Don’t Overspend on These Holiday Road Trip Expenses

With the holiday season just about in full swing, now may be the best time for you to make your travel plans.

While some people hop on a plane to reach their holiday destination, others get behind the wheel and hit the road.

Taking a holiday road trip can be a lot of fun, however, it can also set you back quite a bit of money if you’re not careful about your approach.

Here are three holiday road trip expenses that can kill your budget if you’re not careful:

•    Lodging. Where will you stay along the way? Where will you stay when you reach your destination? These are questions to answer upfront, as doing so will save you money over the long run. If you can stay with family or friends, it’s a great way to save on the cost of lodging. If this isn’t an option, compare the many hotels available to you with your budget in mind.
•    Gas. This all comes down to one thing: choosing the best route for your trip. Look at all your options before leaving home, and make your choice based on convenience, safety, and the ability to save on fuel. Also, if you have more than one vehicle available to you, consider which one gets the best gas mileage.
•    Food. It goes without saying that you need to keep your body fueled on a holiday road trip. What you don’t want to do is find yourself stopping all too often. Not only does this slow you down, but it will also take a toll on your budget. Protect against this by packing food in the car.

These aren’t the only expenses that will come into play on a holiday road trip, but they’re definitely among the most common.

With the right approach upfront, you can avoid a situation in which one or more of these expenses leads to blowing your budget.

When was the last time you took a holiday road trip? How much did you spend? Were you able to stay on budget?