Madeleine Coles
Life Editor
It’s the ultimate plight of the college student: wanting a dream spring break that will give everyone on instagram FOMO, but realizing that you are a broke college student. But that shouldn’t stop you from living your wildest spring break dreams. There’s plenty of ways to plan a great trip without using up all your financial aid money. Here’s a few tips on how to get the best spring break out of your budget.
Stay Local: Idaho is an insanely underrated vacation state. There’s plenty of beautiful rivers to float, mountains to climb and fun to be had. Even if you’re just desperate to get out of the state, you don’t have to go far. Consider taking a trip to Jackson, WY or St. George, UT. There are even more places with relatively short driving times that can fulfill all of your instagram dreams. Plus, you won’t have to pay for an expensive plane ticket.
Use Your Resources: Take advantage of the Outdoor Adventure Center. It has virtually everything you could want for a spring break camping trip. Get a couple of friends and attend the OAC’s spring break trip in Moab, UT. Or, if you’re more of a DIY kind of person, look into renting some equipment from there. The OAC has paddleboards, rafts, kayaks, tents, dutch ovens, wetsuits, climbing shoes, game packages like horseshoe and volleyball and so much more.
If you’re planning a week-long mountain excursion or just a day rafting trip, renting your equipment will save you a surprising amount of money. If you’re not planning a camping or outdoor recreation trip, you can still use any and all resources available to you. Consider using Airbnb or a similar service to cut down on expenses.
Consider Every Expense: According to Brandon Lamb of the OAC, one of the most important things students can do on their spring break trip is plan ahead and leave no expense to chance. “Some boat ramps require a fee to use them, and you would also have to figure out a shuttle between where you put in and where you get out,” he said. “So you need to know how you’re going to do that.”
Research everything about where you’re going and consider any possible fines or fees so you’re not slapped with a surprise expense.
Take Your Student ID: There’s many restaurants and other businesses that offer student discounts pretty much anywhere you go. Take your student ID with you to make the most of any possible discounts you can gain.
Cut Your Food Cost: Eating out every day of spring break is going to add up quickly – especially if you’re tempted to go out to nice restaurants. Food costs are one of the easiest things to control and cut. If you’re planning a camping trip, make sure to take plenty of food to make with you in coolers. The OAC even offers dutch ovens for rent to make some delicious campfire meals. If you’re not camping, find a hotel with a complimentary breakfast and a fridge and microwave in the rooms.
Again, take some groceries in a cooler and make what you can at your hotel to avoid astronomical restaurant bills.
Happy spring breaking!
