Originally Posted by chanduru

When do i choose between basic, freedom and flex? I have Group A Full Regular.

Never, you're money is automatically put onto your meal plan card as follows:

http://hospitality.mcmaster. ca/mea...2010-2011.html

Notice all group A meal plans have $2435 on basic, and only freedom varies while group B has $1750 on basic, and again only freedom varies based on the size.

Is eating at Bridges every day compatible with a Group A light?

Originally Posted by goodnews.inc

Is eating at Bridges every day compatible with a Group A light?

what do you mean by compatible?

for sure, you can use that meal plan at all campus locations and such..

If you mean how cost effective it'd be.. I think that plan works out to be around 9 dollars a day if you were at mac EVERY day for the eight months (so probably more like 10-11). Bridges is pretty pricey, so while you'll be able to go there everyday, the rest of your day's food will take a hit. If you bring stuff from home or go to the grocery store and get breakfast and snack foods and such, and don't buy too many drinks, you'd be fine for sure.

Originally Posted by goodnews.inc

Is eating at Bridges every day compatible with a Group A light?

It depends how often you're planning on eating a day.
I pretty much ate once a day at bridges everyday of the year (excluding weekends - when it was closed). I was fine for the year with a light.
However, if you're planning on doing 2 meals a day (lunch & dinner) then you definitly won't be ok.
Also, try not to buy drinks on campus.

However, I found I really enjoyed bridges' specials & the pasta bar, the portions on those for me were pretty big so I'd buy one and eat it for both lunch and dinner.

The biggest thing in my first year of eating oncampus was to not force yourself to finish everything that is given to you, you can save it for later - which saves your $ and your heart , but I wouldn't recommend eating anything older than 2-3days even if its been in the fridge.

Also, remember that there are a lot of yummy vegetarian choices around campus that may be more $ savy if you find you're running out of $ at bridges.

I suppose I'll be making a lot of rosti next year.
I love rosti and it's so affordable.

Originally Posted by Tailsnake

Freedom: Can be used on and off-campus, you get charged tax on it, it's just useful since you sometimes get a 5% discount on things and it's often just easier to pay with your student card than to carry a wallet around. Refundable.

Hopefully that clears it up a bit.

k so you know how you said that freedom you get charged tax but on flex you dont right, and on flex you can fill it up and freedom they can refund. just a random thought, but can you get a refund from your freedom, and put it into your flex, that way you dont have to pay tax???

- im also a bit confused on how the system works so yea.
thx

Originally Posted by krup92

k so you know how you said that freedom you get charged tax but on flex you dont right, and on flex you can fill it up and freedom they can refund. just a random thought, but can you get a refund from your freedom, and put it into your flex, that way you dont have to pay tax???

- im also a bit confused on how the system works so yea.
thx

freedom is used at off campus places, thus having to pay tax.

When your basic portion runs out, you can put money on flex. the money on flex can be used on campus. Thus, no tax. But if you use it off campus, you'll still have to pay tax.

At the end of the year, if you have money left over from freedom, you can withdraw it, or move it to flex. if you move it to flex, you'd only get away with not paying taxes if you use it on campus.