<p>Ah yes the meal plans. Freshmen are required to get the silver, which parents always worry will not be enough. TRUST ME! It is far more than you will need. I ended the year with over 150 meals not used (I really wish there was a conversion system from meals to Dining Dollars, soooooo much money wasted). But this year, I’m going with the 50, and taking my extra money to buy groceries for breakfast and dinner. I will also probably eat out a good bit more, and still save money since I wont be wasting it on a 8.50 meal that is overloaded with sodium from lakeside.</p>
<p>My son is in 306 of ridgecrest south north tower…</p>
<p>I am sure I left some APS out because my son went over the whole list with my husband and it was 29 units. He also went over it at BB. So, I am sure of that.</p>
<p>the 2010-2012 catalog online says that 1-30 frshman, 31-? started sophomore (I didnt pay attention to the max).</p>
<p>he could go to fullerton college but he doesnt get out of school until June 17 and we go to BAMA Aug 1…we are going on a LONG family road trip so I hate to make him do that. Is it worth it? How much would we be able to save?</p>
<p>m2K- bio is 8 units. THAT is 29 units</p>
<p>Thanks, seatide, for your input. I thought of you when we ate at Lakeside during Bama Bound. I can definitely see the appeal of that lake. I think I would hang out with the ducks all day if I attended Bama. </p>
<p>Thank you also for the info on Bryant. Since Bryant is not only the athletes dorm, but is also the engineering dorm, it’s a good possibility that son may spend some time there.</p>
<p>Have a couple of silly, picky questions. I know someone on this board once mentioned that they had chicken nuggets in their freezer. Since I cannot pack and send chicken nuggets, where does one buy them? I did not see them at Publix when I went for CBH weekend, but maybe there were just out. I know it sounds trivial, but if son doesn’t have access to chicken nuggets, there’s not going to be much cooking done in his dorm.</p>
<p>Second, less silly question, what dining facilities are open on the weekend? There are a lot of OOS students on this board. When you eat on campus on the weekend, where do you eat? Are Burke, Bryant and Lakeside all open on the weekend? I’m assuming, since it’s in the Ferg, that Fresh Foods is not open on the weekend, but please correct me if I’m wrong.</p>
<p>Also, in reading the Bama meal plan website, am I to understand that you cannot add Dining Dollars? In that case, once you use up your 300 bucks, you go to Bama Cash? And if so, is there a limit on how much Bama Cash you can put on your Action Card? I was not clear on this from reading the meal plan website.</p>
<p>Montegut, let’s see if I can answer some questions…</p>
<p>In regards to dining halls, Burke and Lakeside are definitely open on the weekends. Fresh Foods is not open on the weekends.</p>
<p>You are correct about Dining Dollars. Once you use the $300, you are out until the next semester. My son still had a few dollars left over from the first semester. They were placed on his account for the second semester. He did use all his Dining Dollars before the end of the school year.</p>
<p>At that point, you go to Bama Cash for your money. Bama Cash is accepted all over town. You can add to your student’s Bama Cash account right from mybama.com. </p>
<p>My son and I were talking. He started with $300 in Bama Cash for the year. Each month to six weeks, I put some additional cash on his account. When he does laundry, it’s usually $4 to $6 each time. Toward the end of each semester, I increased his funding because I knew he would be eating at all kinds of wacky hours. </p>
<p>I also sent my son at least one gift card a month. It was a nice surprise, and he could use it at a lot of different places around T-Town.</p>
<p>AL34 asked earlier how my son did not use up his meals each semester. Well, first off, when the kids get to Bama, they discover there are lots of ways to get free food. Some of the churches have weekly dinners. They will hear about this at WOW. It seemed like whenever my son went to a night meeting, there was food. Residence halls will have socials, and with socials, there is food. For example, Lakeside did a luau in late April. During game nights, they had food. I know this because my son was on the Lakeside hall council, and they had some great food for their events. </p>
<p>Ironcially, my son did not gain the famous freshman 15. If anything, he lost some weight. All the walking around campus, I guess.</p>
<p>^ Thanks for all the help guys! :)</p>
<p>Thanks so much,mom. That explains a lot. Forgot about that free food. And forgot about the laundry! Thanks also for the benchmark to start off the Bama cash.
