usual go-tos. Apparel and retail companies in particular are offering huge discounts to keep customers purchasing items, so get Googling, get shopping, and get grooving. Who said isolation was all bad?
