College students can save money by cooking for themselves on campus

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021 — College students looking to stretch their dollars can do so by cooking meals for themselves instead of dining out, according to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA).

Eating right is a necessity, but it doesn’t have to be an expensive one. Students who don’t take advantage of campus food plans can cut their food costs by smart shopping and making their own meals.

Instead of buying meals at restaurants, students can save quite a bit of money by fixing most of their meals at home. According to https://www.moneyunder30.com, the average price for a restaurant meal is about $13, more than three times the cost for the average meal prepared at home. A web search for “recipes for college students” will bring up a list of many sites to help students make healthy, inexpensive meals on their own.

Someone who dines out four times a week can save nearly $1,000 a year by cutting back to two restaurant meals. That money can be deposited into a savings or investment account, which allows it to earn interest.

KHEAA is the state agency that administers Kentucky’s student financial aid programs, including the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES). Its sister agency, the Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corporation (KHESLC), offers low-cost Advantage Loans to help students and parents pay for college or refinance student loans. For more information about Advantage Loans, visit advantageeducationloan.com.

Many of KHEAA’s student aid programs are funded by Kentucky Lottery revenue.

For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit kheaa.com; write KHEAA, P.O. Box 798, Frankfort, KY 40602; or call 800-928-8926.

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