15 Tips to Plan a Family Road Trip on a Shoestring Budget

Although they seem affordable for family fun and adventure, family road trips can be a money pit. Costs can quickly add up. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. 

There are many ways to have an affordable road trip with your family. However, careful planning is the key. If you haven’t taken that family road because you thought you couldn’t afford it, we have some good news!

We’ve compiled a well-curated list of family road trip tips to ensure your next drive doesn’t break the bank. Say goodbye to budget-breaking road trips and be prepared to save some cash instead.

1. Pack Lunches

There’s no reason to start a family road trip without packing plenty of food and beverages. Bring sandwiches, snacks, water, juice, and junk food (if you’re feeling spicy) to lessen the financial impact of eating out. Your wallet will thank you for it.

If your kids eat a little more junk food and quick snacks than usual, you’ll save money throughout the trip. Plus, they’ll be happy campers.

2. Limit Stops by Being Creative

As a parent, it’s your responsibility to entertain your children throughout the trip. Sticking an iPad in front of their faces for hours doesn’t count. Don’t be afraid of being creative.

For example, if your kids are old enough and are good sports, challenge them to see who can go the longest without asking to use the bathroom. The winner will receive a small prize. Doing so will reduce the number of restroom stops (leading to impulse buys) and make them focus on their competitive side.

3. Complimentary Hotel Breakfasts

For a parent, there’s arguably no more incredible amenity for your family than a complimentary hotel breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day for a reason, so take advantage of it.

Get your family to eat as much as possible, within reason, because the more you eat at the free breakfast buffet, the less money you’ll spend on lunch or dinner later in the day. It’s a win-win situation, so capitalize on it.

4. Pass the Time in Fun Ways

Kids love playing games, and nothing passes the time more efficiently during long road trips than playing games in the car. The typical family would benefit from endless rounds of 20 Questions and the license plate game.

The key is to keep your children focused and occupied. As soon as they get bored, they’ll ask to stop every five minutes, which will kill the time for the trip you’ve planned.

5. Drive More Efficiently

Fuel efficiency is the key to long road trips. If you’re on a shoestring budget and an aggressive driver, it’s time to change your ways. It may seem impossible to adjust your driving habits if you have a lead foot, but increasing your fuel efficiency (also known as driving like a sane person) is one of the best ways to save money on road trips.

In other words, sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Rest easy knowing you’ll pay less at the pump throughout the trip.

6. Travel in the Off-Season

Everything’s more expensive during the holidays when many families travel. Another non-holiday example is the end of summer before school starts. The solution here is straightforward – plan your next family road trip during the off-season and reap the financial benefits.

Taking a road trip during less popular times means everything is cheaper – fuel, accommodations, food, everything. Plus, the odds are good that your family won’t even care.

7. Avoid Tourist Traps

Tourist traps are designed with one thing in mind: to extract as much money from your wallet as possible. It can be challenging, but do anything to avoid stopping at these metaphorical money pits (despite your kids’ pleas).

Drive right past those so-called tourist attractions. They’re not worth the sky-high admission fees, and they’re not worth your family’s time.

8. Plan Fuel-Ups Accordingly

As seasoned road trippers know, there’s an art to plotting the perfect driving route that aligns with needing to fuel your vehicle. Planning your gas station stops with precision gives your family plenty of opportunities to use the restroom, but you’ll maximize your efficiency by not going out of your way to fill up.

Every mile you spend going off-route to find a gas station is money you’re throwing down the drain. That applies to electric vehicles, too. The last thing you want is to go off track and run out of power with no charging station. So, plan accordingly.

9. Track Your Expenses

Creating a proper road trip budget with a detailed list of expenses goes a long way toward making your trip less expensive than you might imagine. When you write down your expenses on paper, you’ll have an easier time putting all your costs into perspective.

A budget is particularly handy for the later stages of road trips when you might not realize how much you’ve spent.

10. Spend a Few Nights Camping

Camping is the ultimate road trip tradition, and the best part is that it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Who doesn’t love camping underneath the stars and waking up with a beautiful sunrise?

It’s inexpensive, fun, and the best way to prevent your family from spending more hours squeezed together in the car. You’re not road-tripping correctly if you don’t include at least one night of camping on your next itinerary.

11. Stay With Friends and Family

Who says road trips must be filled with endless motels, hotels, and Airbnb rentals? I don’t blame anyone for skipping those expensive overnight stays for a more straightforward and frugal solution: stay with friends and family.

During a recent cross-country trip, my fiancee and I frequently visited friends’ houses, where we were welcomed with open arms. Of course, planning these stops ahead of time will save you significant money.

12. Utilize Happy Hours

Restaurant happy hours are among the best values consumers can encounter. Discounted food and drinks are precisely what parents should be targeting when going on a road trip.

Your best bets are larger chain restaurants like Applebee’s, Friday’s, Chili’s, and others like them. You’ll be shocked at how well you can feed the family for a fraction of a typical sit-down dinner.

13. Avoid Tolls

Depending on where you live, toll roads can drain your financial situation. In the United States, toll roads can be found in every part of the country. Tolls are everywhere, and they’ll quickly turn even the most mild-mannered parents into bitter drivers.

To combat this, consider avoiding toll roads altogether. Many modern GPS apps can help with this. In many cases, the money you save by avoiding tolls makes it worth taking “the long way.”

14. Take Advantage of Parks and Lakes

Nothing kills time and saves money during a road trip like experiencing the great outdoors as a family. Don’t pass up an opportunity to stop to have a pre-packed picnic lunch at a lake or state park. The kids will love being outside, and you can give your legs a well-deserved stretch while you’re doing it.

Some of the best memories I have as a child have been from when my dad decided to make a detour at the various state parks across New Jersey. I’m sure you can give your family similar memories.

15. Set Proper Expectations

Communication is vital to any successful (and frugal) family endeavor. If you’re worried your budget might be stretched too thin during your next road trip, don’t hesitate to talk openly to your kids about how money will be tight.

Assuming you’ve raised a fantastic family, not only will they understand, but they’ll appreciate the reality of the situation. You may be surprised how involved they become in saving as much money as possible throughout the trip.

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