HaveUHeard that when a student moves into an off-campus apartment they generally sign a lease for twelve months? (it is actually a 10-month lease that apartments prorated so it gets paid over 12 months).  So how to sublease? A sublet is a legally binding contract between you and the subtenant which allows them to live in your apartment for a specific period of time. Of course, they are responsible for paying rent for that period of time.

In order to sublet you must first check local laws. The right to sublet could be written in the lease or perhaps in the state law depending on where you are located. So, for Florida, the lease must say somewhere that you are prohibited to sublease. If there is nothing that states that, you are able to sublet your apartment according to Florida state law.

Before doing a sublease, you should request landlord approval. Provide as much detail as possible.  You obviously want to make sure the subtenant is reliable. You remain liable for payments so you want to make sure this person will be able to pay the rent. You must have a legal agreement with your subtenant in order to make the sublet final. This way you are able to protect yourself in case of any future disagreements. Obtain and hold a security deposit just in case there are any damages made to the apartment. Lastly, you want to set up rent payments with your subtenant. Don’t forget to take photos beforehand in case any damage is done from the subtenant!

Now, how to find someone to sublet. There are some Facebook pages that FAU students can use to find potential sublessors:

FAU Class of 20XX (insert years) – official group

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Housing, Sublets & Roommates

FAU Off-Campus Housing

If your student is a member of a sorority or fraternity or involved in a club, getting the word out early, as well as potentially subletting to someone they know, is generally better. The truth is, there are far more apartments available to sublet every summer than there are students looking to sublet, so if you can make an arrangement with someone you trust early; take it. If you are looking for someone to take over for the fall semester, try looking at the summer before. Many people sign a lease and find options that better suit them last minute.

Looking for a spring sublease may be a bit tough since most people have already signed year leases. Definitely start posting in the fall semester (around October/November). There are students who are tied to a year’s lease that may have decided to do a semester abroad or take a semester off; so, sublets are out there. As opposed to summer; it is more difficult to find a desirable apartment with roommates that you will be happy to live with than it is to find someone to rent your place. Most people tend to give up their summer leases, so finding someone to take over your lease in the summer can be tricky. However, it is possible. Chances are you will not get your full rent covered. Something is better than nothing though.

Some apartment complexes charge a sublet fee. Most all require signed forms with complete information on your sublessor. It is to your advantage to play by the rules and be sure all forms and fees are taken care of because, without them, you (the original renter) are responsible for any damage that may occur in your absence…and it happens. As a matter of fact, all the renters/roommates may be responsible, if they cannot be sure who caused the damage. My daughter was recently charged for a broken washing machine when she wasn’t even in the country. There was no way to identify who caused the damage and since her name is still on the lease.

It seems like a lot to sublet, however, it might be worth the trouble! I am usually away during the summers. If I had known more about this, it might have been a good option so I wasn’t wasting money. I definitely think it is a good option for students and parents to look into if they will be renting an apartment while attending college. I even found websites such as ULoop that had listings for bedrooms and apartments near FAU that were subletting. Each had a description where some listed the application fee, security deposit, first-month rent or prorated rent, and extra things such as pet fees.

Madeline Gilligan, FAU Intern

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Leaving for college comes with so many new things, but handling their own money can be one of the scariest. Learning about Banks is very key. We have all kinds of suggestions regarding Working While in College, Budgeting 101 even the Best Credit Cards for College Students, but this blog is all about banking. I, personally, find it best to have an account for my daughter at the same bank as mine. It makes it easy to slide money over whenever I need to.

FAU’s banking partner is PNC bank. They have an office on campus and several locations in South Florida and across 20 states. There are many ATMs on campus such as the lobby of the Student Support Services Building, the lobby of the Administration Building, Breezeway Food Court and several branches nearby.  They also offer a Virtual Wallet option which allows you to keep track of your money.  If they ever need cash this is helpful, although few students seem to use cash these days.

The PNC Virtual Student Wallet has a spending account (primary checking account), a Reserve Account (Interest-bearing checking account) and a Growth Account (Long-term savings account). Students obtain all three with this option. With this virtual wallet, students are provided with tools to help manage spending and saving. Parents can also receive the same account alerts as students when balances are low if they are enrolled.

