59 Easy Ways To Save Money On A Road Trip (2025)

Are you wondering about the best way to save money on a road trip?

Taking a road trip is an exciting way to travel, but it can also get expensive! Between the insane price of gas these days, hotels, and food, not to mention the things you want to do on your trip, you can spend a small fortune if you aren’t careful.

Sam and I have taken dozens of road trips. It is our favorite way to experience a new place and travel in general. We have traveled a large chunk of the US, hitting up lots of national parks like Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, and Acadia, and exploring other underrated but wonderful regions like the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho and the Bold Coast of Maine.

We’ve also been fortunate enough to plan some road trip routes in England and Scotland which were some of our favorites of all time. We are itching to get back to Europe and plan some more epic road trip itineraries.

I’ve broken this list up into sections so if you are looking for tips in a particular area, like how to save money on accommodation or gas, you can find it easier and also refer back to the list later on if you need to.

Ways to save money on a road trip – Planning

1. Plan ahead!

Every cheap road trip needs to start with some proper planning. The more you know ahead of time the better off you will be and the fewer surprises you will have when you get home and start totaling up your bills.

Although everyone plans a trip differently, some of the things you should know ahead of time include:

• Who’s coming – are you going solo? Is this a whole family trip?
• Your route – where you are going and how long you’ll be traveling. This will give you a baseline to determine how much gas you’ll need, possible accommodation locations, etc. I love Google Maps for this!
• When will you do most of your long stretches of driving? Will you drive mostly during the day or at night?
• Lodging – do you prefer B&Bs? Is camping more your forte? You can start to figure out where you can stay along your route that fits your style and budget.
• Tolls – does your road trip route have tolls? Knowing this ahead of time will save you the headache and surprise of finding out on the spot and allow you to avoid them if you wish.
• Parking – finding places to park can sometimes be the most stressful part of road tripping in my opinion. Knowing what the parking situation is like where you’ll be going can relieve some of that stress.
• Attractions – before you leave, you should research the places you want to see. Are they only open on certain days/hours? What does it cost? Are certain exhibits/aspects of the attraction under construction? You don’t want to be disappointed when you get there and realize they are closed!
• Know the cancellation policies for accommodations, car rentals, etc. in case you need to alter your plans or you are delayed. If you have to make last-minute changes, you don’t want to be upset because you didn’t know you don’t get a refund on your hotel. Know what to expect ahead of time.

I’ve got an amazing resource that can help you with all these aspects of planning for your road trip plus SO much more! Click here to check out the ultimate road trip planning workbook!

While researching as much of your trip as you can ahead of time will save you money overall, no one is saying you have to stick to your plan 100% – I mean, you want to be able to take that random detour to see that kitschy roadside attraction if you want to, right?

Allow room for hidden gems and spontaneous detours – that’s part of what makes a road trip so special – but if you don’t plan anything, you will likely spend a lot more money simply because you didn’t take the time to do a little research.

2. Make a budget and stick with it

One of my top travel tips on how to save money on a road trip is to make a budget. No one saves money if they don’t know what they should be spending in the first place.

I mentioned what areas you should be planning for your trip, and these mostly correlate to what I calculate in my trip budget. As you’re planning, you’ll be able to figure out estimates for these road trip costs:

• Gas
• Lodging
• Food
• Attractions
• Parking/tolls
• Miscellaneous – ice, toiletries, laundry, souvenirs, etc.

Making the budget itself is only part of the equation – you need to actually stick to it! If you say you are only going to spend $30/day on food, keep yourself accountable! If saving money on road trips is important to you, you need to track your expenses and log them every day so you can see if you are overspending or if you are on target.

There are so many different apps that make this super easy – some free and some paid. I personally use and like the TravelSpend app, but regardless of how you track, just make sure you stick with it!

3. Travel with friends

When you travel with others, you end up splitting two of the most expensive trip costs – lodging and gas. You can save a lot of money by finding a friend or two who are ready for adventure!

While traveling with other people can definitely make a trip easier on your wallet, make sure you and your friends are compatible travel partners. Nothing ruins a trip faster than some unmet expectations or unwelcome surprises.

Have a conversation about how everyone likes to travel and what everyone expects to get out of the trip and you’ll be much better off.

When it comes to keeping track of who-paid-what and who-owes-who, I like the app Splitwise.

