You survived move-in.

You’ve figured out where your classes are.

You probably got lost at least once trying to find a building that looked much closer on Google Maps.

Now comes the really important part of becoming a UT student:

Figuring out where to eat and where to go when you’re broke.

Because here’s the thing about going to the University of Texas: You are surrounded by restaurants, bars, coffee shops and entertainment, but that doesn’t mean you should spend $25 every time you leave your dorm.

Austin can get expensive very quickly.

A burger here.

A coffee there.

A couple of drinks with friends.

Late-night food.

Suddenly you’ve spent $60 without really doing anything.

The good news is that students who learn the neighborhood can eat pretty well without spending a fortune. The areas immediately around campus have everything from old-school burger joints and taco shops to pizza by the slice, food trucks, cheap fast food and some of Austin’s legendary college bars.

This is the guide I wish somebody had handed me when I first got to Austin.

FIRST RULE: DON’T EAT LIKE A TOURIST

The biggest mistake new students make is assuming the best place to eat is whatever has the biggest sign on Guadalupe.

The Drag is convenient, but convenience doesn’t always equal value.

Walk a few blocks.

Look at the side streets.

Explore West Campus.

Go north toward Hyde Park.

Head east toward Manor Road.

You’ll find much better options once you get away from the most obvious choices.

And remember: you are a college student.

You don’t need a fancy restaurant.

You need food that tastes good, fills you up and doesn’t destroy your bank account.

START WITH TACO JOINT

If you are new to UT and haven’t been to Taco Joint, fix that immediately.

Located at 2809 San Jacinto Boulevard, Taco Joint is practically a campus institution and is close enough to UT that it makes an easy walk for students on the north and east sides of campus.

The menu is exactly what you want when you’re hungry and don’t want to spend a fortune.

Tacos.

Breakfast tacos.

Burritos.

Quesadillas.

Simple Tex-Mex.

And it’s fast.

That’s important when you have 45 minutes between classes and don’t want to spend half of that time waiting for food.

The biggest advantage of places like Taco Joint is that you don’t have to make lunch an event.

Sometimes lunch is just lunch.

Eat.

Go to class.

Move on.

DIRTY MARTIN’S IS A MUST

If you’re new to Austin, you need to experience Dirty Martin’s Place.

It’s not just a burger restaurant.

It’s part of UT history.

Located at 2808 Guadalupe Street, Dirty Martin’s has been serving generations of UT students and remains one of the classic college-area burger stops.

This is where you go when you want a burger, fries and a little bit of old Austin with your meal.

There are newer and trendier burger restaurants around town.

That’s not the point.

Dirty Martin’s has the history.

Your parents may have eaten there.

Their parents may have eaten there.

And if you’re going to spend four years at UT, you might as well have the experience.

THE CHEAPEST FOOD MAY ACTUALLY BE ON CAMPUS

Before you start spending money around Guadalupe, learn what UT already gives you.

Campus has multiple dining locations, including J2, Jester City Limits and Kins Dining.

The dining halls are buffet-style, which can make them particularly useful when you’re hungry and trying to stretch your food budget.

And if you have a meal plan, learn how it works.

Don’t treat your meal plan like an unlimited excuse to buy snacks and drinks every time you’re walking through campus.

Use it strategically.

Eat meals there when it makes financial sense.

Save your restaurant money for the times when you actually want to go out.

LEARN ABOUT BEVO PAY AND DINE-IN DOLLARS

This is another thing new students should understand early.

UT offers campus dining locations where Bevo Pay and Dine In Dollars can be used, depending on your plan.

Those dollars can be used at campus restaurants, coffee shops and other food locations.

The mistake is letting money sit unused because you didn’t understand where you could spend it.

Look at the campus dining map.

Figure out which locations are close to your classes.

Then use those options when you’re in a hurry.

BURRITO FACTORY IS A GOOD WEST CAMPUS OPTION

Burrito Factory in the Dobie food court is another place worth knowing.

It’s the kind of restaurant that makes sense for students because you’re not paying for a fancy dining room.

You’re getting a filling meal and getting back to your day.

It’s especially convenient if you’re already on Guadalupe or living in West Campus.

And that’s the real trick to eating cheaply around UT:

Convenience plus portions.

If you can get one meal that fills you up enough that you don’t need another $12 snack two hours later, you’ve already saved money.

CABO BOB’S IS THE MOVE WHEN YOU’RE REALLY HUNGRY

Cabo Bob’s on Rio Grande is another student-friendly option.

It’s a build-your-own Mexican restaurant where you can get burritos, tacos, bowls and other combinations.

The reason I like this type of restaurant for students is simple:

You control the meal.

If you’re starving, build something huge.

If you’re not that hungry, get something smaller.

And if you’re smart, you can turn one giant burrito or bowl into two meals.

That’s a major college-budget strategy.

PIZZA BY THE SLICE EXISTS FOR A REASON

Sometimes you don’t need a whole pizza.

You need one giant slice.

That’s where Roppolo’s Pizzeria on Guadalupe comes in.

