$5.00...I mean CHEAP Dinners on Campus!

Here Late?
You gotta eat why not eat CHEAP?

In sticking with my $5.00 challenge last week I was supposed to cover dinners on campus. However in the course of the week I was super busy with assignments and other work and I wound up locked in my room eating copious amounts of multigrain cheerios and chugging coffee. I would not recommend this meal plan to anyone so please do not follow my example of poor eating!!

I take a lot of pride in this blog and so I didn't want to rush to write a blog just for the sake of writing a blog. So I hope that you can find a way to forgive me for not posting last week.

So Let's Talk about $5.00 Cheap Dinners on Campus:

DISCLAIMER: Finding $5.00 dinners on Keele campus was VERY difficult and I wasn't able to find a meal that stayed within my strict budget. Don't get me wrong you can for sure find food that is around 5 bucks and call it dinner, but is it really a dinner? Let's not get too existential with this discussion. In the effort to stick to the spirit of the challenge I decided to try my very best to keep my budget between $5-$8.00. So with this small caveat lets check out the options!!

Option 1: Jimmy The Greek
--Initially I  wasn't going to include this as an option since it is over budget a little bit, but since I opened up my budget it fits in nicely.

Veggie Plate
With SPICY Sauce

--- Vegetable Dinner Plate: $6.25
--- Gyro Pita: $6.25
--- Chicken Souvlaki Pita: $6.25

How did we do with regard to the rules?

Well we're well within our new budget of $5-$8.00. The dinner plate is quite large and so the value for money here is quite high. While there is no drink included with these options they do leave room in the budget for you to make a short walk to the Cigar Shop to pick up a pop or water for $1.00. It's a good option if you want to pick up something quick on your way to a night class or on your way back to residence or even to have something to eat on the bus.

Option2: Indian Flavour
--I wanted to included at least one restaurant from York Lanes, and since I have already profiled both Falafel Hut and Tastes in previous posts I decided to check out a NEW location!

Mixed Veggie Wrap!

--- Mixed Veggie Tandoori Warp: $6.00
--- Butter Chicken Tandoori Wrap: $7.00
--- Beef Boti Kebab Tandoori Wrap: $7.00

What do the rules say?
I had never had one of the wraps from Indian Flavour before and so when they were suggested I was a little dismissive since I didn't know how filling they would be. Let me just say. I WAS WRONG! These wraps are HUGE, they are made with Naan bread and so they are a lot more filling then a regular pita. Also they are STUFFED with filling, whether that be veggies, chicken or beef. Moral of the story you are NOT going to be hungry any time soon. Okay fine, it doesn't come with a drink, but the value for money with this option is very HIGH.

Option 3: Central Square Cafe

Pasta with Chicken!

-- In an effort to find a way to keep the Cafeteria's involved in this challenge, I decided to check out what options they had available now that my budget has increased! I am happy to report that they have a lot of really great options for students on a budget.

--- Pasta Station: $6.76 (Veggie)  or $7.67 (Meat)
--- 4oz Beef Hamburger Combo: $8.68

How well did we stick to the rules?
Trying to find meals at the Cafeteria that stick with the new budget was a little difficult. The pasta option is a very big meal so it'll fill you up meaning that the value for money is good. Also it does come in under budget so that's really good as well. In the case of the hamburger combo, this option comes with fries and a drink so although it is a little over budget you get a lot for your money. You can also get this option without the fries and drink to save yourself some money if you're not that hungry. Also it's a really quick to pick up and walk to class with.

So this brings me to the end of my Cheap Eats Challenge. I have to say it was actually really fun, I got to talk to and engage with a lot of students and staff members while doing the research that went into writing this blog series. As always please feel free to comment below if you have any additional options you want to share.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this series. I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it! Check back next week as I promise to have another EXCITED blog up for your enjoyment!!

Remember to take it one day at a time and catch me in the Zone!

Nicole

Looking for Lunch for $5? Yep it's possible!!

