10 Tips to Conquer Spring Break Without Going Broke
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

10 Tips to Conquer Spring Break Without Going Broke

You might be a broke college student, but that doesn't mean you can't have fun.

104
10 Tips to Conquer Spring Break Without Going Broke
Averie Woodard/Unsplash

1. Score Deals On Flights With Hopper

If you haven’t booked your flight already, download the Hopper app. It tells you when tickets will be the cheapest for your destination, without spamming you with ads or popups.

Hopper forecasts prices for tickets using an algorithm that analyzes tons of real-time flight prices, and sends you a notification when it’s time to buy at the lowest price.

2. Find The Cheapest Gas Price

The GasBuddy app is a must-have for road trips. It shows you all the gas prices near you, and can even help you plan the cost of your entire trip.

All the pricing information is crowdsourced in real time from other drivers, so you know the info is current. GasBuddy also tells you which gas station has the best service, cleanest bathrooms and most delicious coffee.

3. Book A Last-Minute Room With HotelTonight

When hotels have empty rooms, they load them onto this app at a deeply discounted rate. Maybe your Airbnb wasn’t as private as you expected, or maybe you prefer booking hotels last minute. Either way, download the HotelTonight app and book a room for the very same day.

While browsing local deals, I saw a popular beach resort for $153 per night, instead of the normal rate of $304. Even if you are good at planning, you can still use it to book a room about a week in advance. HotelTonight’s prices can be as low as half the normal price -- hotels would rather sell you a room for a super-low price than let it sit completely empty.

4. Earn Cash Back On Alcohol Purchases

Download Ibotta and earn cashback on alcohol you purchase, whether you’re buying a 12-pack from the grocery store or ordering a drink at the bar.

Last time I checked out deals for a local liquor store, Ibotta was offering $5 back if you purchased Absolut Vodka. For restaurants, they were giving $3 back on any pitcher of Budweiser or Bud Light. It’s not a ton of money, but it adds up. Especially when you’re on spring break.

5. Take Advantage Of Someone Else’s Costco Card

Have a friend or family member with a Costco card? Book your trip through Costco Travel. Yep, Costco actually has a travel planning site with discounted rates to some of the world’s top destinations.

Costco touts that its team of expert travel-buyers provide the best value on trips, the same way they do with the food stocked in their warehouses. You can use Costco Travel to book a hotel room, cruise, rental car or even an entire vacation package.

6. Score Student Discounts

Not only can you join student-specific travel sites like Student Universe for discounted airfare, but a ton of national restaurant chains offer student discounts.

Dunkin Donuts, Subway, Waffle House, Burger King and Taco Bell all offer 10% off for students. Note: make sure the location is participating in this discount.

7. Ditch The Plastic, Only Use Cash

Instead of mindlessly swiping your credit card and going into debt for every drink, meal and impulse buy, only allow yourself to use cash.

Before you go out, take however much cash you’re comfortable spending. When you see you’re running low on cash, it’s time to dial back the purchases. If you used your debit or credit card, you might not even realize how much you spent until you look at your bank account the next day and get hit with immediate regret.

8. Let A Robo-Advisor Tell You How Much You’ve Spent

If No. 7 just won’t work for you and you have to use a card, download a robo-advisor app such as Trim to keep track of what you’ve spent.

It can tell you how much you spent at Starbucks last week, and help you manage your money better overall.

9. Find Free Entertainment

This one might seem like a given, but it does require a bit of research beforehand if you really want to do it right. Look up nearby parks, free events you could attend and local museums to see if there’s a day without admission fees.

Knowing all the awesome free places and events going on upfront will help you plan your trip out and keep it budget-friendly. Plus, if you plan some free entertainment you’ll have more money to do other fun stuff.

10. Don’t Get Stuck With The Bill

Make sure you and all your friends download Splitwise. This app helps you keep better track of who owes who what, and will even send them reminders if they aren’t paid up. It’s a bit more involved than Venmo or Paypal, but for good reason.

Sometimes just splitting the bill four ways can be a little unfair -- you didn’t even want those mozzarella sticks anyways. If most of the bills you’re splitting involve food download Plates, which is also from Splitwise. This helps you split every part of the bill, including appetizers, tax and the tip.

Bonus: If you’re short on cash and need a little extra spending money, try these 11 ways to make money fast. Hopefully these tips will help you have an amazing spring break without going broke in the process.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

95391
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments