The smell of summer is in the air, which means it may be time to hit the wide open road again. However, if you’re dealing with a slight budget crisis this year, or you simply don’t want to spend an arm and a leg, then you may want to consider a few ways to cut the price of your road trip before you take off. There’s a few ways to do this that are actually a lot easier than you think! With a little extra money in your pocket, you may feel all the more relaxed as you enjoy your big trip with those you care about. So, pack up your supplies and plan out your destination because road trip season just got more affordable!
1. Pack Camping Gear
If there’s one expenditure you don’t need to worry about on a road trip, it is definitely the hotel. Although it’s nice to sprawl out on a comfortable bed and enjoy a work out or a swim after a long day of driving, the price of a hotel can run you up to $100 a night, if you’re looking for the cheapest rooms. Although the price may not leave you shaking in your boots right away, it will after you spend a few nights on the go! Rather than worry about the price of hotels you can easily pack your tent and other camping gear to help you save a bit of money! There’s plenty of free to low cost camp sites on the road which will ensure you save quite a bit money while you’re on your trip. With a little advanced planning you should be able to plan your travel distance per day based on these campsites. Of course, money isn’t the only reason to enjoy this method! By spending time in nature you’ll get to see even more of the country! Not to mention, you’ll get a free work out by swimming in a lake/ocean/river or enjoying a scenic hike!
2. Bring Food
A lot of travelers choose to stop for fast food or enjoy a sit down restaurant while they’re on their road trip. Although this is a nice break from the road, it isn’t always the healthiest option, nor is it the most budget friendly. By the time you’ve eaten out for a couple of days you probably won’t feel incredible, nor will your budget. The best option is to pack your own food before you go and use a grocery store to replenish your stock. Some of the best items to bring along is sandwich supplies. These are cheap, easy to make at a rest stop and can easily be stored in a cooler with your drinks. Produce is another great option and will allow you to enjoy a healthy snack while you’re on the go! Of course, you may also want to consider trail mix, crackers and other healthy foods to suit all of the taste buds in the car. Packing water is also crucial as keeping hydrated will make everyone feel better and will cut down on the need to eat as often.
3. Plan Wisely
The key to saving money on your road trip is to plan, plan, plan. Before you head out it is crucial to map out your trip with a few key elements in mind. First and foremost, you’ll want to plan places you can stop and stretch your legs without being tempted to buy something. There’s actually a variety of tourist traps and rest stops all over the country which will suit these needs! Once you have a few destinations planned out, you may also want to consider the towns/cities of people you know. If you can couch surf with a friend or relative then it will cut down on your hotel or camping bills and will allow you to enjoy some time with people you may not get to see often. Another thing you want to plan around is toll roads and construction routes. Toll roads can really get pricey so you want to try to go around them whenever possible. Construction routes will slow you down which means worse gas mileage and you won’t be able to make it to your designated stops. Most GPS systems can be programmed to avoid these areas, but it’s important to re-check your mapping a day before you set out! With smart planning on your end, your trip will go smoother and will make your budget stretch further.
4. Watch the Tank
Filling up the gas tank while on a road trip can get pretty stressful. With gas prices not on the frugal side, you may feel tempted to stretch your fill-up until you’re almost on empty. Of course, this is one of the worst things you can do to your car! You never want to let your gas tank go below 1/4 of a tank, especially when you’re on the move. The last bit of gas isn’t the best for your car and can lead to many problems in the future. However, you also have to consider that much of the country is actually spaced out, which means you may think you’re going to see a gas station in a couple of miles but it could be up to an hour before you see any signs of civilization! This can be pretty bad if you end up running out of gas, especially if you’re not feeling up to taking a really long walk in the heat. You may also want to consider city traffic too. Sometimes, you think you can make it to the gas station of choice, but after sitting in bumper to bumper traffic you may end up parked in the shoulder. So, instead of letting the tank dwindle down, you should fill up whenever you see an affordable price. This will help you maximize savings immensely.
