Taking A Family Road Trip: 7 Ways To Save Money

Planning a road trip across country, or maybe just a few states away?  It is very easy to let money fly through your fingers as you coast down the road.  Here are 7 ways to help save you money on your next road trip:

1. Check gas prices: This might be where the bulk of your money goes, so make sure you are spending wisely by gassing up in the least expensive spots possible. 

2. Lodging:  Depending on how far you are going, you may need to stay in more than one hotel.  Motels are less expensive than hotels, so be sure to keep them in mind while planning!  Plan ahead if you can, and make reservations. This will save you time, money and stress!  

3. Food:  Pack snack foods and drinks in coolers. For what you pay for 2 bottles of water at a gas station, you can purchase an entire case of water before hitting the road!  Think of all the money you save on water alone.  Plus, if you are traveling with kids, they can eat a lot!  Having snacks in the car already is going to save you a ton in food. Packing food allows you to plan for healthier choices, too!

4. Pets:  Taking your four legged fur babies with you? This will save on kennel costs, but many hotels charge a pet fee and it can get pricey if you have more than one.  Here is a little secret: Motel 6 allows pets to stay for FREE (yes, you can still get something for free!).  As long as you look after your pets and clean up after them, you will not be charged a dime.

5. Oil change and tire pressure:  Before putting the pedal to the metal, be sure to get your oil changed.  This will save you on gas, which as stated before, is going to be where the bulk of your money goes.  Also, making sure your tires have the proper amount of air in them will help in keeping gas costs down. It might not seem like much savings, but every little bit adds up.

6. Save your pennies:  Pennies are still in circulation?  If you have time to plan your road trip, stop spending your change.  Use an empty bottle and start filling it up.  You will be surprised at how much you can accumulate in loose change in a short amount of time!  Have a loose dollar bill?  Toss it in!  You can get a tank of gas paid for pretty quickly.

7. AAA:  If you don’t already, you might want to think about getting an AAA membership.  They have lots of other benefits other than free roadside assistance!  You could be saving money on hotels, restaurants, and a boatload of other things.

Road trips are fun!  Take these steps to save money so you can spend a little more on souvenirs and enjoy the ride.

 Have a way you saved money on a road trip?  Leave me your tip in the comments!