9 ways to manage a cheap college roadtrip

[jesusmoshes]

Determined to take a cross country college roadtrip but don't know if you can afford it on your minimum wage salary? Take it from someone who's been there and back, it's totally doable and worth it!

As avid roadtrippers, my husband and I have done the cross-country roadtrip a number of times, with friends, throughout our college years, for very little money compared to what most spend. We've been from Milwaukee to phoenix to La and back twice, from Wisconsin to Montana to Calgary and back, from Milwaukee to Niagara falls to NYC and back, sometimes with four people, sometimes with five, all within the span of 3 1/2 years and I'd say we've spent an average of about $600 total, or $150 each, on each trip. Amazing, right? That's less than the cost of a plane ticket! I'll share a few of our tips for making this work, which involve a few sacrifices and connections here and there, just in case anyone else is looking to take a cheap, but rewarding, trip.

Here's how you can make a cheap (yet amazing) roadtrip work:

#1. You must make sacrifices. A high maintenance person can not take a cheap roadtrip, that's all there is to it. If someone in your group hints at wanting to stop at a myriad of hotels and restaurants, your trip will NOT work. If someone simply cannot sleep in a car, your trip will not work. If someone demands a shower on a daily basis, or has any kind of special needs, your trip will not work. Remember, the trip may not go as planned, but you will still see some amazing things. Once, friends and I got lost in the desert and couldn't find the grand canyon (long story). We were completely tired and cranky, but as a result, we arrived at the Hoover Dam at sunset, and it was GORGEOUS. Totally worth the day driving pointlessly around the desert. Another time we got a flat tire in Montana and to top it off, Canada wouldn't let us in their country due to lack of car insurance. Plans destroyed, we ended up sleeping at a hippie commune and had one of the most memorable experiences of our entire trip. Ruddy, relaxed people without any sort of agenda who can shrug off misfortunes are the best roadtrippers. People who don't mind sleeping near each other or smelling each other also work well.

#2. Plan, but prepare to have your plans changed. Figure out costs and distances, but as far as sightseeing goes, it's almost better to plan on a daily basis. For instance, if you didn't make it to Denver like you thought you would, driving to a certain sight might be out of the question that day. Be willing to adapt. Also beware that four or more agendas are difficult to work out. If someone really wants to see the Grand Canyon on Tuesday, for instance, while someone else has their heart set on driving southwest to Mexico, you're screwed. Make sure everyone agrees to take things in stride and one person isn't dead-set on visiting their aunt Lou 200 miles off your track. Map out your drive and agree that you'll see whatever comes along that's affordable that everyone can agree upon. Plan some day excursions to particularly amazing places like Yellowstone or the Redwood forest, but don't necessarily plan out every evening event in every city. More plans can mean more stress because you feel pressured to do everything you planned and find yourself not enjoying the trip in the process. Also, agree beforehand that majority rules. If three people want to see something and the other doesn't, he or she has to go along with it and cannot complain. Nothing makes a roadtrip worse than a lot of arguing.

