After a very long winter you’ve finally earned the right to party in the sun and forget about all of your troubles. However, working out a schedule for Spring Break on a budget can be a huge chore that takes up way too much time and forces you to feel even more stressed. There’s a lot of ways that you can stick to your Spring Break dreams without actually forcing yourself to lose a whole lot of money in the process. There’s a lot of ways to cut down on the cost of your Spring Break vacation without forcing you to cut down on the amount of fun you get to have. Although you might not end up with your dream vacation you’ll still have a blast without forcing you to work extra shifts afterward.
1. Fly During the Week
If you can plan on starting you Spring Break adventure a little bit or a little bit late then you might be in for some huge savings. Usually flying is a whole lot cheaper if you can find a flight that leaves during the week. This might mean taking off a little bit early on Thursday or simply waiting until the first Monday of Spring Break to leave. This might take a little bit of juggling on your part, but leaving during the week might mean you’ll have a lot more freedom to enjoy your holiday without tight budget constrictions. Leaving later in the week is usually better as it will allow you to enjoy yourself for a few days and come back to rest up for work and school the following week. The fewer days you spend gone the less you’re likely to spend as much money. So plan on booking your flight early and for a day of the week.
2. Location
Everyone has their dream vacation which usually includes traveling to foreign destinations or spending time with other co-eds on the beach. This isn’t always a feasible plan though. Instead of choosing popular destinations or traveling out of country you may want to consider a location that isn’t as popular. Usually smaller beaches don’t cost as much to travel to. You’ll end up paying less for the hotel, food and anything else you might need while on the trip. If the beach isn’t really your thing then you might want to consider a camping trip. This will give you a chance to enjoy some quality and quiet time with friends without having to worry about the huge price tag. You’ll also be able to save money as you won’t be able to spend on restaurants or attractions.
3. Buy Groceries
Going out to eat while you’re on vacation is one of the easiest things in the world to do. Unfortunately, it can also be one of the most expensive things to do. Instead of going out to eat for every meal of your trip trying going and out and buying some actual groceries. If you’re going to be gone for an entire week then it might be a good idea to grab some simple items for breakfasts and lunch. You can whip together some sandwiches or have a bowl of cereal before you go out to the party. If you plan on spending a lot of time on the beach then try grabbing some fruit and other simple items to eat as this will ensure you won’t want to waste money at the concession stands. You should also consider buying bottles of water and other beverages that you might want while you’re in the sun. If you have to go out for a meal try venturing out for an early dinner, but try to keep from eating out more than once a day. This will ensure you have a bit more money to splurge on other things.
4. Hostels
Although it might not be the glamorous getaway you’re looking for, staying in a hostel can really save you a whole lot of money. Hostels are designed to help young people travel for a whole lot less, so take advantage of their services. Most hostels offer plenty of room for your clothes, a comfortable place to sleep and areas to shower and eat. You might not have as much privacy as you’d like, but you won’t be spending a lot of time hanging out at the hostel. One of the best things about staying at a hostel is you’ll meet plenty of new people. This will help you find and gain access to some exciting parties while also creating friendships with people you never would have met before. More importantly, hostels are incredibly cheap and will beat out the price of any hotel or motel you’re considering.
5. Go for the Discount
The last thing on your mind during Spring Break is probably you’re school’s ID card, however it should be. Your student ID card is your ticket to a world of discounts that you would have never though possible. It doesn’t matter if you’re studying in the area or in a foreign country as most places of business will give you a discount just for being a student. If you’re not a student then fret not. You might be able to find some amazing discounts with a military ID card or some club memberships. These discounts can get you into movies for cheaper and also might gain you access to some exciting museums and amusement parks for free to a discounted price. Don’t be afraid to ask everywhere you go if they offer this discount as many places will instill the policy just in time for Spring Break business. You might even get lucky and find free access to a club or a great discount on a meal.
6. Hit the Road
Nothing says good times like a road trip with your closest friends. It doesn’t matter if you’re heading to your preferred Spring Break destination or you just want to check out new places while you have the free time. With a road trip you’ll be in control of how much fun you have during your break. If you find your chosen destination boring or too crowded you can always turn around and check out a hidden beach or somewhere you’d never thought to go before. Road trips are also great because they tend to be a bit cheaper than flying, especially if you’re traveling with a few people. The more people you have with you the more ways you can split the gas and hotel expenses. You may find that your road trip leads you to find some amazing little nooks in the country which will give you a sense of freedom and accomplishment when you go back to your everyday life.
7. Drinks
It wouldn’t be Spring Break without the drinks, if you’re of age. However, buying drinks can be a pretty big downfall when you’re living on a budget. The average price of a drink at a bar can cost you as much as an entire meal and that’s before the prices rise for the Spring Break crowd. Instead of going out to a bar or club to enjoy some drinks you may want to check out the price of beverages at the local grocery store or alcohol store. It might be a lot more frugal to buy drinks in bulk and split the cost with your friends. Of course, going out for Spring Break is sometimes unavoidable, especially if your friends just won’t take no for an answer. So, if you do find yourself looking to buy a drink in a restaurant, bar or club you should always look for the items that are on tap and stay away from mixed drinks. This will save you a little bit of money so you won’t have to worry about spending midway through the trip.
8. Visit Family
If your Spring Break plans still aren’t secured you may want to consider taking a trip to see some family. Sometimes our relatives live in the coolest places, so a quick trip to catch up might be just what you need this Spring Break. The best thing about visiting family is you tend not to have to pay for hotels or as much food, which helps a whole lot on your budget. You also know a little bit more about the city or town you’re visiting so you’ll be able to hit up your favorite spots without spending hours running around aimlessly. This trip will also allow you to share some stories with family an find out what everyone has been up to. This can be pretty rewarding and might even leave you feeling refreshed for your return back to the real world.
9. Plan Ahead
One of the major problem with a lot of Spring Break trips is the lack of planning that goes into them. Usually people are satisfied to have their flight and hotel taken care of that they absolutely forget to do a little more planning. This is all fine and dandy until you arrive at your hotel and realize you don’t know what to do. Roaming around free and checking things out can be a whole lot of fun. On the other hand, you might miss out on some pretty big events while your wandering the streets looking for the beach. Instead of just winging it, try doing a little extra research about the area you’ll be in. You may come up with some exciting concerts, fun fairs or other special events that will make your vacation so much better. If this is the case then you may even be able to save more money by purchasing the tickets ahead of time online. A lot of venues prefer this method and provide reduced prices for customers who think ahead. Typically research doesn’t take a whole lot of time to do as most big events are posted on a community page or your destination’s social media page. So, don’t miss out on the action because you forgot to do some research.
10. Stay Home
If all else fails you could always stay home and catch up on some you time before you have to get back to the everyday grind. Staying home certainly means spending less money, especially if you find ways to entertain yourself for free. Try asking around to see if anyone is holding parties during the break, or if there’s any major events going on in your area. One of the more relaxing ways to enjoy the break is to sit down and catch up on your shows or movies that you haven’t had a chance to see because of work and school. You might even learn to cook a new dish or two instead of going out to eat. Of course, one of the best things about staying home for the break is you can finish up all of those nasty assignments your professors conveniently assigned on the last day off class. This can make easing into finals a whole lot easier for you.
Spring Break certainly means different things to different people. With these easy tips you should be able to find the relaxing trip you need without trying to scrape up the cash to get there. Afterall, Spring Break is designed to help you have some fun in the warmer weather. It isn’t here to force you to stress over finances and all of the problems that accumulated over the winter. So, stop and breathe and find the best way to provide yourself with the best vacation at a price that won’t leave you hurting at the week’s end.
