Remember the beginning of the semester, when we thought there was no way we’d come close to spending all of our dining bucks? Yeah, that was also when we all thought we’d be getting 4.0 GPAs, going to the Plex every day, and in all our spare time, be finding internships for Christmas break and summer vacation. So naïve.
Now that my meal plan balance is lurking dangerously close to the double digits, I’ve had to come up with ways to conserve dining bucks. I’m sure the “toss some lettuce over your sirloin steak and pretend it’s just a salad” method would work, but trust me, it’s possible to make some small changes to save money without resorting to that. Follow these tips to make it through finals with enough money to stress-eat to your heart’s desire. Or at least not starve before break.
1. Choose containers wisely
Buying fruit in the morning? Filling one of the 10 oz to-go containers costs you the same amount as one of the white bowls, which is bigger to begin with and much easier to pile fruit on above the rim. You’ll definitely get more bang for your buck, ladies. Same goes for salad. Everyone likes eating out of the large containers, rather than the square plastic to-go ones, but if you stuff a small container, it holds just as much as the large bowls can. So buy your salad in the small container, and then just pour the contents into a larger bowl to eat out of. You’re getting the exact same salad but saving a few dollars. Yes it wastes some plastic, but we’re talking about saving green, not being green. Just be sure to recycle.
2. Refill
Now we’re making up for that extra plastic container, see! Do you really need to buy a new Smart Water every day? Try refilling your bottle a few times before you get a new one, or even better, invest in a reusable bottle. You’ll be saving almost $5 a day with absolutely no sacrifice. You can do this with coffee, too. You’ll still have to pay for your daily caffeine fix, but dining halls offer a price reduction if you bring your own thermos.
3. Make the most of your sides
How often do you get a Hillside sandwich, but then forget to get the apple that comes with it? The same thing happens with Addie’s veggie burgers, especially if you’re getting the burger on top of the salad– unless you ask, you probably won’t get the fruit or chips that are included in the price. Even if you don’t want your side now, take it for later– you’ll save the dollar or two you would have spent buying one later.
4. Avoid packaged meals
The packaged tropical fruit or sliced apples are tiny, and so expensive. Go with whole fruits to save tons of dining dollars. The same goes with the packaged cereal, which is convenient, but smaller and more expensive than the cereal you put in the bowl yourself.
5. Make simple substitutions
A cheese omelet from lower is almost $6, but scrambled eggs with cheese are essentially half the price. That’s definitely a substitution worth making. With other items, rethink your dining hall of choice. The veggie burgers are cheaper in Addie’s than Lower, and the hamburgers are cheaper in Mac than Hillside. Rethink your dining locations and meal choices to see if you can make a painless and money-saving swap.
6. Go big or go home
It almost always saves to buy in bulk. If you eat toast every day, buy a loaf of bread instead of individual slices. If you want apple cider, a half-gallon from Mac or Lower is only slightly more expensive than a single cup from the Chocolate Bar or Hillside. This even works with foods like granola. Instead of buying the individual cups, fill a large cereal container with it, take some empty cups, and package it yourself. It takes a little more effort, but you’ll definitely be saving money.
Between all the stress of finals studying, Secret Santa shopping, and begging for overrides for spring semester courses, let’s try and relieve the stress of going hungry. Just give it a little bit of thought before you head into Mac and Lower, and you’ll be able to stretch your dining bucks to last the rest of the semester.
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