Student Budget Meals in the OC

All right, so you're entering your first year of college with $20,000 loans and a broken down bike that you managed to buy with your lawn-mowing career in high school. Everything is accounted for with money and you start learning the horrible truth that nothing is free (despite what they say in the ads). Your mouth is chafing, your stomach is growling, and you have no idea how in the world you're going to eat with just $3!!!

Well, if you live or go to school near Westminster, Cypress, Anaheim, Garden Grow and surround areas, you're in luck! There actually are a few places where you can get your grubs without getting pocketitis (condition where your pocket turns up empty)

Pho Quyen: OK, this is a Vietnamese place. There's a term in Vietnamese called "pointing meal" where you point at the food and that's what you get. It's a food-to-go place that's fast on service. There's fried rice, grilled pork, meatballs, egg rolls, soups, stir fry, etc., each item costing about $1.25 each. I usually get full with fried rice, stir fry (veggies and beef) and soup, which total to under $4.50. Pho Quyen is on the corner of Westminster and Golden West, just off the 405 S exiting Golden West.

Miyako: Located on Magnolia between Ball and Orange in Anaheim, this is my favorite spot for cheap sushi that put an emphasis on quality. Unlike that unforgiving bundles from Todai, this is sushi for your money's worth. 8 pieces of California Rolls for 4.99, Adegashi Tofu with Tempura dipping sauce for 3.99 made me stuffed. This is considered luxury food for a night that I want to indulge myself. I usually end up paying less than $10.

King's Burgers: This burger joint is at the corner of Dale and Lincoln. Classic Burger place packed with mouth watering food items like Teriyaki Chicken Burgers, Quarter Pounders, Chili Fries, etc. The price is a little hefty, but you can't really complain because they serve burgers, unlike whatever it is available at McDonald's. The only set back is that their food is cluttered with oils and fat, so if you're watching your figure, you shouldn't venture here.

Tips: If you prefer to cook at home, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT go to supermarkets like Albert-son's or Wal-Mart. Instead, go to ethnic stores. The food there is 60-70 percent cheaper. If you think those stores are filled with stuff you would not consider clean, well, that's why you read the labels first. For example, bell peppers is 30 cents a pound at ABC supermarket, on Magnolia and Bolsa, and 99 cents a pound in Albert-son's. The ones in ABC don't actually look as aesthetic as the ones in Albert-son's, meaning it might look crooked a little, but the quality is the same. Here are some addresses for Vietnamese supermarkets, which I guarantee you, will save you a magnificent reduction in food spending.

ABC Supermarkets: Magnolia and Bolsa, Westminster city

Dalat Supermarket: Euclid and Garden Grove

You will actually find amusing surprises within these stores. They have everything, from pots, pans, to incense, plastic tubing, to milk, alcohols, to meat, poultry, seafood, to things that you have to find out for yourself. If you choose to have an open mind, I think you will have a great experience.

Finally, the best way to save money is to have a salad for lunch everyday. Salads are cheap and healthy, saves you money on gas because it does not require any cooking and you can prepare in under 2 minutes. College is hard, and the whole experience is to save money and enjoy life as much as possible.