12 Budget-Friendly Ways to Save on Spring Break
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If you’re on a tight budget, planning a Spring Break vacation may seem impossible. However, using the 12 easy tips in this article, you can plan a budget Spring Break trip without worrying about overspending or breaking your financial plan for the rest of the year. Traveling doesn’t have to be expensive if you get creative, make a plan, and stick to your budget.
Drive to Your Destination
Do you live near the coast or the mountains? An epic, budget-friendly Spring break vacation may only be a drive away. If you live within a few hours of a beach, national park, ski area, or lake, fill up your gas tank and drive instead of paying for airfare. The price of a tank of gas won’t break your budget, and you can save money and feel a million miles away if you choose a destination close to home.
Make it a Road Trip
Instead of driving to a destination, make the drive itself into your Spring break vacation. Road trips are often more affordable than flying, especially if you travel in a group of friends and bring meals and snacks packed ahead of time. Plus, when you go on a road trip, you get to enjoy more than one destination during your budget vacation.
Book Airfare at the Proper Time
If you are planning to travel via airplane, book 54 days in advance. Airfare prices before and after this date will rise dramatically, so make sure you plan your budget Spring Break vacation well in advance. Did you already miss the 54-day mark? Keep your eyes open for last minute deals and one-day fare sales on airlines like Southwest. You can also opt to take Frontier or Spirit for a more affordable airfare, but be wary of extra costs for baggage, seat assignment, and food and drink.
Visit Family or Friends
If you have family or friends in a place you’d like to visit on your budget Spring break trip, ask if you can stay with them to avoid a pricey hotel bill. Hotel room rates are often higher at peak times for travel (like during Spring break week), so having free accommodations is a huge perk. Plus, you get to spend time with far away friends and family and you have built-in local tour guides.
Wait to Book Your Hotel
If you’re adventurous, don’t book your hotel in advance of traveling to your Spring break destination. Apps like HotelTonight can help you get budget room fares at the last minute. These apps can get these great deals because hotels are trying to fill their rooms each night and will drop their prices to do so. Though this is a great way to stay on a budget, make sure you have a backup plan. Hotels in popular destinations can sell out during heavy travel times like Spring break.
Apply Forgotten Discounts
When you’re booking your hotel room, make sure you look online for any deals or discounts that the hotel is running. If you’re a AAA member or military personnel, call your hotel to see if they have special discounts. Most hotels offer lower rates based on a variety of factors, and making a phone call to check them out is a small price to pay to save money on your budget Spring break vacation.
Travel Off the Beaten Path
We’ve all heard of the most popular and most notorious Spring Break destinations. Spots like Miami, South Beach, Los Angeles, and resorts in Mexico will raise their rates during Spring break because there is such a high demand for flights and hotels in these popular Spring break hubs. To save money and stay on budget for your Spring break vacation, check out destinations that are off the beaten path. There are many beautiful beaches that offer the same experience as more popular spots, but come with a cheaper price tag. Do your research online and read lots of visitor reviews to make sure you find the best place to travel to.
Carry Your Luggage On
If you’re traveling somewhere warm for your budget Spring break vacation, get creative while you’re packing so that you can carry your bag onto the plane, avoiding hefty baggage fees and saving your money to spend when you get to where you’re going. To save space in your suitcase, use the same item of clothing in multiple outfits, stick to a couple pairs of shoes, and roll your clothing instead of folding it. An added perk? You won’t have to stand at baggage claim waiting for your luggage once you get to your vacation spot.
Go to the Grocery Store
Once you’ve arrived at your Spring Break destination, check to see if your hotel room has a fridge and way to cook. If it does, go to the grocery store and plan out your meals for the duration of your trip. Eating out once or twice is fine, but cooking meals and making drinks will help you save money that you can spend elsewhere on your budget vacation. If you’re staying with a large group of family or friends at a vacation home, split the cost of groceries and meal prep between everyone to save even more.
Make Photos Your Souvenirs
To save money and keep your Spring Break vacation on-budget, opt out of buying souvenirs for yourself and your friends and family back home. Most souvenirs are cheaply made and not worth the price you’d pay for them, plus they’ll clutter your home. To remember your vacation, take a lot of photos of where you are, who you’re with, and what you’re doing. Then, when you get back home, you can print some of your photos out and frame them to share with family and friends. Spend your money enjoying your vacation, not shopping for souvenirs.
Scout Out Activity Deals Online
At your Spring break vacation destination, there are plenty of ways to enjoy yourself for free or next-to-free. For instance, laying on the beach, reading a book, and enjoying the sunshine will cost you nothing. Before you head out on your Spring break trip, check out sites like LivingSocial and Groupon to see if you can snag any deals on activities or meals that you wouldn’t be able to afford regularly.
Make it a Staycation Instead
If you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck and it’s just not possible to go on a Spring break vacation, treat yourself to a staycation instead. Give yourself a budget-friendly, stress-free week at home, full of activities that you would enjoy on a vacation like quiet reading time, bubble baths, sitting poolside, and drinking tropical drinks. Skipping paying for airfare and a hotel room will help you save money and allow you to pamper yourself at home.
