Looking for money saving strategies for your next road trip? These helpful tips will make sure you save money while having a fun trip!
Hitting the open road, exploring new places, and making lasting memories are all hallmarks of the quintessential American road trip. But with rising gas prices, expensive hotels, and pricey restaurant meals, it’s easy to blow your travel budget before you even reach your destination.
Fortunately, there are ways to stretch your travel budget without sacrificing your experience. Read on for our top tips on how you can save money while on vacation.
Book in Advance
It pays to get organized! When booking accommodation or activities, it’s always worth looking into booking in advance as many places are likely to offer discounts if you schedule with them well ahead of your trip.
If you wait until the last minute, not only could you miss out on special deals but prices may also have gone up since you began planning your vacation. Planning ahead can help you save money and give you peace of mind that everything is taken care of before your departure date.
Go Off-Peak
If possible, try to plan your road trip during an off-peak time of year or mid-week instead of peak season or on weekends when prices tend to be higher. Hotels often offer discounts for weeknight stays as well as discounts for AAA members or senior citizens.
If you’re willing to stay in an Airbnb or campground instead of a hotel room, that could also help cut costs significantly and add an extra layer of adventure to your journey!
Eat Smart
One of the most fun parts about a road trip is trying out all the local restaurants along the way and sampling some delicious regional cuisine! Of course, eating out every meal will definitely break the bank for a thrifty traveler.
To save money while still getting a taste of what each stop along your journey has to offer, consider looking into local food trucks or small eateries which typically provide great quality food at lower prices than established restaurants.
Additionally, if you have access to a kitchen at any point during your travels such as an Airbnb rental or campsite with amenities—you can save even more by preparing some meals yourself, sometimes nothing beats a home cooked meal.
Protect Yourself
Of course there are some things you can do to save money before your journey even starts, for example make sure you shop around for car insurance that provides the right coverage for the best price. You’ll also want to make sure that you’ve got some of the basics like a spare tire, emergency food supply, and blankets. These can keep you safe and in the case of the spare tire even save you money on a tow truck.
With just a few smart strategies in mind during planning stages of your road trip journey—such as packing light and eating smartly—you can ensure that you maximize your vacation budget so that you have enough funds left over for souvenirs and other fun activities along the way!
So don’t let tight finances stop you from enjoying all that travel has to offer; use these tips so that you can make lasting memories without breaking the bank!