4. Pack layers

No matter if you are going to Hawaii or Alaska, pack layers! You don’t want to have to buy that overpriced souvenir hoodie because you forgot to bring a jacket. Having to purchase additional clothing can blow your budget fast, so pack essentials even if you don’t end up using them.

5. Pack your toiletries correctly

Something I’ve been guilty of time and time again is just throwing my toiletries into a travel bag and calling it good, only to show up at my destination with my face wash and contact solution spilled all over EVERYTHING.

Learn from my mistake – take a couple of extra minutes and pack your toiletries the right way! Put all containers with any liquid, gel, or cream in a separate, sealable plastic bag. To double up on the protection, unscrew the lids and put some plastic wrap over the top before putting the lid back on. It’s a total game-changer!

Not only will this protect your clothes and other items from stains and smelling funky, but now you won’t have to swing by Walmart and buy more toiletries. Yay!

6. Double- and triple-check your packing list

This goes along with making sure you don’t have to run out and buy something because you forgot to bring it. But in order to check your list, you have to make one first!

I normally start making my checklist and packing about a week before my travel dates. Maybe that’s a little overkill for some people and that’s perfectly fine! But I know for me, I’m constantly remembering things I want to pack throughout the days leading up to leaving, so if I start the list early, I can keep adding things on as they come to me.

Check out this post on everything you need to pack for your road trip.

Ways to save money on a road trip – Food

7. Pack your own food & water bottles

What’s a vacation without your own snacks? A lame one in my opinion! It’s always a good idea to have some food in your car while you’re traveling so 1) you don’t have to stop constantly whenever anyone feels snackish, and 2) you don’t want anyone getting hangry (I am totally guilty of this one!).

Some basic non-perishable snacks, such as trail mix, jerky, popcorn, and seeds, are always a great idea and will be OK to leave in the car throughout your long road trip.

To save money on road trip food, your best bet is to stock up at your local grocery store before you leave. If you have a Sam’s Club or Costco membership, you can get what you need in bulk and save even more.

I’m also an advocate of bringing a refillable bottle and ditching the plastic bottled water. You save money and you help the environment. Win-win. If you’re worried about drinking water out of roadside bathroom faucets, get a filtering Lifestraw water bottle or water purification tablets.

8. Bring your own coffee

If you are a die-hard coffee drinker, you can spend a lot of money topping off your coffee cup at the gas station every few hours.

A great alternative is to bring along your own coffee that you already know you like and use a french press or similar to make your coffee on the go.

I personally don’t drink coffee, but a lot of travelers recommend the Aeropress because it’s compact, lightweight, and cleans up quickly and easily.

9. Fix your own meals

Going along with the previous suggestion, another one of my favorite road trip tips is to not only bring your own drinks and snacks but also make your own meals.

This can look different for everyone depending on where you are staying and how much time you like spending on your trip cooking and eating. But here are some ideas to get you started:

• If you’re camping, cook over the fire or with a camp stove. Many campsites have a grate so you can grill and place cast iron cookware right over the fire. We personally like to cook over charcoal but wood works too. We also bring our backpacking cookstoves because sometimes it’s just easier to whip up something quick on one of those than starting a fire, especially in the morning. You can make coffee and tea quickly with those too!
• If you’re staying in hotels or Airbnb’s, get a place with a kitchen. It might cost a little more than a place that doesn’t, but you more than likely will still save money by making your own food than having to eat out every single meal. This is a great option for a family road trip too because eating out with a lot of people can get REALLY pricey really fast.
• Bring a good-quality cooler and buy whatever food you can ahead of time. Invest in a road trip cooler and pack that sucker full of several days’ worth of meals. It will keep everything cold until you get there. If you’re camping, ice is still cheaper than eating out all the time. You might have to go grocery shopping once or twice on your trip, but getting what you can at home first will probably still save you some money.

• Make sure you bring all the utensils you will need to prepare the food. This goes for both camping and hotels. Once you buy all that food, you don’t want to realize you forgot tongs, or a spatula, or a chopping knife, and then have to buy one in order to make the meals. Most places with kitchens will have some kind of cookware available, but make sure you check with the place first and bring any utensils you know you will need for the food you’re going to make.

10. Have some meals prepped ahead of time

Let’s be real, even if you intend to cook glorious gourmet meals every night of your trip, there are probably going to be a few days when you just don’t feel like it and you’d rather hit up the drive-thru on your way back to your hotel.

In comes the pre-made meal! These don’t have to be super complicated or fancy – ideally, it’s something you can either throw in the oven and heat up or dump in the skillet and warm over the fire. That way you aren’t wasting food you already bought but you also don’t have to spend a lot of time or energy making a whole meal for the family.

