Being on a road trip is the quickest way to lose all your money. Toll charges, fuel costs, food expenses, there are so many things that need money-you might spend all of your money without even knowing about it. Even if you have an unlimited supply of money, there are a ton of advantages to being frugal on the road. Think of all the money you will be saving for a future trip! With that in mind, let’s get cracking with some smart tips and tricks.
Start Keeping A Track Of Even The Smallest Expense
When you start spending on a trip, small things slip out of your attention and these end up being huge figures that can totally throw you travel finances out of whack. What you need to do is to keep a conscious track of every little expense be it a packet of snacks or a bottle of water. Add up all the numbers at the end of the day and find out how much went on small things. You could be spending a lot more without knowing about it. This will help you prioritize expenses the following day.
Eat Local
If you order italian food in china, you will be paying up a lot of money for an arguably substandard effort at an italian dish. Instead try out a chinese dish that you know has the ingredients that you are comfortable eating. You will have a wholesome meal for the fraction of the cost of an italian dish!
Buy A Travel Accommodation Membership Plan
Does your office have a corporate travel membership plan? These are a great way to save a lot of money on accommodation expenses because these give you the benefits of a bulk plan where the cost is shared among many members and therefore the financial load on one single individual isn’t as immense. If your office does not have a corporate plan, or if you are self-employed, you can purchase a plan on your own and expect the investment to pay off in a few bookings.
Ride Frugal
If you are riding a motorcycle, you need to be extra careful about keeping a control over your throttle hand. The faster you ride, the more fuel you are going to burn and hence, you will be spending more money on fuel expenses. It is very important that you ride frugally and keep an eye on the fuel mileage, especially if you are going on a very long road ride. A smart advice to manage a sustainable mileage is to keep the engine rotation at somewhere around 2500-3000 RPMS, which will take you further on a tighter budget. A word of caution here is to keep the rpms right in order to keep the engine unstressed even on a steep incline. Always keep the engine chugging at the appropriate RPM that does not either stress the mechanics or burn up a lot of fuel. The right balance is the key to travelling longer with fuel still in the tank.
Avoid Accidental Expenses
Accidental expenses can force you to end your trip prematurely. This is a real risk especially if you are at a foreign destination where your insurance provider does not have coverage. Always be sure to wear a branded motorcycle helmet that is approved by the authorities at the destination country. Find out what you need to have before beginning your journey. In addition to helmets, you also need gloves and riding boots. Always make sure to have all necessary riding safety gear on you at all times to avoid injuries. Also, while we are on the topic, be sure to invest in an international travel insurance plan that will cover all unplanned expenses.