Students obtain a PNC Visa debit card. Students also are able to enjoy benefits for up to six years which include:
· No monthly service charge
· reimbursement of the fee for the first two domestic or international non-PNC bank ATM transactions made on the spend, reserve, or grow accounts per statement period
· five-dollar reimbursement of other financial intuitions ATM surcharge fee per statement period
· One automatic courtesy refund of any overdraft item or refunded item fees associated with the first overdraft event
· One incoming domestic or international wire transfer per statement period at no charge

Apps like Venmo and Zelle are just more convenient.

Banking and how our students can access money is something you will undoubtedly want to figure out before day one.

The following banks are on or near campus:

PNC (On Campus)

Bank of America (2000 Glades Road)

TD Bank (2301 N Federal Highway)

CitiBank (4055 N Federal Highway)

Chase (1850 N Federal Highway)

Regions Bank (2250 Glades Road)

Wells Fargo (3601 N Federal Highway)

SunTrust (4899 N Federal Highway)

BB&T (701 N Federal Highway)

Bank United (5295 Towncenter Road)

Amtrust Bank (5550 Glades Road Suite 100)

Our interns are big fans of Venmo. They don’t recommend getting the Venmo card but find it convenient for just about everything. Roommates send each other their portion of the rent or electric bill, or their share of last night’s Uber, right through the app. Some parents prefer this method of sending money. There are no fees if you link it to your account instead of a credit card.

Credit Unions and Investment  Companies

South Atlantic Federal Credit Union is located at One West Camino Real in Boca Raton.

Schwab is a great option because one of the perks of having a Schwab account is that you can use any ATM and the ATM fee is later refunded. Schwab is located off of 150 E Palmetto Park Rd Ste 100

Next step…budgeting!

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When you decide to have kids, your first thought is not how am I going to pay for college, but it might be your second. I made a decision when they were about 5 to buy a Prepaid Florida Tuition Plan which is one type of plan, locking in a Florida college. The 529 Savings Plans, or what is also known as a Qualified Tuition Plan (QTP), is a saving was fairly new and I chose not to invest in a 529 savings plan.

I wish I had not overlooked this type of tuition plan or had asked their grandparents to invest in a 529 Savings plan, as opposed to gifting them money for birthdays and holidays. Since 1996, 529 plans are a way of saving for college for your student. If you had such a qualified tuition plan or a relative set one up for you, then you and your student are now eligible to access the funds. Lucky you. The funds from your 529 plan can be used not only to pay for higher education (starting in 2018 for elementary or secondary school tuition up to $10,000) but for room and board as well.

The SECURE Act signed into law on December 20,2019 expanded the benefits of 529 plan including adding student loan repayments and the costs of apprenticeship programs as qualified expenses for distributions made after December 31, 2018.

If you received refunds from your students education institution, you should contact your plans administrator as failure to re contribute the refunds may result in taxable income if not returned within 60 days of receiving the refund.

Tuition and Equipment

Tuition and fees, books, supplies, and equipment. Expenses for special needs services needed by a special needs beneficiary must be incurred in connection with enrollment or attendance at an eligible postsecondary school.

The purchase of a computer or peripheral equipment, computer software, or Internet access and related services if it’s to be used primarily by the beneficiary during any of the years the beneficiary is enrolled at an eligible postsecondary school. (this doesn’t include expenses for computer software for sports, games, or hobbies unless the software is predominantly educational in nature).

Room and Board

There are special rules that apply to room and board. Expenses for room and board must be incurred by students who are enrolled at least half-time.

The allowance for room and board, as determined by the school, was included in the cost of attendance (for federal financial aid purposes) during a particular academic period and living arrangement of the student. The actual amount charged if the student is residing in housing owned or operated by the school.

You may need to contact the eligible educational institution for qualified room and board costs. A student who lives off-campus can include in qualified higher education expenses the reasonable room and board costs as determined by the QTP, up to the federal financial aid allowance (as per above).

If your student is living at home, then your student should make actual room and board payments to their parents. Receipts should be well documented and you need to spend the money in the same calendar year as the withdrawal, not the school academic calendar year but the actual 12 month calendar year.

In addition, you should check with your financial advisor as there should be coordination with college tax credits. If you pay for tuition and required books with the 529 plan funds, they will disqualify those expenses from the tax credit. Read our Tax Time blog here.