#3. Sleep for free, even if it's slightly awkward or uncomfortable, whenever possible. Stay with friends along the way or check out www.couchsurfing.com (most amazing sight ever) for people offering their floor or couchspace for free (be sure to screen them first). Staying with people is way better than staying in hotels anyway, because it's a better way to sample local culture. Be sure to exchange SOMEthing with your hosts, however, especially if you don't know them. This could be a souvenir from home, a meal that you make, stories that you tell, or an offer to let them stay with you next summer. Whatever you do, don't hole up in a stranger's basement with your friends and ignore your hosts completely. Get to know them; the experience will be more rewarding that way.
To start out your trip, pick an overall first destination. I.e. "Phoenix" or "Denver" and drive there in more or less a straight line, without too many major detours. This destination should be a place where you know you'll be able to lie flat and sleep, whether it be at a friends' house or at the home of a random couch surfer. It should be a place that you plan to recharge from your travels for awhile. Maybe you even plan to stay there for two days or more. Plan to drive a certain amount each day and arrange a free stay every evening, or cover more miles by driving multiple days at a time. If the destination is more than a day's drive away, leave on an afternoon and drive through the night. While one person drives, the others should sleep, so that when the driver gets tired, they can take over. Devise some sort of plan, whether it's "everybody sleeps but the driver" to maximize on sleep or the team method where "shotty doesn't sleep" in order to keep the driver awake, then the two swap with the sleeping team in the backseat. I personally prefer 2, only because it's less lonely. Whenever you find that everybody in the car is too tired to drive, pull over at a truck stop, Wallmart, church parking lot, or fast food joint, lock the doors, and try your best to sleep. Cars that aren't moving aren't the easiest to sleep in, so don't expect to sleep very soundly. If you sleep into the morning in a public place, expect that people may be peering into your windows questioningly when you wake up.
If you just can't stand the thought of sleeping in the car but also don't want to pay for a hotel, camp out. State parks with camping are often marked with little tent symbols on roadmaps (which you can grab at welcome centers by borders). They're often only $15-$20 bucks, and usually worth the ability to lie flat and sleep. If you camp, though, be prepared to stop well before it gets dark so that you can get your tent set up and maybe a fire going while you can still see. And make sure somebody has a flashlight in case you have to pee in the middle of the night.
If you don't want to pay for camping, be sneaky and set up your tent in a place that is in the middle of nowhere where you're probably not supposed to camp. Make sure you're well-hidden, and that there aren't any residences or clear "no trespassing" signs around. Also, don't go TOO far into the "wilderness." If you don't know what you're doing, you could get lost or eaten by wild animals or something. Be sneaky, but not stupid.
One example: on Lake Michigan, a rest stop/truck stop is very near to an uninhabited beach. Footpaths indicate that people who stop at the reststop to pee often walk through the trees and along the lake to stretch their legs or run their dogs. Having nowhere else to go, my friends and I arrived at this stop just before dusk, found it absolutely beautiful, and sneakily unloaded our camping gear. We walked around a bend in the sand, crossed a small creek using a log, and set our tents up beneathe the shelter of a few trees in the sand. Large boulders littered the sand and a hand-made firepit indicated we weren't the first to discover the free campsite. We spent the night sleeping upon soft sand lured to sleep by the sound of waves crashing on the beach and awoke to seagulls calling...for free!
Also consider: In remote areas, if you're feeling bold, ask the locals if they know of any hippie communes or have a field where they wouldn't mind you pitching a tent for a night. In city areas, check out hostels


#4. Pool gas, lodging, grocery food, and any other mutually-responsible unavoidable expenses IMMEDIATELY. For entertainment, souvenirs, snacks, and restaurants, do not pool your money. People tend to want to spend different amounts on these things and it isn't fair to make someone else shoulder your steak dinner or front row tickets. Whatever you do, do not try this: "you pay for gas this time, Mike pays next time, Sarah pays the next time...then Molly can pay for breakfast tomorrow...etc." This does not work because someone ALWAYS ends up paying more than someone else. One roadtrip we tried each covering our own food and such and then trading off paying for gas and lodging. The problem? Sometimes gas was 2.25, sometimes it was 3.50. Those that got stuck paying 3.50 were a little grumbly and resentful. We tried to arrange a "keep track' method in which we all promised to pay each other back for any amount of gas that someone went over budget, but that didn't happen, naturally. By the end of the trip that seemed a little petty. In order to make sure money (especially concerning gas, because everybody uses it) is fair, pool a set amount at the beginning of the trip. Let's say everybody puts $100 into a gas and lodging envelope. When that money runs out, everyone contributes $100 more. At the end of the trip, if any is left over, it's divided evenly. Make sure everyone has a bank card that allows withdrawals from any ATM in the country for this. Or risk carrying a lot of cash. If you practice money pooling effectively, you will save a LOT of fights and resentment which would otherwise happen, even if you're the best of friends. Trust me. The first step to a cheap roadtrip is a content carload. Fights are what cause people to pull the car over and scream "THAT"S IT. I CAN"T TAKE IT ANYMORE. WE"RE GETTING A HOTEL TONIGHT."

