Saving for College Trips
Taking trips with friends is a fun part of college, but it can also cost a pretty penny. It’s cheaper to visit local places such as state parks or attractions, but there will be times when you will want to take a more extravagant trip. Money is often the most stressful part of traveling, but there are a couple ways to save when taking big trips in college.
An easy way to have available funds for travel is simply learning to save for it. Most students like to take bigger trips on school breaks such as Fall or Spring Break. If you know that you’ll be taking a trip in advance, start saving now for it. If you work or your parents give you a monthly allowance, try setting some of that money aside so you can have extra money to spend on your trip. For most students, the biggest trip of their year comes during Spring Break, which for most schools is in March or April, so imagine if you started saving money for your trip when school first starts. Then, when Spring Break rolls around, you’ll have plenty of money saved up and won’t have to stress about last minute financing – or missing a great opportunity to make memories with friends.
Another way to save money for trips is to stay at a friend’s house. One of the great advantages of college, is that you are immersed in a new world, where geographic diversity is prevalent. You’ll find that you now have friends from all over the United States and perhaps even the world. If you want to get away for a while, talk to your friends about visiting their hometown. Many friends will be interested in sharing their hometown with you and may even welcome you to stay at their home.
Many people think that when they go on vacation, they need to eat out every night. This can be a costly mistake. If you’re staying somewhere for an extended period of time, try to stock up at the grocery store. Eating out can be fun, but it’s unnecessary to do for every meal. Most hotels have fridges and ice machines in them so you can store food and drinks. If you want extra room to store food, bring a cooler for extra space. Some hotels even offer free breakfast so make sure you take advantage of that if available. Buy foods and drinks that you like at the store and save some money on your trip.
Finally, make sure to do your research. Don’t book the first flight or hotel room you come across - there may be a cheaper option available. Go on sites like Priceline or Expedia before your next trip. These sites help you to compare different prices for things like hotel rooms, airlines and rental cars while traveling. That way you can see all your options before you make the final decision. Remember, the best trips are those that you can plan out early and prepare for. Saving up, exploring options and getting some of your meals from the grocery store can cut down on costs and enable you to enjoy a great break with your friends.