This even works for lunches or meals on the road. I tend to be the kind of person who throws a bunch of random foods together and calls it a meal – shredded chicken, carrot sticks, string cheese, an apple, maybe some nuts or a protein bar – you can do something like this for dinner too if you know you’re going to be out late. It will help when you just don’t have it in you to make supper when you get back to your accommodation for the night.

11. Collect grocery discount cards

A lot of chain grocery stores offer free discount cards which allow you to save some extra money. Places like Safeway & Kroger come to mind, but it doesn’t hurt to see what stores are in the area when you are in your planning phase and see if this is something they offer.

12. Take advantage of free hotel breakfasts

If you’re planning to have a few hotel stays on your next road trip, one of my top tips is to try and pick ones with a free breakfast. Also, as long as there is no sign explicitly telling you not to, you can also take some fruit, granola bars, etc. to go with your lunch or for snacks.

Ways to save money on a road trip – Eating out

As delicious as your home-cooked meals are, you probably will want to eat some meals at a restaurant. I personally think trying the local cuisine is such a huge part of any vacation experience. But there are still some ways to save money on a road trip for when you decide to eat a delicious meal out.

13. Skip the fast food

You might think that fast food = cheap food, but that is not the case, at least not anymore.

You can easily end up spending $50+ for a few crappy, bad-for-you meals for your family when you can spend only a little bit more than that at a diner or a coffee shop.

If you are going to spend the money to eat out, there are better options for not that much more money.

14. Eat out for breakfast or lunch

I absolutely love breakfast. It is by far my favorite meal of the day. So when Sam and I travel, we try and go out for breakfast once or twice. Breakfast in general is so much cheaper than the other meals, so you can fill up for a lot less this way.

Lunch also tends to be cheaper than dinner, and sometimes the menu is the same as the dinner menu, so if there’s a restaurant you’re dying to try but you want to save a bit of cash, consider going for lunch. You’ll probably beat the dinner crowds too.

15. Look for happy hours

Another great money-saving option, especially if you want to get a drink or two, is to take advantage of happy hours.

A lot of places will offer deals on drinks and sometimes appetizers too. You could get a couple of beers and a few appetizers to share and spend a fraction of what you would have if you had gone during regular dinner hours.

Sure, you might have to eat a little earlier, but you could always grab a snack or two that you intelligently packed along in the car if you get hungry later on.

16. Bring a growler

Hopping around to the local breweries is something that a lot of people love to do when visiting a new town.

I’m not much of a beer drinker, but my husband is, and many local breweries will fill up a growler for you if you bring it in.

This is a great option if you like to have a beer or two around the campfire because it will save you more money than buying a six-pack at the liquor store (and you’ll be supporting local shops).

17. Search for coupons

It might be worth your while to see if there are any coupons available for the restaurants you want to hit up. If you notice a place or two while planning that you might want to try, look and see if they offer any coupons online.

Sometimes sites like Groupon or Restaurant.com will have a great deal too.

18. Take out vs. eating in

You can save a few bucks by ordering food for take-out instead of eating in. You can use apps like Doordash and Grubhub, but you sometimes pay more that way. Calling the restaurant directly will ensure you are getting the best price.

19. Split meals/desserts

Sometimes you just aren’t that hungry or really don’t want to take leftovers back to the hotel. Or maybe you really want some dessert but you don’t want to be too full after an enormous dinner.

Splitting meals or desserts is one of the best tips to save money on a road trip when you eat out and also satisfies your sweet tooth. Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too?

20. Ask the locals

One of the things I love about staying in Airbnbs is having access to a local who can point me in the right direction on where to eat.

Restaurants on Tripadvisor and other websites are a decent starting point but they can often get hyped up and sometimes are only reviewed by tourists.

If you don’t know anyone local, ask the staff at a local shop or visitor center. Chances are you’ll get a great recommendation that you might have overlooked otherwise.

21. Make a meal part of the experience

Food can really enhance a trip, especially food that is specific to the location you’re visiting. You can’t really get to know a place if you haven’t eaten the cuisine, right?

When you do go out to eat, pick places that are special to the region – a local seafood place at the shore, pizza in Chicago, jambalaya in New Orleans – and try things you can’t get at home.

Make the meal part of the whole travel experience and it will make the memories of your trip that much sweeter (or savorier – whatever floats your boat!).