#5. Pack lightly and efficiently. This will save on gas, time, and sanity. Nobody wants to be packed in the back with somebody's rock collection. Restrict everyone to one school-sized backpack, pillow, and warm blanket. Put the backpacks in the trunk and spread the blankets over the back seat, so that everybody can sit on top of them. This saves a TON of trunk space. Put the pillows in the backseat as well. People sleeping back there will want them anyway. Personal belongings that people will need often at rest stops along the way or on the drive like cameras, coloring books, purses, ipods or license-plate bingo games can go on the floor in the car or on peoples' laps. There may also be room for a small cooler if someone is willing to put their feet up or if only four people are in the car. Otherwise, try to fit everything else in trunk, if possible. One backpack per person, a large tent, two large sleeping bags or an air matress that can be laid down for padding (with everyone sleeping on top of it with their blankets) in event of a camping situation, this is really all you need to bring on a successful roadtrip. If you plan to cook while camping, bring along a hardy pot and maybe some pudgy pie makers, as well as a box of matches or a lighter and a small stack of newspapers. If you camp in a forest and it hasn't rained, collect free wood from the forest floor. If you know how to start a fire, you could probably even get away with packing less. And if you plan to grocery shop, make sure you have a cooler. Most trunks should accommodate all this stuff and more. You may even have room for that inflatable kayak. Do NOT overpack clothes-wise. Remember, when you're driving for days at a time, you will be so lost enjoying the new sights that you'll lose track of time a little bit, especially if you drive through the night and sleep at odd intervals. You probably won't get to shower daily, and thus will not find an opportunity to change your clothes until everybody together wakes up and realizes how smelly it's become in the car. By then, you may have worn an outfit for two days or more. If you do go through all your clothes, you can always stop at a laundromat or wash them at a friends house while stopping for the night. Or heck, just febreeze 'em. The extra space is more than worth the less than orderly appearance.

6. Travel someplace that no one in the car has visited before. New places mean easy entertainment. Everything is a new experience and thus, exciting.

7. Sightsee for free. Don't just gravitate toward the paid tours. Stop along the way at places that look interesting. Climb a rocky hill at the side of the road and view the sunset. Visit outdoor historical monuments or cool buildings (like the St Louis Arch, Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial or the world's largest cross in texas). Peruse ethnic gift shops (but if you're trying to save money, don't buy anything). Wade under a waterfall. Take an elevator to the highest floor of a tall building. Take pictures and make videos. Get out in a city downtown and just WALK. State parks usually offer hiking and most of the time, it's free.

8. Don't buy souvenirs. The very first roadtrip I took was a small one to Canada. As soon as I got over the border I went nuts buying souvenirs for everyone I knew. I ended up spending $80 there alone. In order to remember your trip, buy postcards. They're usually extremely cheap and disposable. Thus people appreciate receiving them more than tacky picture frames shaped like mooses. And you don't feel guilty buying them for yourself. Also, take lots of pictures (digital ones are cheaper!) and keep a "roadtrip notebook." Make a rule that whoever's sitting "shotty" has to write in it. I made this rule on a trip once and a friend complained at its lameness, but once he realized how many fun memories we were all writing in there (or perhaps once he got bored enough of the flat new mexican scenery), he got really into it! Soon he was exclaiming "this was such a good idea!" The notebook is definitely a really fun record of our trip.

9. Save on gas simply by the way you drive. Fill up more at stations where gas costs less, and less where gas costs more. Follow large semi trucks down the highway and take advantage of less wind resistance. Use cruise control. Pack lightly. When in an extremely hilly mountainous region, shift to neutral while coasting down hill (just be careful not to shift into reverse).

Any other tips?

[PNW Judy]

We hesitate recommending that folks take a chance on getting fined for trespassing but that's my only real little quibble. Eating out of your cooler and camping are two of our more frequent recommendations for budget traveling.

I enjoyed your write-up. I hope you'll stick around and contribute more to our forums. Oh, and welcome to the Roadtrip America forums!

[jesusmoshes]

Thanks. I agree; it's not good to tresspass. Some places are so remote, however, that there is little chance of getting caught. Doesn't make it right, but it is an option in desparate times.

