<p>Does anyone know when we set up our meal plans? I though that it would be set up with the housing, but as it turns out, it wasn't. Also, how much more does it cost to buy the food with cash than to have bought it with the meal plan? Or is there no difference at all (in which case I would just buy the cheapest plan..)</p>
<p>I thought the dining plan was automatically included in the price for housing. I emailed Muir housing about singles and the dining plan, and this is what they said:</p>
<p>(me)
I was wondering if the price for a Muir apartment single room was the same price as a Res Hall single room? Also, is the dining plan included in the price for a single room or is there a separate fee incurred? </p>
<p>(them)
Yes, all single rooms are the same price ($9,656) and dining plan is included.</p>
<p>Cheers</p>
<p>Jamie</p>
<p>You get a fixed amount of meal points per academic year (I think 2100), and you can buy extra points if you need them.</p>
<p>edit: Here is the site detailing the dining plan.</p>
<p><a href="http://hds.ucsd.edu/diningplan/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://hds.ucsd.edu/diningplan/index.html</a></p>
<p>I hope that we aren't forced into one meal plan...</p>
<p>lol...we are. We get the base dining plan, which is 2100 dining dollars that we can spend at their restaurants, and if you need more dining dollars, you can buy more.</p>
<p>Refresh Image - are you a freshman? If you are you cannot live in the apartments at Muir. Apartments are only for 2nd years. </p>
<p>Although, I do know a freshman living in them, but that's because she filed to change roommates and i guess that was the only spot.</p>
<p>Are you sure? I told her I was an incoming freshman at the beginning of the email; shouldn't she have told me I'm unable to?</p>
<p>Are you sure, Liux43? At Warren, some freshmen do live in apartments, even though they are intended for second-year students.</p>
<p>For Muir no freshman get to live in apartments. Apartments in Muir are VERY limited in Muir. For instance, during housing registration all the apartments are filled in by 9:00 A.M. (enrollment starts at 8).</p>
<p>Eep! Would I be able to request an apartment because of special circumstances?</p>
<p>What would they be?</p>
<p>Also, anyone know how the 2100 dining dollars are? way too much, not enough, etc?</p>
<p>Refresh Image - I highly doubt it. No spots are open in Muir apartments. </p>
<p>2100 is pretty good. I'm on pretty much perfectly on track at the moment with only 1800 starting the year. I'm sure you'll eat out some days, not eat breakfast, and maybe even skip a few meals during the year. For the avg person 2100 points should be sufficient.</p>
<p>2100 should be good for an average male (it'll probably be too much for a lot of females). I'm mostly on-track with the 1800-point plan, but I supplement that with about $20 worth of groceries per week. So my ideal plan would be upwards of 2400, but I eat quite a lot (fast metabolism - I have to eat every 3 hours).</p>
<p>it sounds like there's just enough for about 2 meals a day every day, meaning most people skip breakfast? that's what i do right now anyways</p>
<p>2100 is way too much.</p>
<p>I have managed to stay on track with 1800, spending almost no money outside of dining dollars. I am a large male, and I eat a lot. I've been able to do this by always purchasing the cheap food and attending free food events all over campus. I almost never buy entrees and I've never bought a thing at Earl's. 2100 is too much, and I think it's shameful how they are restricting choice.</p>
<p>Thanks for your responses, I have one more thing to ask about. Is the food that's sold at the stores that take dining dollars more expensive than regular places or are they generally the same?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>So, if you want to add more real cash to your Dining Dollars account, they give you an extra 20% bonus I believe. It has been my observation that everything is about 20-30% more expensive than what it should be. It all makes sense. (So really, the value of the dining dollars they give you does not equate to real money value. Any econ majors want to research this more? Heh.)</p>
<p>All that said, buy your milk at Ralph's or Vons unless you don't buy much prepared dining hall food and will have extra dining dollars at the end of the year (bad).</p>
<p>Also note to everyone: the easiest way to make it through until the end of the year without reloading... DO NOT BUY BEVERAGES. Because of the aforementioned markup - the sodas, Snapple, Voss (jk), etc. on a daily basis will be sure to put you over the top. Water is better for you anyway. Don't get me going on what a disaster high fructose corn syrup or aspartame is.</p>
<p>err what about getting enery drinks by the box load delivered to your dorm?</p>
<p>The food is more expensive. For example, most places on campus charge $0.75 per banana. Ralph's charges $0.69 per pound, and bananas weigh less than half a pound each. At Ralph's, I was able to buy a banana with change I found on the ground in the parking lot.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>"why buy one when you can buy two for twice the price?"</p>