Trifter

These ten tips may only save you a few dollars here or there, but depending on the length of the trip, it all adds up!

1. Buy your food at Giant Eagle. Giant Eagle cardholders get cents ticked off of gas when food is bought. If you’re driving with several people in a van, by the time you’re heading home you could save 30-40 cents per gallon.
2. Buy food that can be used for multiple things. Bread, noodles, rice, these are things that go with most dishes. Bread and peanut butter can last one person lunch for a week. This is better than buying those instant meals or veggie packs that fill you up for a single meal.
3. Sleep in your car or van. If people in the 60’s could do it, what’s stopping us. A light sleeper or someone on lookout might be ideal. Look for rest stops where your vehicle isn’t the only one in the parking lot.
4. Take photos of maps. If you’re traveling from state-to-state, it’s difficult to get a country atlas that shows smaller roads. Instead, go into a Speedway or Sheetz where local and state maps are kept. Bring a digital camera, and take pictures. You’ll get an updated, detailed map every time you need it. Even if it sounds a tad unscrupulous, I’ve never been stopped for this before.
5. Avoid sit-down restaurants. Anymore, fast food is almost as expensive as some smaller venues. However, tips can really drain the wallet fast.
6. Put up the windows and turn on the A/C. Several recent studies done by gas-conservation groups have shown that due to wind resistance, a car will actually benefit more from having its windows up. The gas guzzled by turning A/C on low isn’t enough to offset the extra power needed to drive through the wind.
7. Avoid driving more than the speed limit. Every car has a point where its gas use is the most efficient. It’s the point where any slower, and gas is used for too long, and any faster, gas is burned up too quickly to keep the vehicle moving at high speeds. The average for most vehicles is around 55 mph. Every time you think of going too fast, think of either your fuel tank or the highway patrol.
8. Find out the tax laws for different states. Pennsylvania has no tax on clothing, while Ohio has no tax on food bought to go (which includes food bought from drive-throughs as well as convenience stores). If you need to buy a shirt, kerosene, or a new tire, see if there isn’t a way to avoid that extra cost.
9. Never pay for your internet unless you have to. Have a laptop? Then don’t go to an internet cafe, or even pay the extra fee sometimes charged by hotels. Instead, coordinate a meal with an establishment that has internet. Or better yet, camp out in a hotel’s parking lot that does have it.
10. Only make phone calls when it’s free. My phone plan costs extra out of state, unless it’s after 7 PM at night. Figure out if there are special times covered by your cell phone plan, then wait out updating friends and/or family. Also, avoid sending pictures via cell phone. Remember that friends back home will see the pictures you’ve taken on your camera.