The spring semester is always the most expensive time of year for me, which is crazy considering the holidays are always so pricey. By March each year, I’m wondering where all my money went. (Hint: it’s the darties, local activities, spring break trips, and food) And if you’re like me, food is a hard thing to sacrifice in a budget, so here are the best food tips to save money in college.
Rewards Programs
Your “.edu” e-mail is valuable for more than education, it can feed (or treat) you. Below are a few places that offer deals, but check your favorite small businesses as well! There are also non-student rewards programs and deals you can find at your favorite restaurants and grocery stores!
Chipotle U
The Mexican-inspired restaurant has a reward system just for college students. Students earn 20% more points than with the regular Chipotle Rewards program. It includes a 1,000 point welcome reward after verification, free food, and college-exclusive rewards.
Verification is done through ID.me, and the only information shared is your school name, and graduation date. You can still do this if you already have a regular Chipotle rewards account. Points expire after six months of inactivity and sign-up is free, meaning you can go only twice a year and still keep the deals.
Chick-fil-A
At the discretion of the franchise owner, students can receive discounts, deals, and free items. Follow your local Chick-fil-A, and create a regular rewards account to double up on deals.
Dunkin’
Similar to Chick-fil-A, this can vary by location, but students can get 10% off drinks by showing your ID at the counter, as well as limited time exclusives. Check in with your local Dunkin’ and start saving.
Other Money-Saving Tips
Couponing
Couponing isn’t as hard as it seems, and a lot of them are online. Student Beans and UniDays are the top rated student deals and couponing websites with a variety of restaurants to choose from.
The key to couponing is using it strategically – don’t use a coupon on food you weren’t intending on buying, that’s the opposite of saving. TikTok users like Melyssa post guides regularly on strategic couponing.
Campus Food Pantries
There are over 800 college campus food pantries in the U.S. – find out if your school has one. And if you are struggling financially to feed yourself, a food pantry is an option for you. Mine was very helpful to me freshman year with no car or kitchen. There’s options for fresh produce and non-perishables. Food pantries are predominantly dependent on donations so food options vary. One time I got ghost pepper chicken noodle soup (wouldn’t recommend). You can also challenge yourself to try new things, or make it a challenge with friends on who can make the best meal with what is given.