Any change in the designated beneficiary of an interest in a QTP isn’t treated as a distribution if the new beneficiary is a member of the family of the old beneficiary. The change in beneficiary rule gives parents, or other donor’s, flexibility to use the funds for any family member who needs them most. For example, if a designated beneficiary decides not to attend college, or receives a full scholarship, another child can be named as long as the new child is a member of the family. Or if funds remain in the QTP after a child has finished school, a younger family member can be named to use the balance. For more information, you should contact the custodian of your 529 plan.

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Welcome to Paradise as an FAU Owl Class of 2024! Now that you are accepted, you can now take that sigh of relief that a decision has been made and then take a look at our list of what to do next. First, this may sound silly, but check your admissions letter for accuracy regarding their name, entrance term, address and major. If any changes need to be made it needs to happen in writing or online at myfau.

When you applied, you would have gotten an ID number, or at FAU they are referred to as a Z-number. It can be found on your application status page. Save this number, you’ll use it for the next four years. When you were accepted, you received a computer account, or FAU Net ID, which can be found on your acceptance letter. This Net ID will be your username to access the MYFAU website. MYFAU is the main website you’ll use as a student to access everything from class information to tickets for football games. This NetID will also become your email address. With this NetID, you’ll be able to access the Owldone online resource, which is where you’ll complete each of the next steps.

You are going to want to get that $200 non-refundable deposit and form in by May 1 for summer and fall semesters and September 22 for the spring semester. Without the deposit, they won’t be able to register for the mandatory orientation, etc… This can also be done through the Owldone portal.

Then get that immunizations form completed and sent in. Registration cannot happen without this. You can download the form here.  By the way, while you are on the health services page, take note of all the amazing services they offer students. At FAU, it is not a requirement that every student has insurance. Students, regardless of their coverage, can access all of the services and programs that student health services have to offer. More information about student health services can be found here.

Be sure to confirm the following:

• Your residency status for tuition purposes
• That your student has signed up for Bright Futures
• Arranged for any final transcripts and scores (AP, IB, AICE, CLEP, and transfer credits) to be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions
• Your Florida Prepaid program if you have one (You will need to be familiar with what you paid for with Florida Prepaid as it may only cover certain fees or dorms – although it does not preclude your student from living in certain dorms; they may just have to pay any overage fees.)
• Finally, if you have not already done so, get that FAFSA form started.

Check out the housing information. There are many options at FAU both on and off-campus. If living in a particular dorm or having a single dorm is very important to your student, don’t wait too long to send a deposit and apply for housing.

Finally, check for any holds on your student’s account. It could be the simplest thing, but there is nothing worse than going to register for classes and not being able to because of a simple thing that could have been fixed earlier. This includes making certain that a final transcript from high school (other colleges if transferring) has made its way to the FAU Office of Admissions. This must get to them in a sealed envelope. Your student and you will receive Orientation information from the Office of New Student Orientation. This is a mandatory two-day event for your student and yourself.

Check out our blogs on Housing, Meal Plans, and Orientation for many more helpful details.

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If you have ever been to FAU’s campus, you know that driving and parking can be stressful. However, FAU’s Owl Express is here to make parking situation stress-free.  The Owl Express is a free on-campus bus shuttle available to all FAU students, faculty, and staff.

FAU currently has two shuttle buses, the red and blue shuttles. Both shuttles circulate around campus and stop at various points so students can park their cars in the morning and won’t have to move them again until they are ready to leave campus. The shuttle bus will also pick up students from both University Village apartments and Innovation Village student apartments.

The FAU mobile app has updated to date time estimates and route information for both the red and blue shuttle bus.  The hours of operation vary for each shuttle bus per semester. FAU also offers a shuttle bus for transportation between the Jupiter and Boca Raton campuses. It is free for all students, faculty, and staff. For the complete schedule, click here.

Get2FAU is a website that provides information for getting around our community using public transit. The site includes information for bus and train transportation as well as carpool registration. Get2FAU also offers students information on how to utilize FAU’s “Emergency ride home” program. Another popular means of transportation to make the commute is Tri-Rail. Tri-Rail is a train that runs North and South between Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County. Beat the traffic and parking by taking Tri-Rail to FAU. Students have the opportunity to take advantage of Tri-Rail’s Student Discount Program for the duration of their enrollment at FAU. Students will receive a 50% discount when they show proof of enrollment with either their Owl Card and/or class schedule. Students may also use Tri-Rail train service for transportation to FAU. Faculty and Staff will receive a 25% discount through the employee discount program.

