Last week, I took a small vacation with some friends to Cedar Point and Marble Lake in Michigan. The trip required driving almost 700 miles and as you can guess, road trips can get pretty expensive if you don’t plan ahead. Here are some ways to make a trip as cheap as possible while still having a good time.
Split gas - This is a no brainer, but make sure everyone in the group is cool with splitting the cost of gasoline. You don’t want to volunteer to drive and have your friends assume you’re also okay with paying for all of the fuel. Many cars will even keep track of how many gallons you use, so calculating everyone’s share is easy.
Avoid fast food - Fast food is convenient and usually tastes good, but isn’t all that cheap. Instead, pack a cooler with plenty of beverages and snacks. Lunch meat and bread will allow you to completely avoid fast food.
Limit stops – Avoid stopping unless you really need to. Every break at a rest area will tempt you to spend money – usually on junk food from vending machines. Gas usage will also increase if you’re constantly getting on and off the highway.
Consider getting a GPS unit- GPS makes long distance driving so much easier. These days, any basic unit will have plenty of features for most people. No more trying to read a map while driving or hoping you don’t miss an exit. At the end of the trip, just tap “Go Home” and you know you’re on the (correct) way.
Use your connections - To really drive down the cost of traveling, see if you have a family member or friend who will let you stay with them for free. This won’t work in all situations, but when it does, you’ll save a ton.
Plan, but not too much – My friends and I planned our trip pretty well, but not everything was perfect. We knew that pop would be way more expensive in Michigan, so we bought some in Ohio. But we underestimated how much gas we would use for the trip. Life goes on.
