It’s summer and you’re ready to hit the highway for a road trip! But you don’t want to blow your whole vacation budget on the drive, so here are some creative ways to save money.

• Download GasBuddy – Want to find the cheapest gas prices right where you are? This is the app for that. You can even use it to plan ahead and check the average price for fuel along your route before you’re on the road.
• Pack light – Would it be super-fun to bring the bikes, boogie boards and a grill on your adventure? Of course, but all that extra weight can make your car A LOT less fuel-efficient – like 17%, or 40-cents a gallon. So leave that gear at home unless you know you’ll definitely use it and if you do bring it, it’s better to put it in a little trailer on the back of your vehicle to even out the load.
• Get a tune-up – Go to your friendly neighborhood mechanic or service station guy and ask them to give your car a once-over before you hit the road. It’s better to know your tires are properly inflated, your engine oil is where it should be, and there aren’t any foreseeable problems so you don’t have any unexpected and expensive repairs on the road.
• Skip the tolls – Take the back roads and save on tolls. It’s easy to do on Google Maps, just click the drop down menu next to Your Location and select Avoid Tolls under Route Options.
• Or invest in an E ZPass – That way you get to fly by other drivers stuck in traffic and save an average of 10 to 15% at tolls booths and bridges.
• BYO Sandwiches – Make some sammies and pack them for the road to save on food money and eat something better than what you’d find at the rest stop.
• Use your GPS – If you get lost, you’re spending more on gas and maybe even tolls. You don’t want to pay for that twice, so use technology to help you stay on the right route.
• Rely on last-minute apps like Hotel Tonight – If you’re in need of accommodations for the night, use Hotel Tonight to get cheap same-day hotel deals. So you can save your money for the stuff you really want to spend it on.

Source: Pure Wow