Everyone loves a good road trip. At least most people do. If you’re someone who loves the idea of jumping in an RV rental and exploring your country, you know just how fun getting out on the open road can be. With that being said, you probably also know just how expensive it can be to go on a road trip. From fuel to food and activities, road trips are not always so budget-friendly. That is, unless, you take the time to plan well to avoid unnecessary costs and cut down on expenses on your trip in an RV rental.
How do you do this? It certainly is something that is easier said than done. Yet it is possible to go on a road-trip and not spend your life-savings. To help you plan for a successful yet affordable road trip, consider the following tips:
- Prioritize the activities that you really want to do. Of course, you’re going to want to do activities on your road trip. After all, it’s not just about driving to destinations; it’s also about enjoying those destinations. But, when you’re traveling on a budget, it’s a good idea to make sure that you include the must-have activities and leave out the ones you can wait on. Trying to do it all can get quite expensive.
- Try to eat more meals “in” than out. Food is so good but it can also be quite expensive. Before setting out on your road trip, check out the restaurants that you really want to try beforehand. This way, you can save some meals to eat at home-which will be much cheaper-and spend at the restaurants that you don’t want to miss out on. You’re going to save a lot this way.
- Book RV parks ahead of time. When you book ahead of time, you can be sure that you’ll get space in the RV park of your choosing and even be able to choose lower-priced options. It’s also a good way to avoid having to spend the night in a place that may not be safe or legal for you to park at.
- Check out free but fun things to do in the destinations that you’ll be visiting. While many cities have activities and events that will cost you and are even worth the price, some cities have some really fun events and activities that are free. If you want to make sure to make the most out of your trip, check out the free events happening in the destinations that you’ll be visiting. Not only will it be fun and not hurt your pocket, you’ll get to experience meeting people and observing how things are done in the city that you’ll be visiting.
- Avoid traveling in high season, if possible. It makes sense that you will most likely have your vacation during the high season, as this is when many people get vacation time. But, if you can wing it with your job, consider taking your road trip at a time when your desired destinations won’t be packed out with tourists. Prices tend to spike during high season and you also end up having to share space with a lot of other people. To avoid crowds and overpriced activities and places, try to plan your trip for a time when there aren’t too many other people traveling.
- Download apps that help you find cheaper prices for fuel and more. If you take your time to download apps on your phone, you could actually save a lot of money. From apps that can tell you which routes are the most affordable to ones that lead you to the best and cheapest gas-stations for filling up your tank, there is a plethora of options available online. You don’t have to spend more than necessary when you use apps that are designed to help you save some pennies.
When it comes to road trips, you’ll be amazed at how every penny counts. This means that whatever you can do to save money and spend less will go far in helping you to follow a budget—and not just any budget. You’ll be able to make sure that you don’t overspend on your road trip.
An important thing to do before setting out is to make sure that you have a plan. Planning means everything when it comes to budgeting, so if you take the time to plan ahead, you cane be sure that you’ll save on your trip.
Of course, unexpected things may happen on your road trip that may be out of your budget, so it’s important to stay flexible. Just make sure to stick to your plan as much as possible and your road trip doesn’t have to send your spending through the roof. Budget road trips are possible.
