5 ways to save on spring break

Ah, spring break. A time where spending money for beer, babes, beaches and parties often translates into remembering absolutely none of it upon return. What a waste of hard earned money!

Most students today hold down a job or two while taking on a full classload.  If you're like them, you spend much of your non-classroom time hard at work, trying to scrape together enough cash to get to spring break and back.  

So, as a student myself, here's some advice for my fellow brothers and sisters in academia looking for a thrifty way to go on spring break.  Here are 6 tips to get the most for your money on spring break.

Breaking down the Numbers

Now that your an adult, you can make your own decisions. No more getting dragged along with your family or friends to a boring life or boring vacation. But think of that word, vacation. It already sounds expensive, but this is not true in fact. I'm betting you've been through at least one or two basic math courses; so let's go through some numbers really quick.

After a quick search for spring break "vacation packages", which include airfare, hotels and more, I found the lowest starting prices at $900+ for a seven-night stay in Cancun. WOAH! Way to break the bank. That's a pretty hefty sum to put down for a week of fun.  Anyway, back to those numbers.

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the average ticket cost of a domestic flight has dropped significantly over the last few years, but still averages to $301 per ticket.

Taking a car can reduce that cost by almost $250.

Most of the newer 'green' cars give the consumer much more drive-time for their money. On average, most cars break 30 and 40 miles per gallon and carry about 15 to 20 gallons in their tanks. With the average price of fuel at $2.60 per gallon, you can drive a total of 450 miles on just $39.  Now, do you still insist on flying to spring break?

The following are 5 flavors of spring break.  Look through them all.  Glance at my suggestion. Pick one and have a great time saving money and making memories.

1) The Road Trip - A Classic American Vacation

At first glance, it might not seem like the most glamorous of vacations, but driving can be one of the most exciting things you can do. Not only do you get to see everything along the way, but you also get to explore places you won't be able to see when taking a plane, train, or boat.

- Research and plan your trip well. This tip goes for any vacation. Research the place to which you're going and really look at what is offered there in terms of food, nightlife and entertainment.

- Know your route. You could just pull up some quick directions, but sometimes these are wrong. You're a college student, so do your research. Know the areas you're passing through and if you want to stop at them. Sometimes you can find little nuggets of gold in small towns.

There are a variety of tools out there that make it easy to plan a trip. Google's satellite map service allows you to plan a route and gives you directions while also letting you look through satellite imagery. Follow your route via the images to look at where you're heading and make sure the road doesn't just disappear in the middle-of-nowhere.

- Find cheap gas. Seeing your tank almost on empty can put a bit of worry in your heart, especially if you have no idea where the next gas station might be.  Our pump patrol shows you gas stations and their prices, sorted by location.

- Avoid traffic and construction Navigate your routes to avoid construction zones. Use the link to the right for more information on locating construction zones.

- Drive smart. Depending on your speed, save some gas mileage by keeping your windows up and the A/C on. According to the Mythbusters, if your car goes less than 50 miles per hour, it becomes more efficient to leave your windows down, but if your car is traveling greater than 50mph it is better to use your A/C.

- Check with the city. Almost every city and town has a website; check it or check with the City Hall or Chamber of Commerce. Call them and ask about the local places to eat or interesting places to stop. You might be happily surprised by what you find.

2) Travel by air

Now if you must insist on flying, there are things you can do to avoid getting nailed on the many fees and hassles.

- Search for deals. As always, do your research. Airlines want to fill their birds, so look for deals that they are offering. JetBlue, for example, uses their twitter account every Monday to promote deals. Also, depart from smaller airports; some cost less to travel out from

* Fare Compare juxtaposes the price of flights from every major airline from using real-time data allowing you to compare each flight.

* Bing, the Microsoft-owned Search Engine rivalling Google for market share can also predict the price of a future flight. The search engine's travel section has been shown to be about 75% accurate with its predictions and states that "customers will save over $50 on a typical round-trip transaction." 

- Hop around and don't fly direct. The Award-winning blog, Lifehacker and it's viewers suggest avoiding purchasing direct flights. Instead, look for trips with layovers. Doing so will save you money, but be warned, it might create some hassle with making the connections.

- Use a mail service to ship bags. Checking a bag on a major airline can cost as low as $15 and as much as $25. Wired Magazine's travel blog, Autopia, suggests that you try shipping it using a mail service. UPS, FedEx and USPS allow you to track your package while also having better shipping costs and a better insurance policy if anything were to happen.

3) Take a cruise

So you want to travel by boat? I suggest taking a five or seven-day trip to maximize your time on vacation. As always, doing your homework can lead to great deals on cruises.

- Sail on the off-season. The tourism industry, in a way, is similar to farming. Every area of the world is ripe for travel during a specific season and during that season, prices hit the roof. During Spring beak for example, Mexico, the Bahamas, South Florida and the islands are popular travel destinations. Avoid these high costs by shoping smart and looking for deals during the off-season.

* Vacations-To-Go is a ticker that lists cruises about to depart. If you're spontaneous, these trips are heavily discounted and will save you money.

- Use "repositioning cruises". The folks over at Cruise Critics explain that periodically, all cruise lines move their boats to new locations because of the season.  On their site they say:

"Ships that spend summertime in Alaska have no choice but to relocate come September or October, often offering unique itineraries along the California coast, to Hawaii or through the Panama Canal."

