From pricey teriyaki bowls at Freshii to late night candy at the P.O.D., many students, particularly first years, are noticing how quickly their Bonus Bucks start to dwindle.

Julia Poage, a first year interested in art and English, was on the meal plan with 475 bonus bucks, but she sadly ran out by November.  

“It was awful.  I just wanted to buy a Hà¤agen-Dazs at the P.O.D., and the cashier told me that I didn’t have enough funds,” Poage said.

Poage is not alone in her predicament of running out of bonus bucks.  Conserving bonus bucks can be a pretty difficult task for students, especially with the stress from classes piling over their shoulders.  Students can check their remaining bonus bucks balance online at “Trinity GetFunds.”  However, even with the knowledge of how many Bonus Bucks they have remaining, they still face the challenge of conserving them until mid-December if their account is running dry.

Elida Alcoser, one of the staff members managing over the P.O.D. located in CSI, had much to say on the topic of spending.  

“[Students] mostly buy drinks and quick snacks to keep them going,” Alcoser said.

One common suggestion for saving Bonus Bucks is to buy bulk drinks and snacks from grocery stores and instead save up Bonus Bucks to buy necessary meals that can’t be bought in advance.  However, Alcoser argued against this method.  

“A lot of kids don’t have transportation to go buy food whenever they want.  Also, it’s a matter of time and convenience.  This [the P.O.D.] is on the way to class,” Alcoser said.

Mona Bhuwania, a business major, was on the same plan as Poage and also ran out recently.  

“Freshii was my demise, and I fully regret it,” Bhuwania said. “Don’t only eat at one place.  Switch between Mabee and other places.  I’m going to regret this during finals.”