– By #Pioneer Auto Show
Spring has started to show its beautiful face, which means it’s almost road trip season. Road trips can be expensive, so it’s usually a family event that requires some planning and saving. But some of the best road trips are the spontaneous ones that have no planning at all. However, those still require money. So here are some tips for saving money for your upcoming road trips and for having a budget friendly road trip that is still a memorable one.
- Create a budget. It may seem silly, but unless you create a budget for your road trips, you’ll end up going over every time. Make sure you factor in gas costs, food costs, lodging costs, and even buying souvenirs. One of the biggest tips for saving money starts will planning for how you’ll spend the money you do have.
- Pack wisely. This goes way beyond just saving space, this is about saving money. If you pack wisely in not only the clothing area, but also when it comes to food, you’ll save tons of money on your road trips. Make and pack your own snacks and drinks rather than purchasing food at every gas station you stop at. Also be sure to pack enough clothes to cover the multitude of seasons you’ll experience. Traveling in May in South Dakota, you could encounter every season imaginable from 90 degree heat to blowing snow, so plan accordingly so you don’t find yourself at a Walmart looking for a winter coat.
- Shop around. When it comes to lodging, shopping around to find the best deal is one of the best tips for saving money we can give you. Do a little research before you leave on where you think you’ll stop to sleep for the night and find the best deal in that town. If you’re taking a spontaneous road trip, download some useful travel apps to help you find the best deal while you’re driving down the road, this way you’re still saving money, but spontaneously.
- Find budget friendly activities. Going on road trips doesn’t always mean stopping at the most expensive amusement park on the trip. Find some cheaper options that still offer a ton of fun. For example, geocaching is totally free and allows you to get out and explore a wide range of areas. Just download the app and engage in an adult, outdoor scavenger hunt with your phone. At $11.50 a person, Pioneer Auto is a great way to save some money but still have hours of fun exploring as well.
One of the biggest tips for saving money on road trips we can give is to plan ahead. But we understand some of the best road trips are spontaneous, so use technology to your advantage and be budget friendly spontaneous.
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