Ways to save money on a road trip – Accommodations

Lodging can be a huge road trip expense, especially at high-tourist locations, but there are definitely ways to help cut costs.

22. Compare hotel prices

I’m sure most people know there are tons of websites out there where you can book hotels. If you want to have a frugal road trip, you have to do some research on accommodations.

If you have a particular hotel in mind, or just want to see what’s available in your price range, you can check on sites like Expedia or Hotels.com. Sometimes there will be a pretty significant price difference from one site to another.

Don’t overlook booking directly with the hotel, either. Sometimes the lowest price can be found by calling the hotel and asking what their best deal is. Plus there’s less of a chance of getting charged twice (this has happened to me LOTS of times when I’ve booked through a 3rd party site).

23. Airbnb/VRBO/Homeaway

Airbnb and VRBO have become very popular options for accommodations. You can find everything from renting a room in someone’s home to entire houses and condos. This is usually my choice of lodging if I’m not camping.

Any of these options can be cheaper than hotel rooms if you are traveling with a family or large group. Just watch out for the fees – recently it seems that the cleaning and service fees tacked on make a lot of places much more expensive than a hotel.

24. Camping/Hipcamp

If we are taking a summer road trip, camping is my favorite. It’s also considerably cheaper than hotels and Airbnbs. If you enjoy camping, you can save a lot of money on a place to sleep and also get all the benefits of being in the beautiful outdoors.

You can find campsites (including free ones) in a lot of ways, but I usually check the Recreation.gov and Campspot apps first. The Dyrt is also a popular one that can help you find a lot of free options. Some other choices include iOverlander, Campendium, and FreeRoam.

I’ve also noticed a lot of private campgrounds are hard to find on these apps, so sometimes I’ll just search on Google Maps and see what pops up in the area I’m looking.

If you don’t care about amenities and just want a place to sleep, see if there is any BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land around and if free camping is permitted. This is also really handy if you are road-tripping in a camper van or RV.

Maybe you aren’t interested in rustic camping but would like to try glamping. Hipcamp is a great choice for that. They do have regular camping sites, but they also list campers, treehouses, cabins, pods, and much more. They also have available places outside of the United States, like Canada and Mexico.

25. Rent a campervan

This is something that I haven’t done yet, but it is on my bucket list! If you are looking for a more adventurous road trip, consider renting a campervan.

You get your mode of transportation and lodging all in one, which could not only save you money but also give you a unique way of traveling.

26. Stay with family and friends

Do you have any friends or family near an area you’d like to see? You can’t beat getting a free place to crash at night while also catching up with people you might not have seen in a while. They probably know a great place to eat and things you should see as well. Bonus!

27. Couchsurfing

If you’re more adventurous you could consider looking into Couchsurfing.

Sam and I have done this several times and have also hosted people from all over the world at our own home, and I love the focus on connection and cultural exchange between hosts and guests.

Ways to save money on a road trip – Car preparation

You can’t take a road trip without an automobile, so you’ll want to make sure that no matter what you’re driving, whether your own vehicle or a rental, you are prepared!

28. Get the car checked out and maintained before you leave

Before you hit the road, make sure you have your car checked over by a mechanic or dealership.

Get an oil change, have the tire pressure checked and get them rotated, top off the fluids, and confirm the windshield wipers are in good shape. Make sure there isn’t anything else that might have to be addressed too.

If you’re going to be traveling for a long time and will need an oil change along the way, do some research to find out where along your route you can have that done, and check if you’ll need an appointment.

Places like Jiffy Lube, Valvoline, and a lot of dealerships will let you just show up for a simple oil change or tire rotation, but it doesn’t hurt to confirm this beforehand.

29. Put together a roadside emergency kit

When you travel a lot of miles, there’s a good chance something will happen eventually, and the better prepared you are to face that something, the less stressed you’ll be when it does happen.

Even when you aren’t on a road trip, there are certain things you should keep in your car in case of a flat tire or dead battery, but these items are even more important when you are away from home and aren’t close to your mechanic and family.

