By Maggie McGill<\/p>\n
Last year I made the decision to bump down to the 10-meals plan. For those of you basking in the glory of the 15-meals plan, or perhaps holding fast to that 19-meals plan, only having 10 meals a week might seem insane! Food at The Blazer is pretty expensive, and it can be difficult to stretch out those bucks over the whole semester. Fortunately, I am a problem solver, and I\u2019ve come up with a few tricks to keep your belly full and your balance high.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s talk logistics; the 10-meals plan gives you ten meals a week and $200 Blazer Bucks to last you the whole semester. If you want to even have a chance of having bucks at the end of the semester, you have to budget. Just so you don\u2019t have to whip out your calculator app, that leaves a little over $13 bucks a week. Two combo meals cost well over $14. So how can you survive? To start off, stop ordering combos! Follow a few of my tips and you\u2019ll be swimming in bucks come exam week.<\/p>\n
Tip 1. Forget soft drinks<\/p>\n
Stop. Buying. Soda. I know it\u2019s delicious and turns your mouth into a party, but not only is it bad for you; it\u2019s bad for your wallet. A burger and fries costs $6.18 compared to a burger combo meal, which costs $7.19. Toting around a water bottle will save you bucks in the long run.<\/p>\n
Tip 2. Keep Coffee Simple<\/p>\n
During the colder months it\u2019s hard to walk through Whitaker and not crave coffee, but think twice before you order that latte! A small vanilla latte costs $2.99 while a small coffee is $1.79.\u00a0 Ask for a pump of vanilla, which only costs an extra 69 cents, and pour in half-and-half. Save the lattes for Starbucks and get your caffeine fix for a lower price.<\/p>\n
Tip 3. Buy smart<\/p>\n
We already know The Blazer is trying to suck our money pits dry, but pay attention to what you\u2019re getting for your bucks. A cup of grapes at $1.99 might keep you full for half an hour, but a bagel with cream cheese at $1.79 will keep you satisfied for longer, and at a fraction of the price. It might take longer to decide, but you\u2019ll be thankful when your stomach isn\u2019t grumbling in the middle of class.<\/p>\n
These are just a few tricks to make the most out of your Blazer Bucks, but I\u2019m sure there are more bargains waiting to be discovered!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"