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A mini guide to affordable winter road trip
Travel is a very enjoyable experience, an activity that at once is entertaining, enlightening, and enlivening. No wonder that more and more people are being bitten by the travel bug and are taking to travel in a big way. Whether it is sustained backpacking or that one off road trip, or that exotic getaway that you have always coveted, people are hitching on to the travel bandwagon in droves. But as with everything else in life, travel too comes with a price tag. Travel can be an expensive proposition if not planned for properly. However, there are always budget options available in every component of travel whether it be accommodation, food, or logistics.
So if you want to relax and go on a road trip in winter, then you can go even with a small budget. There are some important tips you need to know to have a complete and affordable winter road trip without having to bust your bank. If you are you looking for ways to save on your next road trip and optimize your travel costs, then here are few travel tips for a winter road trip that can make your road trips in winter a memorable one.
1. Estimation
Estimate your total budget
If you have a limited budget for your winter road trip, you must estimate the amount required for your whole trip. First, you must decide upon the money you can arrange for the trip and then you must estimate how much you can spend. This can help you get a more comfortable trip.
Increase the estimation of total budget in winters
In winters, due to many people wanting to travel, the expenses of a hotel stay increase to a large extent. Winter is usually a high tourist season in many places, and tourists have to pay a lot. So you must increase your estimated budget to avoid any risks.
Estimate the total time
You must estimate the total number of days you are going for the trip. To control your budget, you must travel for minimum days so that your expenditures like rent and food can be minimized.
Decrease the number of estimated days in winters
In winters, there are a lot of problems that are caused due to high traffic. Winter is a season that is joyful to many and is an ideal season for many people to travel. So in winters, people like traveling. But high amount of tourists means more traffic and it can result in the blockage of roads which can force you to stay at a place for a longer period. Another big issue in winters is snow. Snow covering the roads can make it difficult for many cars to move. So, you could estimate and decrease the number of days of your stay and can curtail your budget.
2. Car
Cheap rent
If you are going on a winter road trip the most important thing is the arrangement of a car. There are many cars which can be chosen from any car rental service company. You can also check out Limo Find. But if you have a low budget then you must choose a cheap car.
Low fuel consumption
One major expenditure while going on a road trip is the fuel consumption of a car. There are many cars with better performance and low fuel consumption. A car of this type is perfect for a comfortable road trip which can fit well within your budget.
Engine
The engine is one of the most important parts in a car. An engine helps a car generate the mechanical energy required to help the car to move forward. An engine is the part of a car which converts the heat energy produced by a fuel to kinetic energy. The better the engine the better will be the performance of the car and fuel consumption also will be low. Though a better engine is very important for a car, it matters much more in winters. In winters, there is oxygen deficiency in many regions. Oxygen not only helps us in breathing but it even acts as a medium for combustion. In winters, limited oxygen causes low combustion ratio. If the quality of engine is low, it can majorly affect your ride. This will cause low combustion and will slow down your car eventually, and it can even result in car failure. To avoid anything like this to happen you must ensure you have a good engine, especially in winters.
Tyres
In winters due to snow and ice, the roads become slippery. If you are driving through hills or mountains, it is all the more risky. As the roads are generally slippery in winter, many hazards can occur which can cost you a lot and can disturb your budget. To avoid this, you may consider using tires with more grip for more security.
Car safety
On a winter road trip, a big risk is related to your car security. Due to heavy traffic during winters, you run a risk of robbery on the road. You can’t neglect the safety of your car as something unexpected as robbery can cause you a great loss. So you must ensure proper car safety to avoid any unexpected loss.
3. Expenditure
If you want to have a relaxed and comfortable winter road trip, there is some expenditure which needs to be taken care like better food and stay. Some of these expenses can be taken care before you embark on a road trip.
Food
Expenditures involving your food are very expensive. If you wish to cut down on food expenses then it is best you carry some food items with you. Packed food and ready to eat food will be ideal for a winter road trip.
Rent for your stay
Your stay and accommodation cost is another factor which you should keep in your mind while considering a road trip in winter. If you are adventurous and love some thrills on your trip then you can consider camping in your trip and avoid staying at a hotel or a resort. Camping can bring down your accommodation costs and help control your budget. It can even make your trip thrilling. To avoid cold, you should carry some extra blankets for camping.
Hope you found this post on tips for winter road trip useful. Have you planned your winter road trip?
Author Bio: This is a guest post by Jonathon. Jonathon is an IT expert and a researcher. He is obsessed with cars and all the digital accessories. He regularly posts at www.sakerracing.com
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I could not gather which winters are you talking about. Most people do not do driving holidays in India.
Again, food – barring the western world, in most places food is pretty cheap or it can be cheap. Wonder how does the food expense change with Winters?
A car with better performance & low fuel consumption – Is that not good for any time and any condition. I thought this is basic common sense.
Apologies, but I could not get anything particularly for winters in this post. Am I missing something?
I love doing road trips during winter down here in Queensland (Australia). Temperatures in summer are too hot so it’s not that nice in the car (plus, I don’t like air con). It’s a lot more comfortable to travel during winter here as it’s out of the wet season and it does not get too cold. Also, we sleep in the car when we do a road trip, so having sunrise later means more sleep :).
I think the popularity of a place during the winter season varies: some are less popular than in summer so it’s actually a great time to travel there (fewer people and cheaper). And sometimes, it’s the contrary!
Our road trip next month is a summer road trip (southern hemisphere). In addition to the coast, we will also go to the mountains. It’s a lot less popular than during the ski season in winter so it’s not as busy – I really like that 😀
A road trip is always a great idea, Sandy and Vyjay. However, going on a winter road trip can be quite challenging. After reading your post and tips, this experience seems so much manageable and possible.
Great tips for taking a winter road trip – especially on the considerations around your car. Low feul consumption is an important one – especially when you’re in countries where the feul cost is a lot more – we were recently really surprised in Iceland that feul was our biggest expense – ended up being $100 a day! But then again we didn’t have a feul efficient car rental, so lesson learned!
And having come back from Iceland, excellent tips on your tyres in the snow and ice. You need to be so careful and cautious, it’s a fabulous time of year to discover a destination, but a lot different to driving in Summer. Ultimately, safety first!
These are great tips! I did a winter road trip in Iceland and I’ve done many in the U.S. and the thing I learned was no two winter road trips are the same. I love that it’s low season, but there are many thing to think of, like you mentioned. I think tires are a big one! Especially if you’re traveling in an area with snow and ice.
Car safety is totally important. I’m used to driving in the snow and ice as I drive in Canadian winters. I always get snow tires put on my car just in case! It’s always best to take it a little bit slower to get where you need to be going.
Coincidently, I was just planning a drive myself. Winter road trips are fun indeed and definitely a more affordable manner of travel given the peak rates in the season.
These are definitely some helpful tips and tricks. Thanks for sharing these with other travellers.