Here are the things you should have in your car that are road trip essentials:

• Spare tire & jack – most vehicles have this stashed away in your trunk or another compartment, but have you ever checked it? Make sure it’s inflated and you actually have your jack (the one time I got a flat I didn’t have it and never knew it was missing!).
• Jumper cables or portable car battery – at the minimum you should have jumper cables, but if you can swing it, a portable car battery is even better. You don’t have to rely on another vehicle (which can be a lifesaver if you are in the middle of nowhere) and the battery’s charge will last a long time, even in really cold winters like we have here in Minnesota.
• Portable air compressor – this isn’t a necessity if you have a functional spare tire and jack, but if you only have a small leak, it might be quicker and easier to just pump it up until you can get someplace to get it repaired.
• Flare/cones & reflective vest – if you do have to stop on the side of the road for a repair, you want to stay safe and make sure other cars can see you and know to give you space.
• Flashlight with extra batteries – this can come in handy in lots of situations.

• Phone charger – I’m guessing most people have some kind of phone charger in their vehicle already, but it wouldn’t hurt to have an extra cord stashed away in case your current one stops working.
• Blanket – this can be used for lots of things too, but if you end up getting stuck somewhere at night or in the winter, it could save your life. You could even consider an emergency thermal blanket which is really cheap and very effective.
• First aid kit – lots of options for these as well, but just make sure it’s got the basics and it should do the trick.
• Water and food – if you’re traveling you probably have these with you anyway, but an extra jug or two of water might not be a bad option – I usually carry at least two.
• Car manual – it wouldn’t hurt to double-check your glove box and see if your manual is in there. You never know when you might have to verify something.
• Winter travel – if you are driving in the winter, a few extra things you should have with you include a shovel, windshield scraper, and hat & gloves.

30. Look into roadside assistance

There may be certain situations you’ll encounter where you’ll need outside help, like if you run out of gas or get into an accident.

Companies like AAA are great options for times like these. If you’re renting a car, some companies have this included or allow you to add it on, so consider that as well. A trip can really go downhill quickly if you run into trouble and you have no way of getting the situation resolved.

The reason I like AAA is that on top of the roadside assistance, you can also get discounts on attractions, car rentals, shopping, and more.

Ways to save money on a road trip – Gas

Gas is expensive, yo! Here are a few things you can try to cut down on the cost.

31. Download the Upside app

I only recently found out about this app and it’s pretty awesome! You search through the app for gas stations where you can get cashback per gallon of gas you buy.

Sometimes you can even get cashback inside the gas station store, so if you want to grab a snack or a cup of coffee you get extra money.

You can cash out for lots of different gift cards, like Amazon and Target, but you can also put the money directly into your bank account too, so it’s a true cash reward!

32. Download the Gas Buddy app

I think a lot of people already know about Gas Buddy, but in case you don’t, it’s a great app that shows you where the cheapest gas is. I rarely use it anymore because I use Upside almost exclusively, but occasionally I’m in a location where there are no gas stations with cashback, so I’ll use Gas Buddy to see who’s cheapest in the area.

As a rule, gas stations right off the highway are going to be more expensive, so if you don’t mind driving a few miles down the road, you can usually save a bit of money.

Gas Buddy also has a trip cost calculator that looks at your route, your gas mileage, and what the current gas prices are and comes up with an estimate of how much you’ll pay for gas on your trip. I use this during my trip budgeting phase to get a decent estimate of how much money to allocate for gas.

33. Use Google Maps to find gas stations

If you need to find a station quickly because you’re running low and don’t want to mess with apps, you can search for gas stations on Google Maps, and often the price per gallon will show up with the stations in the area. This is an easy way to search for a place with the lowest prices when you’re in a pinch.

34. Check gas prices in the next state

When you start getting close to a state line, check gas prices with one of the above apps and see if the next state is cheaper or more expensive. The difference in price can be shocking the second you cross the border.

Even if you have half a tank of gas, it might be worth stopping to top off if the state you are entering is much more expensive. On the flip side, if you need to fill up soon and the next state is cheaper, see if you can wait until you get there to fuel up.

37. Use Google Maps or Waze to avoid traffic

Nobody wants to sit in traffic. No one. So do yourself a favor and use a navigation app like Google Maps or Waze that will help you avoid those accidents on the interstate and find an alternate route around construction if need be. This will save your sanity and gas.

38. Avoid tolls

Sometimes taking the toll roads can save you a lot of time, but often you’ll find that avoiding the tolls doesn’t add all that much time onto your drive. If you’re more concerned about saving money, set your GPS to avoid tolls and see if the cost saved outweighs the time added. Most of the time, you’ll probably say yes.

39. Download free audiobooks

If you’re anything like me, there is only so much music you can listen to before you need to switch it up. I love to listen to audiobooks when I’m on the road. You can definitely buy some if you want, but did you know that most libraries let you borrow audiobooks for free?

