If you lower the cost of a holiday road trip you have the opportunity to get to your destination with more money in your wallet and more to spend while you were there. With the holidays so close we can imagine all the long trips to see family members that we only see once a year. My family also has the annual tradition of doing a holiday road trip to visit out extended family members. Most times we end up being on the road for over three hours on these trips. Over the years we have devised a number of strategies that help us to lower the cost of a holiday road trip.
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Before your next road trip check out these seven tips to help you lower the cost of a holiday road trip.
Ensure your Tires Have the Right Amount of Air
Take some time beforehand to look in your owner’s manual for the right amount of air recommended for your tires. Fill you tires to the appropriate amount of air at a gas station or if you have an air pump in your car you can do this at home before you head out on your trip. How does inflating your tires to the correct amount help you to save money?
- You reduce your chances of having a blowout which would lead to a roadside stop that would have you spending money you hadn’t planned on spending.
- You will get better gas mileage when your tires have the recommended amount of air.
Fill Up your Gas Tank Before Leaving
Gas stations on the open road tend to have more expensive prices. So in order to lower the cost of a holiday road trip you should fill up at your regular service station prior to embarking on your journey. You save not only money on gas but also stopping at a gas station to get gas when on a trip can cause you to take a stroll into the convenience store and purchase coffee, a snack or soda just because you are there.
Bring Your Own Meals and Snacks for the Road
Bringing your own meals on the road is a surefire way to lower the cost of a holiday road trip. Food can be expensive on the road especially if you are going on a long trip for over three hours. Packing your own snacks, beverages and meals will help you to save money and save time since you won’t have to stop to purchase a meal.
Adhere to the Speed Limit to Lower the Cost of a Holiday Road Trip
If you are driving at the speed limit then your chances of getting pulled over are reduced. Traffic tickets can be very expensive but along with avoiding traffic tickets your vehicle will be more fuel efficient. A fuel efficient vehicle also means that you won’t need to stop for gas and thus will save you some time as well.
Ensure All Your Car Documents are Up-to-Date
When going on a long road trip the first thing you want to ensure is that you have proof of car insurance and updated registration with you. In the event that you do get pulled over you won’t get a ticket for not having those things.
Research State Border Gas Stations
If you must travel really far and a full tank of gas won’t take you all the way then you must do your research. Find out which gas stations are the cheapest – these are usually on state borders. This will help you reduce the amount of money you end up spending. To check border prices try GasBuddy beforehand so you know where the best place to refuel will be.
Stay Away from Tolls
Even if toll roads add a couple miles to your trip it could work out to be cheaper than paying for the toll. Often times you may have to go through multiple toll roads and if you can minimize the amount of tolls you go through or get rid of them altogether you could lower the cost of a holiday road trip significantly. With the help of Google maps you can check for alternative routes that do not include toll roads.
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With these few tips you could easily save money on your next trip for the holidays and keep more money in your wallet so you can bring home more souvenirs.
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