FREE 10+ Road Trip Budget Samples in MS Word | Google Docs | Google Sheets | MS Excel | PDF

Typical Costs to Consider When Planning a Road Trip

Road trips are a fun way to enjoy the journey towards your destination. However, road trips can cost some money and resources and you need to be prepared to pay for these expenses or else the biggest disaster of going broke in the middle of nowhere is going to happen and that is the experience you need to avoid the most. Here are some things you need to consider when making a road trip.

1. Gas

Gas is an important resource that you must have if you’re going on a long road trip. You don’t want to be unprepared and have your car run out of gas in the middle of the highway so it’s important to estimate how much gas you will need. Factors such as the route, weight of your vehicle, and gas price on different gas stations may influence the cost. To calculate the cost of gas, estimate the total mileage of your route. divide it by the miles per gallon of your vehicle and then multiply it by the cost per gallon. Aside from gas, make sure other components of your vehicle are all in working condition, have spare water, wheels, and other car maintenance tools to bring on your trip.

2. Food and Beverage

This factor is one of the things you’ll be spending the most so make sure to divide your money well on bringing your food and drinks and setting aside money for eating out. You need to prepare your food just in case you don’t get to see any restaurants nearby while you’re on the road.

3. Toll Fee

You’re way likely to encounter toll fees in your trip, so plan and look into Google maps to see any tollways in your route. Identify all the toll costs on the way so you can incorporate these costs into your budget.

4. Accommodation

Accommodation is another important factor to consider in your budget. To save money, you can camp to keep your costs low or you can book in advance on booking websites where you can choose different accommodations with low prices and you can get discounts and let you confirm your booking before you travel which will help settle your mind on where you will stay for your trip.

5. Entertainment and Other Activities

Another factor to consider in your budget is the activities, must-see attractions, and other activities you will come across on your road trip. Set aside some budget for these types of activities since some of them may cost you some money.

6. Parking

You may not realize it right away but parking is one of the costs you must consider. Know where you can park for free and know how much is the parking fee of the accommodation you booked so you can incorporate this cost into your budget.

How to Make a Road Trip Budget Worksheet

1. Create a Document for Your Budget Worksheet

Prepare a sheet of paper and a pen where you will write down your budget for your road trip. If you want to do it digitally, you can use a spreadsheet or the printable road trip budget planner above that you can download for free.

2. Set an Overall Budget and Estimate the Expenses of the Trip

3. Finalize Your Itineraries

4. Add the Costs of All Activities