Trying to plan your Spring Break vacation without breaking the bank? Scroll to find out how to save money on a Spring Break vacation without sacrificing fun and family memories!
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How to Save Money on a Spring Break Vacation
Spring Break is always a hectic time for most of us. It is one of those much-anticipated vacations that families look forward to as they battle the cold and dreary winter. There are a lot of things to do and a lot of plans to make.
As we try to maximize this break with loads of exciting things, it’s easy to go over our budgets. There are ways to keep expenses on a Spring Break low without having to compromise on the fun activities you want to do. We need to plan well for this, and stick to the plan we make.
Let me highlight some of the ways you can save money on Spring Break.
How to Save Money on Expenses
The purchases we make on (and before) Spring Break can easily exceed the budgets we have, if we are not careful.
There is so much to buy. I’m always tempted to get at least one new swimsuit, a fun travel bag, a sun hat, new shoes, and books to read by the pool.
And during the trip, we’re tempted by impulse purchases at boutique shops and museum gift shops. To save money on these purchases, you should always make sure that you work with a budget.
The budget should be realistic to cover the important expenses you will have during this period. Make a note of how much your housing is, food costs, gas, rental cars, etc.
A budget will keep you on track and prevent you from overspending.
One way you can save some money is to bring snacks, diapers, beach toys, pool floaties, etc from home. Carrying your stuff from home can save you quite substantial amounts.
And if you want to go online during your trip, you can look for places that have free Wi-Fi.
How to Save Money on Spring Break Entertainment
You can still have fun without having to break the bank. You just need to know where to look.
Scout around for concerts, free festivals and other outdoor activities that promise fun without asking too much in return, financially. Most cities have online event calendars where they post things like this.
Arches National Park
National Parks are an amazing place to visit in this Spring Break. Most of them do not charge entry fees. You can go hiking or exploring nature trails and other outdoor activities in these parks.
The beach is also a good place to take scenic walks or to hang out all day building sand castles or relaxing. You can bring your own food and spend the entire day there on a budget.
Avoid tourist traps because they are very expensive. Or if you must, just pick one “touristy” thing to do and balance it with free things.
Ways to Save Money on Food and Water for your Spring Break
You will need food and water when you go for Spring Break. This is one expense that can eat heavily into your budget.
Plan well for the food and water you will be having during your break. A tip here is to cook food for yourselves, instead of buying cooked meals from the restaurants. This is easy to do if you are in a rental home or condo. You will be able to save a lot of money this way.
Cooking food saves money.
And if you do eat out at restaurants, consider splitting meals to save money. You can order food “family style” and share with the kids instead of purchases individual kids meals for them. Or get an appetizer and an entree and share (instead of ordering 2 entrees.)
Bringing your own reusable water bottle is a great way to save money on bottled water. I like using our Hydro Flask because it keeps our water COLD. And you can always bring flavor packets if you get tired of plain water.
If you do decide to buy drinking water, do so in bulk. It’s much cheaper to purchase a case compared to a single bottle. Plan for what you will need for the duration and buy everything in bulk and wholesale.
Bake snacks at home and pack them for the journey. Cookies, Chex Mix, banana bread, muffins, etc are easy to make and can save a lot of money during your trip. Snacks in tourist areas tend to be very expensive.
Save Money on Gas and How You Travel
Traveling is another expense that you need to take into consideration during your Spring Break.
How do you plan to get to your destination? You can either choose to drive or fly.
Flying is much more expensive than driving, especially if you are not going too far from home for Spring Break. And with each kid you’re taking, that number keeps going up.
You can save considerable amounts by using your car to get to your destination, even more so if you plan on driving around once you get there.
Pack everything into your car and drive.
If you decide to fly, you might be forced to rent a car for exploring around and getting to your hotel when you land. This could be expensive. Driving your car saves money.
Plus, you can pack large items (like bikes, wagons, camping gear) so you’ll have lots of options for free/cheap things to do once you get there.
You can also save some money through gas reward programs. Check online to know which gas stations offer these reward programs.
The GasBuddy app can also be useful in giving you rebates for fueling. It shows you which gas stations are near you or along your journey.
If you choose to drive, try to avoid refueling at gas stations you find along the highways, unless it is necessary. Their gas prices are usually higher than in other gas stations.
Beware of traffic rules and regulations of the places you pass through. Violating these laws could be very expensive. Use Google maps to guide you if you are going to places you are not familiar with.
Also, be on the lookout for toll booths. Toll booths eat into your budget. Find ways to go around them without deviating too far from your original route.
How to Save Money on Spring Break Hotels
Try to save some money on accommodations when you go on Spring Break. This is especially easy if you are traveling with another family or a large group. There are a lot of affordable accommodation options wherever you go.
If you are outdoorsy, camping is a great way to save money on lodging. There are tons of great campsites all over the country, with some especially awesome California campgrounds!
Airbnb is also good option if you are traveling in a group and would like to save some money. You can rent a large house and split the cost.
If you’ve never used Airbnb, get $40 off with my link!
Stay away from hotels inside cities as they tend to be more expensive because they have higher demand. The hotels that are a little removed from city centers offer more affordable accommodation.
Learn How to Save Money by Splitting Costs
If you are traveling with your family for Spring Break, you might not have many options when it comes to splitting costs.
If you are traveling with another family or have friends tagging along, Spring Break can be cheaper because everyone will chipping in financially.
Ask your friends to take care of different expenses during this break. You can delegate certain obligations or you could just figure out what the whole process will cost and split the cost among yourselves.
Scout for group discounts on everything that you do.
For instance, you can call ahead when booking accommodation and try to negotiate for a group discount. When going to enjoy entertainment options that require you to pay, ask whether they have a group discount. These discounts will surely save you some money during your stay.