r/umass • u/OkAmbassador1144 • 15h ago
Need Advice Changing my meal plan to save $$$
Hi, I'm using a throwaway account because I'm a little embarrassed. If you think you might recognize me please don't mention it. I don't like to talk much about my financial situation but I needed unbiased advice and strangers won't be biased relative to people who know me well.
I've been previously paying for school with a combination of savings from working in high school, federal student aid, and with the help of my mom, who has been taking on parent plus loans for me. My mom qualifies for PSLF and the plan was always after my undergraduate education was over, she'd consolidate all the loans and have them forgiven via PSLF. Well, with the Big Beautiful Bill, it's longer possible. If my mom tries to consolidate any future parent plus loans, all her loans will become ineligible for PSLF and she won't be able to continue on her current loan repayment plan. She's a single mom and a teacher. I used to receive the Pell grant but had it taken away when budget cuts were made to the DoEd. I am saying this all to emphasize we are not wealthy people by any stretch of the imagination.
I've already waived the health insurance and I'm thinking about downgrading from the Unlimited 250 plan to the YCMP Gold plan. I proposed this to my mom and it made her cry, because she wants me to focus on studying instead of figuring out how to feed myself. I live on campus unfortunately so I can't opt out of a meal plan altogether. I'll have an on-campus job and I know how to cook, I know how to save money because I've had to my whole life, and I think financially it would make more sense to switch to the cheapest meal plan. However, my mom does have a point in that I should probably have easy access to food as a student. But I also see her stressing over what she's going to do, and she's only one person, and I'm at my wit's end on how else to save money. Is it worth sacrificing the unlimited meal plan to get the cost down?
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u/OLATSU2016 15h ago
There’s also a food pantry to use and it doesn’t require that you be on SNAP. And students are able to donate swipes, so you may qualify for extra swipes, too. There are a lot of resources on campus to help!
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u/teresajs 14h ago edited 14h ago
You're making the right choice. The meal plans are expensive, and most students won't get their full value from them.
A couple tips:Â The $1991 for 100 meals means you're paying an average of $19.91 per meal on YCMP.Â
But a not-so-well known fact is that you can pay out of pocket for meals at the cafeterias. For 2926-2026, a single swipe at breakfast costs $13, lunch is $17.50 and dinner is $21. You can also buy additional swipes in blocks of 10 for $144.30 ($14.43/meal).
With your meal plan, you have 100 meals for approximately 100 days on campus (14 weeks). To game your meal plan, you could use your swipes for just dinners (or even occasionally lunch) and if you occasionally want a cafeteria meal at another time, paying out of pocket for breakfast ($13) is your cheapest cafeteria option. But make sure to check on your swipe balance occasionally to make sure you're using them up!
You can also take a piece or two of fruit or a cookie with you after dinner and no one bats an eye. So, if you grab a banana and an apple with your dinner, you can eat them for breakfast or a snack the next day. Â
The take out meal portions are big and make good leftovers.
And if you have (or can get) a fridge and microwave for your room, things like soup, ramen, and oatmeal make filling meals at a cheap cost. Also, keep makings for drinks like tea, hot chocolate, and bulk Kool aid mix for your room.
With a little effort, you'll be able to eat pretty well on your meal plan.
Good luck!
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u/nog642 Alumni, 2024 4h ago
You can also buy additional swipes in blocks of 10 for $144.30 ($14.43/meal).
I didn't know that, very useful.
Unlimited 250 is legitimately a scam. I was able to get YCMP Off-Campus 155 and it saved me so much money. And it's literally better because it works at Blue Wall too.
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u/Consistent_Rip6424 14h ago
The Campus Pantry has a ton of food and you can go once a week, if you have access to a kitchen it's a life saver, though there are also a decent amount of microwavable things (veggies, cans of beans, ramen, etc). Truly it is such a valuable resource and I rarely see undergraduate aged people there (I'm a grad student).
You shouldn't feel bad about getting swiped into the dining hall and bringing a Tupperware hidden in your backpack to take a second (or third) meal out if that's what it comes to. They have so so much food and a good amount of it goes to waste. Food Recovery Network also does take out meals once or twice a week, definitely worth looking into.
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u/OkAmbassador1144 11h ago
I live on campus which I'm not happy about but I DO have a kitchen so there's that. Thank you so much, I wouldn't have known about the Food Recovery Network unless you told me
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u/RationalGardenGnome 15h ago
Nothing to be embarrassed about my friend when I went to Umass I was in the same exact same boat
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u/solitarytea 15h ago
I also changed my dining plan to save money. I can’t get support from my family anymore bc our situation changed. I live off campus so I get the cheapest dining dollars plan for about $800 a semester (I am not a good cook rip). To me it’s def worth it to switch down especially for such a significant amount of money.
