Road Trip Tips For Fun-Loving But Broke Girls

Did you have to pass on this year’s trip with the girls to the Caribbean due to financial constraints? (Translation: are you broke?) Don’t fret and definitely don’t get down on yourself. Just take a less expensive road trip within the States with your very best buddies, aka “road dogs.” Because it’s “End of Summer Escapes Week” on The Frisky, we’ve got a few tips to keep in mind as you travel by car to a hot summertime destination where the temporarily broke but happy, fun-loving types can let loose.

1. Pitch A Tent

If you’re going to do a long-haul road trip across the country, map the locations of a few campgrounds along the way instead of paying for expensive hotels. The outdoor experience will just add to the excitement (or various frightening episodes) of your road trip. At least you’ll have something to joke about for days when you get home.

2. Road Trip Playlist

It’s not a true road trip without the tunes. Make sure your playlist has a good mix of the high-energy music that will have you and your friends dancing in your seats, as well as the slow sing-along songs that just might make your sensitive buddy in the back shed a tear.

3. “The Shore” Experience

Your ultimate destination doesn’t have to be to that cliched shore on the East Coast—just visit the closest body of water near you, whether it’s an ocean, creek, lake, river, stream or ravine. Bring your iPad, iPod player, beach chairs, sunscreen, Naomi sunglasses, wide-brimmed J-Lo hat, and a change of clothes in case you want to hit the night scene in the area later.

4. The “Eats”

If you eat at every rest stop you hit during your summer road trip, your main goal—to save money—goes right down the drain. Pack one of your luggage bags with dry packaged foods. Get one of those portable coolers from your local hardware store and fill it with plenty of:

1) ice

2) bread

3) lunch meat

4) pickles

5) string cheese, and

6) anything compact that you like to chomp on.

Original by Jamie Brown