It’s close to campus and designed for the kind of quick food run students make when they’re hungry but don’t want to sit down for an entire meal.

Pizza by the slice is also one of those foods that works perfectly with a student schedule.

Between classes?

Slice.

After studying?

Slice.

Late night?

Slice.

Friend says they’re hungry?

Slice.

You get the idea.

DON’T IGNORE THE FOOD COURTS

New students sometimes assume the food court is where you go only when you have no other option.

That’s a mistake.

The Dobie food court and other campus-adjacent food courts can be extremely useful when you need something fast and reasonably priced.

Oma’s Kitchen is one example.

The Korean restaurant in Dobie has developed a following for filling dishes such as bulgogi and kimchi jjigae and offers another option when you don’t want the usual burger-or-taco rotation.

This is especially important when you’re eating around campus five or six days a week.

You need variety.

Otherwise, by November you’ll be completely sick of whatever restaurant you picked during your first week.

JEFES STREET TACOS IS ANOTHER ONE TO KNOW

Food trucks can be some of the best student options because they generally don’t require the same overhead as a traditional restaurant.

Jefes Street Tacos near the University Co-op area is one of the campus-area options worth knowing.

It’s a simple concept.

Street tacos.

Quick service.

Easy to grab between classes.

And no need to turn lunch into a two-hour restaurant experience.

This is exactly the kind of place you should be looking for when you’re trying to eat around UT without spending your entire paycheck.

IF YOU WANT BURGERS, DON’T FORGET POSSE EAST

Posse East has been part of the UT area since 1971, and that’s a pretty good reason to put it on your freshman-year checklist.

It’s a classic college bar and grill with burgers, Tex-Mex food, sports on the TVs and a covered patio. It’s also within walking distance of campus.

The best thing about places like Posse East is that you can go there with a group and everybody can order something different.

Burger.

Chips and queso.

Tex-Mex.

Beer.

It’s casual.

Nobody cares what you’re wearing.

And it feels like a college bar rather than a restaurant designed for Instagram.

CROWN & ANCHOR IS ANOTHER MUST

If you’re looking for a classic college bar that doesn’t feel like a giant nightclub, Crown & Anchor Pub should be on your list.

It’s on San Jacinto near campus and has been a longtime UT-area hangout.

Burgers are the main attraction.

The atmosphere is casual.

And it has the kind of neighborhood-pub feel that is increasingly difficult to find around Austin.

This is a place where you can actually talk to your friends.

That’s important.

Not every night needs to be a giant party.

Sometimes you just want a burger and a beer.

MOCKINGBIRD SALOON FOR THE LOW-KEY NIGHT

Mockingbird Saloon is another campus-area option when you want drinks without necessarily going into full college-nightclub mode.

There are pool tables, darts, sports and the kind of casual atmosphere where a group can hang out without needing an elaborate plan.

And because it’s close to campus, you don’t have to spend $25 getting an Uber to somewhere downtown.

That’s one of the biggest student-budget secrets:

Stay close to campus.

CAIN & ABEL’S FOR THE COLLEGE-BAR EXPERIENCE

If you want the more traditional West Campus college-bar experience, Cain & Abel’s is one of the names you’re going to hear quickly.

It’s been a West Campus fixture for decades and is built around sports, drinks, college crowds and game-day energy.

This is where the atmosphere changes depending on the night.

A normal weekday can be relatively casual.

A football weekend can be completely different.

If you’re new to UT, go with friends and experience it.

Just remember that “cheap drinks” can stop being cheap when you order six of them.

THE HOLE IN THE WALL IS FOR MUSIC

If you want something that feels more Austin than generic college nightlife, go to The Hole in the Wall.

It’s been part of the Guadalupe scene for decades and has a strong connection to Austin’s live-music culture.

This is important for freshmen to understand:

Austin isn’t just about going to bars.

It’s about music.

You can walk from campus to a venue, hear a local band and have a completely different night than you would at a traditional college bar.

The Hole in the Wall is one of the places where you can get that experience.

DON’T SPEND $15 ON EVERY COCKTAIL

Here’s the biggest drinking-budget tip I can give you:

You don’t need to drink cocktails.

Beer is usually cheaper.

Happy hour is cheaper.

Drink specials are cheaper.

And water is free.

If you’re going out with friends, figure out what the specials are before you arrive.

A $4 beer and a $15 cocktail may both be alcohol, but your bank account knows the difference.

THE FRESHMAN BAR-CRAWL RULE

Don’t try to hit six bars in one night.

You don’t need to.

Pick two or three places.

Start somewhere cheap.

Eat.

Go somewhere with music.

Finish somewhere you actually enjoy.

The goal isn’t to drink as much as possible.

The goal is to have a good night.

LEARN THE HAPPY HOURS

This is one of the easiest ways to save money.

A lot of campus-area bars have specials during slower hours.

Don’t automatically go out at 10 p.m.

Sometimes going out at 5 or 6, getting food and taking advantage of happy hour is much cheaper.

Then, if you still want to go somewhere later, you’ve already eaten and aren’t spending money on overpriced late-night food.

