It’s always a struggle to decide what the best option is for a successful fall break: do you take the opportunity to spend time at home, take a trip with friends, or just skip traveling and stay at school and relax. The decision was made for me when I discovered one of the best music festivals of the year, Austin City Limits, fell conveniently on the same weekend as our treasured fall break. I immediately knew it was too good of a deal to pass up. The next step was more difficult; how do I prepare for a music festival while on a budget?
1. If you have a birthday coming up, use it to your advantage.
Your birthday may be seven months away, but you can always ask your parents to purchase music festival tickets as a gift.
2. Keep it simple and keep it cheap.
Who needs Urban Outfitters and Free People when you have consistently cheaper options such as Forever 21, and Target. There is no need to spend money on fancy brand-name outfits as your clothes will probably get ruined anyway, so be smart and spend less on your look.
3. Fly the cheapest airline.
Utilize websites like Kayak and Student Universe to find the cheapest flight deals possible. You may have a layover, but sometimes you need to sacrifice a little comfort for a lot of extra cash.
4. Find friends and split the cost
A major plus to going to a festival with friends is that you can split the cost for any group expenses: transportation to and from the airport, housing and food. You also can’t truly enjoy a music festival without a solid group of friends who will not only jam out with you, but who will also watch out for you. An important reminder, make sure you don’t spend all the money you saved at the festival food trucks!