This semester seems to be flying by!! February has come and gone...but that doesn't mean that my $5.00 quest is finished. This week I'm profiling LUNCHES on campus!


So just to remind you I have the following rules regarding what counts as options here at Keele.
Here are the rules:
1. Meals MUST be as close to $5.00 as possible INCLUDING TAXES
2. Each Meal should include a drink
3. I'll have to give you at least 3 options per meal
4. I have to provide you with at least 1 healthy option
5. I must let you know where you can get each option on campus.

Now that you've been reminded of the rules... Let's Talk about $5.00 Lunches on Campus.

Option 1: Central Square Cafeteria Freshii

Asian Chop Salad
$5.65

-- Unfortunately there aren't really any options at the Cafeteria that fit within my budget, so in trying to give Aramark a chance to offer suggestions I tweeted them and they suggested that I try Freshii, one of the food services locations they operate. Freshii is located in the lobby of the Lassonde Building, in case you've never seen it. Here are your options at Freshii

---Buffalo Chicken Wrap = $5.65
---Warrior Chicken Bowl = $5.65
---Asian Chop Salad = $5.65

How did we do on the rules?? Well all of the Freshii options are a little over the budget and they don't come with a drink HOWEVERRRR it is worth noting that the value for money (at least in the case of the Asian Chop Salad the meal in the picture), is VERY HIGH! This was a HUGE salad, and it was very substantial therefore worth the money. This could also be considered as one of your healthier options.

Option 2: York Lanes / Tastes

Tastes Sandwich Combo
With Pop

--Before I give you this option I think it is worth mentioning my blog last week on snacks. The reason I bring this up is because I think that Berries and Blooms and Falfael Hut are GREAT options for lunch! Click here so see last weeks post.

--- Tastes has a GREAT Lunch system in place. They have different sandwich specials for each day of the week that range in price from $3.44-3.60 with this sandwich you can add a side soup, salad or pop for $1.00 extra. That being said the meal in the image came to $4.90.

What do the rules say? Well you can get a filling sandwich and a drink or if you're not that thirsty you can sub the pop for additional food. Also you come in UNDER BUDGET with this option so that saves you money. Also the value for money with this option is high.

Option 3 AUDIENCE SUGGESTION: The Islands
--This option was suggested by a reader. The Islands in The Student Centre has a lunch special that has become fairly popular lately.

Barbecue Chicken
White Rice and Coleslaw

---Daily Lunch Special: Jerk or Barbecue Chicken, Rice, and Coleslaw or Salad = $5.50
--- Potato Roti: = $5.50
--- Sides = $? It all depends on what you decide to purchase so it could be more or less than $5.00 dollars.

This option does come in under budget and the value for money is good since you get a fair amount of food for the price. The only flaw with this option is that it does not come with a drink, so although it is under budget, if that Jerk has you dying of thirst you'll have to find some extra cash for a drink!

Every week I award one of the options as having the "Biggest Bang for your Buck" or the greatest value for money. This week it was tough...but I'm going to have to give that title to Freshii this week. I can't get over how much food you can get from Freshii at around the $5.00 mark.

So what are you having?

Well those are my options for a reasonably priced lunch on campus. If you want to suggest some other places please feel free to comment below I know I'd LOVE to try some other places on campus!

Be sure to check back next week for my profile about $5.00 Dinners on campus. I think that this might be the BIGGEST challenge for me yet!

LEGGO!!!

Remember to take it one day at a time and catch me in the Zone!

Nicole

$5 in your pocket...looking for a quick Snack?

In case you haven't noticed, February is my month of $5.00 meals. I have taken on the challenge to find meals on York's Keele Campus that are within $5 including a tax, the meal must also include a drink. Last week I covered Breakfasts and this week I'm tackling SNACKS!

Have you ever found yourself Running around campus, RAVENOUS? Looking for a quick snack that you can grab between classes?? Well I've got you covered!

Sooo....Let's Talk about where you can go to get a $5 snack on York's Keele Campus!!

