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Since we don’t have immediate family members in town, we have always known we’d be a road trip kind of family. Air travel is getting to be more and more expensive, so it’s just not an option for us these days. But, with the way gas prices are constantly on the rise, car travel can be pricey too. We are certainly not experts when it comes to road trips, but we have learned a few things to help keep costs down as much as possible.
Gas
1. Increase fuel efficiency as much as possible
It’s no secret that fuel prices are on the rise. Our SUV is not nearly as fuel efficient as our Toyota Corolla, but there are ways to optimize fuel efficiency. Here are some ideas.
– Packing light
– Leave early in the morning to avoid traffic
– Check the fluids and air in your tires
– Drive the speed limit
2. Check gas prices when looking to fill up
I’ve heard great things about websites like Gasbuddy for checking local gas prices while travelling. They also have an app available, which is so helpful when travelling. If you have to fill up anyway, you might as well find the best price in the local area.
3. Plan your route in advance
Knowing where you are going will help avoid getting lost, which wastes gas and time. Make sure you have a good GPS* or road atlas* {our family still loves paper} so you know your route.
Food
4. Pack snacks & food for other meals
We have saved quite a bit of money by packing snacks and food/drinks when we are travelling on long road trips. We usually plan on eating out for some meals, but usually pack at least a small cooler for snacks and lunch. Every little bit of savings helps.
5. Use the internet to help find affordable restaurants
Yelp is really helpful for finding restaurants. You can read reviews and get an idea on prices before you decide where to stop.
Accommodations
6. Stay overnight with friends or family when possible
While stating in a hotel can be a nice treat, they can be expensive, especially when all you need is a place to lay your head for a few hours before getting back on the road. Why not consider asking a friend or family member if you can spend the night with them when you are passing through? It’s a great way to catch up with friends or family and to save some money, all at the same time.
7. Leave early enough to be able to make the trip in one day
We have started doing this when travelling to see The Teacher’s family in Mississippi. We leave as early as possible {sometimes as early as 3am} and try to make the trip in one day so we can avoid having to spend the night at a hotel.
8. Use travel websites to find good deals and honest reviews
If we do have to spend the night in a hotel, we search the internet for the best deal possible. We have had great luck with Hotels* because we have found their reviews to be very accurate. It’s one thing to get a great deal on a room, but you also want to make sure you have an idea of what you are getting ahead of time.
Although you don’t have complete control over the hotel chain, we have also found some great deals by bidding on a room using Priceline*. You can start bidding low and sometimes get surprised when they will accept your bid.
Spending Money
9. Using cash to pay for your trip
We have become big proponents of using cash. We put money in our slush fund each month specifically for vacations, so that we can have money available when we are ready to take a vacation. Before our trips, we withdraw our spending money and it ensures we don’t go into debt for vacation.
10. Track your spending
I keep a log of the money as we spend it, so I know exactly where it’s going as the trip unfolds. Using cash usually helps us think before we spend, but tracking our spending also helps with planning or saving for future trips.
How do you save money on road trips?
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Have y'all ever thought of using camping as a cost cutting tool. I'm not a big camper at all, but every time I look at how much we save by camping vs hotel/motel I can't justify too many trips without it that don't include staying with family. lol. I know its not for everyone, but one summer we drove out west and my average for food and lodging for two adults was an easy $30-$35 a day.
Thanks for this list. Gave me some thoughts I'd not considered before.
I think that camping is a great idea for saving money, Amy! We just need to invest in some inexpensive equipment at some point, but we have definitely talked about it. Thanks for sharing and reminding me! 🙂
Great time of year to find camping equipment at garage sales. Also, we have camper cabins in our parks in Michigan. A nice alternative and great savings when comparing hotel costs.
Great idea! I haven't done much with yard sales so far this summer, but I probably should. Thanks for sharing!
Great tips! The last 2 hotels we've stayed in we used coupons from those coupon booklets you can get free at travel centers. It really saved a lot since even cheap hotels are expensive.
Thanks for the tip, Katy. I'm not sure I've seen those coupon books, but I'll have to look for them now that I know they exist. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
A low cost teardrop camper can save you on both lodging and food.
Easy to tow
Galley in the back for all your meals
Bed for sleeping
Stop at a 24 hour store or a Walmart to overnight for free.
My husband and I were just talking about someday purchasing a small camper. I think it would be a great way to save on travel expenses when you know you will be on the road a lot. Thanks for sharing!
A couple of comments for dining out. These experiences are several years old but it may still apply. We use to leave around midnight or some time before dawn. I found it was much faster to eat breakfast at a restaurant serving a breakfast bar then at a fast food place, where everyone else ate, making them extremely crowded and slow. When the hostess takes you to your table, place your drink order with her and tell her you are ordering the breakfast bar. Then go directly to the breakfast bar. When the waitress brings your drinks, ask for the bill with the drinks and breakfast bar. As soon as everyone is finished, you don't have to wait on the waitress, just leave and pay the bill. With a solid filling breakfast, you can usually skip lunch and get away with snacks until dinner.
As for dining out for dinners, even when I am at home, I go early enough and purchase an "early bird special". Which is cheaper than the regular price.
These are some great ideas, Janet! It sounds like you have some great experience with dining out on the cheap! Thanks for sharing!
In the early '80's when we had the 6 kids, my husband bought a pop-up camper that he pulled many miles when we went on trips. I could even cook in there and we did that
a lot and ate cold meals like sandwiches I had put together. So it definately saved
us money because we would not have been able to stay in motels and eat out all the
time, not with the 8 of us. But we fit fairly comfortably in that small pop-up camper. Many wonderful memories.