My family takes a lot of road trips, spends a lot of time at the park and travels to see family a lot during the summer. It’s HOT and we get thirsty.
A fountain drink at the fast food restaurant will run you about 1.50.
A 20 oz soda at the gas station will cost about $1.59.
A 6 pack of Coke can be as low as $2.00 at the drug or grocery stores.
Of course a 24 pk of water is even cheaper (and healthier).
Either way- you can save a TON of cash by bringing your own drinks with you. Most times we put a small cooler in our van when we will be gone a while and put some fruit and some bottled drinks. If we’re going to be gone most of the day, we pack a full lunch.
In fact, today we are traveling to Raleigh to pick up my mother in law & we had a cooler full of food- keeps us out of the drive through lane! Instead of using bags of ice (or cleaning out my freezer) we froze the bottles the day before in our deep freezer. We’re using them on the bottom of the food to keep it all cold with some ice from our freezer. We will also put some unfrozen ones in there too.
When it comes time to eat our lunch the water bottles will have partially unfrozen & the unfrozen ones will be cold! By the time we leave Raleigh and head home – the frozen ones will be icy cold & unfrozen!
What’s your road trip tip?
I prepare the same way as you do for family trips whether it’s a long road trip somewhere or just a trip to the mall (which could mean several hours to almost the whole day). I always make sure to pack in a cooler:
-water bottles (Aldi’s is the cheapest at $2.29 for a 24 pack and we love their water)
-light snacks (cereal, nuts, yogurt, portable snacks, etc. Anything I know we/babies will eat that we have stocked up from the awesome MSM deals)
-PB sandwiches (because the babies will always eat this)
-fruit
-any other to-go foods I can make and take that I know the family will eat
It’s just so much easier, cheaper, and healthier than to eat fast food AND you’ll appreciate the fewer cries from little ones that are hungry.
And, by the way, thank you for all your hard work and dedication with what you do in helping me and all the other families save. I always make sure to remember your motto and to never let anyone I know pay full price!!
. I splurge on kings hawiaan brand bread and deli meat. I collect packets of mustard and mayo everywhere I go . Make sandwiches and put back in same container bread came in ! Make sammies the night before Throw mustard and mayo packs in. No wasting baggies and so easy !! Pack plastic grocery store bags for spot in disposal. Hope you had a great trip!