How I Traveled The United States Dirt Cheap

So, you want to know how to travel the United States so cheaply? First, can we all agree that traveling across America sounds extremely expensive? That’s what I thought only to find out that it is actually super inexpensive if you follow some hacks! For years, I imagined myself exploring this beautiful country, windows down while blasting music but that dream seemed like a long shot. Fast forward to when I got to live the dream last year without breaking the bank. Doesn’t that sound good?

Yep, I traveled to most of the United States in one month and let me tell you…it is out of this world. Getting out of my hometown and seeing everything out there really changes a person, which is why I’m encouraging YOU to go out and do it! I could go on and on about how beautiful America’s scenery is but that’s a whole different article. Enjoy!

Tip #1: Find the nearest grocery store and make your own food

The first week I was on the road, I spent a lot of money. Like a lot. I’d go out to restaurants for every meal, drank Starbucks every day and I can’t even count the number of times I’d buy overpriced snacks at every gas station I’d go. Don’t be like me. Instead, go to the nearest store that sells food and buy ingredients to make your food for the next couple of days. I went to Walmart and bought some bread, turkey, mayonnaise, and cheese. Survived off of delicious sandwiches for the next week. And it all cost me under 15 dollars when one MEAL at a restaurant would cost me $20+. We also meal-prepped our food one day of the week and ate those while on the road. How did we keep those foods fresh though? Read the next tip.

Tip #2: Bring A Cooler With You

I found an old cooler in my basement and I’m so glad I decided to bring it along. Whenever we stopped to get gas, I’d buy some ice and fill up the cooler for the whole day. We’d dump out the leftover water at the end of the night and repeat the same process the next day. That cooler kept our water cold and prevented our meals from spoiling under the hot sun. It was a lifesaver when we’d eat out and had leftovers. Boop, right to the cooler it went.

Tip #3: Get A National Parks Pass

This pass cost us $80 BUT we saved a ton of money on entrance fees and it was valid for a whole YEAR. For example, Arches National Park had an entrance fee of $35, Death Valley National Park was $30 and Yosemite National Park’s fee was $35. If you do the math, that is $100 right there just on THREE NATIONAL PARKS. With the pass, we were able to visit more than 30 national parks for $80. Insane.  You can purchase this pass in person, by calling 1-888-275-8747 (extension 3) or online here.

Tip #4: Book a hotel with free breakfast

Not only do you get to sleep in a little more, but you also get to save money ON breakfast. The hotel breakfast won’t be anything luxurious but a couple pieces of toast, yogurt and scrambled eggs filled me up for the next couple of hours. Sometimes these hotels have little snacks by the front desk that you can take for the day, too! I managed to sneak little packs of pretzels and cookies for the long roads ahead of us and I didn’t regret it one bit.

Tip #5: Stay in Cheap Hotels

Don’t waste your money staying at a fancy hotel when there are much better options. Try booking a Holiday Inn or a Country Inn and Suites (a personal favorite) which usually includes free breakfast, parking, and clean rooms. 

Tip #6: Bring Your Own Coffee

I am a huge coffee addict so this tip literally helped me save more than $100. I bought one pack at Walmart that brought 24 little packets for on the go. 

Tip #7: Use Yelp To Find the Cheapest Eats/ Ask Locals Where To Eat

Don’t just walk into the first restaurant you see while exploring. Download Yelp and look for restaurants with one or two dollar signs (not too expensive). You could also ask a local where the best place to eat around the area is. Chances are it’ll be less packed, not too expensive, and the food will probably taste better than any typical touristy restaurant. 

Tip #8: Find Cheap Gas With Gas Buddy/Google Maps

If you type in “gas” on the Google Maps app, you will see the nearest gas stations and how much gas is per gallon. Sometimes, it is better to venture more into a city, as they are less expensive, instead of going to the first roadside gas station you see. Gas Buddy is another option to find cheap gas. This app helps you find the lowest gas prices in the area you are located and it is so easy to use. There were so many times we almost pulled into a gas station only to find a cheaper one two blocks down. Normally, a couple of cents wouldn’t kill me, but this was a frugal vacation and I was taking it seriously. 

Tip #9: Sleep at Walmart or rest stops

It may sound weird but there are several Walmarts across America that have no problem with you sleeping in their lot (usually the ones open 24 hours). If you decide to sleep in one open all day, you can take advantage of their bathrooms, too! Just to be safe, though, make sure you read all signs to make sure overnight parking is okay. If you’re not comfortable sleeping at Walmart, find the nearest rest stop. These were lifesavers when we were coming back home and didn’t want to spend any more money. At first, we were a bit skeptical sleeping in a public place with a bunch of strangers but it went fine. However, if you pull in to one and barely see any cars (2 or 3), try to find another one with more cars just to be safe.

Want to know another perk of sleeping at a rest stop? There were bathrooms and showers! Showers usually cost around $10 and they are surprisingly very clean. I would still wear flip flops, though.

And to conclude, this is how I traveled the United States cheaply. Now go ahead and start planning your budget-friendly road trip! Have you used some of these tips before? Did I miss anything? Feel free to leave it in the comments below 🙂 xoxo