Also, sometimes places have free camping. These places aren't advertised, so they're pretty tricky to find, but in some hiking areas in remote places, camping pits and level ground are set up for general use, and there is no place to pay for their use or signs warning against tresspassing. They probably get so few campers that it's not worth charging them. Sometimes, if you ask locals, they will know where places like this exist.

[PNW Judy]

National forests often have free, disbursed camping like you describe.

I guess, to me, it's not an issue of whether or not I get caught. It's an issue of what is right. If I was that desparate, I'd rather sleep in my car in a safe parking lot than trespass. YMMV but we just can't recommend breaking laws here on the forums.

I agree that speaking with locals is often the best way to find out about free camping areas and other local gems. Websearches can usually yield information about free camping locations, too.

[Midwest Michael]

I will say it is amazing how much of a difference gas prices have made on the truely bare-bones roadtrip. Today with an average car, it would cost more than $600 in fuel alone to make the trip from Milwaukee to LA or Calgary.

I will also say that there is a fine line between keeping costs to a minimum and trying to do things so cheaply that you worry more about money than having a good time.

For one, I'll sleep in my car in a pinch if I'm on a solo trip, but I could never get enough sleep with 4 people in a car to fully rest for the night. Plus, just getting out of the car at the end of the day makes a world of difference. That $20 bucks to get a campsite is well worth it, and really adds a lot more enjoyment to the trip.

But I do completely agree with many of your suggestions, especially about many of the best things that you can see costing little or no money. And the notebook idea is a great one that I've never tried before.

[MrsPete]

#1. You must make sacrifices. A high maintenance person can not take a cheap roadtrip, that's all there is to it. If someone in your group hints at wanting to stop at a myriad of hotels and restaurants, your trip will NOT work. If someone simply cannot sleep in a car, your trip will not work. If someone demands a shower on a daily basis, or has any kind of special needs, your trip will not work.

I don't think refusing to sleep in the car (I'm trying to imagine my family of four bedding down in our Honda Civic -- yeah, that'd lead to a great night's sleep, followed by a great following day!) or wanting a shower every day is being "high maintenance"!

However, I do agree that sacrafices are necessary (except for those with unlimited budgets, and I haven't noticed anyone here with that luxury), and the most important thing is that you're honest with yourself about what you can and can't manage on a road trip. Sure, you can "make do" with about anything for a couple days -- but on an extended trip, you're better off to budget honestly rather than say, "Sure, we'll NEVER eat in a restaurant!". It's more realistic to say that you're going to have a real sit-down meal every so often; perhaps you'll say that you'll limit yourself to inexpensive places, and you'll never order desert or alcoholic beverages (those two things can double your restaurant bill). Saying, "I will never" is kind of like putting yourself on an impossible-to-keep diet; after a couple days, you'll break down and perhaps go overboard.

www.couchsurfing.com[/url] (most amazing sight ever) for people offering their floor or couchspace for free (be sure to screen them first) . . . If you don't want to pay for camping, be sneaky and set up your tent in a place that is in the middle of nowhere where you're probably not supposed to camp. .

Sleeping in a stranger's house isn't safe, and camping where you clearly know you don't belong isn't ethical. This is just plain bad advice.

Pool gas, lodging, grocery food, and any other mutually-responsible unavoidable expenses IMMEDIATELY.

That sounds like good advice when you're talking about a bunch of friends traveling together. If everyone puts in X amount at the beginning, then one person is responsible for paying for gas, etc., then you also eliminate the problem of Mr. Gotta-have-every-souvenier running out of money mid-way through the trip.

Pack lightly and efficiently.

Good point, though it does mean that you must wash clothes every couple days. We're planning to take three outfits each (the one on our backs + two in a carry-on sized suitcase). This'll fit nicely in the trunk and still allow space for a cooler and a dry-foods container.

If you're planning to camp, don't forget that the equipment'll eat up a large amount of trunk space.

Sightsee for free. [/B]Don't just gravitate toward the paid tours. Stop along the way at places that look interesting. .

