How To Save Lots Of Money When Driving To Your Vacation Destination
By: Katica Meric
Do you remember when everyone used to jump in their car when they were going on vacation? They would load everything up and set off on their adventure every year, but it’s becomi
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ng a lot less common these days. There are a few obvious reasons why things have changed.
More people go abroad today and you can’t exactly drive across the ocean. They’re still in the minority though, so there must be another reason why things have changed. Let’s focus on a few pros and cons of taking your car on vacation and we’ll get to the bottom of it.
Why Having Your Car Is A Bad Thing
The biggest reason people don’t take their car with them is because gas costs a lot of money. If you book a bus or train ticket well in advance it can be a lot cheaper, which is great at the moment when everyone is trying to save up.
Time is a big factor too, but it’s not as bad as you think. A NASA administrator has figured out if your journey is less than around 400 miles it’s quicker by car versus flying, especially with new security measures in place.
Why Having Your Car Is A Good Thing
When you have your car you get to decide when you’ll do things and you won’t be held back by a timetable. There will be no delays and you’ll get to drive off the beaten path whenever you feel like it.
If you have a young child it’s much easier when they’re in the car, especially if they are afraid of flying. Don’t forget having a car when you reach your destination leaves you with so much freedom.
Taking A Car On Your Vacation Definitely Wins
When you weigh up the pros and cons it’s easy to see taking your car on vacation is a good thing. The only big stumbling block is the money you’ll spend on gas, so let’s look at some of the top ways to take care of this little problem.
- Drive At A Steady Pace
- Keep Your Windows Up
- Inflate Your Car Tires
- Leave Luggage At Home
Drive At A Steady Pace
This is without a doubt the biggest waste of fuel. It’s not necessarily the speed you drive at although it’s always more beneficial to go slower. The constant accelerating and breaking will increase fuel consumption by up to 33 percent.
If you see another car in front of you don’t try to catch up to it. Refrain from waiting until the last moment to slam on the brakes. You should be constantly driving in the right gear too.
Keep Your Windows Up
When it’s boiling hot outside you can roll down the windows, but remember it’s going to cause a lot of drag. Your engine will be working much harder to stay at the same speed if your windows are down.
Unless you’re extremely uncomfortable it’s better to keep them up. It’s also worth noting you’ll save fuel when the windows are down if you’re driving slow, but when driving fast using the AC is cheaper.
Inflate Your Car Tires
Soft tires will cause the same sort of problems we’ve just talked about. Your engine will have to work harder to stay at the same speed if the tires haven’t got enough air in them, which is an extremely common problem.
When was the last time you checked the pressure in your tires when they weren’t almost flat? Before you set off on your journey fill them up just below the recommended pressure on the side of your tires.
Leave Luggage At Home
You’re going on vacation so you’ll be taking lots of things with you. It’s worse when you take your own vehicle because you don’t have any airline limits you have to adhere to. You could potentially fill your car until things are spilling out.
Remember for every extra pound of weight your car is carrying you’ll be stopping more often for gas. If you only take as much luggage as you’ll need you should be fine. Don’t let anyone overpack for the sake of it.
You’ll Be Glad You Have A Car
Unless you’re traveling a very long distance it’s a hundred times better to take your car on vacation. At least you now know how to make it more affordable. If you’re making all these costly mistakes on a journey that takes longer than usual it’s easy to see the difference in how much gas you burn through.