Palm Tran Bus service is available to students who wish to utilize public transportation to FAU. Palm Tran route schedules are also available at the Student Support Services Building located on campus. Students

Whether you choose to bring a car or not, we definitely recommend taking advantage of the many bus options available for students. Parking and commuting to FAU can be a hassle, but with the use of the shuttle system, it can become stress-free.

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The time has come to pay for your college costs and money panic sets in.  I remember receiving the tuition statement for my daughter, yet her student account showed no Prepaid Florida (which I was fortunate enough to have purchased for both 4-year college and 1-year dorm).  In addition, her bank account did not reflect her Bright Futures Scholarship funds. So when does this money get disbursed? Can you get a deferral for books, living accommodations, and student fees until the disbursement comes?

For your student’s specific account details, you should have them log into their account at MyFAU. HaveUHeard that FAU encourages all students receiving financial aid to sign up for a direct deposit? To sign up, go to MyFau.fau.edu to log in. On the top toolbar, select “Money Matters.” Here students will be able to view their student account and find more information on financial aid disbursement.

Here are some financial specifics to keep your bottom line in line:

Florida Prepaid Money

Florida Prepaid will bill your student after the end of the Drop/Add Period. Your student’s MyFAU account statement will reflect the Florida Prepaid billing before they disburse Financial Aid. The day after drop/add ends, students will receive an email confirmation for the amount Florida Prepaid was billed. There will also be an email confirmation on the day Prepaid credits to your student’s account. Determine the payment your student will receive from Florida Prepaid.

Students who do not want the Florida Prepaid College Plan billed or who drop or add a class after the drop/add deadline should contact the Controller’s office, especially the Tuition and Billing Office. The Tuition and Billing Office is located in SU 80, Room 130 Students will have to complete a Change in Billing form. This form must be completed and submitted by the initial fee payment deadline for each term.

Students participating in the Florida Prepaid College Program who are also expecting to receive financial aid (e.g. Bright Futures, Pell, student loans, other scholarships/grants) will have the Florida Prepaid applied first to tuition and applicable fees.  Financial aid received will be disbursed and applied to the balance of outstanding charges which may include tuition and fees not covered by the Florida Prepaid Program. Any excess financial aid that remains after debts have been paid will be refunded to the student (student/parent if PLUS Parent loan).

Financial Aid

Financial Aid is typically disbursed after the drop/add deadline each semester. Before loans can be disbursed, first-time Federal Direct Loan and Perkins Loan borrowers must complete Entrance Counseling.  In addition, the master promissory notes must be signed and on file.

Bright Futures & Scholarships

Typically, loans are disbursed prior to drop/add and scholarships (Bright Futures), and grants are disbursed after the drop/add. Disbursements will be received via direct deposit or paper check. To check the status of your Bright Futures and Financial Aid. Log in, then use the menu to locate Money Matters, where you can choose Aid Status or Awards and Disbursements for the correct academic year. For more information on Bright Futures.

Tuition and fees are due by the University’s published payment deadline which is normally the end of the second week of classes; however, qualifying students are able to postpone payment until the deferred fee payment deadline. The assumption with students receiving a deferment is that tuition and fees will be paid once the student’s financial aid disburses. For help in determining if you qualify for a tuition and fee deferment, please review.

Finally, if your student receives a private scholarship and the check is made out to them, they should notify the university’s financial aid office as it may impact their financial aid package. If the check is made payable to the university, they will need to mail it to the financial aid office.

Note: students awarded federal loans must accept those loans before the regular tuition and fee payment deadline in order to qualify for a deferment.

FAU does have a payment plan for tuition. Students can opt for a 50/50 payment plan or a three-installment payment plan. Students can sign up for the payment plan on the student account page of their MyFAU portal. All Payment plans are accessed at a $15 service charge. If payments are received late, there will be a $100 charge added to the student account. Payment Plans cannot be used on previous semester balances.

Bookstore Line of Credit

Students who receive financial aid may be eligible to use the FAU Bookstore Line of Credit. Students who are eligible financial aid recipients may receive a $400 line of credit for textbook purchases from the FAU bookstore. Students who are eligible will be notified 1 week prior to the start of the semester. Students can also apply for a Short Term Advance. Short-term advance is available to all degree-seeking students who are enrolled at least half-time at FAU. The maximum loan amount is $750. The short-term advance does not have to be used on books, but should not be used on tuition payments.

