Standing helplessly in front of a vending machine that has just taken your money without giving you anything in return is a helpless feeling—and one best avoided if you know what to do.

The vending machine at ILA has been occasionally known to take money without providing the product that was paid for. And most of the time it is because the vending machine is out of the particular selected item.

A good way to avoid losing your money is to first press the button of the item you want to buy in order to make sure it is not sold out before you put money in. The vending machine is filled up once a month, so it would be good to check the screen to see if it is out of that item. If the item is out, the screen will either say “sold out” or it will display the price.

Like with any vending machine if you put money in and the item is out, you might not get your money back. And if you don’t want to risk it, the best way is avoid such disappointment is to bring your own drinks.

When asked about using the vending machine, Tamara McGuire, the ILA Director, encouraged students to bring their own.

“I would highly recommend that students bring their own drinks from home. [It will] save money and time.”

If you do decide to buy a drink, the vending machine accepts cash or credit cards.