Summer
is almost here and that means the season of road trips is upon us!
With soaring gas prices and the tight budgets of today's economy,
you'll want to save as much money on your road trip as possible. Here
are 5 ways to do just that.
Plan
Ahead
No matter how fun it can be to just jump in your car and go, that bohemian dream can cost you a lot these days. Instead, use all the tools at your disposal to plan ahead for your trip. That way, you'll be able to find places where gas, food, and lodging are the cheapest and you can map your route accordingly. You may also be able to hit up friends and family members if you plan ahead enough who will surely provide you free lodging and maybe even a meal or two.
No matter how fun it can be to just jump in your car and go, that bohemian dream can cost you a lot these days. Instead, use all the tools at your disposal to plan ahead for your trip. That way, you'll be able to find places where gas, food, and lodging are the cheapest and you can map your route accordingly. You may also be able to hit up friends and family members if you plan ahead enough who will surely provide you free lodging and maybe even a meal or two.
Gas
Even after planning ahead and finding areas with cheap gas, you're still going to spend a hefty chunk of change on gas. So do what you can to conserve your precious gas. Turn off the A/C when possible (no need to die of heatstroke in your car) and go easy on the brakes at stop signs. The more sudden movements you make, like screeching to a halt or gunning up to start, the more gas you burn. Don't use cruise control because it burns a ton of unnecessary fuel and don't speed because faster MPHs mean fewer MPG. Plus a speeding ticket wouldn't help you save money.
Even after planning ahead and finding areas with cheap gas, you're still going to spend a hefty chunk of change on gas. So do what you can to conserve your precious gas. Turn off the A/C when possible (no need to die of heatstroke in your car) and go easy on the brakes at stop signs. The more sudden movements you make, like screeching to a halt or gunning up to start, the more gas you burn. Don't use cruise control because it burns a ton of unnecessary fuel and don't speed because faster MPHs mean fewer MPG. Plus a speeding ticket wouldn't help you save money.
Lodging
Consider alternative forms of lodging instead of spending money at hotels and motels. Though if you planned ahead you may have found some great hotel deals, those costs will add up quickly. You could camp for really cheap if not free in any state or try using the popular website for travelers called Couchsurfing. It's a verified way to find free lodging from people whose only aim is helping fellow travelers save money and meet locals. With most Couchsurfing hosts, you'll find a lot more than just a free place to crash. If you prefer using hotels or motels, consider using ones that offer reward programs and then stay with the same company everywhere you go to earn rewards and free nights.
Consider alternative forms of lodging instead of spending money at hotels and motels. Though if you planned ahead you may have found some great hotel deals, those costs will add up quickly. You could camp for really cheap if not free in any state or try using the popular website for travelers called Couchsurfing. It's a verified way to find free lodging from people whose only aim is helping fellow travelers save money and meet locals. With most Couchsurfing hosts, you'll find a lot more than just a free place to crash. If you prefer using hotels or motels, consider using ones that offer reward programs and then stay with the same company everywhere you go to earn rewards and free nights.
Food
Though eating junk food and fast food are staples to most any road trip, the costs of drive-thru trips and gas station fare snowball when you consider the amount of food you get for the cost. Since you're planning ahead, bring a cooler stocked with snacks and beverages to help you from spending too much on road food. Try to only buy food from grocery stores for the most cost effective meal planning. Plus you'll want to reserve your food budget to take part in local fare of the regions you're visiting. A crawfish boil in Louisiana is a much better use of your money than another trip to McDonald's.
Though eating junk food and fast food are staples to most any road trip, the costs of drive-thru trips and gas station fare snowball when you consider the amount of food you get for the cost. Since you're planning ahead, bring a cooler stocked with snacks and beverages to help you from spending too much on road food. Try to only buy food from grocery stores for the most cost effective meal planning. Plus you'll want to reserve your food budget to take part in local fare of the regions you're visiting. A crawfish boil in Louisiana is a much better use of your money than another trip to McDonald's.
Road
Trip Buddies
A solo road trip is not only really expensive but also lonely, so you may want to find some travel buddies. If none of your friends are available, look into rideshare websites and services or even advertise your trip on Craigslist. You never know who might be in need of a ride across the country. You might even find someone who needs their car driven to them so you could earn some money while fulfilling your road trip dreams.
A solo road trip is not only really expensive but also lonely, so you may want to find some travel buddies. If none of your friends are available, look into rideshare websites and services or even advertise your trip on Craigslist. You never know who might be in need of a ride across the country. You might even find someone who needs their car driven to them so you could earn some money while fulfilling your road trip dreams.
With
the right planning and execution, you can still have a summer road
trip with a reasonable budget. Before you start, look online for a
road trip
planner and several other services, like gas price
calculators, that will help you save the most money possible. Happy
travels!
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