You hear people say “Im a broke college kid” way too often. I myself have planned two huge trips during my first two years of college. One being a trip to spring training for the Seattle Mariners in Arizona, and one to Disneyland for myself, my fiancee, my mother and my brother. I did these two trips without breaking the bank! I have five tips that will help you, plan that dream spring break trip without having to eat top ramen for 3 months.

1. Airbnb

Airbnb is the best invention on the planet. It allows people to rent out rooms in their home for discounted rates. This in my opinion is far better than a hotel would even be. There’s an website like this called couch surfer, that is for sleeping on peoples couches for free, but if you’re traveling alone, I wouldn’t suggest couch surfer unless you’re very adventerous.

2. Driving

Weigh your options on how much driving vs. flying would be. For our trip to disney, it would’ve been $150 for round trip flights to California and back, but driving, it will only cost $200 to drive and come back to washington. When factoring the price for flying, you need to factor in Cab costs/rental car costs.

3. Groupon

When we made our trip to Arizona, we made a point to only eat at resturants that were local ones we didn’t have the option to eat at back home. A great way to do this, was to search on Yelp “Offering a deal” or on Groupon for great deal on great food.

4. Gas Buddy

Gas buddy is a great app that will help you find the best priced gas in your area. This will help you save anywhere from 10 cents a gallon to 75 cents depending on the area! Plan where you stop for gas wisely.

5. Deals and Discounts

Some amusement parks offer student discounts or have special student days. I’m a military child and qualify for a lot of military discounts whether it’s 10% off at jack in the box or free admission to Knotts Berry farm on special event days. Look out for these deals!