Do you find it hard to fathom the invisible currency held inside your room key, student ID and endlessly-tappable handheld plastic? 

Around campus, I have started to hear students referring to their meal plan cash as “Monopoly money.” Unlike the game Monopoly, you are not handed the amount of cash in your account at the beginning of the game, or semester. It is important to remember that you are using money that you put there, not given to you for free by the banker with colorful paper dollars. 

You may be thinking, “But I need to use it so it doesn’t go to waste.” To that I would say this: It is always better to have a little extra money than to have to add more at the end of the semester. If you end the year with extra cash in your account, you can treat yourself to that Starbucks tumbler or mug, buy you and your family some snacks at Mizzou Market, or you can eat as many containers of sushi from the Student Center you desire and a Tiger Stripe Ice Cream from Mort’s. 

Try to remember that although you can see the discounted price appear right before your eyes when you pay, the money adds up over time. It can feel like someone landing on your largest property in Monopoly when watching the meal price drop in half. Not looking at your meal plan dollars doesn’t mean the number isn’t getting lower after every trip to Mizzou Market.

Unfortunately, when you pass through the doors of the market, you do not collect $200. There is no free parking space where you collect all the Tiger Cash in the center of the board. 

Because this sadly is not reality, here are some tips to help you make it to the end of the semester without having to add money to your meal plan:

1. Never go to Mizzou Market on an empty stomach. That is when everything on the shelves that looks delicious ends up in your arms.
2. Before making your way to the cash register, look at your pickings. Do you really need four dill pickle pouches? No judgement if you do; I am speaking from experience. You can always go back later in the week for more if you need them. If not, they might sit in your fridge for a couple weeks. 
3. If you really need those Red Bulls, one from the market on occasion should suffice, but if you are ever out at a grocery store, maybe pick up a value pack. This is a good idea for anything you might want to have regularly, whether it is soup, Pop-Tarts or flavored waters. 
4. Find ways to keep track of your meal plan. If you don’t have it already, the GET Mobile app allows you to see the amount left in your account. Another way to see if you are overspending is through the emails MU sends every four weeks. These emails state roughly how much money you should have at that point in the semester. 

With all of that said, if you are having a rough day, need a pick-me-up sweet or are just really craving a Hot Pocket, do not deprive yourself of that happiness. Everything is okay in certain moderation, so cut yourself some slack. Remember to be kind to yourself, but also to your meal plan.

Edited Abby Stetina | astetina@themaneater.com