Many people haven’t got enough money to go on holiday at the moment – when the recession hit, dreams of Carribean beaches and exotic villas were soon ended! That doesn’t mean you can’t travel, however – you just need to find a cheaper way to experience the landmarks and experiences.
The first thing you need to plan a road trip is a reliable car. Make sure yours is in good condition – if you aren’t sure, or you don’t have a car, get some quotes for renting one. Having a functional car is vital to a road trip – taking trains and local transport is much more confusing, and expensive!
Choose where your destination is. Is there a city or place you have always wanted to go too? You’ll need to agree this with your other party members, too. Once you have, buy a road map to build your route on. Mark your starting point, and your destination, and look at the places you could stop on the way – are their national parks, or landmarks, or places perfect for a picnic? If you’ve got children, you might need to stop more frequently, to let them use the toilet or just stretch their legs and burn some energy.
Make a budget. Look at how many miles you’ll be going, and find the average petrol cost. Work out how much you’ll need for petrol, and try to keep a little extra for more expensive fuel. Then you’ll need money for snacks, meals, drinks, hotels and attractions, along with membership to a company such as the AA who will rescue you should your car break. To try and save some money, look at buying attraction tickets in advance, which can make it cheaper, and take some of your own snacks and drinks.
For piece of mind, mark down the location of the nearest hospital, and make sure you have a phone to be contacted on. Then sort out your home – do you need boarding for your pets, or someone to come and collect your mail? Once your house is sorted, fill up your tank, and off you go!
