So you want to have affordable fun huh?
Entertainment can be any number of things that we all enjoy or can participate in to pass the time. This section of The Ramen Budget is here so you don’t get that pit feeling in your stomach, the morning after your go out and you check your bank account. That “what am I going to do” feeling immediately after you know you’ve spent too much and you haven’t the faintest idea about how you are going to pay this month’s rent. Believe me, we have all been there before but the goal here is for us all never to be in that position again. Think of this page as a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about how to have fun in college without breaking the bank. I will give you tips on ways to save on eating out, music concerts, movies, trips, visiting friends at other colleges and much more. So what are you waiting for? Dive right in! Consume every tip on this page because the trick to a better consumer starts with you.
A Night at the “Movies” for Less
I know one of my favorite past times is the movies! But movie theater prices are on the rise to almost $12 a ticket without even including the overpriced food and drinks! I know there are few movies that come out that are worth almost what I make in two hours at my part time job. So what do I do for those movies on the fence where I would rather get the cinematic experience and not have to wait another 6 months to see it on DVD. Well here are some tips for you cinephiles out there:
1) Research your local movie theater(s). Many theaters like AMC and Regal have bonus cards and have student discount days to make your wallet feel better!
2) If you are an extreme moviegoer, there is a card called moviepass where you can pay $30 a month and have unlimited access to as many movies in the theaters as you would like. Make sure your local theater is a participating one though!
3) Make it a double feature! Pay for one ticket and after your first movie is over, make your way over to a second movie that you are dying to see! Be aware of movie times though to make sure you are not missing anything!
4) Popcorn Time is a piece of software that you can download and it offers some of the most recent movies that are even in theater for free to access whenever you want!
5) If you are in a big city, check out free movie screenings for movies that are not even out yet. I know I am from right outside of DC and I have seen dozens of movies for free before they were even released into the theaters. Gofobo.com is a huge supplier of free movie screening passes
6) When all else fails, there is always Netflix and Redbox
Stay thrifty my friends
Colin
Spring Break Forever
It is that time of the year again. In just a few weeks every college and university will shut down for a week, while their students turn up for a spring break that they will never forget. Whether it be the classic Panama City Beach trip, Punta Cana, Daytona Beach or Myrtle Beach, every college student should experience this week of debauchery at least once in their lives. As for myself, in just 10 days I will be leaving for Panama City and here are my tips on how to budget this adventure:
1. Plan it ahead of time because if you choose to fly (which I would suggest not) flights are always cheaper ahead of time. In addition, you will have your pick of the litter on rental housing or resort deals before everyone else gets their act together
2. Depending on where you are coming from and what kind of shape your car is in, just drive! I am taking a 2004 Mazda 6 and according to Gasbuddy.com, the round trip cost of gas when leaving from Virginia (15 hour drive) to Panama City Beach is $125 compared to a flight leaving from Baltimore-Washington Airport (known airport for cheap flights) is $350 (Expedia.com), which is almost half the price. In addition, a car can hold upwards of 5 people and $125 split between 5 people is only $25 a person. Driving is your cheapest means of travel to PCB
3. This goes without being said but go with a huge group of people (hopefully friends)! The bigger the group the cheaper your rental condo, resort apartment, beach house will be!
4. Once at your spring break destination, don’t waste your money on never ending buffets that are overpriced and often leave you with heartburn and indigestion. Plan out a grocery list split between your whole group and focus on bulk products that you make group meals out of (pancake mix, burgers, sausages, cake mixes etc.)
5. Many of the desired more traditional spring break locations have deals on their beach clubs and bars where you can purchase a discounted card that gets you free access and free drinks in clubs. Take advantage of this! For example, in Panama City Beach, the tourism board offers a panamaniac card for $50 that gives you free access to popular bars and clubs, and for a couple hours out of the day, free drinks!
6. The final tip is purchase your alcohol before you leave in your college town and bring it with you wherever you are going. Touristy destinations overprice their liquor and beer because they know that college students are going to run out or not think ahead at all and have to buy their booze at the closest liquor store. Many liquor stores are independently owned in Florida and this means that the owner can price the store’s alcohol however they want.
I hope these tips will help you guys on wherever your spring break may take you. Stay safe and remember to always stay thrifty!
Check out these other websites about spring break trips on a budget:
http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/Best_Cheap_Spring_Break_Destinations/
http://college.usatoday.com/2015/02/16/tips-to-make-you-travel-savvy-just-in-time-for-spring-break/
A Night of Comedy on a Budget
From Rooster in 22 Jump Street to a nationwide comedy tour is there anything Jimmy Tatro cannot do? Tatro is a comedian, filmmaker and YouTube personality. He has accumulated over 2.2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, LIFE ACCORDING TO JIMMY and amassed more than 207 million views on YouTube with the number grows every day. Jimmy Tatro is beginning to embark on his Memoirs of a College dropout tour starting February 26 at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. He has many dates set including: The University of Nevada at Reno (3/10), James Madison University (3/26), Drexel University (4/03) and George Washington University (4/21). Tatro has really made a name for himself in the twittersphere, racking up 435,000 followers. I know that is where I first saw his name from one of my friends retweeting him. Tatro combines sketch comedy and taking his own shots at everyday observations. Tatro prides himself on making fun of awkward college-esque situations so he is perfect for a national college campus comedy tour. Ticket prices for this event vary school by school but after researching many of the college’s websites that are on this tour, the range is $5-$15 if you are a student. I know for my college, James Madison University, tickets are only $8 for students! This is a great chance to laugh the night away for a discounted price because tickets for Tatro’s other shows in major cities are upwards of $40!! Take advantage of this college comedy tour students because who wouldn’t want to see an on the rise actor and comedian that is claimed to be the next Marky Mark on your local college’s stage. Till next time college budgeters and remember to stay thrifty!
For more information on all the tour dates visit Jimmy Tatro’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JimmyTatroFanPage