I totally agree that there are TONS of great things you can do in national/state parks (don't neglect FREE ranger-led programs) and big cities FOR FREE; however, it's wise to also plan ahead and budget for the things that you know you really want to see in-depth. For example, going to the top of the St. Louis Arch is well worth the couple dollars it costs. You're cheating yourself if you don't do some things during your trip -- who knows if you'll ever visit these places again? You don't want to be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Sometimes you can save money by buying your tickets ahead of time on the internet. And, of course, if you plan to visit any national parks, the year-long national parks pass is a great bargain.

Don't buy souvenirs.

I simply don't understand the concept of buying something just because you're on vacation. Am I going to forget that I went to the Grand Canyon because I don't own a tee-shirt? No. We stopped buying souveniers years ago, and no one in our family's missing them. This practice saves more than money: It saves sanity; I do not need more clutter in my house or my life. It saves the planet; most souveniers end up in the yard sale or the land fill anyway. I teach photography, and when the trip is done, I'd rather have my own photographs than anything else material.

[MrsPete]

I will also say that there is a fine line between keeping costs to a minimum and trying to do things so cheaply that you worry more about money than having a good time.

I think you captured the essence of my post in this sentence.

[jesusmoshes]

Thanks for the replies. I agree with much of what everyone says. You're right about the trespassing. Probably not a good idea.

I also agree that doing things cheaply because you're worried about money at the expense of a good time isn't a good idea. I'm not advocating sacrificing everything in order to save a dollar. The tips I gave are just ideas, and some work better for different people. All of these tips, in fact, depend upon the people and what they make of them. That's what I mean by "low-maintenance." Some people really can't stand not showering in a 24-hour period. Other people might be completely content waiting two days or so, managing on bathroom fresh-ups until their destination. Obviously, no one, no matter how low-maintenance, is going to be content sleeping in a car for long, which is why finding occasional lodging is important. If you can plan for free lodging, all the better. But yes, budgeting for the occasional meal or motel is a must "just in case". You can go into a roadtrip saying "I'm aiming to spend only X amount of money" but you must have a cushion in case something goes wrong. I.e. a flat tire or snow storm hits and you're stranded (both of which have happened to me). This is where making sacrifices comes in again. You may have to sacrifice a little extra money, and that's all part of the risk in trying to take a cheap roadtrip. But if you make a goal, aim low, get lucky, and nothing bad happens, you may just manage an enjoyable and cheap roadtrip.

I agree that sleeping in a car with a family of four is not a fun idea. That's why I was directing this post toward college students. First of all, families are more prone to arguing than friends, especially if young siblings are involved. They're not as "nice" when the going gets rough because they know they're stuck together for life. Children are usually more high maintenance than adults when it comes to sacrificing routine and comfort. A kid who doesn't get to bed by bedtime in his bed is often super cranky and irritable. Also, usually dad or mom is in charge of the plans and then children get bitter because they're being "made" to sleep in the car and they start whining or poking each other or whatever. At least, this has been my experience with family roadtrips vs. friend roadtrips. Young adult Friends fight as well, but they usually have a better spirit of comraderie, since they're all on equal footing (or should be) in terms of controlling the trip. And when they've only recently moved away from their parents, they seem willing to make more sacrifices for the chance to explore the world simply because they have less room for error i.e. no income. They may be equally uncomfortable sleeping in the car, but will put up with it for a night or two just so long as they're all on the same page about it. I have slept entire nights in safe parking lots and rest stops on at least 10 occasions. Some times were more uncomfortable than others, but usually we figured it out and managed to get enough sleep until someone could drive again. One time we even all woke up (5 of us in an oldsmobile) to find that the windows were fogged and we'd slept a solid 7 hours. It was almost ten a.m.! The sleep in the car scenario usually works well on the first night of a roadtrip, as the spirit of adventure is high, and on the last night, as everyone's so tired they could sleep anywhere. It's really all a matter of attitude. Some people say "not being comfortable tonight will ruin my entire trip.' Others say "It's just one night; I can handle it. Tomorrow we see the mountains!"

