If you’re a “baller on a budget” like us, you have to find the right places to eat without exceeding your price limits. If you’re stuck in a rut and you only have a couple of bucks, one might think that you are going to go hungry, because convenient eats are becoming progressively more expensive Popular restaurants such as Subway and Pizza Hut used to offer everyone’s favorite $5 classics, but the beloved footlongs and all-you-can-eat pizza specials are in the past.

When you are a hungry teen just trying to feed yourself, the options become far more slim. But don’t worry! There still are plenty of places where you can get a hearty meal for $5 or less. We have some advice for you hungry teens, and even if you don’t need to spend $5 or less, anyone looking for good value can appreciate this advice.

Cameron Tulley ‘16 gave some good tips on going out to eat with only a $5 bill: “I would choose McDonald’s over anything when looking for the most bang for my buck.” He further explained the “four for four” deal, which is a great example of what McDonald’s has to offer. The deal consists of four items of your choice: nuggets, drink, burger, fries, and a complimentary cookie. These items can also be ordered in any combination all under $5 – for example, two burgers, one fry, a drink, and a cookie. McDonald’s helps kids get hearty meals for affordable prices.

As “ballers on a budget,” we are always looking for a great deal for a large quantity of food.  “I go to Denny’s all the time when I’m super-hungry and get the all-you-can-eat pancakes,” Ryan Walsh ‘16 said. At Denny’s, there is a deal where you can get all-you-can-eat pancakes for just $4.  There may not be much variety when it comes to pancake flavor, but when you’re hungry and have infinite flapjacks on your plate, it’s a good deal.

If you happen to have another dollar, you can even upgrade and get yourself some Pancake Puppies, which are little fried pancake balls, to even further curb your hunger.    
It is safe to say that eating out is not as expensive as it seems. Even if you just have a few dollars. Just because the wallet may be hungry for money, doesn’t mean your stomach has to suffer.