Every semester, students who attend Stevenson University can purchase flex dollars on their meal plans. Flex dollars are a form of money that the university gives to students to use for food and other purchases, both on and off-campus.

On campus, flex dollars can be used at Jazzman’s, Mustang Grill, Pandinis, Rockland Marketplace, SubConnection, Zone Convenience Store, and the school stores.

Off campus flex options include: Courtney’s Bagel Café and Deli, CVS, Dunkin Donuts, Edo Mae Sushi, Firehouse Subs, Hummus Corner, Jimmy John’s, Nino Taco, NY Pizza Company, Papa Gil’s Pizza & Pasta, Pie Five, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Sofi’s Crepes, Subway, Teriyaki Madness, Terri’s Café, UFood Grill, Vito’s Express, and soon Bon Fresco. Aside from food, students can buy toiletries and other necessities from CVS or the Zone.

Spend those last flex dollars wisely Look for places that offer specials in order to save money, for example, Dunkin Donuts and Jimmy John’s. Dunkin has butter pecan iced coffee for $1.69 — original price: $2.49. Jimmy John’s also has a special for a JJ Gargantuan for only $8.15 — original price: $8.95.

The more you use the store’s specials and coupons, the less you spend. In a restaurant like Teriyaki Madness, flex users must pay careful attention because it is hard to find something that’s under 10 dollars. Flex can be used better on several small purchases instead of few large purchases.

Spending smart and saving simultaneously can benefit anyone. Flex dollars can offer opportunities for a tight budget. Saving money can help secure and provide a financial safety net in case of an emergency. If you run out of flex because you’re spending it all in the first month of the semester, you may need to budget your money better. When the semester ends, you don’t want to be left craving something off-campus with no flex dollars to get it. Spend smart and save wisely!

~Brielle Fowler, reviews editor, contributed to this article.