By Karen Gavis/se news editor
For an adventurous spring break getaway, students should start saving early, SE Campus macroeconomics students advised.
“First of all, get a job,” said SE student Cheirsten Braggs.
Braggs said people should save one-quarter to one-half of a paycheck until they have enough money if they want to have a good break and go somewhere like New York or the Bahamas. They would need to consider transportation costs as well as spending money.
“You’re going to want to shop,” she said. “You’re going to want to eat.”
Start shopping for bathing suits and shorts to wear during vacation now when they are cheap. Shoppers can find things at half-price sales, Braggs said.
SE student Adam Cordova said students should plan early.
“If you know where you are going early, then you know how much you need to save,” he said.
Students should probably do a little research beforehand. A spring break vacation does not necessarily have to be expensive, Branden Barlar said.
“Spring break is not that long,” he said. “Try to make it a cheap trip.”
SE student Courtney Lappe had a similar suggestion. Lappe said students did not have to go out of town. Instead, they could go somewhere local like Joe Pool Lake.
“You could always just go to the lake and, like, fish or something,” she said.
Some students provided saving strategies such as driving instead of flying, working more hours and planning a group trip, which would also make it safer, they said.
SE student Leti Andrade’s advice for students trying to save money was to eat less in the school cafeteria.
“There’s lots of benefits when you do that,” she said. “You are also eating less processed foods.”
Vacations are easier if a friend has rich parents, SE student T.J. Johnson said.
“My friend’s mom usually takes us on trips,” he said.
The first thing students need to do is sit down and look at a budget, said professor Jill Trask, who teaches Principles of Macroeconomics. Then, they should determine what their tradeoffs will be. The idea is to give up some fun now to save and put the money to better use at a later time, she said.
“I caution students against taking spring break on credit,” she said. “Don’t do it.”
