Mess management questions, answered

Short, specific answers to the questions people ask about running a bachelor mess, student hostel or shared flat in Bangladesh, and about Mess Ledger itself. Pick a topic, or use your browser's find to search a page.

546 questions

• About Mess Ledger, and the basics of a mess

  36 questions

  • What is Mess Ledger?
  • What is মেস খাতা, and is it the same as Mess Ledger?
  • Is Mess Ledger legit and safe to use?
  • Who is Mess Ledger made for?

• Meal rate and meal counting, answered

  38 questions

  • Why is the bazar divided by meals instead of split equally per head?
  • How do I calculate the meal rate for my mess?
  • How do I work out each member’s food cost from the meal rate?
  • How do you count total meals in a mess for the month?

• Mess bazar questions, answered

  36 questions

  • Who should do the bazar in a mess?
  • How do I make a bazar duty rota for my mess?
  • How many days should one person’s bazar turn last?
  • What happens if the person on bazar duty can’t go that day?

• Rent and bills in a mess

  36 questions

  • How do you split rent by room size in a mess?
  • Should a room with an attached bathroom or balcony pay more rent?
  • How do we split electricity from a prepaid meter in a mess?
  • How do you use a sub-meter to divide the electricity bill between rooms?

• Month-end mess settlement questions

  36 questions

  • How is each member's balance calculated at the end of the month in a mess?
  • What does a negative balance mean in the mess hisab?
  • My balance is positive. Does the mess owe me money?
  • Who pays whom when the mess month is settled?

• Mess deposits and payments

  36 questions

  • How much should each member deposit at the start of the month?
  • Why do messes collect an advance deposit instead of splitting costs at month end?
  • What date should mess deposits be due each month?
  • How do I send my mess deposit to the manager by bKash?

• Being the mess manager: questions and answers

  36 questions

  • What does a mess manager actually do on a normal day?
  • How many hours a week does it take to manage a mess?
  • How should a mess choose its manager?
  • Should the mess manager change every month?

• Mess rules and daily life

  36 questions

  • What rules should a bachelor mess have?
  • How do you get every member to actually follow the mess rules?
  • What is a fair notice time for turning off a meal in a mess?
  • Can a member change their meal after the cutoff time has passed?

• Hostel, hall dining and student budget questions

  36 questions

  • Hall dining vs canteen vs private mess: which is cheaper for a student in Bangladesh?
  • How does hall dining work in a Bangladeshi public university?
  • How should a student dining committee keep its accounts?
  • Should the dining cook’s salary go into the meal rate or be charged separately?

• Finding a mess seat or room

  36 questions

  • Where can I find a mess seat in Dhaka?
  • How do I search for a mess on the Mess Ledger finder?
  • Is the mess finder free, and do I need to sign up to browse?
  • Are Facebook groups a good way to find a mess?

• Saving money in a mess

  36 questions

  • How can we lower the meal rate in our mess?
  • Why did our meal rate go up when we spent the same on bazar?
  • Is buying from a wholesale or kacha bazar really cheaper for a mess?
  • Should a mess buy rice by the sack instead of by the kilo?

• Getting started with Mess Ledger

  36 questions

  • How do I sign up for Mess Ledger?
  • How do I create a new mess after signing up?
  • What should I name my mess, and can I change the name later?
  • Where do I find my mess's invite code and how should I share it?

• How Mess Ledger features work

  38 questions

  • How do I set a standing meal plan in Mess Ledger?
  • What happens to earlier days when I change my meal plan in the middle of the month?
  • Does a meal I record for a day override my standing plan?
  • How do I mark myself away for two weeks in Mess Ledger?

• Pricing, privacy and security

  36 questions

  • Is Mess Ledger really free or is there a catch?
  • Will Mess Ledger start charging money later?
  • Why is Mess Ledger free when other mess apps charge?
  • Does Mess Ledger show ads?

• Comparing mess apps and alternatives

  38 questions

  • What is the difference between Mess Ledger and the Mess Manager app?
  • Is there an alternative to the Mess Manager app where I don’t have to watch ads to edit?
  • How do I move my mess from Mess Manager to Mess Ledger?
  • Mess Ledger or Mess Mate: which one should my mess use?