Option 1: Central Square Cafeteria

Small Coffee and
Butter Croissant

--There are many snack options at the Cafeteria however trying to find an option that fits into my strict $5.00 budget that also includes a drink is not an easy task to accomplish. So remembering the rules, I came up with the following option:

---Small Coffee and Butter Croissant = $4.05
I am sad to say that the fact that the rules required a drink to be included in the budget kept sending my snack costs over $5. However this option did come with a drink and it came in under budget so this option fulfills the requirements of the rules. However when it comes to value for money this option suffers. I guess since this is a snack and not a full meal this option is alright, but I'll leave that judgement up to you.



Option 2: Falafel Hut
--Falfel Hut HAS LOTS OF OPTIONS for each meal option! Several people recommended their breakfast to me, and since I was unable to make it there for breakfast I decided to include it in my snack list. So here are your options for SNACKS:

Falafel In a Pita
and Can of Pop

---Falfel in a Pita with a Can of Pop = $4.50
***This is the SPECIAL on TUESDAY'S = $3.91.
--- Top Ten Value Menu with a Can of POP = $4.51
This menu includes: Middle East Potatoes, Rice in Pita, T.L.C in Pits, Cheese in Pita, B.L.T. in a Pita, Hummus in Pita, Tzatziri in Pita and Tuna in Pita. That's 8 different option!! Talk about Choice!!

When it comes to the rules, Falafel Hut gets a lot of points since all the options mention include food and a drink Also when it comes to value for money Falafel Hut does very well again since you actually get a fair amount of food for the price. Additionally it comes in UNDER budget. Also hidden benefit their service is very quick!!


Option 3: Berries and Blooms
--I am using Berries an Blooms as my HEALTHY OPTION for this round of the challenge. Berries and Bloom has a VERY interesting pricing structure when it comes to their menu options, so with that in mind here are your options:

Fresh Fruit
Smoothie

---Fresh Fruit Salad: You can pick and choose from a selection of fresh fruits = $??
---Salad Bar: You can make, mix and match different ingredients and prepared salads: $??
---Fresh Fruit Smoothie (with up to 3 fruits): $3.66
**Since Berries and Blooms sells the first two items by weight the price of your snack will vary from $1.00-8.00 depending on how much or how little you pick up.

So how did we do on the rules? Well if your fruit / salad bar options come in under $5 then you can get a beverage with your fruit or salad. However if your total comes to around the $5 mark then you won't be able to afford it so be sure to keep that in mind. Also if you're not really that hungry but you want a quick snack then the smoothie is a GREAT option. However since it is not actual food you might be hungry again quickly? Technically it does meet the requirement of the rules so be sure to check it out!

UNOFFICIAL Option 4: Cigar Shoppe:
--Since you cannot use your meal plan money at this location I decided to class it as an unofficial option. However it must be mentioned that this option has the GREATEST VALUE FOR MONEY!! They have MANY different "combo" options here and they are all within the $5 budget. So here are your options:

Can of Pop, Chips,
2 Granola Bars &
2 Fruit Snacks

---Can of pop and Bag of Chip: $1.75
---Various snacks (Granola Bars, Chocolate Bars, Fruit Snacks, Cookies and Protein bars) = $1.45-3.75
---Various Beverages (Pop, Water, Energy Drinks, Coffee drinks and Gatorade)= $1.00-3.75
---BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: Bag of Chips, Can of Pop, 2 granola bars, 2 fruit to go snacks $4.50

Honestly this location has the BEST VALUE FOR MONEY when it comes to snacks. It has the cheapest beverages, cheapest snack foods and super friendly staff members. When I was in my first year an upper year who lived on my floor in res recommended that I check it out since it had some "student priced items" I went their in my first year and now 6 years later I tell EVERYONE I know to check them out!

If you have NO IDEA where it is let me give you some directions: If you're walking from The Student Center toward York Lanes... it's the small connivence looking shop right next to the Student Centre, before you get to York Lanes. If you're on the fence about checking them out take it from me you won't be disappointed!

