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How To Do Spring Break When You’re Broke AF

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Spring Break is arguably one of the best weeks of your college career. Entire (terrible) movies are dedicated to exploring the magic of those seven days. While I don’t know what my college experience would be like without those memories, I do know one thing: my wallet would be significantly heavier.

The months of planning, shopping, dieting and pre-tanning leading up to spring break? They add up. I am talking dollars and cents, people. Add in the cost of transportation and accommodations while there, plus the new bikini you’re going to buy even though you have a perfectly good one hanging in your closet, and it’s very easy to end the week with no dignity AND no money.

If you’re trying to save money this break, I’m not saying you should stay at home. While that’s a great way to save some cash, it’s not a great way to land some killer stories to match your killer tan. To save money this break, you’ll just need to be a savvier with your planning.

Don’t Reserve A Hotel Room

If you play your cards right, there is no reason you should ever book a hotel room yourself. After all, it’s the biggest money drainer to beach goers. If you’re lucky enough to have a sister who has a vacation home or a group of friends who doesn’t mind if you tag along on their reservation, you can totally get away with spending very little on accomadations. And if you don’t? Find guys to shack up with. They can be from your school or not! It doesn’t matter. If you can find a place to crash four out of five nights in your college town, you should have no problem finding a place to crash while surrounded by hundreds of other college students eager to get some.

Don’t Buy A New Suit

While the Instagram opportunities are insane and you are definitely going to want to look your best, don’t buy a new swim suit. It’s going to run you an extra sixty dollars. Do you really want to spend that here? Instead, ask the hundred girls who have pledged to be your sisters forever. Through the magic of mixing and matching, you should be able to piece together an essentially brand new swim set without dropping a dime.

Skip Spending Oodles on Alcohol

While it’s definitely smart to grab one of those gorgeous handprinted coolers your spent hours working hard on, don’t waste your money filling it with alcohol. Instead, bring those half empty handles you’ve been saving and then make some friends on beach. After all, willingness to share alcohol with women is one of the main pillars of brotherhood, I think.

Leave Your Phone On Airplane Mode

Overage fees on data are insane, and must be avoided at all costs. Your phone is probably hooked up to your school’s wifi 24/7, that goes out the window as soon as you leave campus. While it’s tempting to play Spotify on the nine hour drive down, it’s going to cost you big time. Leaving it on airplane modes also means you’ll be able to completely forget about all your responsibilities that are going to come back and haunt you once you get back to school. The only time it should be off airplane mode is for Instagram posting.

Forget The Gym

Gym memberships can be pricey as fuck, so cancel yours. Trust, you’ll thank me later. If you’re worried about not getting your spring break bod, there are hundreds of free workouts on Youtube, and it costs nothing to go for a run outside.

Now, take your money and get down with your financially-stable-spring-break bad self.

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totalsistermove

Everything you want in a sister, sorority or biological - funny, hardworking, pretty but not in an super obvious way. Essentially, a funnier Elle Woods who is constantly having a bad hair day. Questions, concerns, videos of dogs and coupons for Thai food can be sent to [email protected]

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