THE BEST FRESHMAN FOOD STRATEGY

Here’s how I would structure a week.

Monday: Eat on campus.

Tuesday: Taco Joint.

Wednesday: Cook or use leftovers.

Thursday: Cheap burger or pizza.

Friday: Go out with friends.

Saturday: Football, tacos and a bar.

Sunday: Eat cheap and save your money.

You don’t have to eat out every day.

That’s how people run out of money.

YOUR DORM KITCHEN IS YOUR SECRET WEAPON

If you have access to a kitchen, use it.

Even if you’re terrible at cooking.

You don’t need to become a chef.

Breakfast can be cereal, eggs or oatmeal.

Lunch can be leftovers.

Dinner can be pasta, rice, chicken or tacos.

The goal isn’t to make restaurant-quality food.

The goal is to have something available so you aren’t buying food every time you get hungry.

UT itself recommends meal prepping, bringing your own water and snacks, using student discounts and taking advantage of campus resources as ways to control expenses.

DON’T BUY COFFEE EVERY MORNING

This one will destroy you slowly.

$5 doesn’t feel like much.

Five days a week is $25.

Four weeks is $100.

That’s $1,200 a year if you do it every week of the year.

Make coffee sometimes.

Buy coffee when you actually want the experience.

Don’t turn it into an automatic expense.

KEEP SNACKS IN YOUR BACKPACK

This sounds stupid until you’re sitting in a three-hour class and suddenly starving.

Then you walk into the nearest convenience store and spend $8 on chips, candy and a drink.

Keep something in your backpack.

Granola bar.

Protein bar.

Crackers.

Nuts.

Anything.

It’s not glamorous.

It’s cheap.

WATER IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

Get a reusable water bottle.

Austin is hot.

You’re walking across campus.

You’re going to sweat.

And buying bottled water every day is a completely unnecessary expense.

Bring your own.

Fill it up.

Save the money.

USE YOUR STUDENT ID

Always ask about student discounts.

UT specifically recommends taking advantage of student discounts and keeping your student ID with you.

You’d be surprised how often simply asking can save you money.

You don’t have to be embarrassed about it.

You’re a student.

Use the benefits that come with being a student.

THE REAL SECRET: WALK

One of the biggest advantages of being a UT student is that you live in one of the most walkable restaurant and bar areas in Austin.

Use it.

Walking saves money.

You don’t have to pay for parking.

You don’t have to pay for an Uber.

And you can discover places you would never notice from a car.

The Drag.

West Campus.

North University.

Hyde Park.

East Campus.

All of these areas are close enough to campus that exploring on foot can become part of your college experience.

IF YOU WANT TO SPLURGE, MAKE IT COUNT

You don’t have to live on $5 meals for four years.

That’s miserable.

Instead, choose when you want to spend money.

Save money during the week.

Then use the money you’ve saved for something you actually care about.

A great dinner.

A concert.

A football game.

A special birthday.

A night out with friends.

That’s much better than spending $15 every day on food you don’t even remember eating.

THE NEW STUDENT AUSTIN BUCKET LIST

Before your first semester is over, try these:

Eat at Taco Joint.

Have a burger at Dirty Martin’s.

Visit Posse East.

Get pizza by the slice.

Eat at a food truck.

Try Korean food at Oma’s.

Have a meal at Crown & Anchor.

See live music at Hole in the Wall.

Go to a football game.

Tailgate.

Watch a game at a campus-area bar.

Walk the Drag at night.

Explore West Campus.

Take a trip toward Hyde Park for food.

And find one restaurant that becomes your place.

Everybody has one.

THE BEST PART OF BEING A UT STUDENT

The best part isn’t finding the fanciest restaurant.

It’s finding the place nobody else knows about yet.

The taco truck where the owner recognizes you.

The burger place where your friends always meet.

The bar where you watch every football game.

The pizza place you visit after studying.

The coffee shop where you spend half your freshman year.

Those places become part of your college memories.

And years later, you’ll probably come back to Austin and still want to visit them.

THE BALLER ATX FRESHMAN RULES

Eat cheap during the week.

Save your money for weekends.

Use your meal plan strategically.

Learn the campus dining options.

Walk whenever possible.

Carry water.

Carry snacks.

Use your student ID.

Learn happy hours.

Don’t Uber everywhere.

Try local restaurants instead of only chains.

And don’t feel like you have to spend money to have a good time.

WELCOME TO AUSTIN

Being a new UT student isn’t just about figuring out your classes.

It’s about figuring out Austin.

You are surrounded by some of the city’s oldest restaurants, bars and music venues.

You have access to campus dining.

You have West Campus.

You have the Drag.

You have Hyde Park.

You have East Austin a short trip away.

And you have four years to explore it.

Don’t try to do everything your first month.

Start close to campus.

Find the cheap places.

Find the good places.

Find the places that become your places.

Because eventually you’re going to be a senior, and some freshman is going to ask you where they should eat.

And you’ll have your answer.

**Welcome to UT.

Now go find some tacos.**