Well those are the snack options that I put forward for you to try. Feel free to ADD any additional snack options that you have come across that fit within our $5.00 budget. I'd love to hear what other places on campus that you folks like to eat at. So please add any options by commenting below!

Be on the LOOK OUT for my LUNCH Blog coming NEXT Week!!

Remember to take it one day at a time and catch me in the Zone!

Nicole

$5 Breakfast? You CAN have it at York!

So last week I announced that February would be my month of "Cheap Eats" on campus. And after I posted the blog the response I got on my twitter (if you're not following me you totes should *shameless self-promotion*) was INCREDIBLE!!

I'm happy to say that I am not alone...that is, I'm not the only one walking around Keele Campus trying to find a bite to eat that won't burst my budget!

So to everyone that tweeted me or came to visit me in the RED Zone booth with suggestions, comments and advice THANKS SO MUCH!! I hope that you have as much fun reading my "results" as I had finding them.

DISCLAIMER: I went to as many places as I could within the week, so if there are some places that you suggested that you don't see on the list, I didn't disregard your suggestions, I have stored them and will for sure try to visit them in the coming meal challenges. I tried my best to stay within the $5 budget. It was a little difficult and in some places I went over but you'll see what I mean below!

I had so much fun researching this blog and I really hope that you enjoy it!!

Sooo.... "Let's Talk" about where can you go on York's Keele Campus to get BREAKFAST for $5???

Option1: Cafeteria's

Central Square
Cafeteria
Big Breakfast

--There are several options at the York Cafeteria's that offer students breakfasts for around $5.  Here are your Options:
---Bagel with Butter and a Small Coffee and 2 Hashbrowns = $4.96
---Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich =$4.16
---Big Breakfast: 2 Eggs, 2 Hashbrowns and Bacon or Sausage = $5.20

How did we do on the RULES? Well as you can see only one of the options comes with a drink included, so the cafeteria's lose points on that count. Also when it comes to value for money the cafeteria won't be winning any major points for that either.





Option 2: Treat's Coffee Emporium
--This option is one of the HEALTHIER options on campus as well as one of the cheaper options!!
Options include:

Treat's Breakfast
Egg and Sausage
with Coffee

---Breakfast Bagel Sandwich: Egg, Cheese, Bacon or Sausage and a Medium Tea or Coffee = $5
---Breakfast Bagel Sandwiche: Egg, Cheese and Veggies with a Medium Tea or Coffee =$5

You might be thinking...how is this a healthier option? Well if you get the whole wheat bagel, with all the veggies you have gotten a serving of protein, dairy, grains and veggies. So you're hitting all your major food groups in this meal.

How did we do on the RULES? Both meals come with a drink, so points for that, both meals come in right ON BUDGET and this meal is sustaining so you get more value for money.

Option 3: Tastes
--This option is the BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!! YAY!!!

Breakfast Option1
With Tea

Options Include:
---Breakfast Option1: 2 Eggs, 2 pieces of Toast, Sausage or Bacon and a Small Tea or Coffee =$3.95
---Breakfast Omelete: 2 Eggs, w/cheese or veggies, 2 pieces of toast & a Small Tea or Coffee = $3.95

Judging based on the Rules? Tastes comes in WELL UNDER BUDGET! That's saving money for your next meal. Tastes has MANY inexpensive breakfast options that come with a drink included. They are all around the $3.50 - $4.50 mark (before taxes). I am happy to say that the quality of the food is VERY high and the value for money at Tastes can't be beat!

Unofficial Option 4: La Prep
--I attempted to visit La Prep as one of my healthier options however the cost of breakfast there broke the bank and the value for money was NOT high enough for my to include it as an official list of breakfast options.
Options include:

Parfait and Tea

---Breakfast English Muffin: Egg, Tomato and Cheese on English Muffin and a Tea = $6.16
---Breakfast Parfait: Granola, Fresh Fruit and Vanilla Yoghurt  and a Tea = $6.16

According to the Rules La Prep comes in way over budget, the food is not sustaining, that means that you'll be looking for your next meal in no time. Also value for money with their meals isn't very high if you're looking for a meal for $5. They have GREAT food if you don't mind spending $7-9 on breakfast.

