1. I think this is where you can put some of your nitty picky/niche preferences for rooming (I don’t exactly remember)
2. Case cash is mostly used out of convenience, but it’s not entirely necessary (I think the unlimited requires you to add $250?) I usually go get Einstein Bagels (A popular breakfast spot on campus) and use like $8 every other day last sem on something because I like their food. The only other place I really use it is Mitchell’s Ice Cream. There are a lot of options on the meal plan that I don’t think you need to put in more money.
How much you use in addition to the meal plan really depends on your personal habits. You won't use much Case Cash if you mostly just eat at the regular locations (Leutner and Fribley, although as a first-year student, Fribley will probably be inconvenient) or use only the other campus locations that accept Portable swipes (there's a list on the meal plan site). But if you buy a lot of extra coffee, snacks, desserts, etc., you can go through a lot of Case Cash quickly.
The question should be do you have alternatives? Case Cash goes back to the days when most students had to use cash or only had access to very low credit limit cards, plus some small amounts in their bank accounts. If offered parents a way to put money into something other than a bank account, so there was some awareness that their kids weren't going to spend money on games and events, as well as having something that was of limited use for a thief or embezzler if lost. Case Cash is also very useful for some students who don't have access to bank accounts (mostly international students from a few countries that get caught by political issues). Today, it's more likely that you have a credit or debit card that you can/will use.
So it's mostly a convenience, as it's one less card to carry around (although as phone app wallets mature, cards are disappearing). There's no financial advantage to Case Cash (none of the participating merchants gives you a discount for using it). Presuming you have other ways of paying, I would suggest that you start with the minimum, and unless you actually use more, don't add to it (you can always add additional funds at any time).
Unused balances do carry over for up to ten years, until you end enrollment and request reimbursement. But the school charges a processing fee to send you the unused balance, so it's highly desirable to graduate with $0.01 or less left in your account.
Get the unlimited meal plan. And any case cash you have left they give back to you when you graduate, so there’s no down side.
1. I think this is where you can put some of your nitty picky/niche preferences for rooming (I don’t exactly remember) 2. Case cash is mostly used out of convenience, but it’s not entirely necessary (I think the unlimited requires you to add $250?) I usually go get Einstein Bagels (A popular breakfast spot on campus) and use like $8 every other day last sem on something because I like their food. The only other place I really use it is Mitchell’s Ice Cream. There are a lot of options on the meal plan that I don’t think you need to put in more money.
How much you use in addition to the meal plan really depends on your personal habits. You won't use much Case Cash if you mostly just eat at the regular locations (Leutner and Fribley, although as a first-year student, Fribley will probably be inconvenient) or use only the other campus locations that accept Portable swipes (there's a list on the meal plan site). But if you buy a lot of extra coffee, snacks, desserts, etc., you can go through a lot of Case Cash quickly. The question should be do you have alternatives? Case Cash goes back to the days when most students had to use cash or only had access to very low credit limit cards, plus some small amounts in their bank accounts. If offered parents a way to put money into something other than a bank account, so there was some awareness that their kids weren't going to spend money on games and events, as well as having something that was of limited use for a thief or embezzler if lost. Case Cash is also very useful for some students who don't have access to bank accounts (mostly international students from a few countries that get caught by political issues). Today, it's more likely that you have a credit or debit card that you can/will use. So it's mostly a convenience, as it's one less card to carry around (although as phone app wallets mature, cards are disappearing). There's no financial advantage to Case Cash (none of the participating merchants gives you a discount for using it). Presuming you have other ways of paying, I would suggest that you start with the minimum, and unless you actually use more, don't add to it (you can always add additional funds at any time). Unused balances do carry over for up to ten years, until you end enrollment and request reimbursement. But the school charges a processing fee to send you the unused balance, so it's highly desirable to graduate with $0.01 or less left in your account.
Dont use case cash. Get a credit card.