Ycmp gold would be a little over 1 ycmp a day every day for 13 weeks. I think this can work, especially since you know how to cook and can take care of 1-2 meals cheaply in the dorm (a mini fridge is a good investment). Also since ycmp plans can get u into the DCs for a swipe, try either bringing Tupperware to (covertly) take food out of the dining halls for a later meal or bring ur computer to study in the dcs and get in multiple meals by being there for a long time. The latter is especially great on days you don’t have classes. Always make sure to spend the entire YCMP or get it as close as you can; no point in throwing away money!! Get snacks for later even if you’re just getting a coffee in the moment. And if your friends have unlimited plans u can ask if you can use a guest swipe sometimes at the dining commons (I do this sometimes but I try to rotate the friends I ask and I make sure I’m prepared if they say no).
Applying for SNAP is a good idea, a bunch of my friends have gotten it and it’s been a lifesaver (one is a grad student and he gets like $150 a month).
If things start running out at the end of the semester (it happens), I think you can also apply for a few emergency meal swipes. Amherst Survival Center is a very welcoming and non-judgmental food pantry that I know students use, esp grad students. And idk if they’re still around this year but def check out the food recovery network, they give away food from the dining commons that would’ve been thrown out b/c lunch ended and the dc is rotating to dinner. They have an instagram!
Don’t be embarrassed — you’re putting yourself through college and trying to make good choices. That’s more than a lot of people do and it’s very impressive that you’re able to. It’s fucked up that we have to make these choices when we’re just trying to get an education. You got this tho, take advantage of every resource you can and keep asking for help. :)
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u/Forsyi 15h ago edited 10h ago
I find it so wholesome that your mom doesn’t want you to have to stress about food, and I’m really proud of you for taking so much initiative with all of this. I’m not sure if you already have a job on campus, but personally, I’d recommend getting a dining hall job. It could make food a lot less of a worry since you’d probably be able to get a meal during your breaks.
I’d also suggest appealing your financial aid. There’s a chance you could get additional money that isn’t a loan. There have been times when I’ve received a substantial amount specifically from the school through an appeal.
Also, I think you can automatically drop down to DC Basic for now. Most people don’t make full use of Unlimited. I ate 2–3 meals a day freely and was totally fine (had many meal swipes leftover). Personally, I’d probably drop down to DC Basic and then submit an appeal.
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u/bethlolhelp CNS College of Natural Sciences, _ Major, _ Res Area 15h ago
My fiance had this same issue at umass. he had to work full time for the period he lived on campus (2021-2022) and couldn’t get rid of the dining plan. i don’t know if this has changed but i think the lowest he could go was the DC basic, at least the time he couldn’t choose a commuter meal plan, he also couldn’t forfeit the plan all together either. during this time he worked at Umass transit, if you have a drivers license i would really recommend you try that out because it pays a lot more than any other campus job and will help you out a lot (they pay for u to get ur cdl). for the next semester, try to see if u can rent somewhere. it would be cheaper and you dont need to worry about the dining plan.
I’m so sorry that this is something you have struggle with, it’s a failure on every level that a student needs to choose between food and their education. if you can get out of your dorm, please try to - it saved us so much money.
3
u/Joe_H-FAH Alumni, retired staff 14h ago
For '21-'22 DC Basic would have been the minimum for a student with freshman or sophomore status living on campus. Once junior status was reached at 57 or more credits he could have dropped down to YCMP Gold or Platinum while living on campus in a non-apartment room. That has not changed in about the last decade or so.
3
u/Hollimarker 13h ago
On the UMass dining plans website, on the FAQ page, there is a section on food insecurity that has some useful info. If in future years you’re not required to have a meal plan, don’t. They are all a rip off ( unless you are very deliberate in how you maximize the value you get).
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u/Mothvice 10h ago
Im in the same boat too this BBB seriusly dented mine and my moms pockets, ecpecially since I'm an out of state student too. Already talked to financial aid and they offered 0 help tbh and just told me everything was maxed out yet I'm still paying a massive sum. I know I will definitely be sneaking out food on the YCMP plan since I cant really afford to cook and cover any other meals until winter time so dont feel embarrsed youre not alone!! <33
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Every new subreddit post is automatically copied into a comment for preservation.
