Post subject: Useful Advice, #1 : Secret Meal Plans
Posted: Mon 08-17-2009 10:15PM
Major General
Joined: Sat 10-18-2003 10:26PM Posts: 2954 Location: Stone's throw from Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs
Source: Off Campus
I'll be starting a "column" called Useful Advice. Things that I've learned in my 6-odd years here that aren't common knowledge and just may help some of you out.
This time, it's Secret Meal Plans.
--Commuter Points: Called "MinerBucks" this year, but they've been around for quite a while. Pay $300 up front and get $325 in MinerBucks. Available to anyone living off-campus or in Greek housing with included meals. This is the ONLY plan where you get the full dollar value of your purchase--plus a bonus--back in points. They never expire and can be used at any Chartwells location on campus, including the library and Havener. They can also be used at Papa John's Pizza, the only pizza joint participating in point exchange this year. If you ever eat at Havener and aren't required to have a meal plan, this is definitely worth looking into, if only for what is effectively Missouri S&T's 10% discount on its own meal plan (taxes are pre-paid and the Bonus Bucks come tax-free).
--Government Points: College students are always looking for freebies and handouts. Why not take advantage of one of the biggest handouts of them all? If you work a Federal Work-Study job on campus, live somewhere other than the dorms, and file your own taxes, you qualify for an exciting government program that allows you to keep your beer money in your pocket when you go to the grocery store for your Pizza Rolls and 2-liters of Vault. (It's called the Food Stamp Program.) Don't worry about the social stigma; nearly every Rolla resident has one of these cards, and with all that federal bailout money filling the program's coffers, it's GOOD NEWS for you.
All you have to do is go to the state DFS office (located in the strip mall behind Lucky House) and fill out an application; this takes about 2 minutes. Next you go in for a 20-minute interview, where they will verify your work-study job. Tell them how much your rent is per month, and how much you pay RMU for electricity, and they will get you started. Then, all you have to do is kick back and spend your allotted portion of the taxpayers' money--somewhere between $50-200 a person--when it's wired onto the card every month. You can only buy food (duh) but you can spend it on anything from sacks of flour to lobster tails. The government points are good at any grocery store, whether it's in Rolla, St. Louis, or even if you're home on Christmas Break in the state of your choice.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum