6 Money Saving Road Trip Tips For Memorial Day

Memorial Day weekend is almost here, which for many means traveling to visit family or a favorite vacation spot. An estimated 37 million peopleare expected to travel this Memorial Day weekend, mostly by car and plane, according to AAA. This is up 60 percent from 2020. If you’re choosing to road trip this year, you’re not alone. Car travel is estimated to increase 52 percent compared to 2020 and that means an additional 12 million Americans hitting the road. More people traveling means higher PRICES for things like gas, food, and hotel prices. If you’re looking to road trip this weekend without breaking the bank, then follow these 6 money saving road trip tips for Memorial Day travels.

1.) Find The Best Place To Stay

Take time to research the area you’re staying in and make a list of hotels/Airbnbs. Price each of them then check sites like Hotels.com for deals on those locations. This will give you an idea of the places you can afford and how close they are to the attractions you’ll be visiting.

2.) Pack A Snack

Packing a cooler full of snacks and drinks for your trip. This not only saves you money on buying higher priced items at gas stations, but also saves cuts down your travel time because you won’t be making as many stops.

3.) Search For The Cheapest Gas

Download an app like GasBuddy to search for the cheapest gas prices along your trip route. You can also look for dining and shopping deals on GasBuddy and use those points towards free gas.

4.) Avoid Tolls

If time allows, choose a trip route that excludes tools. While routes with tools are usually faster, you can end up spending a chunk of change of them. Look at the different routes ahead of time on Apple or Google maps and see if a longer route without tolls is doable for your road trip.

5.) Find Free Events

Check out local event calendars for wherever you’re headed. There are usually free events during weekends especially if it’s a holiday weekend like memorial day.

6.) Use Perks

If you’re a credit card holder, visit your card’s site and check to see what perks you have for using your card at certain hotels, gas stations, etc. If you have a “stash” of points from previous purchases, these could go towards your hotel stay or items you need for the trip. Our Launch CU Rewards Visa credit holders earn 1 point for every dollar they spend. These points can be redeemed for statement credits, cash back, travel, gift cards, merchandise and a lot more.