If you need a little extra money to go on the Spring break vacation of your dreams, turn to CreditBox. We can get you the cash you need fast, so you can book your trip at the last minute. Just fill out our easy, quick, and secure online application today.
Drive to Your Destination
Do you live near the coast or the mountains? An epic, budget-friendly Spring break vacation may only be a drive away. If you live within a few hours of a beach, national park, ski area, or lake, fill up your gas tank and drive instead of paying for airfare. The price of a tank of gas won’t break your budget, and you can save money and feel a million miles away if you choose a destination close to home.
Make it a Road Trip
Instead of driving to a destination, make the drive itself into your Spring break vacation. Road trips are often more affordable than flying, especially if you travel in a group of friends and bring meals and snacks packed ahead of time. Plus, when you go on a road trip, you get to enjoy more than one destination during your budget vacation.
Book Airfare at the Proper Time
If you are planning to travel via airplane, book 54 days in advance. Airfare prices before and after this date will rise dramatically, so make sure you plan your budget Spring Break vacation well in advance. Did you already miss the 54-day mark? Keep your eyes open for last minute deals and one-day fare sales on airlines like Southwest. You can also opt to take Frontier or Spirit for a more affordable airfare, but be wary of extra costs for baggage, seat assignment, and food and drink.
Visit Family or Friends
If you have family or friends in a place you’d like to visit on your budget Spring break trip, ask if you can stay with them to avoid a pricey hotel bill. Hotel room rates are often higher at peak times for travel (like during Spring break week), so having free accommodations is a huge perk. Plus, you get to spend time with far away friends and family and you have built-in local tour guides.
Wait to Book Your Hotel
If you’re adventurous, don’t book your hotel in advance of traveling to your Spring break destination. Apps like HotelTonight can help you get budget room fares at the last minute. These apps can get these great deals because hotels are trying to fill their rooms each night and will drop their prices to do so. Though this is a great way to stay on a budget, make sure you have a backup plan. Hotels in popular destinations can sell out during heavy travel times like Spring break.
Apply Forgotten Discounts
When you’re booking your hotel room, make sure you look online for any deals or discounts that the hotel is running. If you’re a AAA member or military personnel, call your hotel to see if they have special discounts. Most hotels offer lower rates based on a variety of factors, and making a phone call to check them out is a small price to pay to save money on your budget Spring break vacation.
Travel Off the Beaten Path
We’ve all heard of the most popular and most notorious Spring Break destinations. Spots like Miami, South Beach, Los Angeles, and resorts in Mexico will raise their rates during Spring break because there is such a high demand for flights and hotels in these popular Spring break hubs. To save money and stay on budget for your Spring break vacation, check out destinations that are off the beaten path. There are many beautiful beaches that offer the same experience as more popular spots, but come with a cheaper price tag. Do your research online and read lots of visitor reviews to make sure you find the best place to travel to.
Carry Your Luggage On
If you’re traveling somewhere warm for your budget Spring break vacation, get creative while you’re packing so that you can carry your bag onto the plane, avoiding hefty baggage fees and saving your money to spend when you get to where you’re going. To save space in your suitcase, use the same item of clothing in multiple outfits, stick to a couple pairs of shoes, and roll your clothing instead of folding it. An added perk? You won’t have to stand at baggage claim waiting for your luggage once you get to your vacation spot.
Go to the Grocery Store
Once you’ve arrived at your Spring Break destination, check to see if your hotel room has a fridge and way to cook. If it does, go to the grocery store and plan out your meals for the duration of your trip. Eating out once or twice is fine, but cooking meals and making drinks will help you save money that you can spend elsewhere on your budget vacation. If you’re staying with a large group of family or friends at a vacation home, split the cost of groceries and meal prep between everyone to save even more.
Make Photos Your Souvenirs
To save money and keep your Spring Break vacation on-budget, opt out of buying souvenirs for yourself and your friends and family back home. Most souvenirs are cheaply made and not worth the price you’d pay for them, plus they’ll clutter your home. To remember your vacation, take a lot of photos of where you are, who you’re with, and what you’re doing. Then, when you get back home, you can print some of your photos out and frame them to share with family and friends. Spend your money enjoying your vacation, not shopping for souvenirs.
Scout Out Activity Deals Online
At your Spring break vacation destination, there are plenty of ways to enjoy yourself for free or next-to-free. For instance, laying on the beach, reading a book, and enjoying the sunshine will cost you nothing. Before you head out on your Spring break trip, check out sites like LivingSocial and Groupon to see if you can snag any deals on activities or meals that you wouldn’t be able to afford regularly.
Make it a Staycation Instead
If you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck and it’s just not possible to go on a Spring break vacation, treat yourself to a staycation instead. Give yourself a budget-friendly, stress-free week at home, full of activities that you would enjoy on a vacation like quiet reading time, bubble baths, sitting poolside, and drinking tropical drinks. Skipping paying for airfare and a hotel room will help you save money and allow you to pamper yourself at home.
If you need a little extra money to go on the Spring break vacation of your dreams, turn to CreditBox. We can get you the cash you need fast, so you can book your trip at the last minute. Just fill out our easy, quick, and secure online application today.