Well those are the food options that I put forward for you to try next time you're on campus early looking for a cheap breakfast. I hope that you enjoy the options. Feel free to leave your comments below. If I left something out and you really want to share it with our fellow Yorkies feel free to comment!

Be on the look out for my SNACKS blog next week!

Remember to take it one day at a time and catch me in the Zone!

Nicole

Cheap Eats on Campus: Challenge Accepted!

I don't know about you guys but I am constantly finding myself on campus between classes broke and hungry. (I totally didn't mean for that to sound as pathetic as it did!) Knowing that I can't be the only one on campus that experiences this I thought I would dedicate the month of February to finding Cheap meals on campus!

I know that might sound impossible, but for you guys I'll take the challenge!

How am I going to do it?
-I will cover the following meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks and Dinner

-Budget for each meal will be $5 (or as close to $5 as I can get!)

-I'll present you with at least 3 options for each meal
--I'll try to make sure that at least 1 meal is a "Healthy Option"

-Each meal MUST include a beverage

-I'll tell you where you can go to get each option

I know you might be thinking...that doesn't sound hard! Finding places to eat won't be difficult, finding meals for $5 will be a bit more challenging. I'll give it my best shot and hope not to let you guys down.

If you know of a GREAT place that fits the parameters mentioned above let me know about it in the comments section, I'd be more than happy to check it out and add it to the list of places to eat on campus!

Look out for my Breakfast and Snack blog next week!

As always, remember to take it one day at a time and catch me in the Zone!

Nicole

$$, Pare, Moola, Dinero, Argent, Pieniądze...However you say it we all need it to pay for school!!

There is nothing more serious to people than there finances. Everyone is concerned with paying bills  and making making ends meet, regardless of where you're from. In this post I'll be covering a few options that International Students can access to pay for University.

Not sure if I mentioned this before but I'm an international student...ok who am I kidding...I totally mentioned that like 1000 times. This time though it's actually super important :)

Diversity @ York U

Unfortunately for my domestic friends this post will probably not be too interesting to you, buttt feel free to read anyway, maybe you'll learn something new??




Going to school is expensive...if you haven't noticed that yet, then you probably will notice it VERY soon. FACT: College and University undergrad's aren't exactly "making it rain"so finding money to pay for school can be a challenge even for the most thrifty among us :P

A couple of things right off the bat that I feel I should let you know...

As International students  Don't qualify for:
-OSAP
-The Ontario Tuition Grant
-RESP's (at least not Canadian RESP's)

Not to be a "Negative Nancy" but here are a few things that we as International Students have to include in our tuition costs.

How can I afford all this?!?

1. Tuition: Usually this is about twice the fee of domestic students.
2. UHIP: Since we haven't been paying in the Universal Health Care of Canada we are REQUIRED by LAW to pay for the University Health Insurance Plan.
3. Shelter: You'll need to live somewhere during your time at York, that can be in on-campus housing, off-campus housing OR if you're super lucky with distant relatives you don't really know but will let you live with them while you're at school.
4. Books and other supplies
TOTAL: CRA CRA CRAZY amounts of cash!

I know what you're thinking..."DO WE GET ANY HELP IN PAYING FOR SCHOOL??"

Well don't worry we do have a few options open to us! All York University Students have access to the Student Financial Profile, which has a listing of all the available Scholarships, Bursaries and Grants. If you want a run down of all that the SFP has to offer check out my "Money, Money, Money..." post from last week.

As international students we also have access to some Aid from the Government of Canada. Now I'm not going to sugar coat this we don't qualify for very much, since we are international students, and therefore haven't been paying into government tax programs. But you might be surprised at what we can access!

