Traveling with gas going higher

I have heard so many people say that they will not be taking a vacation because gas prices are going so high. STOP! There is all the more reason to just take a camper or a tent and enjoy smaller vacations. You may be surprised how much more relaxed you may be. You don’t have to worry about getting somewhere on time, you don’t need to take your best clothing, you can take a picnic lunch and enjoy a day in the woods or at a theme park or a state park and swimming.


There is so much you can do. Just plan a little more into what you need to take and how much you can really afford to spend.

If your vehicle gets 20 MPG (for example) and you can put 20 gals in your tank at one time, then you can drive 400 miles one way and it would cost you approx. $ 76.00 to fill up when you leave. Now to go and get back home that would be $152.00 round trip.

So now you know how much it will cost to drive- figure out what you will do for meals.

Use the idea that you may eat three times a day- and it costs $10.00 each meal per person. For a weekend trip (three days) you would need $90.00 per person.
BUT you can make this less by taking a lunch for part of the day and eat snacks instead. You can buy a loaf of bread and lunchmeat a lot cheaper than a meal and it would last longer. Cookies and chips add to make a pretty good meal. So, now you have cut your meal expense down to maybe one meal a day out. Assume you will eat breakfast in the camper – cereal and coffee and donuts. A family of four:

One loaf of bread………… $2.25             coffee-      $ 5.00 brew your own

Lunch meat ……………… $ 3.50            donuts-     $ 8.00 / dozen

2nd lunch meat ……………. $ 3.50          cookies …$ 2.50

chips ………………………$ 2.50           milk …… $ 3.50

cereal ……………………. $ 3.50           take some condiments from home with you.

TOTAL $ 34.25 you should get two days out of this with four people eating.

Now you have approximately $35 dollars into meals at the campsite and then you can splurge on a restaurant meal for the last meal of the day. For three days $ 180.00 plus tips.

OK now lets see where we are:

Gas $152.00
Groceries $ 35.00
Meals $180.00

TOTAL $367.00 That’s not bad for a weekend. You can make a trip 400 miles away from home and still only use one weeks pay.

But remember you can stay longer if you eat less expensively.  Cook all your meals on the pit or on your camp stove and save a lot.  Your restaurant cost of $180.00 plus the original of  $34.00 will buy nearly a week of groceries for all four of you. 

If this is more than you really can afford then stay closer to home or cut out the restaurant every day. You can go and enjoy your time away from home and not break the bank doing it.

Remember to have fun relax and get rid of the stress.  You will be so more pleased at the end of teh day.
 
If you are reading this will you please leave me a comment.  I would like to know if any one sees these.