Solo Female Road Trip: Gas Budget Tips

My first taste of solo female travel came from the road. My first road trip was a 17 day trip with my mother and younger sister. This was accomplished purely through prayer that my last nerve would stay in tact. Afterwards, I embarked on a 22 day (blessedly) solo female road trip. Here are some of my top tips regarding gas and staying fueled while traversing any landscape.

Research gas prices before heading out:

It goes without saying that gas prices change depending on the state and country. Pricing however, is more nuanced than that. States with higher gas taxes will have higher prices. For example, if you are traveling down the East Coast. The gas in South Carolina and the gas in Virginia are going to be cheaper than the gas in North Carolina. If you can, fill up before crossing the boarder and save yourself 10 cents or more a gallon.

Do you have a Costco or Sams Club card? This can often come in handy when out of town. Both of these stores are located all over the country. I stumbled upon one in Salt Lake City, Portland, and other cities and was able to take advantage of saving money on my tank of gas. A small amount of research can let you know if this is an option for you while you are on your road trip. It also allows you to stop and stock up on travel essentials such as water and snacks.

Country gas isn’t always cheaper:

If you are expecting smaller towns to have cheaper gas you aren’t always correct. While they may have convenience stores that still sell penny candy, their gas has to travel longer distances and the price shows it. I am currently writing from Florrisant, Colorado where the closest gas station is about 10 miles from me. The next closest gas is almost 25 miles away. The closest “town” with actual amenities is 45 minutes away. Add into the equation the mountain terrain and the gas prices are 25-30 cents higher than what I would be paying in other parts of Colorado.

I once was traveling through Texas a few hours away from El Paso. I started to run out of gas and had to travel almost 60 miles before finding a gas station. The gas was $3.99 a gallon. The gas that was actually in El Paso was less than $3.00 a gallon. In a situation where you are traveling through remote parts of a country try to stay above a half a tank of gas. This way when you run into super expensive gas you have the option of traveling a bit further to find more economical gas.

Time of year matters:

I have two credit cards that give a cash back bonus during different parts of the year. While it isn’t always much it is an opportunity to win a few bucks back to add to my travel budget. When making a budget for travel know that every dollar really does matter. An extra tank of gas in my car means an extra stop on the next road trip. It means a day trip to a new town. And extra $50 means an extra meal out or being able to pick priority boarding for a flight. If you are able to travel during times when buying gas can make you money then that is cash towards your next adventure.

Flexibility is the key to making and staying on a travel budget. Gas in the summer and around the holidays is always going to be more expensive. Do you want to drive down to Miami during spring break? So do thousands of other people and gas companies use this to jack up the prices. When you travel out of season you will often be able to find cheaper gas which will make your gas budget go that much further.

“Off the highway” gas is often more expensive:

There are times when you just can’t avoid getting gas at those conveniently located stations right off the highway. It’s great to jump on and jump off without spending a lot of time. However, if you happen to be driving through a town or city and have the option of driving a few minutes into town you can more than likely find cheaper gas. I’m in no way suggesting driving 10 miles out of your way but often a mile or two into town means saving 10 cents a gallon and takes practically no extra effort.

Similar to any other convenience store, conveniently located gas comes with an extra price. Your soda, your candy bar, and also your gas, will be a bit more because you are also paying for the convenience. You are paying for the “have it right now” opposed to waiting a few minutes and having it later.

So there you have it! A few tips on budgeting for your solo female road trip. Contact me with questions and as always… Travel safe my friends!