Amy & Aron's

There are plenty of fun vacations you can take. Exploring one of the country’s most modern cities? You’ll have a ball. Or how about just jetting off to a beach area, and spending a week lapping up the rays, and living the good life? There’s nothing wrong with that. There’s one type of vacation, however, that captures the imagination like nothing else: the road trip. It’s a big and beautiful country out there, and who can help be anything other than enchanted by the lure and freedom of the open road? Whether it’s one of America’s most iconic road trips or you’re just exploring whatever comes your way, you’ll have a great time. But there’s one thing to consider -- and that’s that road trips can be expensive. To help keep costs down, we’ve put together some handy tips below. Once the money aspect has been handled, you’ll be able to focus on simply having a good time, knowing that you’re making the trip in the most cost-efficient way possible.





Learn to Drive

OK, when we say “learn to drive,” we don’t mean the actual act of navigating the roads in an automobile. We mean learning how to drive in a way that’ll prevent you from burning more gas than necessary. The number of miles per gallon that you achieve will have a big bearing on how much the trip costs, especially if you’re driving hundreds of miles. As a general rule, you’ll want to avoid accelerating and braking too harshly when you’re setting off from or approaching red lights. Maintaining a stable speed that’s not too fast will also make a big difference. This trip is about the journey, not the destination -- there’s no reason to prioritize speed!

Fuel Efficiency

It’s not just your driving style that’ll affect your MPG, either -- what’s happening under the hood will also play a role. If your engine isn’t running as it’s supposed to be running, then it won’t be using the gas it’s burning as efficiently as it could. Have an auto center perform smog tests on your vehicle before you’re setting off -- if something’s not quite right, they’ll be able to fix it, and ensure that your car is burning fuel efficiently.

Affordable Gas

Some people are in the habit of just pulling into whatever gas station they come across, and filling up their tank, regardless of the cost of a gallon. This is a mistake! There can be a big difference between the cost of gas at one station to another. As such, it’s worthwhile researching the best place to buy gas in each town and state you’ll be passing through -- there are websites that’ll point you to the best value areas. This is especially important when you’re filling up near the state line, as different states tax their fuel in different ways, which can lead to substantial cost discrepancies.

Other Issues

You’ll also want to think about the general state of your car. It’s much better to have your car checked out by a professional before you set off, rather than to figure out you’ve got a problem once you’re in the middle of nowhere, far away from home. The costs of getting towed and your car repaired will put a serious dent in your budget! It’s always better to get your car tuned up, as it’ll prevent potential problems from becoming actual problems. Plus, this is about more than money -- it’ll kind of rain on your parade if you have to spend some time waiting for your car to be repaired before you restart your adventure.

Cheapest Routes

Now, part of the fun of a road trip is going wherever the wind blows, whichever route calls you. However, it is worthwhile doing a little bit of research before you set off, so that you’re able to avoid the expensive toll roads. Even if you decide to eventually take them, you’ll appreciate knowing where they are, so that you can factor in the costs to your budget. The good news is that it’s often possible to take a free road rather than a paid one -- the toll roads are meant for speed, but you don’t care so much about speed when you’re on vacation.

Prepared Snacks

After the accommodation (more on that later), the biggest daily expense you’ll have is food. When you need to eat three meals a day, and you don’t know where the best value food in the town you’re visiting is located, the costs can quickly add up. As such, one of the best ways to save money is to know how to prepare delicious meals yourself! It’s much, much more cost efficient to buy ingredients from a supermarket and then prepare your food yourself on the side of the road. Of course, you’ll want to dine in a restaurant from time to time, but your own meals should be the go-to option.





Tent in the Trunk

There’s little value in spending every night in a hotel or motel. Sometimes, you’re just looking for a bed for the night, nothing more. As such, why not look at packing a tent with you? If it’s spring or summer, it’s the perfect time to spend a night under the stars. You could spend two nights in a tent, one in a motel for the duration of your trip, and save a lot of money in the process.

Free Entertainment

You’re not just going to be driving, driving, driving. You’ll also be stopping off at towns and exploring the sights! But depending on where you’re visiting, this might cost a fair amount. Don’t feel obliged to visit the expensive attractions. Every destination has free entertainment -- and in the big cities, there’ll be plenty to choose from. Make the most of them!

Get Covered

Finally, make sure you’re checking your car insurance policy before setting off. If something goes wrong, you want to ensure that they’ll pay for the costs -- if not, you could end up with a much bigger bill than you imagined.