My daughter will be starting as a Freshman in September. I have no idea what to expect she will need to spend each month on food and meals. She will be living in the Lucky Dorm with a full kitchen, so I know that will help. Any direction or advice on budgeting for this would be appreciated.
So, she will be right above Fresh Market – which is great! You might consider depositing a monthly amount rather than all of it for the semester, and adjust as you have more experience. You might also consider adding money onto her Wisc card as well, since freshman will often go eat in Gordon’s etc. together, regardless of where they are living (plus she can use funds on her Wisc card for Bookstore, printing and other on-campus expenses). You can add funds online to both Wisc Card and red card, very easy.
If I had to guess, I would say my kid (a boy, who is known to eat a pizza at 10 pm in the library, after 3 full meals that day, so costs vary), would use about $1200-1500 a term on food.
You could start with $300- see how far it goes, knowing the beginning of the year there will be more money spent in various places. She will need to tell you when she needs funds, unless she allows you to see her expenses. Definitely go with more frequent, smaller amounts. The amount Res Halls suggests for food expenses is a good starting point. What type of budget your D keeps depends on her/your family finances. You can give her carte blanche or warn her there is only so much money available.
Mine spent only $600 on dorm food each year. However we live nearby and regularly brought her milk, fruit, yogurt, cereal, granola bars. To save time and money she ate breakfast in her dorm room.
Eating every meal the dining hall both Freshman and Sophomore year, I spent $1200 a semester.
There is definitely psychology at play – I would spend more right when my mom added money to my account than when I had only 50-60 dollars left. We did deposits twice a semester, at 600 a piece, to help with this.
gender differences/eating habits/cooking vs dining hall visits means your daughter’s mileage will vary.
It also matters where one lives. Res Halls students pay less for Res Halls food than those who don’t live there. last I heard it was a 60% difference. This partly due to the fact the Res Halls dorm students are already helping subsidize the dining facilities with part of their dorm fees while others are not.
Parent- you may need to put more/less money on different parts of the card based on where your D usually eats.
A student working the phone at Residence Halls main number who seemed very knowledgeable told me a few days ago that student residents get a 30% discount on dining hall prices. 8 oz. milk = $0.60 with discount, he says.
I never heard of the Red Card until I saw this thread, so I looked it up. That Fresh Market looks like a good reason to get it if your student will shop there. We’re local so I planned to drop off grocery deliveries from Whole Foods/Woodmans. Unless I hear that Fresh Market has much of what is needed. I haven’t been there. What is it like? Do they have organic? Lots of produce? Prices can’t be any higher than Whole Foods, or could they?
To my eye the list of eateries that accept the card seems a bit thin. Why not use a regular debit card instead that is valid everywhere? If you are worried about how the money will be spent, just set up a special joint account to depost to. You would have access to track spending and could outline approved uses of the card in advance.
Fresh Market is very eye-catching with the large glass windows on University Avenue and produce displays. It is also quite pricey.
$700 per semester for me. Red Card coupons via app make for cheap eats too.
@celesteroberts – prices at Fresh Market comparable to Whole Foods, I would say, but not exclusively organic etc – mainstream brands (fruit loops, tropicana oj), more expensive than if you bought it a typical grocery store.
Fresh Market is all about location- walking distance for on/near campus students.