Looking for some simple money-saving ideas for your next road trip? Check out these eight ideas that can help make any road trip more frugal. Road trips can be a great way to travel with a large group of family or friends, and they can be quite economical if you just do a little bit of pre-planning.
Money-Saving Tips
- Consider the timing of your trip. When planning your trip, do your best to avoid holiday weekends because gas prices will skyrocket and you’ll run into a lot more traffic than you would if you traveled during any other time period.
- Decide how many miles you intend to cover each day and map out your route accordingly. This will help you avoid wasting time and gas as a result of major road construction or traffic problems. You can also consult state departments of transportation sites for information on road conditions in the states you plan to visit.
- Take your Class A, Class B or Class C RV in for a tune-up before you go. Perform a maintenance check to make sure your RV is in good condition before you hit the road. This will help you avoid breakdowns that could result in costly repairs with unfamiliar mechanics.
- Use a gas app or website to locate the most economical places to fuel up. While on your road trips, use one of these apps to help you find the gas station that’s the cheapest.
- The best way to save money on food while on the road is to bring your own along. As an added bonus to saving money, you’ll save time waiting in drive-through lines or stopping at restaurants along the way. You can just stop at a park along your route instead for a picnic, and have the healthy options that you brought from home available. In addition to plenty of water, be sure to stock up on sandwich ingredients, containers with pre-cut vegetables and fresh fruit that won’t require refrigeration.
- Choose money-saving forms of entertainment like state parks and roadside attractions. These stops won’t put much of a dent in your budget, if any. Create a plan to see as much as you can along the way, but set aside a little time and money for unexpected opportunities.
- If there is a particular attraction, museum or park you want to visit, always check online for coupons or discount days. Social websites such as Facebook, Yelp and Twitter often offer special deals. You just have to look for them.
- Pack smart. While bringing too much on a road trip can mean extra weight and lower gas mileage, having to stop along the way to purchase something you forgot often means paying a higher price. Avoid over-loading and last-minute purchases by creating a packing list.
Do you have any money-saving road trip tips that you’d like to share? Head over to the Easy Escapes RV Facebook page and share your tips by commenting on the link to this post.