UT grad student...car or no car? (Austin: co-op, buying)

[Tobedetermined]

I'm moving to Austin in August and I'm trying to decide whether to buy a car or not. I will live pretty close to campus (about 1 mile), but I don't know if there is anywhere to buy cheap fresh food (fruits and vegetables) around campus. I don't know much about the campus but if it only has overpriced student-type grocery stores then I will probably have to go somewhere else to buy food (I cook at home). Any advice will be much appreciated!!

[TexasHorseLady]

There's an HEB not all that far from campus, on 45th and Red River, I believe it is. You might want to do a mapquest from where you're going to live to that HEB and see how far it is for you. There's also a Fiesta just across IH35 from that HEB.

[mwv]

Wheatsville Co-op isn't cheap but if you can get there on a bike /w basket it's cheaper than having a car and going to a cheaper grocery store.

Where more precisely will you be living? There may be other options.

[Tobedetermined]

I checked out the HEB website before, but it seemed like mostly they had stuff about their deli. Do they sell fruits and veggies at reasonable prices?

[TexasHorseLady]

What's really sad is that back in the day, Wheatsville started out as an actual co-op (you had to put in your work hours in order to buy food at Wheatville), as a way to be able to buy good food cheap.

[Tobedetermined]

Originally Posted by mwv

Where more precisely will you be living? There may be other options.

I will live around 31st and Whitis.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by Tobedetermined

I checked out the HEB website before, but it seemed like mostly they had stuff about their deli. Do they sell fruits and veggies at reasonable prices?

They're a regular grocery store. They have (at least the ones that I go to, they're all over) a pretty good selection of fruits and vegetables at normal prices.

You can also, if you have a bicycle, go to the Austin Farmer's Market at the Triangle for fruits and vegetables. That's over near where Lamar and Guadalupe converge, north of campus. Or if the mile you're living from campus is in the other direction, you could go to the Austin Farmer's Market downtown at 4th and Guadalupe. Different days and hours.

[mwv]

Originally Posted by Tobedetermined

I will live around 31st and Whitis.

Yes, well this is actually within walking distance of Wheatsville. It's expensive but if the main reason you'll be buying a car is for groceries, you'll come out ahead by just shopping there.

Also, parking is a nightmare.

[TexasHorseLady]

Okay, 31st and Whitis, for fruits and veggies, you could go to the 4th and Guadalupe Farmer's Market pretty easily. You also might want to check out the bus routes - I believe that the student busline goes by the HEB on 4th/Red River. You WILL be within walking distance of Wheatsville, but it's going to be across campus and several blocks further on down Guadalupe to get there. Again, Mapquest is your friend, and a bike might not be a bad investment.

[calel]

As a UT student, you will have free access to the Cap Metro bus system. You can go anywhere if you're willing to hop on a few buses. Walking distance-wise, there's Central Market (38th and Lamar...it's doable on foot or by bike) and Wheatsville.