<p>With all the talk of dining plans I wanted to put this out there for all of you who are going through recruitment in the Fall. It is to you advantage to sign up for the silver or gold meal plan. When your D pledges, the Greek system will notify Housing and your D will automatically be down graded to what is called a “Greek 50”. The University will then cut you a check for the difference. You can then apply the savings to your first month sorority bill. They will not transfer the money to Greek Resources but it is a GREAT way to save a little for the sorority bill and you aren’t in quite as much “sticker shock” when it comes. They should have covered this at Preview Weekend but just wanted to remind everyone as meal selection seems to be a hot topic right now. We also found that DD has used a lot more Dining Dollars and Bama Cash than any of her 50 meals…we have had to increase them both each semester.</p>
<p>Dumb question: What is Bama Cash? I’ve heard of Dining Dollars but not Bama Cash. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Soooooo much to learn!!</p>
<p>This gives an overview of what Bama Cash is…</p>
<p>[Bama</a> Cash Page](<a href=“http://actcard.ua.edu/pages/bama_cash.shtml]Bama”>http://actcard.ua.edu/pages/bama_cash.shtml)</p>
<p>“We also found that DD has used a lot more Dining Dollars and Bama Cash than any of her 50 meals…we have had to increase them both each semester.”</p>
<p>Although my son is not in the Greek System, he rarely uses any of his Dining Dollars or Bama Cash. I am not passing judgement on your DD who does not use the 50 meals you are required to pay for. </p>
<p>For new parents of incoming students, it is up to YOU and your child to understand the Dining Dollars and Bama Cash programs and establish realistic limits and expectations of the money being spent. For some students, this is the first lesson in managing money and resources. Just because the money is in these accounts (DD and BC), it does not mean they HAVE to use it. My son is on the Athletic meal plan which is more expensive than the standard plans. (i’m not complaining. It is worth the cost for my son to feed his nutritional needs.) As for unused meals, your loss. Unused DD and BC funds are refundable at your request, otherwise funds are rolled over at the end of the year (not at the end of the semester).</p>
<p>“We also found that DD has used a lot more Dining Dollars and Bama Cash than any of her 50 meals…we have had to increase them both each semester.”</p>
<p>You can add $ to your Bama Cash account, but not to your Dining Dollars. It is my understanding that if you run out of Dining Dollars it starts using your Bama Cash.</p>
<p>Our D has realized that the Dining Dollar location in her Dorm (Julia’s in Tutwiler) has a “grab and go” section that actually counts as a meal plan swipe.</p>
<p>We don’t keep a lot of money in Bama Cash because my kids mostly only use if for laundry services…there are machines on the wall in the laundry rooms where kids slide their cards and the money gets deducted.</p>
<p>My kids sometimes go thru their Dining Dollars and sometimes they don’t…it depends on their schedules each semester. If you don’t go thru them by the end of the year, you can get a refund…or have the money to to Bama Cash. </p>
<p>Yes…have a talk with your child about how he/she will use their meal plan/Dining Dollars. Kids can sometimes go thru Dining Dollars rather quickly if they just get Starbucks lattes everyday or frequent the vending machines. It can be rather wasteful that way. </p>
<p>However, with good planning, $300 in Dining Dollars every semester can buy 30 “retail” meals each semester…with some money leftover for an occasional latte or vending machine drink/treat.</p>
<p>I have to say that D has expressed that she doesn’t like the food…that being said i am sure it is passable…she is very nutrition minded. I was pretty sure when we went down to the Greek 50 she wouldn’t use hardly any of the meals. We are not at all unhappy with her expenditures this year. She has stayed with in her budget (we had budgeted extra for Bama Cash…and yes if you use your dining dollars it does just hit the Bama Cash). We knew she would eat out a lot and so when we allotted for that. D uses her Bama Cash for laundry, copies and a variety of other things. She also gets thing from Julia’s in a pinch. We are lucky…her boyfriend pays for 99% of the times they eat out and her Greek Resources fund pays for the activities that involve the sorority. I really like that we make a deposit into her purchase fund account and then give them a credit card as back up in case she needs more money. It makes life much easier than having her call and then us sending or depositing more money into her bank account.<br>
I did not take offense to the earlier post nor was I complaining about D…just stating the facts. We really did find it helpful to get the refund check from the university…at over $1000 a month for the sorority it just made the first payment a little less painful (for my H that is ). Next year will be another experiment…looks like DD will be living in the house (although we also currently also have a lease at Sterling Crimson as well…anyone interested in subletting??? Seriously…long story, but we are looking for a female subletter!!! In fact at this point we are fairly desperate. My H is not very excited about paying for housing twice). We will most likely do the Greek 50 again…just in case she decides to eat on campus (her boyfriend will be living in his Frat) but we will double the dining dollars and most likely the Bama cash as well. She also makes weekly Publix and Target runs for snacks and fruit as well as bottled waters…the also cook at the boyfriends so there that. Food and college…always an experience!</p>
<p>I’m sure S will eat out a lot. He eats out usually once a day now and he lives at home. That could be a diss on my cooking, or not! Hopefully he will find some things to eat on campus freshman year since he’s got to take the silver plan. Plus he won’t have a car so it can’t be all that convenient to go out. Lakeside has late night dining, right? Is it just cold sandwiches or do they have hot food?</p>
<p>Late night dining at Lakeside serves hot food. Note that Late Night means 10 pm-1 am, which isn’t all that late.</p>
<p>As a note for upperclassmen, unless you have lots of extra meals, it doesn’t make sense to use your meal plan for breakfast or late night as those meals cost $6.30, whereas a meal plan swipe costs $7.70+.</p>
<p>So dining hall question. D living in Tutwiler. Hopefully be in a sorority. She will automatically get put in the freshman experience meal plan and get $300 in dining dollar. Once she gets in a sorority (hopefully), should she get the 50 meal plan or opt out for $197. </p>
<p>I know it’s an personal choice, but with your experience, what has turned out to be the best option for you child?</p>
<p>DD lived in Tut her freshman year (she is a rising junior). She is a member of ADPi. Although the meal plan is different now I can comment on what she did do. The sororities will feed your daughter 3 meals a day Monday thru Thursday. On Friday she will get breakfast and lunch and on Game Day weekends during football season she will get some sort of a game day meal.<br>
DD did not use more than 15 of her 50 meals. She ate A LOT from Julia’s (in Tut) and then the rest of the meals she used Bama Cash and Dining Dollars to eat a places on the Strip and Newks and the places in the Ferg. In addition she had a loaded Starbucks card ($250 a semester) for coffees.
It was our experience that when the sorority house was not serving food she mostly ate out, ordered in or ate at Julias.<br>
The sorority house will do late plates if your daughter has a class and misses dinner. they will also do a sack lunch if she has class during lunch time, you just have to ask.
You know your daughter…ours sis not like the dining hall food AT ALL…it was a waste of money and none of the sorority girls ate at the dining halls.
I should also tell you she didn’t have a car but managed to get to any and every restaurant she wanted to go to.<br>
She also had snacks, oatmeal, yogurt, bottled water, ect from Publix and Target in her room in Tut.</p>
<p>Thank you Alphimommy! Based on your reply, I think it’s worth the $197 to get out a meal plan for her if she is in a sorority!</p>