Teach Them To Budget And The Rest Is Easy
Eating on a budget is something important to teach your students before they head to college. Teaching them to have the mindset to budget, save money, and spend their money responsibly is an important life lesson regardless if you are at college or not! While it may take them some time to adjust, students can find many ways to make it work at the University of Maryland. Learning money savvy tips and tricks to save money on food while away at college can end up saving a good amount of money in the long run.
One of the best ways to save money when eating at college is to have your student take advantage of the dining halls. Considering that all freshmen have to be on a university dining plan, they might as well use it for all their eating needs. All resident dining plans include Any time Dining access which allows students to visit any dining hall, any time they are open, any number of times, any day of the week. This essentially means that students can spend as much time as they would like in the dining hall, eating as much food they can with no limit! One good tip to save money is to take an extra apple, banana, or even dry cereal for a snack later.
In addition to the dining halls, there are several convenience stores on campus that have great prices when students are looking to grab some snacks, desserts, or a quick meal. When shopping for food at these convenience stores, students have the option to pay with Dining Dollars. Dining Dollars are included in some meal plans, so if your student is interested in utilizing these shops make sure you choose a plan with Dining Dollars. There are also various cafes and franchise locations on campus that allow you to use your Dining Dollars when paying.
Additional Places That Offer Student Discounts/Deals:
- Buffalo Wild Wings– 10% off with Student ID
- Burger King– 20% off with Student ID
- Chick fil A– Free small drink with Student ID
- Cold Stone– 15% off with Student ID
- Grubhub- $10 off your first order
- Milk and Honey Café– Two for one deal with Student ID
- Pho D’Lite– Get 40% off a meal that $20 or up
- Subway– 10% off with Student ID
- Waffle House– 10% off with Student ID
You will not receive any sort of discount if you don’t ask, so we recommend asking everywhere you go – you might get lucky!! Once they get the hang of budgeting, they will (hopefully) make it a habit. If you visit, don’t plan on seeing any of these places, as they will want you to take them to restaurants they presently can’t afford. For a list of those restaurants, see our blog on restaurants.
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