The resultant one-way trips are discounted and can be combined with cheap one-way airfares for a super-discount. Additionally, having someone drop you off at the airport and pick you up at the boat and can save you on parking costs.

- Be selective about your room. Everyone loves having a room with a view, but how long are you realistically going to be in there? the cost of a port-side room is much higher than the inside cabins. They cost significantly less and are often much darker, which can be good for light-sleepers.  These rooms also rock less because they sit closer to the boat's center of gravity. Use your room for what its worth, then get out on the deck and enjoy yourself.

- Avoid impulse buys on the ship.  Knowing what you want on vacation can lessen the temptation of impulse buying. While on the ship, be selective about what you buy and purchase long-term benefit items.

* If you're a big soda drinker, look for deals like soda cards. A flat one-time purchase allows you to get as many sodas as you want. Usually every cruise line offers this in some form, but you have to make it worth it. If you're a big soda drinker and will drink more than the card is worth, it has paid itself off. That, or you could just avoid the soda altogether and opt for (free) water!

* Look for cheap food, use the buffets, and plan on eating at weird times. Cruises plan almost every move their customers make and then market around those predictions. Try to outsmart the cruise lines and use your access to buffet wisely. Hit up the breakfast buffet and night-time buffets.

- Avoid on-board connections. The on-board phone and internet services cost a fortune. Use the the port of call services that cost less, or just put down the electronics and enjoy your VACATION!

4) Staycation: Don't go anywhere

Added to the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary in 2009, a staycation is "a vacation spent at home or nearby"

- Investigate your town. Have you ever really investigated where you live? I mean, really dug in and looked around? With our busy lives, I would bet that probably haven't. So why not start now? Every city has tons of local things you can do that cost next to nothing. Give yourself and your family time to unwind and de-stress with the convenience of being near your own home.

- Put up the blockades. This is your time, not anyone else's. Tell your co-workers that you won't be back for a bit. Obviously, don't tell them that you're not going anywhere, just notify that you won't be "around." Make this staycation worth every minute. If work calls, ignore it or tell them not to call again. In fact, treat this just like you would a vacation.

- Set dates. Don't let the staycation roll over into real-life. Be strict and plan a specific date that it will start and end.

- Plan extensively. Don't fall into the trap of not having any plans. Make a plan before the staycation starts and have a solid idea of what you're doing each day. It seems like a lot of work, but it will make your life much easier when it comes to coordinating the family.

- Skip the common activities. Remember what I said about digging in and and exploring? Well, now is your chance to do so. Don't waste this precious time by staying at home and watching television. You can do that any day of the week, 365 days of the year. During your staycation, do things that are out of the ordinary.

* If you have kids, build a pillow fort in your living room and go "camping". If you have a fireplace, roast some weenies and marshmallows or go exploring in your town. Almost every city has unique things going on each week. The zoo, a farmers market, anything cool and unusual are great examples.

* Do something exciting! This is your chance to put time into those long dormant hobbies you've been wanting to try. Do something creative, try making a new recipe for dinner, or change your house around. Giving yourself a new environment can help stimulate your senses and give your life a bit of refreshment.

- Research your town. Call the city's chamber of commerce and ask for ideas. Less the bureaucracy, government-run agencies are staffed with people who know what's up in your town, and can really help you out.

- Check with the media. your local television stations, and newspapers have event calendars on their websites that are constantly updated. Once you get exploring, you will not only have fun, but also make a special connection to the place you live.

* If you've about had it with your town, then maybe you should follow the advise of those fellows at the Squawkfox frugality blog. Pick up and go one or two towns over. Explore a little and see what's out there.

Final Suggestions

- Bring your friends. Remember that old saying: friends don't let other friends vacation alone?...Okay! Maybe it didn't go exactly like that, but I made my point. Get three or four of your best friends, convince them they will save money by skipping the trip to Cancun and travel in a group. Not only will you split the bills, but more people can lead to a quicker and more intuitive solution to problems. Also, the stories will be much, much better.

- Give everyone a job. When I travel, I usually do it with a friend of mine. We have separate jobs that make our lives much simpler. I, being the spontaneous one, drive, deal with people, and handle the day-to-day activities. He, on the other hand is a very organized person and handles the navigation, planning, and money. He also does a lot of the research.

* Follow this system and give everyone some responsibility. Just like the military, a well-organized team looking to achieve a goal functions better than an individual. Giving people responsibility allow them to be a bigger part in their own vacation and encourage teamwork

- Be crafty. Mini-refrigerators and bathroom hair dryers can be lifesavers when it comes to food and leftovers. The mini-fridge usually comes standard in hotel rooms, so if you're staying in one hotel for a few days, consider going to the grocery store to pick up supplies. Lunch meat and bread make for cheap, easy lunches. Heat your leftovers using a microwave (if you have one) or use the bathroom's hair dryer. Put it on the highest setting and be patient. It might not be perfect, but its better than nothing. I did this on a recent trip to Vegas and had hot leftovers almost every day.

The last tip I have for you is so crucial and should never, ever, under any circumstance ever be forgotten.

- ASK. ASK. ASK!!! Whenever you go somewhere unknown, check with the locals. Even if you've done your research, drop into a coffee shop or the local city hall. If you come in with a nice attitude, people will usually respond positively. The local businesses usually have better food and service than many corporate, nation-wide chains and love out-of-town visitors. They survive because of word-of-mouth and will treat you very well. Go in humble and you will usually leave full and happy.

Good luck and travel smart!