budgeting

[Cowgirl Liz]

alright so now that things are lookin close to planned out as in regards to the route i thought i had better try and get some sort of budget together. we plan on spending about 2 months traveling through the western us (see "western us road trip for senior summer") we are going to try and camp most of the time but will probably have to spend at least a few nights in a motel. if anyone has any advice it would be appreciated :)

[Boston Wrangler]

Only YOU know what you can afford. Set a budget for yourself and figure out what you can budget on a daily basis. If you buy food in "bulk" instead of eating at restaurants, you will save a lot of money. Buy PB&J, a loaf of bread, cold cuts, fruit, etc. at grocery stores. Not only will you safe money, but you'll have the food with you whenever you feel hungry be it at the campsite or on the road. Just remember not to leave food in your tent with you overnight to avoid unwanted wild visitors, and preferably inside several containers (plastic zipper bags, a cooler, and a car make for a pretty animal-proof container combination).

Charge your expenses if you can, but don't be careless. By charging your expenses to a credit card, you can "buy now, pay later." Try to pay you balance in full when the bill comes upon your return from your trip. If you have good credit and good standing with your credit card issuer, you can ask them to defer a payment because you will be away from home. Creditors will often oblige under these circumstances.

Look into purchasing a parks pass and AAA if you don't already have them as both of these can get you substantial discounts at many places, and not just hotels/motels and campsites. Many tourist attractions offer discounted rates to card carriers.

Make your reservations ahead of time. Call around and see who has the best deals and ask them what they can do to accomodate your budget. Being a good salesperson here can be a big plus.