Dorm Payments

Rent is billed per semester and is due when tuition payments are due. Students are responsible for payment of their housing balance if financial aid money is not released in time to pay by the due date or if there is not enough money to cover all of the student’s university debts. For more information on rent deadlines and your student’s housing agreement.

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I quickly realized that I needed to place my daughter on a budget when she decided she needed to take her third Starbucks run of the day while at orientation. The university will bombard you with information regarding meal plans, scholarships, FASFA, and financial aid; but an orientation weekend can’t prepare you for the personal decision that is your student’s budget.

After Orientation, her father and I decided to have an honest discussion with our daughter to find the best option that would suit our family’s needs. First family rule; I will not pay for alcohol. I am not sticking my head in the sand and pretending kids won’t go out and drink, but I don’t have to pay for it either. They can use their summer earnings for that stuff. Books and school supplies were to go on my credit card (which was also there for emergencies.) Food, depending on whether your student has meal plans; lives in an apartment (even on campus) may vary.

For our daughter, the best option was to give her $50 a month in Owl bucks. She could use the Owl bucks at any dining location on campus as well as the Book Store and Outtakes stores on campus. We also decided to give her an additional $150 a month for other expenses.  If our daughter chooses to use her allowance up on pedicures and sushi, then peanut butter and jelly can help to balance her budget. The point here is that we are not looking for our daughter to suffer (I assure you she has never endured any sort of agonizing hardship), but rather to learn to budget her money. It is our goal for her to gain some independence by not having to ask us for additional funds. It did take a little adjustment period for her to fully utilize her budget properly, but after her first semester, it truly was not an issue.

Mention to your student to take a look around campus for free activities. There are over 400 Student Organizations on campus. Getting involved in one or more almost guarantees things to do and ways to socialize. Often club activities are included in membership or are fairly priced. Many of these clubs even offer nights where they give members free dinners along with the night’s activities.

Maybe your student has a job while at school and won’t ask you for a thing. My student worked on campus as a tutor for a few hours per week for the four years she was at FAU. She worked about two hours per day, which didn’t interfere with her studies and gave her the extra income to do and buy whatever she needed. Since my student paid for most of her extras, I can honestly say it has taught her to really give thought to her purchases.

Consider having your students get their own credit cards.  It is a great way for them to start learning how to budget themselves while building their credit for when they are out on their own. Read our credit card recommendations.

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Being a college student, it can be stressful to be thrifty and stay on budget throughout the semester. There can be interviews, social events, and many occasions for a new outfit. In between, living in a rental, I like to redecorate my room and living space with my roommates. Spending money at the mall, popular house décor stores, Target, or discount stores, such as Homegoods, can add up quickly.  Fortunately, I have discovered thrift stores.

Thrifting isn’t just a hot trend right now, it’s an amazing way to stay in style while saving money. In college, it seems like there’s always something to do, and of course, we don’t want to repeat outfits. Thrifting takes the stress out of spending extra money to look your best. I first started thrifting to find pieces that would set my style apart while staying within my college budget, and since I’ve started, I never looked back.

Boca has a wide variety of thrift stores that serve many different purposes. Whether you’re looking for furniture, vintage pieces, flannels, or business attire, Boca thrift stores have it all.

Many of the thrift stores around FAU are not for profit and support a good cause so not only are you getting some great deals, but you can also feel good about where your money is going. There are also thrift stores that allow you to sell your old clothes and furnishings for cash.

If you are in a sorority or fraternity, thrifting is a great way to buy outfits for the never-ending date functions and themed events. Check out the thrift stores below if you’re looking for great deals at even better prices.

Family Safe Haven Thrift – 146 NW 20th St, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Closes at 5 pm. 561-368-3339. A good selection of used clothes, technology items, and furniture for extremely low prices.

Levis JCC Thrift Store – 141 NW 20th St, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Closes at 5 pm. 561-368-3665. Conveniently close to campus, it has a large array of furniture, perfect for finding cheap items to put in your dorm or apartment.

