It’s SPRIIIIING BREEEEAK!!! And you’re home. Because you couldn’t afford the trip. And it sucks.
I’ve been there. Trust me, I’ve been there. This is my senior year and honestly my first “real” spring break vacation. I’ve gone on small trips a couple times, but this year I went big. Las Vegas big. So let me tell you how I did it so that you can start prepping for summer vaca or maybe even get a head start on Spring Break 2020.
Tip 1: Start early.
I knew that I wanted to go on a good spring break trip for my senior year, but I didn’t know where I was going. I knew that I’d need money, though. I didn’t let the ambiguous state of my vacation deter me from saving. I started in Summer 2018 so that I would have plenty of time to gradually save and I won’t have to start penny-pinching come February. Keep in mind I was making a whopping $12 an hour over the summer, so if I can do it, you can do it.
Tip 2: Sharing is caring.
I went to Vegas with my boyfriend, best friend, and her boyfriend. Every 20-something loves alone time with their S.O., but come on, we aren’t MILLIONAIRES. Split the room 4 ways and you’ll make do. A $500 hotel bill ended up costing us less than $150 a person, which sounds like a bargain to me.
Tip 3: Speaking of hotels… You’re only using it to shower and sleep.
Vegas is the perfect example for this one. You have The Flamingo, where I stayed, which cost us about $500 for a 5-night stay, which is pretty cheap. But it’s still a hotel, and there were definitely cheaper options. Explore hostels, motels, and AirBNB’s because it’s literally just a place you’re showering and sleeping. There’s no reason to shell out a couple hundred a night for a luxurious hotel like The Cosmopolitan or The Wynn, especially when you’re balling on a budget.
Tip 4: This isn’t a foodie tour.
I’m a huge foodie. I have gone to restaurants just for the ‘gram, Yelp is my most used iPhone app, etc. But I’m also not trying to break the bank, so I avoid the beautiful $100 brunches because I know I can eat a hearty breakfast at my hotel’s Mexican restaurant ($5 margs at breakfast and scrambled eggs, yes please). Get your Instagram food photo somewhere cheaper, like In-and-Out (we don’t see those in New York, and burgers are like $3!).
Tip 5: Know your amenities.
If you do end up staying at a hotel, know your amenities! Some resort hotels has all-inclusive options which can save you tons of money on food and drinks. There are gyms, spas, and pools that you can use for free, and sometimes even shows or restaurants that you can get discounts at. Talk to your concierge or check out the website to learn more about the amenities that are a part of your stay. I was able to go to pools that were in my hotel’s network for free, which got me into a ton of parties for FREE!!!
There are 5 tips for you, and I hope they help! Vacation doesn’t have to be a huge expense. My hotel was about $120 a person, airfare was $233 (bonus tip: use Google Flights to track your flights for the lowest price!). That’s less than $400 for the necessities, which you can easily save in a few months if you plan it right – I’ll post soon about how to stealthily save. Then all you need to spend money on when you get there is food, drinks, and activities. Balling. On. A. Budget.
Talk to you all soon – let me know in the comments where you plan on traveling next!