5 Tips to Save Money on School Break Trips

By Kailey Walters on October 2, 2018

Whenever the occasion arises to travel somewhere and do something fun during a school break, it’s best to take it. After all, you want to take advantage of any time you get off from school to relax and enjoy yourself.

There is any number of things you could spend your time doing over break — from traveling to another country to visiting friends at another college to simply sitting at home and treating yourself. No matter what you do, chances are that your plans are going to cost money, and it’s not always easy to find things for cheap.

If you really are itching to plan something but are worried about breaking the bank, don’t sweat it. There are plenty of ways you can plan something fun and memorable without depleting your wallet. Read on for some tips you can follow this upcoming break, or really at any time you’re in the mood to save some money!

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1. Travel with people you know.

If you’re planning to travel somewhere, it’s always a good idea to go with people you know. If you get together a group of friends and book a hotel or an Airbnb, the price will automatically drop for each person because you’ll all be splitting the cost. It’s a win-win situation for everyone!

Even better than booking a hotel or Airbnb for cheap is staying with someone you know. Maybe if you know someone — a friend, family member — who lives in a different state or country, jump on the chance to visit them. Not only do you get to spend time with them, but you also get to make a vacation out of it, explore the town or area where they live, and of course, have access to free housing.

2. Do your research and look for deals.

An important part of traveling is making sure you plan ahead and know what you’re doing. Sure, it’s fun to be spontaneous sometimes, but for the majority of your trip, it’s wise to have things planned out.

If you take the time beforehand to figure out where you’ll stay, what you’re doing, and how you’ll get around, you’ll most likely be able to save a lot more money than if you hadn’t planned it out. That’s because you’ll have the time to research everything and search for the best deals. You should especially keep an eye out for money-saving sites like restaurant.com, Groupon, and LivingSocial. Even if looking things up takes a little extra time and effort on your part, it’ll be worth it in helping you save a good deal of money and allowing you to have a smoother travel experience overall.

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3. Stick with cars and public transportation rather than planes.

If you are not going somewhere too far away, traveling by car or public transportation will probably be much less expensive than flying. Plane tickets often soar into the hundreds and even thousands of dollars depending on where you go, which makes traveling by some other means much cheaper. Even if going by public transportation (such as a bus or train) or by car is a bit less convenient and more time-consuming, the amount of money you save can make it worth it. Taking a road trip with a group of friends can also be a really memorable experience and make the entire trip that much more fun.

4. Bring plenty of snacks and even make your own food.

Understandably, a huge part of traveling is trying out new food that you don’t normally get to have — so maybe the last thing you want to do is spend time and effort making your own food and eating your own snacks.

The advantage of bringing your own food, however, is that it saves quite a bit of money. If you get hungry while traveling, bringing along a quick snack of your own is so much more cost-efficient than buying new snacks every time. And, if you are traveling with a large group of friends, it just might be a lot of fun to head to the grocery store together, grab some ingredients, and whip up a meal. That way, you’ll all be able to spend quality time with one another and enjoy a nice home-cooked meal in each other’s company.

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5. Stick to a budget and keep track of how much you’re spending.

Being aware of how much you’re spending on your trip is crucial if you want to make sure you’re saving. If you create a budget for yourself, you’ll have some guidelines you can follow, which will make it that much easier to keep track of what you’re spending your money on and how much you’re spending. Keeping track of this information in a spreadsheet or in an app is sure to be helpful in allowing you to stay organized.

When it comes to planning out your school break trips, it helps to be financially smart. Have fun and safe travels!

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