My husband and I absolutely love to travel. Over the years we have spent together, we have taken many mini vacations to some of the most wonderful places. Because we got together when we were pretty young and have gone through; college, layoffs, planning a wedding and now parenthood, a common thread for many of these trips has been a limited budget, but we have never let that stop us from having fun! If you are anything like us, you love adventure and would go to great lengths to have a good time. With that kind of ambition and the ability to keep a sense of humor, you can’t go wrong with a road trip.
The first thing you can do to save money on a road trip is pack an ice chest. It might seem super frugal, but that is what we are talking about! An ice chest is an easy way to reduce cost when you are on the road. Pack the beverages of your choice, the makings for sandwiches, fruits, snacks and even some of those impulse items that you might find yourself paying extra for at a random gas station in the middle of nowhere, like chocolate. Though dealing with ice can be a hassle, for every meal you eat out of your ice chest instead of at some roadside diner, you will save!
Always book your room before you leave. Being able to plan your route and where you stay will give you a budgeting edge for a few reasons. One of those reasons is fuel. When you know where you are going and where your route will take you, you won’t be at the mercy of the one fuel stop for the next 60 miles.
You may have had to fork over your hard earned funds at these price-inflated fuel stations before and you know that is not a good feeling. Plan to stop for gas in heavily populated areas where demand is high and prices are lower.
Another good reason to book ahead is that you can take advantage of website deals offered by companies like Kayak, Travelocity, Bookit.com, or Travel Zoo, to name a few. These sites specialize in bringing you the best prices that can be found. Even if you do not save a ton on your booking, you may get a better room than you would have if you waited to make your reservation at the hotel customer service counter or you may potentially find a package deal that offers other perks and accommodations during your stay.
I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for a reduced price spa service when I am on vacation!
Include scenic points of interest on your drive. These vistas make perfect places to have your packed lunches and are an inexpensive way to spend parts of your day. We are lucky to live in California where you can find a multitude of beautiful places to walk or hike around, but the same can be said for many places we have been.
You won’t often have to pay for more than parking, but quite a few places will allow visitors to park for free. I would much rather stretch my legs at a lovely roadside stop than at a truckstop anyway.
These are some simple ways to save on a road trip, but are guaranteed to keep more cash in your travel budget for fun! Do you have secrets for saving when you are the road? Do share them with our readers!
By Tara, Free Stuff Finder Contributor
