4 Strategies to Save for Spring Break

This time of year may have you longing for warmer days. It’s a great time to plan a spring vacation trip! Spring break isn’t just for college kids — with so many travel deals, it can be a great time to get out and explore on your own or plan a getaway for the family. You don’t need to break the bank for your adventure; we share spring break savings strategies that will make it more affordable to get away, and provide ways you can save money when you reach your destination.

Saving for Spring Break

If you are looking to carve out travel money in your budget, don’t think you need to pinch every penny to save for a week of fun and sun. A few tweaks to your budget can go a long way towards furthering your savings goal. Consider checking out one or more of these apps to help you find savings.

• Albert — This savings app connects your various accounts and automatically sets aside savings based on your spending habits. You can use it to easily build up a savings cushion without even noticing a hit to your budget.
• Digit — Digit analyzes your spending and automatically saves the perfect amount every day so you don't have to think about it. The app learns how you spend so you don’t have to change your lifestyle in order to boost your savings account.
• Clarity Money — Forgot you were paying for that streaming service? Never go to the gym? This app helps you track and cancel subscriptions that you don’t use and put the money you would otherwise be spending to better use.
• Acorns — This app “rounds up” your purchases to the nearest dollar and invests your spare change, helping you grow your investment portfolio one purchase at a time.

Money-Saving Travel Tips

Carving out money in your budget is only half the battle. After you have built up your spring break savings, you can also stretch your dollars during your trip. Following these simple spring break savings tips can help you get more mileage out of every dollar you have saved.

1. Book Early

   When you know which dates will work best, book flights and hotel accommodations. When you enter your travel dates into the Hopper app, you will receive notifications on the best time to book or if it would be better to wait. You can watch travel rates up to a year in advance, create filters and purchase tickets right from the app.

2. Consider Alternative Destinations

   Spring break is all about rest and relaxation. While many of your peers are hitting the beach, you may want to skip the crowds and save a few dollars by choosing a cheaper destination. If this is you, consider checking out a national park or exploring somewhere a little closer to home. If you can’t imagine a spring break trip that doesn’t involve a little fun and sun, consider the ways you can get the most savings out of an all-inclusive resort.

3. Look for Hotel Alternatives

   Sometimes it’s fun to act like a tourist in a strange city, sure, but be prepared to pay tourist rates. If you want to bypass the tourist scene and live like a local when you are away from home, consider booking accommodations through Airbnb or VRBO to increase your spring break savings. You can customize your search parameters (downtown or suburbs? room or whole home?) to capture the experience you’re looking for. Be sure to read the reviews and communicate with the hosts beforehand so there are no surprises.

4. Savings for the Procrastinators

If planning just isn’t your thing, that’s OK. You don’t have to pay steep hotel fees when you use apps like HotelTonight and One:Night, or websites like Late Rooms that offer steep savings on late bookings. (You don’t even have to share your secret with you planning-obsessed friends.)

No matter how you spend your spring break, relax. Whether you are enjoying a staycation or are traveling, when you have insurance from Farm Bureau, you’re covered. Contact your local agent to review your coverage and have peace of mind during your vacation.