There's Still Time to Plan a Spring Break Trip

Much of the country is under snow or having terrible extended winters. It's March and we have had two snowfalls and weather in the 40s in Portland and I'm sick of it! I'm really just excited to head to Las Vegas, even if I have to work much of the 4 days I'll be there. All I want is to not have to wear a coat when I go outside. If you're in this boat also, there's still time to plan a Spring Break trip, and on a budget.

Here's where to go:

Las Vegas

This isn't just on the list because I'm going there, but rates drop pretty good during this time of year. Your only problem with finding a cheap flight may be if where you live is a great Spring Break destination. Apparently, Portland is a place people want to come and my return flight was going to be outrageous, so I changed my return to Seattle and am taking the train back, and still saving hundreds or half a day. 

I've been seeing really low flight deals to/from other cities to Sin City, plus great rates on hotel rooms. Enjoy the weather, hit the pool, party your butt off and then save money on other activities and dining. Don't forget to get some rest and stay hydrated between all your foot-long margaritas.

Photo by William Carretero on Unsplash

Miami

Florida is getting some hot weather right now, which seems about right, but also really necessary for some people to get in on. I was just happy to get some sun this week, even with the abnormally cold weather, but I wouldn't say no to having to put on some shorts and taking a stroll on the beach. Spring flights to Miami are dropping more than 40% this Spring and you can even take advantage of Miami Music Week the last week of March. Miami is very popular for Spring Break though, so if crowds are not your thing, you may want to skip it.

Orlando

If you want to hit some theme parks on your Spring Break, flights to Orlando are dropping to as low as 70% regular rates. Not only can you spend all that money you saved on Butterbeer, but you can also get in on Universal Orlando's Mardi Gras celebration, which lasts through April 4. If theme parks aren't for you, head to the beach instead, hit up Gatorland, visit the zoo, take a city tour, or check out the aquarium. 

New Orleans

With Mardi Gras being finished, the swarms of people visiting Nola leave, meaning the city is seeing a downturn in tourism, despite the New Orleans Bourbon Festival and the Tennessee Williams Festival going on for the last two weeks of March. There's a lot to do even without these things. Here were some of my favorites.

Honolulu

Hawaii is on a lot of lists for travelers, so why not head there over your Spring Break? The weather is gorgeous, the beaches aren't packed full of people like they can be, and you can actually get a table at that restaurant you've had your eye on. It's been some time since we've visited Honolulu, but if you actually want to get out and do things in between bouts of getting some sun on your body, you can check out my post here on how to save.

Photo by Thomas Bormans on Unsplash

New York City

If the chill weather isn't a concern to you and you want to take a non-traditional Spring Break, NYC flights can dip below 20% off this time of year. If your top must-do is a Broadway show, that's cool, but you're going to bust your budget fairly easily that way. Don't worry though, because Lonely Planet has a list of 45 free things to do in NYC.

Los Angeles

California has some fantastic weather much of the year, or at least better than other parts of the country. I've never turned down a trip to LA, because Disneyland, Universal, Hollywood, delicious foods, amazing art. I mean, the list goes on and on. Couple that with flights that are almost 25% less than other times of the year and you really can't go wrong. My friend and I spent two days in LA last year when we did theme parks and we were never disappointed by what we found to do.

Obviously, there are plenty of other places you can head to this Spring to get away and also save money, but these are some easy ones to get to. I've been packed for weeks for my trip, because I, honestly, can't handle anymore snow or freezing rain or icy winds. 

What is your top destination for Spring Break?

Get Free Money!

Do you like free money? I mean, don't we all? Well, right now you can get a free $20 for doing almost nothing! Who's giving all this money away? Qapital!

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Normally, when you sign up using a referral link, you get $5, which is still pretty awesome, because that's five more dollars than you didn't have before, but right now, when you sign up through my referral link, you get four times that amount! 

Maybe you're thinking "what the heck is Qapital and why would I sign up for it?" That's valid. Qapital is an awesome app that helps you save for things in life you want, like that amazing trip to Greece you've been thinking about. Signing up is easy. You link up your accounts to it, create "rules" for yourself, and then start saving! 

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Some of my favorite rules are the Round Up, the Payday, and the Spend Less Rule. Round Up rounds up all your purchases to the nearest $2, so if you spend $23.45, $.55 will automatically go to your Qapital account. The Payday Rule gives you a way to put aside a set amount of money each payday. The Spend Less Rule has you set a budget for certain things and if you come in under that budget, the remainder gets saved to your Qapital account. It's super easy to save, but also super easy to move your money back to your bank account (or your spending account if you use the Qapital debit), so you can use it on your goals. 

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What if you don't have any money in your bank account? That's okay! Qapital monitors your accounts and pauses your saving when you get below a certain threshold so you don't end up in the red. They look out for you in all the important ways, and before you know it, you've got money for those things that are on the top of your list. So....not overlimit fees. 

There are TONS of rules you can set up, so there's always something that's going to work for you, plus you can pause savings when you need to, or you can add a little extra to your savings when you have extra to put away. When you make a milestone, Qapital throws you a little party on your phone to let you know how you're doing and make you feel good about yourself. I love it. I've been using it for two years now and have saved about $1200 just by rounding up my purchases with my debit card. 

