How We Travel On The Cheap

   We try to go on one big road trip each summer. It hasn't always been possible but we at least go somewhere, even if it's only to the Smoky Mountains(three hours away). I thought I would answer some questions about the basics of how we do this as cheaply as possible. I have always been a penny-pincher and there was no way I was going to let my love of road trips take up too much of our budget. 

  One of the main expenses of a road trip is the motel room. And I do say "motel" because I would never dream of spending the amount of money that "hotels" cost for what is essentially a few hours of sleep and a shower. Motel 6 used to be one of the best options, but they went through some bad times. Luckily those bad times are pretty much over. They are renovating all(as far as I know) of their motels and the ones we stayed at on our really long West(2013) and Northeast(2015) trips were pretty decent. We have also stayed at Best Western when it was the only option and those are really nice too. Cost a little more than Motel 6, but they offer free breakfast and are just a tad more upscale.
   I know there are people who absolutely must stay somewhere with "room service" and other amenities that are of no use to us, but then they probably aren't looking to travel cheaply either. I dare say that the "road trippers" out there who want to see as much as possible on their trips don't mind staying at the "fast food" overnight locations. We have even resorted to one of those older, no-name places on our last trip. We had to wake up the guy to rent the room. We slept, we left and it wasn't a den of druggies as far as we could tell(not that those don't exist-but they are easy to spot and avoid!).

   Who doesn't love seeing the night or morning news in a town you've never been in? It's always just a crazy comparison to those lovable folks back home that you are so used to. But hey, San Antonio had a real police officer giving the morning traffic-I loved it!

   Rest areas are heaven sent, though sometimes they don't come often enough. Or you know, the kiddo decides they need to use it just as you pass the one you've been talking about for 5 miles. Relief in many different forms-restrooms or just stretching your legs. I always scope out the local brochures(North Carolina didn't have any, sad), and this one above in Texas had a fabulous display showing the former air base that used to be nearby. All of this being free of course!

   Gas stations are something you come to love or hate, and with enough road trips you will have your favorites. Sometimes it all comes down to when you need one and what's available. I find that the better ones are also truck stops. We always bring a cooler and if the trip is long enough we seek out Wal-marts to refill and restock the snacks and drinks. But with gas stations, we make it a point to look for local variations on drinks or snacks. I like to find different types of "Dr Pepper" in different regions(Dr Denali was in South Dakota). When we stop at smaller stations, my husband has a way of talking to the locals(if they aren't busy) and finding interesting sites to add to our trip.
   As for pricing, we certainly take more trips when the gas prices are lower. But you will never convince me that flying is cheaper no matter that cost of gas just due to the fact that I want to see everything in between the airports!

   Food can be a killer on the budget but we also tend to be pretty frugal about that as well. We do stop for fast food, but I always try to find a local place to check out instead of the old standards. Above is Blake's Lotaburger in New Mexico which is famous for it's green chili burger(I don't like those, didn't have that, but the regular burgers were pretty good!). For breakfast in Austin, Texas we had a Round Rock Donut-the Texas-sized one-that I'd seen on an episode of "Man Vs Food"!(we split one of those between the three of us-I'm still tempted to drive back to Round Rock JUST for those donuts!)
   Like I said, we also bring a cooler and have bread or bagels, lunch meat, and other snacks so that we can stop and eat at rest areas or in the motel if we are too tired. And sometimes we go looking for something and it's the only place open(Galveston Schlotsky's) and the service is terrible. It can be a risk, but one we are willing to take in order to stay on budget. What we never do is splurge at fancy restaurants, that money is better spent elsewhere.

   One of the last things is shopping and entertainment. We don't "travel shop". I'm not a big shopper as it is, but I hear about people who travel several states just to hit up a certain outlet mall. No thanks. What I do like to shop for on the road are souvenirs. For us that usually means sports or sight-seeing shops. I don't see University of Texas or New England Patriots gear in Tennessee, and I'm not an online shopper, so hitting up their official gift shops was almost like walking into Heaven! Even then we don't spend much-maybe a hat or t-shirt or enamel pin, but they are things I wouldn't be able to get anywhere else. I collect the pins so even many sight-seeing places end up being only a $4 expense to get a pin.
   The last tip is to not spend money for a "sight-seeing tour" unless it is something that you really, really need to experience. I am sort of obsessed with historic sites(in case you hadn't noticed on this blog!), but rarely do I spend money for the tour. Some of the best places I can recommend paying for: ride to the top of St Louis Arch, Kitty Hawk State Park, and Mount Rushmore. Most National Parks have fairly small entrance fees-White Sands is only $3 per person, Devil's Tower was $10 a car. The Great Smoky Mountains are free! National Battlefield parks are also free and usually have self-guided tour brochures at the visitor center. If the cost seems too much, we move on, no questions asked. No need to see fancy shows either. Sight-seeing can definitely be done "on the cheap"

   In conclusion, road trips can definitely be done with very few expenses. I don't have a smartphone, so I don't have those "apps" or whatever but I am sure discounts can even be found there. Hubby being former military gets us discounts at times. We have rented cars and we have driven our own. We have taken week long, long distance trips and just a quick trip to Atlanta trips. There is so much to see in this beautiful country. Figure out what you want to see and seek it out. Whether it's battlefields or ballparks or zoos, I highly recommend hitting the road!