Eating Out

Oftentimes, you can decide to not get a meal plan at all, especially if your college is in the middle of an area with lots of dining options.  Yet the costs of eating mainly off campus can quickly add up—I try to not eat out often, and when I do, I make sure to choose the cheapest options. Try to buy most of your food from grocery stores.  Use coupons, buy in bulk, get a customer savings card, and take advantage of sales—all of which require attention and planning (as well as a student’s valuable time and effort).  Try eating with friends and taking turns cooking to save money.

If you eat both on and off campus, take advantage of your cheapest options.  For example, investigate the cost of a piece of pizza from your favorite off-campus restaurant, and compare that to the cost of buying a slice from the campus dining hall or store.  Like most every other money saving endeavor, planning and researching is key.  Take advantage of sales and specials when they come, and weigh your options on a meal-by-meal basis.  When you start to crave a home-cooked meal, GO HOME.  Your parents will be overjoyed to cook for you, and you will get free cookies to take back to school!

Where do you buy your food?

Options Galore!

Oftentimes, you can decide to not get a meal-plan at all, especially if your college is in the middle of an area with lots of dining options.  Yet the costs of eating mainly off campus can quickly add up—I try to not eat out often, and when I do, I make sure to choose the cheapest options. Try to buy most of your food from grocery stores.  Use coupons, buy in bulk, and get a customer savings card.  Take advantage of sales as well—yet all of this requires much attention and planning, so it may not be worth the time and effort.  Try eating with friends and taking turns cooking to save money.

If you eat both on and off campus, take advantage of your cheapest options.  For example, investigate the cost of a piece of pizza from your favorite off-campus restaurant, and compare that to the cost of buying a slice from the campus dining hall or store.  Like most other money-saving endeavors, planning and researching is key.  Take advantage of sales and specials when they come, and weigh your options on a meal-by-meal basis.  When you start to crave a home-cooked meal, GO HOME.  Your parents will be overjoyed to cook for you, and you will get free cookies to take back to school:)

How to survive your meal-plan

One of my biggest fears for my first year at Hanover College was the Freshman-15, or 20, or 30.  As it turns out, the same tips you use to keep the Freshman-15 off can be applied to help you save money.  Since Hanover’s main all-you-can-eat dining hall will not allow students to take food back to their dorms, I eat three larger meals a day, snacking as little as possible.  By not buying snacks, one can avoid spending extra money and gaining extra weight!   I find it helpful to choose foods that keep me feeling full, so that I do not have to spend money on those snacks for in between meals–salads and vegetables work like gold.

If your meal plan is more based off of the specific products you buy rather than buffet style, use portion control to keep your tummy lean and your wallet fat.  Buy only the food items you know you want, not those you think you want.  You can always return and buy more; yet once the food reaches the customer, his or her cash is gone forever.