Throughout the last three years, taking a road trip has become Patrick and I’s favorite way to vacation. We’ve seen some incredible places throughout the country and we do so all from our own car, driving across several states. There’s something about long car rides that I love and that make the trip even more memorable because of the journey involved to get to the destination. One of the main reasons we started driving everywhere on our trips was primarily to save money. The expenses on any trip will inevitably add up so it’s helpful to find some ways to reduce cost if that’s your goal! In this guide, I’ll be sharing my tips on how to save and budget money for a road trip.
Budget Tips
Camp
Camping can either be free or much less expensive than other accommodations. I was never a big camper until we started road tripping to various national parks and forests, but now it’s usually all we book when traveling. We found that campgrounds typically charge anywhere from $25-$50 per night which is much cheaper than nightly costs of hotels or airbnb’s! Free camping is also possible too, we’ve had luck finding free campsites by using apps or other online resources. Keep in mind, free camping is definitely different than an established campground, mostly because there aren’t any amenities and it’s all first come first serve. For finding campgrounds or free spots I’d recommended:
Make a Packing List to Follow
For the last three years, we’ve planned a big road trip and one thing that has made the whole experience less stressful was following a packing list. Writing out everything needed for a big road trip from clothes, food, camping equipment, and other necessities made the packing and planning process so much smoother! When following a list, you’re more likely to pack everything you need and not have to buy things along the way. Another plus is you can pack more when driving compared to flying.
Select Budget Friendly Activities
Depending on where you are road tripping to, there will likely be activities you are looking forward to. I’d recommended finding as many free or less expensive activities as possible to save money. If you like national park travel, like me, one of the main things I enjoy are the hikes (which are usually free!). However, depending on where you’re going, there may be activities on your bucket list that do cost something and that’s okay! It’s all about balancing and prioritizing what you want to do and spend money on.
Plan to Make Most Meals
One of the luxuries of road tripping vs. flying is you can pack as many snacks and food items as you want! Making your own meals while road tripping will be a huge cost saver! If you’re planning to stay at hotels, take advantage of free breakfast if offered too. Of course we love to eat out but we usually plan to make majority of our meals + coffee while traveling.
Plan Road Trip Route in Advance
Planning your route in advance will not only save money but also time. It’s a big relief to know the route you’ll be taking, if there are tolls, how many hours til your destination, where you’ll be stopping to sleep, etc. Planning out stops in advance, will make it more likely for you to budget expenses for each spot which can really save money! Another helpful tip is to use navigation (i.e., apple or google maps) to find the fastest route, a route without tolls, if there will be any traffic delays, etc.
Save On Gas
The biggest expense while road tripping is gas. If possible, in the planning process you can consider how many miles per gallon you need to fill up or when you’ll likely have to stop. We’ve used the app gasbuddy too to try and find cheap gas in the areas we’re in. While saving money and budgeting for your trip, keep in mind, gas is something that will add up and that you’ll have to stop for the most while road tripping.
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