HOW WE DROVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND BACK FOR $383.

Colin + Lauren

Feb 19, 20215 min read

TODAY, We wanna share a few tips with you on how to take an epic road trip, but not break the bank. We've had many conversations with people who think it takes $3,000-$5,000 to head out West. While it DEFINITELY CAN, it doesn't have to. Hang on - we're gonna tell you how.

New Year's Eve night, 2019, we loaded up the minivan and waited for the clock to strike 12. Once 2020 had made its entrance, all 6 of us loaded up and took off. Next stop: Hurricane, Utah - nearly 2,000 miles from where we live in Sylacauga, AL! Well, not our next stop - I think we ended up stopping like 12 times before we got there. Bathroom breaks, food, just needing to stretch... oh, and one time it started sleeting out of nowhere and we slid through a 4-way stop into a ditch. So, I guess it was technically 13 stops. (everything was fine).

Anyways, we left on a Tuesday night, and had to be back in Alabama by Saturday night, so we didn't have a ton of time. The trip was pretty incredible - very exhausting (we rotated sleeping shifts and drivers), but worth every mile we drove and every dollar we spent ($383/person).

Here is our full itinerary!

If you only have 4-5 days, feel free to use it as a guide!

But hopefully, you'll have more time to spend than we did.

As you can see, it was a lot of driving.

BUT the entire trip ended up costing less than $385/person - and we even rented a car. (our largest cost)

Here is the breakdown of our costs (and how to save $$ in each category).

Quick note before we get into it:

We know that, sometimes, you just want to take a trip with your spouse (and nobody else) - and we feel the same way. We've done many of those, too. But on some trips (like this one), we get a group of people and take off and explore. This divides the cost exponentially. However, even if its just two people, you can still save hundreds of dollars, if not $1,000+, by applying these tips below! We hope this helps!!

RENTAL CAR: $125/each

($747.23 TOTAL) - we use Enterprise Rent A Car

Included $422.82 Rental Fee + Driver Fees (1 extra driver at $15/day, 1 under 25 at $20/day) + Insurance

how to SAVE $$:

**OBVIOUSLY the best way to save money is to take your own vehicle. But, we couldn't because we didn't have one big enough for 6 people & luggage that would be somewhat comfortable for 28 hours straight. So... we rented one. If you have to rent a vehicle, here's how you save money doing it:

1) Put someone that's married as the primary driver.

Most rental car companies charge a daily fee for an extra driver ($15/day). If the 2nd driver is the spouse of the primary driver, then they're included in the price. In our situation, that meant that putting one of us as the primary driver, we'd get a free extra!

2) Be 25 or older.

Most companies charge an extra daily fee for being under 25 ($20/day). I just now turned 25 - and after years of paying it, renting without that fee was an incredible feeling).

3) Insurance.

Insurance is a debatable question when it comes to renting a vehicle. We've purchased the rental car company's insurance a few times, while there have been times where we haven't, which saves a lot of money. However, this isn't always a good area to budge on. On this trip, we purchased the insurance because we were driving so far. Be sure to check with your auto insurance agent before going to see what is the best decision for you.

If you don't have an agent you can trust, Ricky (w/ Goosehead Insurance) is my go-to with all things insurance. Give him a call - He saves us a bunch of money, gives us the best coverage for what we're looking for, and walks us through the details of each policy. You can contact him here.

4) Shop rates.

Most rental car companies price according to demand/availability. Check on different vehicle types (in Wyoming, a RAV4 was significantly cheaper than a mid-size car...). Also, check on locations. A minivan at Salt Lake City airport was less than $600, while the same vehicle at Denver's airport was over $1,100... woah.

AIRBNB - $41/each

- We had 2 nights in an AirBnb. The first night was $147 ($21/person), and the 2nd night was $99 ($14/person).

how to SAVE $$:

1) Exhaust your options.

Search on AirBnB, local hotels, and VRBO. Find the best price for your rental (that's clean), and that has enough space. We try to stay as close to the $100/night price when we are just passing through. Now, if we are staying somewhere a little while (2-3 nights), we will pay a little more for a cool stay.

2) Search the surrounding areas, too.

In a big city or national park, it may cost $300/night for a small house. Grab a map, look at surrounding cities, and check the outskirts - 15-30 minutes outside of the city or park. You'll be surprised what you find!

GAS - $105/each - $630 TOTAL (yep, that's a LOT of gas)

how to SAVE $$:

1) AVOID filling up near major cities and National Parks. Gas can easily be $1.50-$2.00/gallon more.

2) Use APPS. Most major gas stations have apps that will save you $.15-$.25/gallon if you pay through their app. That adds up, especially on a 4,000 mile trip.

3) If possible, take a fuel-efficient vehicle.

We took a minivan, which actually did pretty well - as opposed to a Suburban or Tahoe, etc.

FOOD - $100/each

- this varied. For Lauren and I, it ended up costing $100/each

how to SAVE:

1) AVOID gas station snacks & drinks each time you stop. Go to Walmart beforehand and throw some snacks in a bag & a case of waters in the back. It'll save you a good bit.

2) Don't eat every meal out.

This one goes without saying. But, we said it anyway... Sandwiches for lunch are great. Who doesn't love a good PB&J?

3) It's okay to eat a nice meal.

Wait, what??

Well, to be honest, this is one area we don't try to save too much. When we travel somewhere, we love trying new restaurants that are unique to an area. So, we just try and save a little more $$ on the front end so we can eat a unique, solid meal each night.

PARK FEES - $12/person

Total Cost: $70 (2 National Parks)

how to SAVE:

1) NATIONAL PARKS PASS

- We didn't have a National Parks Pass yet, but now we do. Most parks we've been to charge $35/vehicle for a week pass. The Parks Pass is $80, so if you go to 3 parks, you've saved money. Plus, it's kinda cool to have. You can buy it here.

FINAL THOUGHT:

It makes a huge difference when you're able to take some friends!

If you're a couple, grab another couple and take them with you. Cuts the prices in half. If you're a college student or single, grab some buddies and head out there. You'll be glad you did.

**Before you go, we have put together a quick guide that will help you on your road trip - 23 tips to make it EPIC. Be sure you check out #7 so it doesn't happen to you...