The Art of the Cheap Road Trip

The key to making your holiday road trips inexpensive is planning ahead. Here are some thoughts to get your wheels turning:

Food: Most people save money by eating from their ice chest while road-tripping. Best are foods that stay somewhat dry, like bagels, cheese, nuts, and the like. Try to avoid foods that you have to eat soon or they go bad. Also, note that surveys show that if you try to just eat from the cooler, you’ll likely abandon the effort before too long—and there goes your plan for a budget trip. Try to be realistic and plan for your likely behavior. Think about mixing it up, like eating breakfast and lunch from the cooler and splurging on dinner.

Lodging: If you’re comfortable camping, great! You can also combine your camping with occasional hotel stays. Investigate campgrounds and plan your trip so that you connect up to nice facilities along the way. Some have a swimming pool, showers, and other conveniences. Be sure to compare. You might be able to stay at a budget hotel for as much as the nearby campground. Also be aware of the weather. For instance, campgrounds are very cheap at Lake Havasu in the summer—because at 110 degrees at night, who can sleep without air conditioning?

Vehicle expenses Long before you take your trip, get your car serviced. Check the spare. Top off the fluids. On the road, get gas at the larger truck stops where gas is usually cheaper. Don’t allow your tank to get empty—top it off at ¼ tank. Seriously consider getting CAA/AAA or a similar road service plan. You don’t need it until you do! And there are many places that offer CAA/AAA discounts. And remember to drive at lower speeds. You could save 10% to 20% on your gas!

 GAS WASTE

In case you’ve ever wondered… 

Speeding, rapid acceleration and braking can lower fuel efficiency by 33% at highway speeds and by 5 % around town.

Improve gas efficiency by up to 3.3% (3 1/3 cents per dollar) by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.