Are you hungry? I am hungry too. Can you spend $20 on a meal like a real adult? If you say yes, this article probably doesn’t help you that much, but please tell me how you can do that. If you say no, awesome! Same.
As a hungry hippo, having been a Pace student for the past 3 years, I have gathered my tips and tricks to eating as much as possible while spending as least money as possible. This might be more important and hopefully more entertaining than reading your class syllabus. From flex dollar hacks to simple cooking in your dorm (yes, even in Maria’s Tower), I am telling you that you can still eat like a #boss at Pace.
1. Use flex dollars
Photo by James Park
We all love getting Chipotle using our flex dollars, but did you know that there are 18 different restaurants from which you can eat with flex dollars? From gelato to delicious burgers, embark on a tasty journey through FiDi. But we never seem to have enough flex dollars, and after about 2 weeks, you are going to feel helpless and stuck at Cafe 101, looking at your limited options. I got you covered, boo. Here is a way to stretch your flex dollars for twice as long!
2. Half money, half flex
Photo by James Park
I know. You may doubt how this trick is going to make your flex dollars last longer. Let’s suppose that you are craving Chipotle and you need to treat yourself by getting a big fat burrito with some extra guac. That’s going to cost around $11. Instead of putting it all on flex dollars, you can split half the bill on flex dollars the other half with your own money. You will not only keep your flex dollars longer by spending less but also satisfy your Chipotle cravings for half the out-of-pocket cost – a tremendous win-win situation.
3. Get that 10% student discount
Photo by Amanda Shulman
Never forget to use your 10% student discount. There is NO EXCUSE! Simply show your student ID card and show off your Pace Pride – don’t forget it! All the savings add up, amirite? One caveat is that you can’t use your flex dollars when you use your 10% student discount on fro-yo at Red Mango. So what I usually do is to alternate my flex dollars and my 10% student discount so that I can get as much fro-yo as possible. Open Kitchen and BentOn Cafe are other options that offer a student discount in our neighborhood. So make sure you get your 10% off when you visit these places!
4. Pace pride gets you a discount on groceries
Photo by Zoe Zaiss
Did you know that you could get 10% off on any grocery purchases from Fulton Market? I am not just talking about snacks or fruits; you can get 10% off toilet paper, plastic bags, and even toothpaste! Unfortunately, you can’t get 10% off alcoholic beverages. If you want to double your savings, you can also join their Savings Club to get additional discounts. Simply fill out the application and take it to the customer service to get your savings card!
5. Get involved!
Photo by James Park
We all know that getting involved with clubs and organizations is the fastest way to meet new people, but it is also the best way to eat lots of delicious food for free! Clubs are spending HUNDREDS of dollars on foods for the meeting, and you will be surprised to see how vast an array of food you can eat at a school club meeting. From A la Carte Breakfast to an Asian Buffet, who knew Chartwells was capable of making more than some sandwiches? When you become a club leader, you even get to choose what you want, so start applying for those positions!
6. Chef it up a little
Photo by Hui Lin
You know the best thing about cooking? You can eat as much as you want without getting charged more. You can have a pasta fiesta for less than $5, especially after getting 10% off from Fulton Market! I know cooking at the dorm can be daunting, but if you have a microwave, you can use it to cook fantastic pasta. It is truly a magical cooking tool for all dorm residents. Instead of getting a boring jar of tomato sauce, make your own delicious sauce by mixing lemon juice and parmesan, and toss it with your cooked pasta. Viola, you have yourself a delicious pasta dish that is much better than sad pasta from Cafe 101.
7. Think outside of Cafe 101
Photo by James Park
Time to be savvy. You know those rotisserie chickens being sold at Fulton Market? Whenever you get tired of eating that grilled chicken from Cafe 101 that is drier than Sahara dessert, go get yourself this juicy rotisserie chicken and enjoy it in your own way. It is perfectly fine to enjoy as it is, but when you are feeling extra creative, but not in the mood of cheffing it up, make these 7 delicious easy meals. And the best part is that this juicy rotisserie chicken only cost you $6 with that 10% discount!
8. Discover new places in Chinatown
Photo by James Park
One of the best things about Pace is its amazing location. Pace is only a few steps from oh-so-beautiful Brooklyn Bridge and oh-so-delicious-and-cheap Chinatown. From tasty dumplings that only cost $1 to fresh produces that won’t break your bank, Chinatown is a place where you can eat your heart out and still spend only $10.
9. Use Gebni
Photo courtesy of gebni.com
Pay attention to my fellow hungry hippos! Open that phone, download this app, and start saving money while eating foods from your favorite restaurants. Gebni, founded by one of our own Pace alum, allows you to enjoy quality restaurant meals with an affordable price. They adjust food prices in real time to offer hungry students like you delicious foods with much cheaper price. Think of it like Seamless meets Groupon. You don’t see restaurants on the app yet because they are only available in Greenwich Village now. But they are launching an update in the coming 2 weeks to cover more restaurants around our own FiDi. Subscribe to their email list for tasty updates!
10. Join Spoon!
Photo courtesy of @spoon_pace on Instagram
Do you want to meet people who understand your food obsession? Want to share your secret recipes to make that perfectly soft yet crispy chocolate chip cookies? How about getting free foods from awesome restaurants? If you say no to these questions, you have some problems. If you say yes, be a part of this global, delicious food network, aka Spoon! Spoon University is the everyday food resource for our generation. We always go on our food adventures in the neighborhood, share our cooking tips, and create a delicious community at our own Spoon Pace chapter. So what are you waiting for? Click here to join.
My fellow hungry hippos at Pace. Use these 10 tricks to eat more and eat better without breaking the bank at your new home that we call Pace University!