Here’s How We Saved Money
While Traveling the US in our SUV Camper
Here’s the thing about traveling in the United States…it can be EXPENSIVE!
When we set out to take a work sabbatical and travel, we knew that we would need to keep our expenses to a minimum in order to get the most out of our time away. Since we had already built out the back of our Toyota RAV4 into a sleeper camper, we knew we would save a LOT of money on our travels, but we still wanted to minimize other expenses on the road to ensure that we would be able to travel for as long as possible.
Though, let’s be real, we love food & coffee so we are really just scraping by in some areas to make sure we can still splurge on the things that matter to us.
While on the road, we’ve learned a trick or two about how to stretch a dollar. Make sure to save these tips for your next budget road trip adventure! Oh yeah, and check out our article on how much we spent in our first month on the road for an idea on what this lifestyle might cost.
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Stay with Friends & Family (or Friends & Family of Friends & Family!)
Okay, this one is probably obvious.
One of the first things we did while planning out our road trip route was to think about where we had friends & family along the way. This one is definitely two-fold: you save money, but (most importantly!) you’re also able to soak up time that you don’t often otherwise have to visit with long-distance loved ones.
We began our journey heading to Bowling Green, KY to stay with two of our dearest friends and continued to stay with friends & family (or friends & family OF friends & family!) from Phoenix, AZ to Oswego, NY! We always leave filled with great laughs (& more often than not great food, too!).
Share a Campsite
Know someone who wants to join along? Many state parks (& several KOAs!) will allow for 2 vehicles on one campsite, so this can be a great way to save money by splitting the cost. Some of our favorite camping experiences have been road trips planned with friends or weekend trips where we’ve invited loved ones to join along. Everyone walks away with new memories from the camping experience at a fraction of the cost.
Let’s Talk Food
Here’s the category where we either eat ice soup or filet mignon (I’m mostly kidding on this one…more like a bagged salad or a seafood dinner).
We balance our food budget by eating some meals that are extremely budget conscious in order to eat at some of the top-rated mid-budget restaurants in an area or try local cuisines that may be a bit on the expensive side (read: Maine lobster rolls).
Here are a few tips for maximizing your budget on the road:
Make a huge batch of homemade granola. I’m not even kidding. Here’s a link to my doctored recipe that I have made before each leg of our road trip. It keeps well (usually about 1-2 weeks) and serves as a perfect breakfast, snack, or even slightly sweet treat. Homemade granola is often way better for you AND it’s a lot cheaper if you have the ingredients or are making several batches. We will swing by a grocery store on the road and pick up a Greek yogurt to eat with the granola in order to start the day off with a bit of protein.
Use the deli counter. If you’re looking for a small amount of meat or cheese, the deli counter can be your best friend! You can actually provide them with the exact number of slices you want (rather than 1/2 pound, pound, etc.) and save a lot of money. Get it sliced thin for extra savings per meal. We will pick up fresh baked bread and enough cheese and/or meat slices for sandwiches for the day (with an avocado to top it off).
Happy Hour is your new best friend. Wanting to treat yourself at a restaurant? Visit at an off-peak time during happy hour for some additional savings!
Find good grocery options for picnic meals. Our go-to options are bagged salads (with different veggies!), cheese/avocado/meat sandwiches, lunch tuna packs, yogurt/granola, peanut butter/crackers, granola bars, & tangerines.
Use Atlas Obscura for Unique & Free Things to Do
Excursions can be EXPENSIVE. That’s why our planning often centers around finding free ways to enjoy the destination!
Atlas Obscura is a great resource for finding unique landmarks and experiences that a place has to offer. It’s also a great way to break up a road trip with an interesting stop. The site includes destinations all across the world, from architectural structures off the beaten path to quirky museums in the middle of popular cities. It features famous tombs and historic cemeteries alongside gorgeous natural wonders. Atlas Obscura truly has something for everyone and the price tag is typically $0.00. Count me in!
Connect with Nature
Of course, one of the best ways to experience a place on a budget is to get outside & stretch your legs (or other transportation devices!). Local state parks and recreation areas often have only a minimal entrance fee or no fee at all and most places offer walking trails or paths at no cost. Some of our favorite moments on the road have been time spent walking through nature, absorbing the beautiful scenery around us.
If you’re planning a trip that includes several US national parks, be sure to invest in an annual America the Beautiful pass which allows you unlimited national park entrances for an $80 annual fee ($20 for US citizens age 62+ & FREE for US military members/veterans, citizens with permanent disabilities, & US 4th graders!). These passes can be purchased in-person at most national parks or online.
KOA Rewards
Here’s the deal: KOAs are not typically that cheap to camp at. They do, however, typically offer great amenities and they still beat out the state park prices in some areas and/or states. An annual membership is $36 per year and offers 10% off all bookings, one free camping weekend per year (determined by KOA), AND allows you to collect points per stay to cash in on free camping nights.
Since we were camping in areas near some national parks with limited availability and we needed to do laundry mid-trip, we ended up booking tent sites at several KOAs, making the $36 fee more than worth it!
Know Your Budget Priorities
If you’re honest with yourselves about what is the MOST important thing for you to feel like you are truly experiencing a place, then you’ll be able to funnel most of your money into those categories while making more budget-conscious decisions in other areas that are less important to you. For us, accommodations did not need to be as glamorous (this may come as a shock to you, dear reader), but we wanted to be able to try local cuisines and we did not want to feel like we were held back on where we could travel due to fuel prices. Therefore, we saved most of our money to spend on gas & food, seeking out free experiences & cheap campgrounds along the way.
Want to read our stories from our travels? You can do so here!