One option I'd recommend is to check out the following website: http://www.cicic.ca/389/student-financial-assistance.canada This has a listing of all the scholarships, bursaries and grants available for international students based on country of origin. You'd be surprised at what you might be eligible for, so definitely check it out and apply.

If you remember NOTHING ELSE from this post I want to remember the following resource I give you. Honestly I can't tell you how helpful this resource is for international students. So get a pen and piece of paper and write this down...well actually since you're on your computer BOOKMARK this website and check it OFTEN!!

One of the MANY sessions
they run throughout the school year!

On-Campus Resource:
-YORK INTERNATIONAL

Who are they?
-They are the office whose primary task to help International students navigate, York, Toronto and Canada.
- They can help you if you want to find additional funding for school, if you want to get a job off campus, if you have questions about your status in Canada.
-Most importantly they provide you with your University Health Insurance Card.
-They offer TONS of workshops to help aid your transition into Canada.
-----They have workshops on how to apply for bursaries, off-campus work permits, how to find jobs in the GTA and on-campus and soo much more.

***Here's a link to York International's FUNDING webpage, since this whole post is about paying for school :P***

Where are they?
-They are located at 200 York Lanes.
(They are literally at the top of the stairs on the second floor of York Lanes, you can't miss their office it's so there's a BIG bright colourful display right outside their door!!)

Fun Facts:
-They are maybe the NICEST people on campus (after the RED Zone of course :P).
-The office is staffed with people from all over the world, so they are literally the face of diversity on campus.
-Also they really want to help students succeed. Basically if you have any questions or you find that you need assistance then you should visit York International.

There are tons of options available for International Students, you just have to know where to look, and who to ask for help. If you want any more info, or you have a specific question feel free to post in the comments section.

I hope that my fellow International folks are feel a little bit better about paying for school!

$$$ Money, Money, Money....MONEYY!! I bet you had NO IDEA how expensive University really is!

School's expensive and times are tough...but no worry cuz you're in LUCK!




I have 3 words for you... STUDENT. FINANCIAL. PROFILE.

Ummm Student Financial Profile? What the heck is that??

Money, Money, Money....MONNNNEEEEYYY!!!

The Basics:

• York University has millions of dollars to give back to students in the form of scholarships and bursaries. Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, while bursaries are awarded year-round to students who demonstrate financial need and are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons. You can access all this simply by filling out an SFP.  

Things you might not know:

• A lot of times students don't try to apply for scholarships or bursaries because they don't know what they qualify for or what the requirements are, and then they just miss out on the opportunity to get some help with paying for school. 
• The SFP is amazingly convenient since it takes all the guess work out of the process. It takes about 10 minutes to fill out, it's an online application and it's super easy! 
• Financial support is customized to your level of financial need, support could include: loans, grants, bursaries and scholarships. 

Where to find the SFP:

• Head over to: http://sfs.yorku.ca/services/sfp/  to fill out the SFP. 

Want an example of a scholarship?

Show me the MONEEYY!!

• York University Renewable Entrance Scholarships
• York University Continuing Student Scholarships

Want an example of a Private Award? 

• William and Nona Heaslip Scholarship
• It is awarded to an undergraduate student who has made outstanding contributions to community life, social action, neighbourhood development or who has demonstrated leadership at York. 
• It is RENEWABLE for two years. 

My tips:

• You never know what you might qualify for...so fill it out. 
• To all my international students out there...we don't qualify for OSAP or the Ontario Tuition Grant... buttt we do have access to the SFP. So fill it out...you never know what kind of help you could get. 

Another GREAT thing about the SFP is that when you fill it out...you become work-study eligible. That means that you can get a job on campus. Working on campus is AMAZING and soo convenient, if you want to know more check out my friend Lindsey's blog: http://yulindseyo.blogspot.ca/ for some totes cool info all about on campus jobs!

If you have any more questions about the SFP feel free to ask me anything in the comments sections!

Nicole