I recently took a road trip from Dallas to Albuquerque to Colorado Springs to Denver – and back to Dallas. It was 1,925 miles and 29 hours of pure asphalt that took us through plains, mountains, and prairies.

I spent time preparing for the week-long journey. And figured how to save cash and have fun on the way. Because that’s a lot of time in a car!

If you don’t plan it right (or at all), you’ll likely spend too much, miss cool opportunities, or generally have a miserable time. And no one wants that. 😾

Here are tips to make your next road trip smooth as asphalt.

12 Ways to Save on Road Trips

The great American road trip. There’s breathtaking stuff out there. It’s a beautiful country. And it’s a miracle we can drive all the way across it on highways and interstates.

I usually opt to fly. For this trip, we wanted to drive. But it’s not like we just hopped in the car and left.

I found ways to save money, earn points, and keep ourselves entertained along the journey.

1. Points for gas

• Link: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card – Compare it here
• Link: Gasbuddy

So did you know the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is actually a sleeper hit for road trips?

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card earns:

• 5% cash back (5X Chase Ultimate Rewards points) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services each account anniversary year
• 2% cash back (2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year

So when I saw this at Office Depot, I snatched up a couple:

They’re Fuel Everywhere Visa cards, and they’re made for road trips.

You can use them for gas, snacks, oil changes, or anything you can get at a gas station, truck stop, or fuel pump on the road.

How I did it

I got 2 of them for $100 each (the max). There’s a $3.95 fee – but it’s worth it to earn more Chase Ultimate Rewards points. For the 2 cards, I spent ~$208 ($100 + $4 X 2) and earned 1,040 Chase Ultimate Rewards points ($208 X 5).

As a cash back credit, that’s worth $10.40 (which completely covers the cost of the fees). But I value them for 2 cents each when I combine them with a premium Chase card and transfer to travel partners AKA ~$21 or 10% back in value.

Plus, by budgeting ahead, I didn’t have to worry about which card to use.

Note: Sometimes the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has gas as a 5X category (compare it here). And you can fuel up directly without paying extra fees.

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card also earns 2X on restaurants and gas stations on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year, so if you don’t want the extra steps, you can still save when you grab snacks and eat on the road.

While you’re at it, check out GasBuddy. It shows you gas prices, maps, and charts. Plus there’s a trip cost calculator so you know how much you’ll spend on your trip. An excellent and helpful budgeting tool (also available as an app). 👍

2. Get a toll tag

• Link: Google Maps

If you’re gonna be in a toll-heavy part of the country, sign-up for a toll tag and load it up! You’ll earn points if you have a card has travel as a bonus category. And you’ll get discounts over paying cash. Not to mention the time you’ll save.

I found out my Texas toll tag actually works on the Oklahoma Turnpike, so I was all set.

Additionally, Google Maps shows you every toll road along your journey. If you don’t want to deal with tolls, mark the “Avoid Tolls” box under “Options.”

This might add driving time, but save you money. Or in the case of DC to Brooklyn, take the same amount of time.

I personally hate paying tolls. But I’ll take a toll road if it saves me driving time.

3. Prep your car

Get a tune-up. Change the oil. Fill up your tires with air.

And for heaven’s sake, clean it out. No one wants to sit in a dirty, cluttered car for hours.

If you’re going to put major miles on your car (1,000+), spring for the good engine oil.

If your car insurance or credit card includes roadside assistance, go ahead and dig up those numbers. Save them to your phone. You don’t want to be on the side of the road digging through fine print on a mobile website if something happens, touch wood.

4. Prep your house

This is for every trip, really.

• Unplug your wifi, tv, and everything else you won’t use. Turn off the fans
• Set your cooling higher or your heat lower – you won’t need it
• Draw the shades to keep the sun out
• Make your bed and do the dishes so you come home to a clean place
• Have a neighbor clear flyers from your door and keep an eye on your house
• Leave a light on and perhaps a radio playing for safety
• Board your dog or drop them with a sitter (I personally love Rover)
• Get self-watering spikes for your plants or ask someone to water them
• If anything has water in it (a Brita, coffee pot, sink, washer, pet bowl), empty it to prevent mold
• Consider putting a hold on your mail or have someone pick it up for you
• Pack perishables as snacks (fruits, cold cuts, juice) or freeze them (meat, bread, etc.)

5. Pre-pay for parking

• Link: SpotHero

After all that driving, the LAST thing I wanted to do was hunt and circle for a parking spot in downtown Denver. Noooo thanks.

