Are you planning to go on tour over Memorial Day weekend? You will have plenty of company (an estimated one more than 37 million people) as the trip recovers from the pandemic.
Money expert Clark Howard says he’ll be among those who get behind the wheel for some much-needed rest and relaxation.
In this article, I’m going to share some of Clark’s travel tips to help you save time and money this Memorial Day weekend.
1. Make sure your car is ready to drive
Before setting off, you should always make sure that your car is in good condition and is functioning safely. Safety first, of course, but you also don’t want to waste your resources if you have problems with your car while on vacation.
Test your car battery
Make sure your battery is working properly before you go out on the street.
AutoZone offers free battery tests and so too Advance auto parts. And if you buy a battery from these stores, it will be installed for free.
If you’ve planned far enough in advance, you will have time to compare prices before replacing your car battery. Here are the best places to buy a car battery based on cost, warranties, and more.
Check your tire pressure
Check your tire pressure with a tire inflation meter. Maybe you can Find one at your Walmart for around $ 4. Or you can visit a car dealership and ask the salesman to check your air pressure for free.
If you are more of a handyman, Here you get free air (more about tire pressure shortly).
2. Look for ways to save gas
One of the primary costs of a road trip is gasoline. Clark says if you travel the east coast expect higher gas prices this year as the Colonial Pipeline is temporarily shut down.
“For the people on the east coast, gas supplies are slowly building up again, but the prices are a little higher,” says Clark. “In fact, they’re not quite – but almost double what they were a year ago, so the fuel in the tank will set you back a little.”
How to save gas:
- Keep your tires properly inflated: Correct tire pressure can increase your fuel consumption anywhere 0.6% to 3% according to the US Department of Energy.
- Use a fuel efficient vehicle: If the choice is yours, go for the more fuel-efficient car for the road. The more economical the fuel, the more money you get for your gasoline dollar.
Do you need to refuel on the way? Use a website like GasBuddy or GetUpside looking for cheap gasoline. Concerned about a shortage? Use the website Fuel availability tracker Find gas stations with gas.
3. Save time by using off-interstate roads
With the freeways expected to be filled with cars, Clark is opting for alternative routes that may take longer but are likely to be less congested.
“For my trip, I planned a route with four-lane, split highways that are not highways,” he says. “I’ll squirm and turn and squirm toward my destination, which is about six hours away. My plan is to bypass the intergovernmental system almost entirely. “
Many states have underutilized and mostly unknown four-lane highways that can be useful for travelers trying to get from point A to point B, he adds.
“They’re not really designed to be used the way I use them every holiday season when they move from one state to another,” says Clark. “But I’m able to get it going with lots of turns and it saves me a lot of time and creates a reliable trip.”
Clark says he got to know these streets on a trip right after Thanksgiving about 20 years ago. “Since then, I’ve only been using the secondary four-lane highways every holiday season to get around,” he says.
If you take these roads:
- At Apple Maps app, (to the iOS Only) You can choose a setting to avoid tolls and / or highways.
- Google Maps (to the iOS and Android) always shows you the fastest route in blue and a secondary route in gray. The secondary route usually takes longer.
- On Waze (to the iOS and Android) After entering your destination, tap “Routes” at the bottom of the screen to display alternative tours in the list or map view.
4. Watch your speed
“Be careful with your speed,” says Clark. Over speeding could Increase your annual auto insurance premium by $ 355 on average!
Clark points out that in these small towns, “You will see a lot of flashing lights because speed limits are falling quickly. And if you don’t follow them, the next thing you have got a local police officer to generate income for their community. “He adds,” I am unable to implement this income. “
Final thoughts
Clark recommends that you rent a car instead of driving your own vehicle.
“When you go shopping and find a good deal on a rental car, you put those travel miles and associated depreciation on your rental car instead of your own,” says Clark.
[ Here’s how to save on a rental car. ]
Other travel resources from Clark.com:
[ This article was originally published on Clark.com ]
The post Clark Howard’s Memorial Day travel tips first appeared on Clark Howard.
