One of my best friends and I are taking a road trip from Wichita, KS to California, with 4 other stops on the way there and back. Here are a few things that I thought were helpful for planning this trip, and I hope they help you out too!!

Airbnb

This is a literal lifesaver when it comes to long road trips. In 4 of the 5 cities we are stopping in, Airbnb was so much cheaper than getting a hotel. I calculated it, and for a 10-day trip, we saved around $200.

Dollar Tree

Where Everything’s A Dollar!!!! We needed some things for the road such as paper towels, paper plates, and other necessities. And rather than going to Target and spending $20-$30 we spent $8. And the things come in smaller packages…because it’s one dollar, which ends up being the perfect size for a 10-day road trip.

Mini Grocery Shopping Trip

Before you leave for your trip, I suggest going to your local grocery store and buying sandwich stuff and some other snacks for the road. Instead of eating McDonald’s and Wendy’s for the entire drive there and back, save some pennies and have a sandwich for at least one meal a day. It’s not only cheaper but also super convenient, because you can eat it whenever you want, rather than missing that one exit that had all the good food, only to settle for McDonald’s.

Also, if you buy all your snacks ahead of time, you have no reason to buy a snickers bar every time you stop at a gas station…so healthier too!!

Lists…Upon Lists...Upon Lists….

Make so many lists. I have lists of

• addresses we need
• a rough estimate of what I want to wear each day
• what the weather will be like each day
• places we really want to make sure to see
• how much each hotel/Airbnb cost
• what to pack
• food I want to buy before the trip

It may be a little excessive for you, or I may not have enough lists for you, but it helps me stay organized, and if I forget something, it’s no biggie, because I have a guess that there will be grocery stores on the way.

Packing Cubes

I bought these for when I went to Europe a few summers ago, and they are LIFE SAVERS. If you’re like me, and you over pack, I recommend these. I use them for weekend trips, too! I can fit about 5 shirts in one of these (depending on the season), and it keeps them from getting too wrinkled, and it helps keep my suitcase organized. I bought mine on Amazon, and I have 3 of the medium sized, but here is a set of 3 different sizes.

So, these are a few tips that have really helped me out, and I hope you can find a way to make these tips work for you!! Safe travels everyone!!