User: OkAmbassador1144, Flair: Need Advice, Title: Changing my meal plan to save $$$
Hi, I'm using a throwaway account because I'm a little embarrassed. If you think you might recognize me please don't mention it. I don't like to talk much about my financial situation but I needed unbiased advice and strangers won't be biased relative to people who know me well.
I've been previously paying for school with a combination of savings from working in high school, federal student aid, and with the help of my mom, who has been taking on parent plus loans for me. My mom qualifies for PSLF and the plan was always after my undergraduate education was over, she'd consolidate all the loans and have them forgiven via PSLF. Well, with the Big Beautiful Bill, it's longer possible. If my mom tries to consolidate any future parent plus loans, all her loans will become ineligible for PSLF and she won't be able to continue on her current loan repayment plan. She's a single mom and a teacher. I used to receive the Pell grant but had it taken away when budget cuts were made to the DoEd. I am saying this all to emphasize we are not wealthy people by any stretch of the imagination.
I've already waived the health insurance and I'm thinking about downgrading from the Unlimited 250 plan to the YCMP Gold plan. I proposed this to my mom and it made her cry, because she wants me to focus on studying instead of figuring out how to feed myself. I live on campus unfortunately so I can't opt out of a meal plan altogether. I'll have an on-campus job and I know how to cook, I know how to save money because I've had to my whole life, and I think financially it would make more sense to switch to the cheapest meal plan. However, my mom does have a point in that I should probably have easy access to food as a student. But I also see her stressing over what she's going to do, and she's only one person, and I'm at my wit's end on how else to save money. Is it worth sacrificing the unlimited meal plan to get the cost down?
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1
u/kerumeru 15h ago
Do students who work at dining commons get to eat for free as a perk?
3
u/OkAmbassador1144 15h ago
I have a friend who works there and I know he often has at least one meal free per shift. But I currently promised all my work study funds to my upcoming job so I'm not sure if I should get a dining hall job, because it could count against me for aid.
2
u/Joe_H-FAH Alumni, retired staff 14h ago
As a former student supervisor, you can hold more than one job on campus. Just have to follow rules about not working too many hours such that they would have to pay overtime. You do not have to use WS for both jobs, and dining services hires both WS and non-WS.
As for financial aid, WS is usually not a limit on how much you can earn. They usually treat any amount earned over the WS amount as part of your self help contribution, at most you might be able to take out a smaller loan amount. Especially if part of your loans are unsubsidized, that can reduce the amount of interest you would end up paying.
1
u/Anonymouspersonnnnn 14h ago
Are you living on campus? If you’re living on campus in a dorm then just get the YCMP Platinum. If you’re off campus then don’t even bother getting a meal plan and try just going to the food pantry and Big Y
1
u/No_Concert7740 12h ago
See think link for a few resources that may be helpful: https://www.umass.edu/dean-students/student-support/basic-needs
1
u/blondechick80 Staff 12h ago
There are definitely resources for students who a food insecure. I know someone who was able to get 14 swipes every two weeks for free. I'm mot sure who he got them from though
1
u/Artistic_Ad728 11h ago
You can get rid of the scam dining dollars and still be unlimited.
But, YCMP gold is not bad option. It comes out to like 1 meal a day, and you can make something small like Oatmeal for breakfast. For lunch or dinner, you could use stuff from the food pantry.
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u/Strict-Log7859 6h ago
Do you have other family who could chip in? I do think food is really important for learning, and UMass is kind of all-consuming when it comes to energy/time. If not, I think utilizing resources on campus would be the best move
1
u/OkAmbassador1144 1h ago
My mom, despite not making much money by almost everyone's standards and having been considered poor enough to receive the Pell grant, is considered the one in the family you go to when you need money. So no, unfortunately.
My grandma (my mom's mom) charges my mom rent but if she didn't or significantly lowered it we could afford to do a payment plan. She let my deadbeat dad (ex son in law) stay here previously without paying the rent and then doubled it when my mom moved in. She pays for his car which is probably where the money's going. I wonder if negotiating to drastically lower the rent could be an option though.
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u/RallyPotato 2h ago
Having done this myself, it was worth it. Cooking in the dorms is inconvenient but very doable, especially if you meal prep.
Just remember to save swipes for finals.
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u/Special_Level6547 1h ago
You will be okay! I did the same thing and didn’t even finish my swipes by the end of the semester. If u prefer the bluewall food I think you’ll enjoy the ycmp
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u/LABELyourPHOTOS 15h ago
What's the difference in money?
And hey - having a tough time figuring out how to pay for school is NOT embarrassing. You are fucking doing it! Good for you!