I have a feeling we’re not in Williamsburg anymore

After a great move-in and orientation week, it’s easy to see that living a la Washington, DC will be much different than colonial dwelling.  First and foremost, there is no meal plan involved in apartment living. The William & Mary in DC Office loves to feed their students; we indulged in pizzas from Matchbox, ranging from fig and gorgonzola to chicken pesto, sampling chili from the famed Ben’s Chili Bowl, learned to make cupcakes at Chinatown’s Red Velvet Cupcakery, and tried tot-chos (tater tot nachos) from Tonic in Georgetown. From pizza to sandwiches to cookies and treats, the fridge in our spacious apartment is already stocked with the best leftovers.

The whole semester won’t be quite a food overload, so here’s some basic tips to save a few bucks here and there!

1. Grocery stores in D.C. charge a bag fee. Bring your own reusable bags to save a few cents!
2. Eating out will always be a costly endeavor. Go during happy hour and sit at the bar for cheaper appetizers.
3. Drinks will always make your check a few dollars higher, so just get water!
4. Grocery stores are always more crowded after work and on the weekends. Save time by shopping on weekdays.
5. Don’t be afraid to pack your lunch and take it to work. While lunch is most certainly a social event in the big city, it is most certainly not mandatory.
6. Coupons and sales! Also groupon and living social offer great bargains for new places you might want to try out.
7. Crazy as it seems, kabob and food trucks are delicious and inexpensive, and very easy to find!
8. Want to eat out? Go during lunch and get a smaller portion for a fraction of the dinner cost. It also helps you avoid the dinner crowds and long reservation lines.
9. Go out for brunch on the weekends; it covers breakfast AND lunch! One less meal to worry about!
10. Last but not least, check out these DC Cheap Eats: http://www.urbanspoon.com/pr/7/1/DC/Cheap-Eats.html