I am cheap. I like to budget and save where I can.
I will absolutely spend money to travel though. My husband says when we travel that I am high maintenance. He calls me “HM” on vacation. This is ONLY when I am without kids. But aren’t you supposed to be on vacation?
I believe if someone is going to make a deal for me to purchase or even free, I am taking it. BUT, I don’t want to work too hard for it. For example, coupons. I am not going to sit and clip and file coupons all Sunday to get money off groceries, but I will shop at the place that has items on sale.
For travel purposes, and for Drive and Discover, I just want to give you a few of my cheap and EASY travel tips. They are not endorsed by anyone and no-one pays me to use them, this is literally my preferences, what we enjoy when we travel and how we do it for less money.
The most expensive cost you will have on the standard Drive and Discover trip is your hotels. Period.
I budget a certain amount per night. I like to try different things. This might mean, we stay two nights somewhere cool and different, and the third night stay at a hotel on points.
Did I say points? Yes, I did.
We use the IHG points system. My husband travels more than I do and we earn points this way. You can also earn them through a credit card and it is absolutely worth it. Due to Covid, most of the places we stay are offering rewards nights for 7,500 points a night. You can get 125,000 points just for signing up! That means all your hotel nights are free for the whole trip. Yes, there are annual fees, and you do have to spend $3,000 dollars on the card before all the rewards points are available. This means as you buy gas, or your nights eating out while waiting for you trip begin, you can put this on your IHG card, then bam, you get free rooms on money you spend either way! Even if you use this card on the trip, it will help you earn free hotels for your next trip! Novel Idea…
I enjoy this brand because they are just about everywhere we want to stop, affordable without even using points, clean, have breakfast, and are comfortable. You will see them as my usual suggested hotel on the Drive and Discover trips when available.
Also, when your a member, your can upgrade to better rooms and amenities.(Here comes the HM)
For more info:
Next expense would be food and gas:
Most grocery stores have credit cards. We use ours to earn points for groceries and gas. When you use the card, you will lll get points back, and you can use those points for the food on the trip and gasoline! Bam, free food and gas for your trip. We are a Kroger family and their card does NOT even have an annual fee. So, with buying your groceries on the card year round, means you can have free groceries and discounted gas for your trip. Check your local store and see if they have any options that may suit you!
For more information on Krogers program:
Do not forget, I suggest you pack a cooler for these trips, and take snacks. We usually eat at the hotels for breakfast for free (Covid procedures have made this a bit interesting), lunch is a cooler lunch and snacks on some adventure, and then we eat out for dinner. We have been known to heat up some microwave Mac and cheese bowls for dinner though after a good swim! You could easily make the whole trip without spending money at restaurants, and avoiding crowds! (Always make a stop for a blizzard at Dairy Queen though:)
Next most common expense would be State Parks:
State parks in general are not expensive. On average, admission is $5 or under a person. But, if you stop at quite a few through the trip or in a year, it adds up. BUY A YEARLY STATE PARK PASS! I suggest this even if you Are only doing it for one Drive and Discover trip. You are funding a great cause, you get extra benefits, it covers you and anyone in your car(up to 13 people) for the whole year and it is only $70. I noticed after I bought it, I am more apt to go out and use it locally on the weekends. If you plan on camping or have an RV this helps aid cost for those sites.
Also, great piece of knowledge is, if you have a 4th grader, he or she, and the driver and up to 4 people in the car, get in free for the entire year! This mean if you have a forth grader on your Drive and Discover trip, you already have free park entrance for the entire trip!
For more information on park passes and the 4th Grade Program:
trips.https://www.nps.gov/foun/planyourvisit/upload/4th-Grade-Pass-USGS-FAQ-Page-FINAL-508.pdf
Please feel free to let me know if you have any other money saving tips for our trips! It is so much fun to learns new tricks for saving the dollar!
Now, here is the big question. Am I high maintence if I know how to vacation like this?
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