Only a few more days before spring break! If you’re worried about spending too much money: you’ll be okay and I’ll share with you why. Here are my best 10 spring break budget tips for college students!
Check out these other popular posts about budgeting:
Here are 10 spring break budget tips for college students!
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1. Set a Budget
Setting a budget is the most important thing to get done! You need to know how much you need to save, in order to make a good plan for it.
If you are not sure how much your trip will cost, make an estimate, and go a little higher rather than lower to make sure you have enough when you’re on the road.
If you don’t know how to set a budget, refer to my previous budgeting post here.
Since this is a little different than setting regular budgets though, here is how I’d approach this:
Add the following costs:
- Plane tickets/transportation
- Accommodation costs
- Daily food consumption cost estimate
- Local paid activities
- Spending money (take the amount you usually spend in the same timeframe at home)
Leave yourself a little room for improvisation so you can do something spontaneous too. (add a few bucks- or round up to your total)
2. Keep Track of Your Savings
Keeping track of your money is one of the most important things you can do to save as much money as you can.
You can either keep track of your savings online or on paper. I personally like to write it into my planner that I use daily. For example, you can make a spreadsheet and fill in the amount you have in the account/envelope each month.
Or, you make yourself (or download) a tracker to color in the amount you saved up. I personally do both, so I write down the amount each month, but I also color in a box when I reach certain amounts.
3. Use Cashback Sites
Cashback sites are your best friend when it comes to saving money in your day-to-day life.
Whenever you wanna buy something, check Swagbucks if they partner with the online shop, to get a discount or cashback on your purchase.
4. Cut Back on Your Expenses
If you are tight on money, see what you could cut back on.
Sure, shopping sounds fun for your break, but I’m sure you have plenty of spring and summer clothes. And if not, consider a visit to the thrift store!
You can also save money by not buying Starbucks coffee every morning and cooking your own food!
5. Go with a group
By going with more people, you can split the cost of gas if you drive, and share rooms and apartments. You save so much money that way!
Speaking of apartments, get $40 off your first stay at Airbnb with my link!
If I was going on my trip with only one other person instead of my group of friends, I would need to spend sooo much more money!
6. Make your own food
Making your own food in a rented apartment for the week can save you quite a lot of money.
Sure, you can go out and taste some local food, but if you’re tight on money it’s a good alternative.
7. Find the local spots
Speaking of spring break budget tips and food, try to figure out where locals go!
It’s a good strategy to find the cheapest and best food places, as well as spots to see the sunset for example.
8. Alternate transportation
Here are a few ideas that can save you money (and reduce your carbon footprint that pollutes the air:)):
- Share a car with others
- Take a bus -it might take a little longer than flying but it’s much cheaper
- Take the train for a scenic ride
- Consider how you’ll get around in the place where you’re going
9. Do Some Side Hustles
Side hustles are great money-makers! Even if you won’t make thousands of dollars, consider these ideas as a way to save for trips in advance or make some money while traveling (lots of time in the car!).
Here are a couple of posts I wrote on making money:
- 15+ Ways to Make Money as a Student
- 12 Websites that pay $20/hour to Students
- How to start a Blog as a Student
- Free Blogging Course for Students
10. Free activities
I’m sure that wherever you’re going, there are free things to do!
Sightseeing can be done on foot or bikes, museums have free entrance days, and the beach and hiking parks are free too.
Having fun doesn’t mean it has to be expensive.
You can google “free things to do in (insert city)” and you’ll find some good things!
How will you save money on spring break?
These were my 10 spring break budget tips for college students! What works best for me is to set the budget in the first place and cut down my costs for other areas in my life around spring break time.
Don’t forget to check out these posts for more ideas and tips:
- The ultimate budgeting guide for students
- How to save money for summer vacation
- Spring break ideas for college students
I hope these tips helped you save some money on your trip!
Until soon,
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