I didn’t want to start off with too much. I remember my daddy giving me money when I got on the plane and I went through it very quickly ordering late night pizza. After that, I was on my own. I do like the rationing concept that we’re afforded through the mybama account. I hope as well that we don’t get the freshman 15. Son has been working out on the treadmill this summer to get ready for all that walking.</p>
<p>The great thing about a student monitoring his account is that he learns to budget. We didn’t need to teach him that. He knew when he was running short of money, because he could check online. If anything, it’s a great life lesson. It also makes him appreciate peanut butter and jelly for lunch or a late-night snack.</p>
<p>Well, Domino’s accepts Dining Dollars and delivers at 1am. Other places that accept Dining Dollars are Buffalo Phil’s and Crimson Cafe. If only Jimmy Johns did…</p>
<p>Keep in mind that OOS kids without cars can still easily get to The Strip by either walking or Crimson Ride…so even OOS kids aren’t eating all their meals on campus - especially on weekends. </p>
<p>Plus, since nearly every suite has at least one kid with a car, and most kids have some friends with cars, OOS kids w/o cars are NOT campus-bound for their eating needs. </p>
<p>As for Publix…I would be very surprised if Publix doesn’t have frozen or fresh chicken nuggets (I’ve gotten both at the Publix by me.) But, if the campus one doesn’t, Publix is really good about getting things that customers ask for.</p>
<p>Again…I’m not a big fan of putting much money in Bama Cash…just enough for laundry and other small costs. Putting money in an account with a debit card works everywhere - so no limitations. Money can be added online.</p>
<p>M2ck suggested using cash/credit/debit instead of Bama Cash so that one isn’t locked into only patronizing certain places. At least at Publix, it takes extra time to use Bama Cash because they have to go and run it through a separate terminal. Target and Wal-Mart don’t accept Bama Cash. That said, there are no fees when you run out of Bama Cash; you just don’t get any merchandise. I realize that some people spend money like it’s going out of style when they put everything on a piece of plastic, but I’m not one of those people. Bama Cash can always be added via credit card online or with cash at the terminal in the Ferg (by the copy machine).</p>
<p>Montegut, I bought my chicken nuggets at Sam’s Club, but Target, Wal-Mart, and Costco (none in Tuscaloosa) also sell them at reasonable prices. There is no reason to pack some in dry ice for the plane ride, though that is an option.</p>
<p>This summer, figure out your child’s favorite snack foods and quick meals so that you don’t forget to buy them before you drop them off at their dorm, particularly if it’s a local specialty not sold in AL.</p>
<p>So, how do you get to Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart, or Target? Is it on the Crimson Ride route?</p>
<p>Mom2, thanks for the suggestion to ask Publix to carry items if they aren’t currently available.</p>
<p>Speaking of grocery stores accessibility, we saw Bruno’s on the way in. Is there a Crimson Ride that goes there?</p>
<p>Is there any public transportation to the mall with the Sears and the strip mall with the Office Max?</p>
<p>One suggestion I can make regarding Bama Cash is this: Let your student put the initial account on the account. What a difference that can make in one’s spending habits. My son isn’t into spending tons of money anyway, but it’s amazing how one thinks when one places that initial $300 on the account. Not Mom or Dad but the student. You learn that money is not dropping from heaven. </p>
<p>Pramirez184: Son would agree about Jimmy Johns, but the company does offer gift cards if you don’t mind picking up your sub at an earlier hour.</p>
<p>Sea_tide: You are correct about picking up that favorite snack food if it is not available in T-Town. My son is into pretzels. It’s the only snack food he really likes. He will eat any brand, but he has a particular brand that he likes. And it is not available in T-Town. He went to the brand maker’s website, learned he could order over the phone or online and does.</p>
<p>The mall, Sams, and Walmart are not on the Crimson Ride routes. The Crimson Ride doesn’t extend farther than the campus. Publix happens to be by the stadium which is why it’s on the CR route.</p>
<p>However, that isn’t really a problem for those w/o cars. Everyone will have a friend or two that has a car on campus. Those with cars are usually pretty good about letting friends come along and do their shopping, too. </p>
<p>My son typically drives a few people to Target or Sams whenever he goes.</p>
<p>M2CK is right. You can make it without a car in T-Town. My son does not have a car – the insurance payments would be unreal because we are part of the DC metro area. But his three suitemates have cars. His girlfriend will have her car this year. Her suitemates have cars. He never lacks for a ride to the mall, Target or any restaurant in T-Town. Last year, one of his suitemates drove him to Montgomery so he could see some historical sites for a paper he wrote. He bought his suitemate dinner.</p>
<p>Montegut, have your son check with his roommates to find out who has a car. He should be able to bum a ride when they go out.</p>
<p>And remember, last year, Target opened one night after hours just for the UA kids so they could go shopping. This was just before school started. Buses were run to the location in T-Town. Lots and lots of kids went and were able to stock up on what they needed.</p>
<p>i’m just lazyLOL, not alot of thought put in but for son we did the 14 meal a week plan (at UAB …highest plan) having been at boarding school for 3 years i know how much he eats and how much take out food he ordered. alot of meals and food. his dorm room also has a full kitchen…so we may have overdone it but better safe than sorry imo. one good thing is that uab allows you to donate your leftover meals to the homeless at the end of the semester if un-used.</p>
<p>Bama is also starting the “donate” unused meals, too. It’s on their website.</p>
<p>Parent, what dorm is he in at UAB that has a full kitchen? Blazer just had that little snack prep area with a fridge and microwave.</p>
<p>hehe montegut…son delayed his acceptance to honors …so was placed in camp hall as he wasnt registered as an honor student when room assignments made… he doesnt like the honors dorms as there really is no common area within the suite. camp is for freshman and has a living room, kitchen, dining area, bedroom and bathroom. about twice the size of blazer room shared by 4, and only 2 people!! his roommate, then requested a room change over to camp as he likes camp better too. it is older (built in the 70’s i think and shows some wear and tear)</p>
<p>Very nice, parent. I’m not familiar with that dorm. I think as an upperclassman, he’ll be able to get into a dorm similar to the ones at Bama and Auburn. Good luck! So glad you’re still popping in over here. I’m betting a lot of our kids will wind up at UAB for either grad school or med school, so we’d love to hear input from you on how things are going over there.</p>