Check out your local library to see if this is something they offer. The Libby app is where a lot of libraries have their online collection so you can search and see what’s available.

Amazon also offers a 30-day Audible trial, so it might be advantageous to sign up for that too if you haven’t already. Just make sure you cancel before the trial is over if you don’t want to continue the membership!

Ways to save money on a road trip – Parking

40. Find cheap parking

Whether you’re traveling to a big city or a popular tourist attraction, it seems paying for parking is the norm these days. It’s really rare to be able to find free parking anymore. Most of the time you drive around aimlessly, hoping to find a parking lot that doesn’t charge an arm and a leg for a few hours of time.

If you want to save some money and hassle, use a parking app like Way or SpotHero which will show you where you can park, what the parking fees are, and will often let you reserve a spot ahead of time. I’ve used these in big cities like Los Angeles and also for airport parking in New York.

41. Leave your car and use public transportation

Once you reach your destination, it can sometimes be more cost-effective to leave your vehicle at your lodging and use other means to travel around, especially if you are in a city.

Taking a bus or train to the city center and then walking or riding a bike might be cheaper than parking for the day, and it probably will be a lot less stressful too (city traffic usually SUCKS).

You can also check how much an Uber or Lyft costs to get you into the city, and that also might be cheaper than parking for the day. Just do a bit of research and see what makes sense for you and your budget.

Ways to save money on a road trip – Car rentals

Sometimes your destination is across the country or ocean and you need to fly to get there first…which then means you’ll need to rent a car. Car rental prices can be expensive, and even though there’s a good chance you’ll still pay a pretty penny, there are a few things you can look at to see if you can save a few bucks.

42. Search through multiple websites

Just like with hotels, there are dozens of websites you can use to find car rentals. Here are the ones I recommend:

• Costco – if you have a Costco membership this is a very good option. I’ve heard from a lot of people they find the best deals around through this site. While I’ve never used this perk personally yet, it’s worth looking into. You can also search without being a member, and if you find a really good price that makes up for the membership fee, it might be worth enrolling to take advantage of the deal. Plus I believe you get a 2nd driver for free (which most other companies make you pay for) so that might be worth the extra cost to you.
• Discover Cars – This is my go-to website for finding the best car rental prices. They compare all the rental companies for you and if your plans change, you always get free cancellation.
• AAA – as I mentioned earlier, you can get some decent car rental deals through them if you’re a member.
• Turo – this is like the Airbnb for cars. I haven’t used them yet but it seems like you can rent a car for cheaper than a traditional rental company. This might be worth a look if you can pick up and return the car to the same location.

43. Skip rental car insurance

Now please don’t misunderstand – I’m not saying you should rent a car with no insurance at all. What I mean is that you may not have to purchase the rental insurance the car company is trying to shove down your throat.

If you own a vehicle, your personal car insurance may have rental car coverage. It’s worth checking your policy to see what, if anything, is covered.

If you have travel insurance (which I highly recommend) you may have coverage through them. Again, check your policy to see.

The option that I always suggest to people is to check with your credit card company. A lot of travel credit cards, especially those that earn you points and miles, include rental car insurance as long as you put the purchase on your card.

I have the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital One Venture X, and for both of these cards, I can always decline the additional insurance when I rent a car because I’m covered for just about everything.

ALWAYS read the fine print and double-check everything before you decline rental insurance, though. You don’t want to be responsible for thousands of dollars in repairs if something happens. Make sure you are covered before declining.

Ways to save money on a road trip – Attractions

The reason you take vacations is to experience things, right? And some of those experiences might cost a bit of money. While I’d much rather skimp in other areas in order to do things while on a road trip, if I can still save a few dollars, why wouldn’t I?

44. National park & state park passes

If your road trip itinerary includes stopping to experience any of the amazing national parks in the US, consider ordering the America the Beautiful pass. For $80, you can get into any national park and federal recreation site for one year. Most of the time, if you visit at least 2-3 parks, the pass pays for itself.

If you are camping or spending a longer period of time exploring state parks, check and see if there is a state park pass. Sometimes it makes sense to purchase one of these instead of day passes.

When Sam and I spent a week camping and exploring the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, it saved us money to buy the annual state park pass instead of paying a per-day rate.

45. Find free things to do

There are tons of free things to do no matter where you go if you know where to look and have an open mind.

You can go hiking or take the kids to a local park or playground.