I used SpotHero to reserve a spot only 2 blocks from our Airbnb. I knew parking would be a nightmare otherwise.

I’m so glad I saved the parking drama and pre-paid. There was a nice discount (about 40% IIRC) and I set the garage address as the destination to make it even easier for myself.

I loathe having to park in big cities – this really was the MVP. Even better, the garage was covered – so no worries about digging the car out of the snow.

Some hotels have parking garages attached – SpotHero get you a bigger discount than if you pay for parking when you check-in. My new go-to whenever I need to park in a dense city center.

6. Get snacks before you leave

Gas station food is marked up about 150%. Stop by the grocery store and grab some fresh fruit with tough skins (apples, pears, clementines) and nothing too mushy (bananas or kiwi). Protein bars are great. Even sandwich fixins. Whatever you normally like to snack on. Chances are it’s cheaper – and healthier – than what you’ll find on the road.

Although I looove gas station iced coffee. #somethingsneverchange

This is an easy way to save a big amount of cash!

7. Take a Hydro Flask

• Link: Hydro Flask

Yassss! They have water bottles, coffee cups, food containers, and everything else you need to keep hot things hot and cold things cold (or room temp).

There are lots of reusable water bottles and thermoses out there. Pick one and get in the habit of using it.

It’ll save so much waste from plastic and styrofoam from ending up in the world’s oceans and landfills. Every gas station will let you fill up with water at the soda fountain. Plus, you’ll save money on expensive bottled water.

Another plus: hydration! This will add bathroom stops, but it’s important to drink lots of water. You can also rinse it out and use it for coffee, lattes, whatever. I use mine constantly.

8. Plan lunch stops in advance

We knew we’d stop in Amarillo on the way there and Wichita on the way back. So we fired up Yelp and Google Maps and picked a place. That gave us a destination and respite to look forward to.

If you really want to save, and you have a Costco or Sam’s Club membership, you could stop at the warehouse clubs and get a $1.50 lunch deal or cheap pizza. Depending on your route, it might not add too much extra driving. Added bonus: load up on snacks to save even more.

I found it helpful to plan stops in advance instead of winging it. Give it at least an hour if you want a proper meal with table service.

9. Get the Roadtrippers app

• Link: RoadTrippers

This is if you’re planning a slower paced road trip. And want to see all the wacky stops, natural landmarks, and cool local stuff along the way. Basically, if you want to stop and enjoy the journey, instead of zooming straight through.

I played around with it and liked the suggestions. It shows you where to camp, outdoor attractions, “weird stuff,” and more. We were of the “just passin’ through” mindset, but I’d consider using this app for a more leisurely trip.

10. Save receipts and split with Venmo

• Link: Venmo

After a while, it becomes hard to track who got this tank of gas, who paid for those snacks, and who owes what.

Our method: stuff all the receipts in the glove compartment with the person’s name written on the top. After we got home, I added it all and we settled up via Venmo.

This is especially helpful if you’re the points fanatic in a group of debit card wielders. Sure, I’ll put it all on my points-earning card and you can give me cash later… 😼

11. Play Heads Up and get the convo flowing

• Link: Heads Up for iOS
• Link: Heads Up for Android

Now for the fun stuff. Heads Up was such a hit, man.

We loved it so much that we played in the hotel room after we got settled. Just pure, silly fun. You put the phone on your head and others shout out hints without saying what the answer is. And it’s all timed. You can also play back a video recording after each round.

Also, Googling “road trip questions” lead to a lot of unexpected conversations, occasional tears, and lots of laughter. Try it!

12. Make a collaborative playlist on Spotify

• Link: Spotify

Another super easy way to keep things flowing during those long stretches of highway.

We each added 40 songs to a playlist and hit “Shuffle.” That way, no one took over the radio and it was completely random. We held our breath in suspense after each song to see whose would play next.

Beats scanning the radio and dodging endless commercial “breaks.” Plus, if you really like a song, it’s all on the playlist – listen and explore when you get back. Also a great way to remember the road trip and think about your adventures. 😺

Just remember, the last 2 options will eat up your phone’s battery life – fast. Bring cables or power banks if necessary. It’s really worth it to have some fun on the way.

Bottom line

Road trips are awesome! With a little planning, you can save big on food and gas, earn points, and have a ton of fun on the way. I found these tips saved me from stressing and added flow and organization on the road. When everything is set, you’re prepared for the whole journey.

Summer (road trip season!) will be here before you know it! Do you have other tips to save money or have fun on the road?

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