Basically, depending on who is on the trip, you may have to alter a few of these ideas, according to what you know you and your companions physically, mentally, and emotionally can and can't handle. I agree with the comment that you should never say "i'll never." You're guaranteed to break down and stop at a waffle house more than once on your trip. This is why you budget for those types of things separately. You pool money for gas and groceries, and then above and beyond that, everyone separately decides what they can and can't spend. For instance, back when gas was only about 2.20 a gallon, which is when I took the majority of my cheap roadtrips, we budgeted $500 (100 each) for gas and a cooler full of food (we were able to get some from our parents and leftover money on our college meal plans so that was pretty cheap). This was for a trip from Milwaukee to Arizona and back. We planned to sightsee on the way down there, stay with a friend for a few days, and then take a slightly altered way back, sightseeing on the way. We actually only ended up spending about $400 for gas, which is what we'd planned, with $100 for camping or emergency motels or more food as we needed them. (unfortunately, gas is now quite a bit more, sky-rocketing even more recently, which is forcing some people to ride their bikes to work, let alone take a road trip. I keep hoping prices will go back down). Separately, though, we each figured out our own spending money. I, for instance, planned to spend no more than $150, but I had more in the bank if I needed it. This was the money we used for any souvenirs or fancy food or beverage or gas station snacks or attractions, etc. In the end, I ended up only spending $50-$70. I bought a few postcards, meals, polaroid film, etc. But other than that I stayed pretty frugal, and it wasn't at the expense of my fun, either. We found so much to keep us entertained for free that I hardly needed to dish out extra money. But my friends and I are easily entertained, I guess. Maybe we're a rare exception?
For instance, we didn't go to the top of the St. Louis Arch. Maybe we missed an experience, but we got to St. Louis late evening and enjoyed ourselves just walking around the city. Another time we visitedWaldrug (the biggest drugstore ever. I think that's what it was called) and we spent a few hours just walking around looking at everything and taking pictures, but we didnt' buy anything. When we went to Mt. Rushmore, we didn't use the tourist entrance. Instead we parked at the side of a road where we could clearly see the monument and took pictures. Then we climbed a small embankment at the side of the road and got a good view of the monument. We sat down and stretched our legs and talked for awhile while overlooking the monument (which didn't seem super far away or anything) had a contest to see who could find the coolest rock, and watched the sun set before heading on. Maybe we missed something by not entering the park and reading signs about the history of the monument and such, but we still had a great time. On the other hand, when we went to Calgary and also when we went to Niagara, we went to the top of the viewing towers there. We all agreed separately that we had room in our budgets to do so. It all depends on your group and what they want to do. If they're content to NOT do the touristy thing they're supposed to do, then why do it? Who's to say it's better to go to the top of the st. louis arch than to walk around St. Louis? Who's to say one is more fun than the other?

As far as the safety of sleeping in a stranger's house, that's why I like couch surfing. It has many safety devices in place, such as address validation and also the ability to rate others. You can go to a user's profile and see what other users have to say about him or her. I guess it operates much like ebay in this way. It's not safe giving a complete stranger money in exchange for goods without having met them (i.e. buying things online) but if a person has many recommendations and a high rating, it's pretty safe. For instance, if you go to a user's profile and read thirty recommendations saying things like "I stayed with Jon in california for ten days and he was an amazing host' or "I was Jon's roommate last year, and he's one of the most open, caring people I know." and you click on THOSE people's profiles and they all have recommendations from thirty OTHER people, and THOSE people have recommendations from other people, it's very, very, very unlikely that one person created 500 separate identities, including elaborate profiles and pictures, just in order to validate their one fake identity. It's risky, yes, but I feel more at risk asking a stranger directions in a populated place in broad daylight on the streets of milwaukee than staying at a validated couch surfer's home for a night.

[jonspelledwrong]

awesome post. thank you.

what national chain stores/companies allow sleeping in their parking lot? i heard Wal-Mart allows it but i dont have proof. :x

[Midwest Michael]

Many Wal-Marts allow sleeping in their parking lots, but not all of them do. Some places have even created local ordinances that ban using parking lots for overnight stays.

Truck stops are usually a very good bet, but anytime you are using a private business's lot, you need to check with the manager to make sure you are welcome.