It’s that time of year again. Time to find the perfect dress, the perfect hairstyle, and the perfect date. Yup, all of this means just one thing – prom.

However, with the cost of prom ranging anywhere between $300 to $1,000, prom starts to look like an investment that is not very worthwhile. For most teenagers, prom seems to be one of the most important experiences of their entire high school experience. But what about those kids who aren’t interested?  Well, there are plenty of other unforgettable things to do on May 29 instead of going to prom. Here are a few ideas:

• Go to Six Flags – A single day ticket for admission to Six Flags Great Adventure is $43, a much cheaper ticket than the $105 ticket to go to prom. Six Flags provides a days’ worth of fun while prom only lasts 3-4 hours. Plus, with all of the money you save not going to prom, you can even purchase the Flash Pass in order to fill your day with even more roller coasters!
• Take the train to Philadelphia – A one way ticket to Philadelphia costs as cheap as $41. The trip is a little over an hour which gives you the whole day to explore this awesome city.
• Go to the beach – With the nearest shore point being little under an hour away, why not spend the day at the beach. Including tolls, beach pass, and gas money, you could spend under $100
• Host a Netflix Marathon – Enough said.
• Go to a sports event or concert – New Jersey and the surrounding area are home to countless athletic venues and concert halls, so it should not be hard to find something to attend on the 29th.
• Explore the Concrete Jungle of the East Coast- New York City is only 25 minutes away from Verona, so why not go and explore the City. You can even go see one of the many plays on Broadway and go out to dinner at one of the delicious restaurants that call New York City home.
• Donate the money to a charity – Operation Prom is a nonprofit organization that not only donates prom attire to those who cannot afford it, but it also raises money to grant students scholarships and supplies. Instead of going to prom two, three, or even four times, skip out this year and make someone else’s prom dream come true.