Start saving now and soon you'll be planning that trip you've been dreaming about! What are you saving for right now?


Disclaimer: When sign up and get money, I also get money. Once you sign up, I encourage you to refer all your friends and make even more free money from Qapital!

Budget Criusing Tips - Part 2

We're talking about cruising with summer right around the corner. We talked about how to save in my last post, but how do you pick the right cruise and cabin and all that other good stuff? I'm about to give you some help! 

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What to Consider

There are a lot of factors to deal with when booking a cruise, so don't just close your eyes and point at something, because that probably won't go well. My first cruise was on a very small ship and it gave me a good bout of cabin fever. The ship seemed bigger when looking at everything online, but in reality, it was fairly small compared to all the others out there. I learned for next time. 

• Decide how much you want to spend. This is always number one. If you don't know, perhaps look around at cruise deals to figure out what sort of budget you'll need. Keep in mind what is included – cabin, food, beverages, most entertainment, kids club (most of the time), room service – and what's not – some activities, shore excursions, alcohol, soft drinks (usually), fancy coffees, specialty dining, childcare, tipping, spa service, casino, shopping, personal trainers and exercise classes. Gratuity generally adds about $10-15 per person per day to your cost, which will add to the posted cost. In fact, the posted price is always going to be less than what you will actually spend.
• How long do you want to be gone? As a first-timer, I wouldn't suggest anything longer than 7 days, but it also depends on the itinerary you choose. If you're unsure how you'll feel about being on a big ship, maybe pick a shorter cruise to start off, and if you like it, you can plan a longer cruise in the future.
• Where do you want to go? This is usually the first thing I think about and then figure out how I can make it work with my budget. It also depends on what time of year you can go what's available. Most cruises don't sail year-round. 
• Who's going with you? Some cruise lines are more suited to families than others, which cater more toward grown-ups.
• Are you cool with crowds? It's simple math. The bigger the ship, the larger the crowds on it. If you want a more intimate experience, go for a smaller ship. If you don't care and you want a long list of available activities, then a large ship is where it's at.

Really just want a good cruise for your first time without all the effort? Then check out Cruise Critic's list of 12 best cruises for newbies. They are also a great resource for researching all ships and itineraries.

Choosing the Right Cabin

I'm not big on staying in my room, whether I'm on a ship or in a hotel. I mean, I like to be comfortable, but I tend to be out more than I'm in on almost all my trips. That said, you may end up in your cabin more than expected, so picking the right one for you can make or break your trip.

• If you get seasick and are planning a trip on a smaller ship, choose one that's in the middle of the ship for the least amount of rockage. That said, you probably won't feel any rocking at all, no matter what ship you choose, unless the weather is pretty iffy. 
• If you like to sleep and enjoy your blackout curtains, go for an inside cabin. This is also great for those that just want to enjoy the ship and ports and want to save as much money as possible. Keep in mind, if the lights are out, even if it's the middle of the day, your cabin will be pitch black. 
• If seeing the outside world is important to you, or you just need sunlight to feel like a person who doesn't live in a cave, choose an outside cabin. If nothing else, it'll have some portholes that will let light in, so you'll at least know if it's daytime or not. Those higher up on the ship will have larger windows.
• Some people value their connection to the sea and want to experience it 24/7. This is when you should get a balcony, or at least a Juliet balcony (which offers a sliver of standing room outside your sliding floor-to-ceiling window. 

Extra Tips

Staterooms on ships are not the largest. The bed takes up most of the space, so you’re going to want to hang everything you can. 

• Bring some magnetic clips to keep stuff organized that you can stick to your cabin walls (because they’re magnetic!). 
• Pack a cloth shoe organizer to hang in the closet to stash things that you don’t usually hang up, but don’t want to have to keep on the closet floor or wrestle out of your suitcase each time you want to use it.
• Keep your dirty clothes separate from your clean ones by bringing along a mesh, pop-up hamper. I tend to take mine down to the laundry to clean everything before I leave so I don’t go home, or to my next destination, with a bag full of dirty clothes.
• Pack a small power strip, because like hotel rooms, staterooms are woefully lacking in outlets. I like this one from Belkin and have one in my travel bag at all times and two at home.

Some cruise lines try to dupe you into paying more for less. I mean, it's like Vegas. Why not charge for everything when you still have money in your pocket? Here are some things to watch out for:

• Check the room diagram (and reviews). Some lines are claiming rooms are suites when they really are not. A suite should be more than one room and a few are offering one room separated by a curtain, and some not even that.
• A balcony should be able to hold a few chairs, at least. Watch out for those that claim you get a balcony, but it's either the smallest standing room or a sliding door where you're basically standing in the doorway to be "outside".

Now you're practically an expert on all things cruising. You can pick the right ship, the right cabin, the perfect excursions on your own and even save money once onboard. The only thing that's left is to pack and put on your sunglasses! And if you want packing tips, make sure you're subscribed to my newsletter, as my next one will have exclusive packing light tips specifically for cruising.

If you've been on a cruise, where did you go and what was your favorite thing?