Driving West on a Budget

Road trips can be expensive. Everything costs money! You have to pay for gas, food, lodging, souvenirs, gifts, and emergencies should they arise. I'm going to tell you how to prepare and save on your journey out west.

Gas - There is not much you can do about gas prices. They are going to be high or they are going to be low. It just so happened that my trip west was during the $4/gallon oil crisis last summer into fall. We were able to keep our costs down by following a few simple guidelines.

First, tire pressure is your best friend. Be sure to keep your tires inflated to the proper PSI. If you don't know how to do this, find someone who does before you leave, or just follow these steps.

• Each tire has its recommended PSI right on it. Once you figure out that, get a tire gauge.
• Take off the little black nub off of the tire's air-hole, and press the gauge into it. The gauge will shoot out a little white ruler-looking thing, (or better yet, buy one of the digital gauges listed on this page!) which will tell you the tire's current PSI. If it matches what the tire recommends, then you are all set, but if not, drive your car to the gas station.
• Put a quarter into the pump and pump up your tires like you would a bicycle. Gas station pumps usually have a built in gauge to make it easy to get a reading.

When all of your tires are at the proper PSI, you are good to go! It is a good idea to check them every once in a while to make sure you are maximizing your mileage, and saving on the cost of gas.

Another good way to save money on gas is to be driving a car that gets good gas mileage to begin with! As much as I cannot stand a two-door Honda Civic, it gets a bazillion miles to the gallon, and if you are able to fit all of your belongings into a small car like that, then that is what you should do. If you can't fit everything into a small car, try to avoid towing anything such as a trailer.

Another big expense while driving west is lodging. Unless you are in an RV, you really have only two options.

1. Hotels/Motels - Most hotels or motels charge around $100/night, but there is one good way to get around this. Along your travels, you will want and have to stop at rest areas. At almost every one of them, there will be free magazines called Room Savers. They are usually green in color and there are different editions for different groups of states. These magazines contain coupons for a one night's stay in several hotels along the way. They usually save you anywhere from $30-$50.

There are a couple catches however. The first is that they are only applicable on a walk in basis, so if you get there and there are no rooms available, then it is useless. Avoid this problem by calling ahead and making sure there will be plenty of rooms available by the time you get there. Sometimes you will even get lucky, and the person you speak to will take a reservation despite what it says on the coupon.

The second catch, is that most of the coupons are only valid during the week. Fridays and Saturdays are usually the only two days that you cannot use these awesome money savers, but again...you might get lucky and find a couple that are good all week long.

Most of the hotels/motels you will stay in are decent enough. Econolodge, Days Inn, Holiday Inn, Comfort Inn, and Quality Inn are just a few of the options you will have. Almost all of these places will offer a pool, free continental breakfast, free wireless Internet, and cable. For $40, you can't go wrong!

2. Your second lodging option is camping. Camping is an inexpensive way to spend a night, but you have to be prepared for just about anything. The weather is your worst adversary. There is not much worse than struggling to set up a tent in the rain, so check the weather before you go making reservations.

Your best bet for finding a campground along the way is to use KOA or Kampgrounds of America. They are fairly cheap, and there are plenty of them. Be sure to respect the rules of the campground while you stay!

Camping is always cheaper than a hotel or motel, so if you don't mind pitching a tent and sleeping on the ground, this is an absolutely great way to save a boat load of cash.

As you probably know from your daily lives, food is one of the largest expenses a person can have. This is also true on a road trip. There are a couple different ways to offset this large cost.

1. Pack a cooler. Rather than stopping at a fast food joint, or sitting down at a restaurant and spending at minimum $5-$10 per person, do some grocery shopping before you leave. Stock up on sandwhich meats and bread to make a quick sandwhich on the fly. Grab some chips, crackers, yogurts, fruit and granola bars for snacks along the way. Easy, light foods that can satisfy your hunger while you drive and are simple to prepare can save you tons of cash along the way. Don't forget to pack a few refillable waterbottles, and some caffeinated soda to help keep you awake on those long stretches of open road!

As far as keeping it fresh and cold, start out by buying a bag of ice and empty it into the cooler with the food. It will obviously melt, and this is where the creativity comes in. Chances are that the place you are staying for the night has an ice machine. In the morning, before you head out, empty the water out of your cooler, and take full advantage of the free ice! Take as much as you can fit into your cooler and be on your way. The ice usually lasts for a day or two, so if you decide to camp for a night, you will probably be fine. If you are in need, however, just buy another bag of ice to get you through the next day!

2. Use coupons. When hungry for dinner, grab a few flyers from the front desk of the hotel/motel. There will inevitably be coupons for pizza, chinese food, or some other type of takeout. They may only save you a buck or two, but it will begin to add up after a few nights. You might even find yourself with an extra tank of gas!

3. Take full advantage of free continental breakfast. Not all, but most of the hotels/motels will offer a free continental breakfast with your stay. Usually, these consist of bagels, waffles, fruit, cereal, and coffee. Not only is it a free meal to start the day and save money, but it is a good opportunity to stock your cooler with a few extra snacks!

Everyone wants to buy gifts for their friends and family when they go on vacation, and of course souvenirs for themselves! This too, can be expensive, but here are a few ways to keep this expense to a minimum.

1. Keep it simple. There is no need to spend a lot of money on an elaborate gift or souvenir. Most people receiving vacation gifts pretend to like them and then stow them away in the closet or attic. A simple gesture is just as worthy, and it saves you cash!

2. Keep it consistent. If you know you want to buy a souvenir from each of your stops, pick one or two things to collect that are inexpensive but still get the job done. Perhaps you have a bland refrigerador that needs some sprucing up. Purchase a magnet from each destination. They are usually under $5, and will be a good reminder of your good times anytime you go into the kitchen! Shot glasses, pens, and key chains are also good ideas to keep your cost down.

3. Be realistic. Like I said before, most vacation gifts are tossed aside soon after they are received, so pick something that will fit this description. Your best bet is a simple postcard. The recipient will be thrilled to hear from you and see the amazing places you have visited, and neither party will feel bad when it inevitably ends up in the trash a few days later! Postcards usually will cost you less than $2. A great money saver.

Finally, pick destinations that aren't going to cost you an arm and a leg to visit. National parks and monuments are always worth seeing, and they are much cheaper than going to an amusement park or resort.

I hope these tips help you during your travels. Every penny counts, especially in this economy. You may not have the money to go on a big expensive vacation, but there are definitely ways to travel cheap!