Miss Big Mama Latto called us all out in “Brokey,” a feature song on her third album, Sugar Honey Iced Tea, when she said, “b*tches gotta wait ‘til they birthday to go out of town,” amongst other claims. And well…when you factor in rent, student loans and the hole that all the other bottomless birthday brunches left in your wallet, she has a point! Don’t let it discourage you though: own it. You’ve waited (and worked) a full year, which means you deserve to clock out for a little weekend birthday trip. To help with the stress of having even less money than you already do after you buy that flight, we’ve gathered 5 tips and tricks for a successful birthday trip on a budget.
1. Plan. Early.
We all miss the times when we could call our girlfriends up and all they had to do was walk a couple blocks over to see us. Unfortunately, we are adults now, living in different cities with different work schedules and independent lives. Plan now, because before you know it, time will catch up to you and it will be much harder to organize a trip that works for everyone. Luckily, your birthday is the same time every year; half the work is already done for you. Planning ahead also gives you more time you have to tie up the loose ends of the pay-in-four plan applied to your flight.
2. ItinHERary
Having an itinerary makes it much harder to spend unnecessary money. If you already have an idea of what you’ll be doing, you have an idea of how much you’ll be spending — and we can’t afford any unexpected expenses. Just think about what your funds are going to look after the trip is over; that will make you want to stick to the plan. Plus, an itinerary makes everything more official.
3. A “Brokey” Beauty Budget
Cheers to another year of being a broke baddie! Every woman knows that most of the birthday budget is never spent on the trip itself, but in preparation for the trip. How are you going to look grown and sexy in every Instagram photoshoot without a Brazilian blowout, French mani-pedi, lash extensions, bikini wax, and a complete new wardrobe? Totally understandable, but we’ve got to start saving money somewhere. Romanticize an at-home spa day for the mani-pedi. Skip the lash appointment and buy clusters on Amazon. And before you hit checkout, there’s definitely something cute in the back of that closet. Do what you can. Just no shark boots…as Latto said, “y’all burnt ’em out.”
4. The Big Mama Moment
Pick that one thing: one attraction, one dinner, one excursion that you’ve had your eye on and go for it. There’s no shame in splurging on a once-in-a-lifetime, certified Big Mama moment if you plan the rest of your spending wisely. Buy some theater tickets or book a perfume making class, then spend the next day sightseeing and window-shopping. It’s all about balance.
5. Don’t Forget to Say “Thank You”
If it makes you feel any better, it’s not just you. Everyone is feeling the effects of inflation. Taking that harsh reality into consideration, having friends that want to dedicate time and money to celebrating you and your birthday is sweeter than Sugar Honey Iced Tea. Say, ‘thank you’ and tell your friends, ‘I love you.”
Let’s be real: any birthday trip is going to cost you a pretty penny. However, with the right amount of hard work and planning, the memories will be greater than the paycheck it costs to get there. The money will always come back, but the time won’t.
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