Happy New Year! Start Planning for Spring Break

Okay, you’ve barely taken down the Christmas lights from the gutters and you’re huffing at planning a budget for your Spring Break. You say you have plenty of time to put money away for you or your family for a getaway. Are you sure about this?

Take a look at a calendar. March, the typical month for schools to take a break, is less than 60 days away. And what about your other expenses for the start of the year? You know, sewer bills, HOA, premiums on your health insurance may come knocking at some point and time. And did you think about doing your taxes yet? Do you know if you’re getting a refund or paying?

Ah, we see recognition igniting in your eyes. You do need to start planning for Spring Break now. Don’t worry, we have some tips to keep the budget low but the fun high.

1. Book your flight NOW. Don’t wait for the last minute to book your flight. First, you won’t get the price you want. Second, you may not get a flight you want, particularly if it’s too a popular Spring Break destination. Check sites like Travelocity for their sales, or sign up for newsletters from the air carriers to catch some bonus sales.

2. Research your destination. Where do you want to go? Do you want to head somewhere warm? Well, so does everyone else. Places like Florida, California, and the Caribbean are prime Spring Break vacation spots. Not only do you want to perform research on the accommodations in the area but you also want to determine how busy it is and, if you have a family, if it’s more family friendly or full of college-aged kids swimming in pools of beer.

3. Understand your expenses. Heading to a prime Spring Break vacation spot is not going to be cheap. Just as other locations do in the summer, these Spring resort areas may bump up prices of food, accommodations and attractions in order to maximize their profit. Make sure you research this information as well in order to properly budget for meals and entertainment.

4. Think of a less popular destination. You and thousands of other individuals want to head to the ski resort or dip your toes in the warm sands of various beaches. No matter how well you budget, the end result may be disappointment due to overcrowding. Perhaps choosing a less popular area could work for you. For example. the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is open all year, including the late winter-early spring. Or, perhaps you want to head to one of the Canadian cities, where you can access most attractions via under or above ground access tubes. These locations tend to offer much lower rates for rooms and meals and may even have special packages to entice new visitors.

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