5. Get Your Car a Check-Up
One of the best things you can do to ensure your road trip will go smoothly is to get your car checked out by a mechanic before you hit the road. Sure, this will be an extra expenditure but most mechanics don’t charge too much just to take a look under the hood. Some of the key elements that should be considered are your car’s fluids, the tread on your tires and the state of your brakes. Even if everything is in perfect order, you may want to consider getting the oil changed just to be on the safe side, especially if your trip is going to be quite a distance. Of course, you can cheaply do this yourself, so don’t stress about a huge bill here! The day you leave for your trip you should do one more check to make sure your tire pressure is good to go and all of your car’s lights are working. This will help prevent blow outs, break downs and unwanted tickets.
6. Know Your Insurance Plan
When you hit the road, you should know just what your insurance plan covers in order to be prepared for the worst. For instance, you should know if your plan covers tows or road side assistance, just in case you end up in an accident, your car breaks down or you have a blowout. Being able to deal with the problem without pouring huge amounts of money into it will help big time when you’re on the road. You may also want to let your insurance company know you’ll be traveling. This will help prevent any hiccups in processing if you do need to use your insurance company for something. Also, make sure you have all your insurance information in the car, just in case you’re pulled over or need to quickly make a call. It’s never fun searching for these items in a hurry!
7. Just Cruise
If you’re enjoying your vacation there’s no need to speed it up! Instead, switch on your cruise control and enjoy the ride. There’s actually a lot of reasons why cruising is the best way to enjoy a road trip. For starters, you can give your foot a rest which is never a bad thing. For many, driving for several hours often means your foot gets heavier and heavier as the trip progresses, so cruise control can help you dodge a couple of speeding tickets! It can also help you save on gasoline! Generally, the best speed to go to maximize your fuel is 65 MPH. When we’re driving it feels a lot easier to take on higher speeds, so set your cruise control to maximize your fuel and you’ll be on the road to saving more money! You’ll also be a bit safer if you slow down your speed, especially in areas you aren’t familiar with. You may also end up missing less exits as it will be easier for you to switch lanes.
8. Get the APP
Before leaving on your big trip you may want to check out a few gas and GPS apps for the trip. There’s many free apps to choose from for just about any smartphone operating system, so make sure to check out reviews and look for features you know you’ll need. The best apps to download are those for gasoline though. These will help you find the cheapest gas stations in any given area. This will not only help you cut down on the price you pay in each region, but it’ll also let you know if you’re okay to bypass a town for gasoline and head to a nearby town that’s cheaper. This is thanks to the mile system that lets you know just how far away you are from a gas station!
9. Lighten the Load
One of the worst things you can do on a road trip is pack everything and the kitchen sink. For starters, your car is going to feel smaller and smaller each day you spend in it. So, you may not want to take away even more of your cramped space just so you can pack more things you’re probably not going to need. Next, the more you pack, the heavier your car is going to be which means you’re going to end up needing to fuel up more often, which is a total waste of money. So, make a list of the items you’ll need and stick to it. Usually a few pairs of clothes and basic hygiene products will set you for the trip. However, if you have kids then bring along a few light forms of entertainment.
10. Budget
The first thing you should do before you confirm plans is to budget. You need to know how much you can spend, so you’ll know how far you can go. This can be quite tricky as it’s often hard to know just how much gas will cost you on the trip. So, when planning out this make sure to always round up as much as you can. You should also plan a bit for food money too as you may need to buy the basics, or an occasional treat while on the road. If you’re packing light then quarters may be a must so you can hit up the laundromat when you’re out of clothes. Finally, you’ll also need an entertainment fund, a boarding fund, and an emergency fund. If it helps, pull out cash and put each budget in a marked envelope. It will help you avoid over spending and will help you see how you’re doing in regards to your budget.
Road trips can be a great way to see the country while bonding with your friends and family. Now, you won’t have to worry about over spending while you’re on the road. With these ten tips you’ll be well on your way to a good time and an abundance of amazing memories!