Many towns and cities have farmer’s markets, live music, festivals, museums, and art galleries.

You can find a beach or lake and have a picnic.

Check out the local paper or tourism website and see what events are happening. You never know what you might find.

The GPSMyCity app is also something you can check out if you are in a new city. It offers free, self-guided walking tours with different themes, and you can also create your own.

46. Avoid (most) organized tours

There are some tours out there that you simply can’t do on your own, like whitewater rafting, ziplining, or tours where you want the knowledge of a guide to enrich your experience.

However, a lot of double-decker bus tours, audio tours, or walking tours can be replicated for free if you do a little bit of research. You can often go on the tour company’s website and they will lay out the route and stops.

Simply recreate the tour yourself and look up information on the sights as you go!

47. Buy tickets to attractions online ahead of time

If the attraction you want to visit sells the entrance fees online, you might want to consider purchasing tickets before you go. Sometimes it can cost less if you buy them in advance, but it also might be worthwhile simply so you know for sure you can get in on the day and time you want.

Two great websites that offer tours and attraction tickets are Get Your Guide and Viator. While you might not always get a discounted price for booking early, these are fantastic sites to see what’s around in the area you are visiting.

If there’s something you really want to do or experience, you’ll be able to check out times and prices beforehand and be able to budget for it, and then book when you are ready.

48. Is it a bucket list item?

There are so many adventurous and exciting things you can do just about anywhere you go. Sometimes these things are unique to the area you’re visiting, but sometimes they are activities you can do almost anywhere.

Know when it’s worth it to splurge on an excursion and then budget for it. You want to get to do and see the things that made you pick your location in the first place, so make sure you do them! But consider if the tour or attraction is unique to the area or if it’s something you can do at home another time.

OTHER ways to save money on a road trip

49. Avoid ATM fees

If you’re traveling to an area that doesn’t have any ATMs affiliated with your bank, you’ll probably have to cough up a few dollars every time you need to pull money out of your account. While credit cards are accepted at most places in the US these days, you still should carry some cash on you for those places that may not.

Some banks will reimburse you the ATM fees, but if you have a bank that doesn’t, consider getting a Charles Schwab checking account. You get reimbursed for all ATM fees everywhere, even internationally. There’s no minimum balance and no fees.

I use mine exclusively for travel and highly recommend it. I also like it because I only have a set amount of money in the account, and if for some reason my card would get lost or stolen, I know there’s only a small amount of money in there.

50. Check your credit cards every few days

So this might seem like overkill for some people, but hear me out. If you’re out on the road for several weeks or months at a time and you’re not actively checking your credit card activity, you could end up with some fraudulent charges and not know for a long time.

This is also a good practice to implement even if you’re not traveling. If you have automatic bill pay set up and barely look at the monthly statements, you could pay for those charges and not realize some bozo has gone on a shopping spree at the adult store with your card number, and now your spouse has some questions.

It’s also possible you could get overcharged or double charged at hotels, restaurants, or shops. This has happened a few times to me, and whether by accident or on purpose, the quicker you catch those things the better.

Most credit card companies let you dispute those things right from the web or app and you never even have to call, so take a few minutes every few days to review your recent charges and make sure everything looks OK.

51. Use the right credit card

I touched on this a bit when I mentioned car rental insurance, but there are a lot of other reasons to consider getting travel credit cards. You basically get cash back every time you make a purchase, and with certain cards, you can get more than just the standard 1% on travel, gas, hotel, and restaurant purchases.

Your own personal spending habits and how you want to use your points and miles are going to decide what card you should consider, but as I said before, if you’re looking for a great intro travel credit card, you can’t beat the Chase Sapphire Preferred. It does have a $95 annual fee, but you’ll get your money’s worth, I promise.

If you’re interested in learning more about travel hacking and the points & miles game, I’m in no way an expert, but you should check out the free 10X Travel course. Bryce offers a lot of great info and I learned a ton.

52. Travel during the off/shoulder-season

When you decide to travel is going to affect the cost of many aspects of your trip. Accommodations, car rentals, and even gas prices can go up during the high season. If you have flexibility in when you can take your road trip, consider going during the off or shoulder season.

This is going to vary depending on the destination. For a USA road trip, places down south are popular in the winter, and people tend to flock to northern locations in the summer. Places with gorgeous fall foliage are going to be swamped with tourists in autumn, and areas known for gardens and flowers are probably going to be popular in the spring.