Past Perfect Consignment Showroom – 108 NW 20th ST, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Closes at 5 pm. 561-338-5656. Located on 20th St. so it is extremely close to campus. Another great place to find used furniture in good condition. My friends have purchased couches here for low prices.

Goodwill Boca Boutique & Donation Center – 1662 N Federal Highway, Boca Raton, FL 33432. Closes at 7 pm. 561-362-8662. Another great store to thrift at that is relatively close to campus, should take less than 10 minutes. While their merchandise is in great condition, it is known for the prices to be a little bit higher here.

Plato’s Closet – 2240 NW 19th Street, #1207, Boca Raton, FL 33431 Closes at 9:00 pm, 6  pm on Saturdays. 561-392-7075. Second hand trendy, designer styles. clothes, shoes, handbags, and accessories. They will even buy gently-used style. They tend to be very picky about what they accept if you are selling clothes.

What about donating to Thrift Stores? We know it is hard to let go of some of our childhood mementos. Smart Parent Advice shares their advice on How to Donate Stuffed Animals.

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I quickly realized that I needed to place my daughter on a budget when she mentioned her third Starbucks run of the day while at orientation. The university will bombard you with information regarding meal plans, scholarships, FASFA, and financial aid; but it won’t prepare you for the personal decision that is your student’s budget. After Orientation, her father and I decided to have an honest discussion with our daughter to find the best option that would suit our family’s needs. First family rule; I will not pay for alcohol. I am not sticking my head in the sand and pretending kids won’t go out and drink, but I don’t have to pay for it either. They can use their summer earnings for that stuff. Books and school supplies were to go on my credit card, which was also there for emergencies. Food, depending on whether your student has meal plans; lives in an apartment may vary.

For our daughter, the best option was to give her $50 a month in Owl bucks. She could use the Owl bucks at any dining location on campus as well as the Book Store and Outtakes stores on campus. We also decided to give her an additional $150 a month for other expenses. If our daughter chooses to use her allowance up on pedicures and sushi, then peanut butter and jelly can help to balance her budget. The point here is that we are not looking for our daughter to suffer (I assure you she has never endured any sort of agonizing hardship), but rather to learn to budget her money. It is our goal for her to gain some independence by not having to ask us for additional funds. There was an adjustment period, but after her first semester, it was not an issue.

Mention to your student to take a look around campus for free activities. There are over 400 Student Organizations on campus. Getting involved in one or more almost guarantees things to do and ways to socialize. Often club activities are included in membership or are fairly priced. Many of these clubs even offer nights where they give members free dinners along with the night’s activities.

More Ideas

Maybe your student has a job while at school and won’t ask you for a thing. Since she paid for most of her extras, I can honestly say it has taught her to really give thought to her purchases. Consider having your students get their own credit cards.  It is a great way for them to start learning how to budget themselves while building their credit for when they are out on their own. Read our credit card recommendations. I have to admit, one of the most challenging experiences I had when my youngest daughter went off to school was telling her to be more budget careful as I watched her come close to spending all of her weekly allowances. I wanted her to be able to go off and have sushi or late-night pizza with all her new friends, but I also knew she would thank me later for teaching her how to budget. After a few weeks, she got the hang of it and I can confidently say she survived off ramen and peanut butter only a handful of times.

The good news is that there are plenty of places around FAU’s campus that make sticking to a budget possible. There are also a few good tricks. For instance, if your students have a meal plan, encourage them to bring back a few snacks from the dining hall for later. Encourage your student to check out promotions and student discounts at some of their favorite restaurants. Many of the local restaurants around Boca Raton offer buy one get one promotion or a few dollars off if your student simply checks in on Facebook. Several restaurants also offer student discounts by presenting a student ID. These discounts can range from 10% off to even a free drink or appetizer. Also, have your student download some of the restaurant and dining apps to take advantage of additional savings. Read about those apps, they can be really helpful.

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I have to admit, one of the most challenging experiences I had when my youngest daughter went off to school was telling her to be more budget careful as I watched her come close to spending all of her weekly allowances. I wanted her to be able to go off and have sushi or late-night pizza with all her new friends, but I also knew she would thank me later for teaching her how to budget. After a few weeks, she got the hang of it and I can confidently say she survived off ramen and peanut butter only a handful of times.

The good news is that there are plenty of places around FAU’s campus that make sticking to a budget possible. There are also a few good tricks. For instance, if your students have a meal plan, encourage them to bring back a few snacks from the dining hall for later.

