Best ways to save money on a road trip and stay healthy

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Roads trips are fun: you explore different places and scenery. You discover new meals and treats! It’s my favorite way of travelling.  Unfortunately these trips can be long, tiring and pretty expensive. Sometimes we end up choosing unhealthy options to save money and speed up our trip. But we can still  travel on a budget, stay healthy and have fun.  The following ideas suggest the best ways to save money on your next trip and still have fun and stay healthy?.The ideas and suggestions below may seem to you like common sense. Try them out because they will work for you.

How to save money on a trip and stay healthy

Plan your road trip in advance.

Most problems and challenges can be avoided especially if you are taking on a relatively predictable challenge. After all, a road trip is usually quite predictable. Planning includes places where to stay, where to relax and eat. It will avoid turning around and wasting gas. It will also avoid frustration with young kids.

Don’t forget to bring those healthy snacks that your kids helped you preparing them. They will be perfect for those cravings on the road. I usually load my cooler with their favorite treats, water and some sandwiches. It will save money on restaurants bills and we eat healthier. If you can afford a thermoelectric cooler, it will keep beverages and food cold. You won’t need to stop to fill with ice.

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables from locals.

These foods have plenty of fiber in them that will keep your belly full. Eat just a bit of fiber-rich foods and you will surely reduce the quantity of the food you will have to eat. Locals usually pay fewer taxes. So they will be able to sell their high quality products at a lower price. This is one of the best  ways to save money and stay healthy!

Take your meals regularly.

Don’t avoid meals. Eat regularly and often. You should take a break and eat each couple of hours. In this way, you will eat less overall and it will save you money on food.

Don’t eat anything after 6 o’clock P.M.

You will be able to sleep better and you will wake up fresh in the morning. Most people who wake up tired in the morning eat too much before they go to bed. You will also eat less and during the night your body will burn the accumulated fat.

Break down your road trip into very small bits.

Starting and finishing a long road trip can be overwhelming. It’s better to break it down into small chunks. In this way, you will have a feeling of accomplishment and motivation every time you finish a small part of the journey. Your driving will be less aggressive when you are relaxed. You will save money on gas this way.

Carry water with you.

Your body is around 60% water. It’s really easy to become dehydrated without even noticing it. Drink water each 30 minutes to 1 hour and you will be fine. Carrying your own bottle of water and refilling it is less expensive than buying water from a convenient store on the road. It is one of the best ways to save money on drinks.

Eat unprocessed foods.

This suggestion may seem counter-intuitive. After all, unprocessed food is more expensive. Yes, it’s more expensive but it will give you the right nutrients that your body needs. Highly processed foods taste good but they don’t really give your body the nutrients it needs. Eating highly processed foods make you feel hungry all the time regardless of how much processed foods you eat. You may pay a higher price at first but you will end up eating less and paying less money for food.

 

The above ideas represent some of the best ways to save money on a road trip. Basically, you need to eat unprocessed foods in smaller quantities. Avoiding stress and stressful situations will also help you. For more ideas about the best ways to save money on a road trip, check our article: How to plan a frugal road trip

 

 

4 thoughts on “Best ways to save money on a road trip and stay healthy”

  1. Glad you feel the same way. Olfa’s tips remind us all that good habits are just that…to be repeated and routine to keep us feeling well. You are right! Why would you want to get sick or have digestive problems on vacation? Of course, you still can treat yourself — just not so often.

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