I personally try to travel in the shoulder seasons when I’m able. I don’t like crowds and prefer milder to colder weather, so heading to a place like Scotland in November and December was a dream.

On the other hand, there may be certain attractions and activities you can’t do outside the high season, so again, do some research and see if you’ll get the experience you want if you go during a less busy time of year.

53. Avoid the tourist areas

If you’re a tourist, you’ll probably find yourself spending time in some of the tourist areas. That’s where you’ll find the visitor centers and lots of things to do. However, things like food, lodging, and even souvenirs are going to cost you more there.

Think about staying outside the tourist areas and try to find some restaurants a few blocks away from the chintzy souvenir shops. Chances are you’ll save money and have a more authentic experience at the same time.

54. Avoid doing laundry

Unless you’re out on the road for weeks, bringing enough clothing for the duration of your trip is going to save you money by not having to swing by a laundry mat.

I also like to pack clothing that travels and wears well too, meaning I don’t have to wash it after every wear and it doesn’t wrinkle. Wool is a fantastic option because it’s odor-resistant, regulates body temperature, wicks away moisture, and is easy to take care of. My favorite brand is Woolx but there are lots of good options out there.

If you do have to do some laundry, you can always hand wash the items that need it. I always pack a few laundry sheets along just in case I spill something all over my clothes (I may or may not be notorious for this).

You can also consider renting a place that has a washer and dryer so you don’t have to pay extra to wash your clothes.

55. Avoid extra expenses

Be diligent with your budget and keep track of where you’re spending your money. Only pay for the things that will enhance your experience. All those expressos and visits to the vending machine add up!

If you don’t need it and it’s not something that is going to make your trip memorable or special, consider if it’s really worth it and skip it if you can.

56. Collect free souvenirs

I’m not much of a souvenir person. When I travel to a new country I like to buy a box and fill it with little things I pick up on the trip, like ticket stubs, flyers, guidebooks, bottle caps, and so on. Otherwise, I just take some pictures and make canvases to display around the house.

But I know not everyone is like that. If you love souvenirs, find something relatively cheap that you can display creatively or something you can eat or wear. I know some people like to collect key chains, postcards, shot glasses, snow globes, etc.

Or do what I do and collect the free things you get when you visit an attraction, like maps, stickers, flyers, tickets, and whatnot. You don’t have to buy something big or expensive to remember your trip.

57. Purchase Travel Insurance

This tip may not seem like something that saves you money. Purchasing travel insurance? Do you really need it?

Here’s the thing: if something happens on your road trip, like you get sick or injure yourself, the airline loses or damages your luggage, or your purse gets stolen, you’re covered. Without it, you’re stuck paying the bills or forking over the money for replacements.

I personally think for the peace of mind, it’s worth the cost. Safety Wing is a great choice but there are others out there as well.

Also, check the benefits of your travel credit cards. Many of them offer some sort of travel insurance if you book your flights, rental car, accommodations, etc. with the card.

58. Utilize your gym membership

This is something I recently learned about and thought it was a great tip to pass along.

If you are a member of a nationwide gym chain, like Planet Fitness or LA Fitness, you can use any of their locations to take a shower, use the Wifi, get discounted drinks, etc.

So if you are in a campervan, like to do dispersed camping, or are even just sleeping in your car, you can use these gyms to clean up, check your email, and get a healthy snack.

Plus you can get a workout in and stretch your muscles if you’ve been sitting in a vehicle for a while. See if this is something you can utilize while on the road.

59. Use Rakuten for cashback

If you haven’t heard of Rakuten yet, it’s an amazing computer browser extension that gives you cashback when you buy online.

Basically, you install the extension on your browser (Chrome, Safari, etc.), and then while you are shopping online, it will pop up and tell you if you can get any cashback from the site you are on.

So far I’ve earned over $2 just by having Rakuten installed and buying what I would have purchased anyway! It’s a no-brainer! You can also search to see what sites are offering cashback and how much in case that influences your purchasing decision.

This is a great way to save money when purchasing flights, hotels, or attraction tickets, and you can then add the cashback to your road trip budget!

If you use my referral link below, you’ll get $30 cashback after you make a purchase on a qualifying site of at least $30.

Click this link to get $30 from Rakuten!

Conclusion: Ways to save money on a road trip

And there you have it! 59 awesome tips on how to road trip on a budget!

Did I miss anything? Do you have a tip or trick you use to save money on the road? Shoot me an email and I might include it in this list!

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