Encourage your student to check out promotions and student discounts at some of their favorite restaurants. Many of the local restaurants around Boca Raton offer buy one get one promotion or a few dollars off if your student simply checks in on Facebook. Several restaurants also offer student discounts; they simply just have to present their student ID. These discounts can range from 10% off to even a free drink or appetizer. Also, have your student download some of the restaurant and dining apps to take advantage of additional savings. Read about those apps here.

Some of the student’s favorite restaurants to visit on a budget:

Beehive Kitchen: Located at Fifth Avenue Shops 1914 NE 5th Ave, Boca Raton about 10 minutes from FAU, they are known for their build your own bowls.

Blaze Pizza: Located on Federal Highway. Create your own artisanal pizza or choose from one of their own signature pizzas. Gluten-free dough is available.

C.R. Chicks: Located on NW 19th Street. C.R. Chicks serves up home-style favorites.

Charm City Burger Company: Located on Hillsborough Blvd. Charm City serves up a variety of burgers, fries, and sweet treats. There are also vegetarian options, salads, sandwiches, and other specialties.

Chick-Fil-A: The Chick-Fil-A on campus is known to be less expensive than the regular Chick-Fil-A (located at Town Center at Boca Raton mall).

Chipotle: There are 2 locations near FAU, Glades Road, and Federal Highway. Choose from burritos, bowls, tacos and salads with your choice of meat or sofritas for vegans or if you just want a meat alternative, rice, beans, salsa, guac and more

Corner Bakery Café: NW 19th Street. Casual spot serving up breakfast and lunch with a wide range of sandwiches, salads, soups and bakery choices.

Firehouse Subs – Located at Fifth Avenue Shops 1920 NE 5th Ave, Boca Raton. Specializes in hot subs made with premium meats and cheeses, steamed to perfection, then piled high on a toasted private recipe roll. Founded by Firemen. Proceeds from every meal help your local firefighters. Catering available.

Fran’s Chicken Haven: Located on Federal Highway. A local and student favorite, Fran’s Chicken Haven has been open for over 50 years. The hole-in-the-wall restaurant may not be easy to spot but it is worth the trip.  Fran’s serves up a variety of fried chicken, chicken and waffles, homestyle sides, and their well-loved fried Oreos. Gives a student discount when students show their Owl Card.

Fresh Kitchen: Located on North Military Trail. Fresh Kitchen is a counter service restaurant serving up salads, protein bowls, and juices. The Bowls are completely customizable with several different proteins, grain, and seasonal vegetable options.

Jimmy John’s – What student doesn’t love a good sub sandwich. They should check for coupons to save even more.

Kiki’s Asian Bistro: Located on Federal Highway. Counter Service restaurant serving up Chinese food and sushi.

Las Fajitas: Located on Dixie Highway. Mexican Restaurant serving up tacos, burritos and more.

Munchiez: 158 NW 20th St, another sub place but has a fun and cool vibe, awesome curly fries that they actually include in some of their subs, it’s almost like a fast food sub place, unhealthy but very good and popular among FAU students.

Oishii Japanese & Hibachi: 141 NW 20th St Boca Raton, the great thing about this place is its right near campus and it is super cheap and good, $9.50 for a steak hibachi meal that comes with a soup and a salad. (also comes with the standard hibachi rice and vegetables)

Panera: 1600 N Federal Highway, five minutes from campus, not expensive, and Panera has many healthy options for a place that is quick and inexpensive.

Publix Pubsubs – Several locations near FAU. Publix pub subs are amazing and they often run specials on specific ones. Make sure to order ahead so all you have to do is run in and grab your sub and go.

Shake Shack: Located on Glades Road in the University Commons. Shakes, Burgers, and Fries, need I say more?

Subway: Located on campus, students can grab a made-to-order sub on the go.

Swifty’s Market: 2001 NW Boca Raton Blvd, it looks like a gas station without the gas from the outside but inside is a submarket where they make awesome hot and cold subs, their Philly cheesesteak is known as the best in Boca, it’s also fairly cheap.

Wendy’s: Located on campus and also considered to be very inexpensive. They have added some healthier menu items.

Yokohama Sushi: Located on Federal Highway. A favorite at any time of the day, however, their best prices are during their late-night happy hour.

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