Acuaverde Resort in Batangas
Road trips are already a wise budget choice versus flying to farther destinations. For families like ours, Batangas is one of the nearest places to go where you can enjoy the beach and food trips for a fraction of the cost and time too.
Here are more tipid tips to not only make your travel more cost & fuel efficient but also more convenient. Read up mommies!
Money & time saving packing tips
1. Share towels – if going to an affordable beach resort that do not provide towels, consider sharing one wet towel for drying up after a swim and another dry towel for after taking a shower. For a family of 3, this decreases the need to bring 2 towels each (6 total) to just two towels.
The trick is to not finish swimming and shower at the same time and to dry up and hang the towels as soon as using them. As the mommy – I am obliged to finish first so I can dry up and assist my son when he’s done swimming and in giving him a shower. It’s easier to take care of your kids when you’re not soaking wet and wearing your swimsuit. Always be 2-3 steps ahead of the bunch 🙂
2. Come in your activity attire i.e. swimming – you can already wear your rashguard and board shorts while traveling, especially if you are already sure of your destination. Having kids wear their swim attire early saves time and extra clothes.
3. Bring lots of water – bottled water are expensive in resorts and they know people dislike bringing them. I use the old school 2 liter coleman and reusable water containers. The containers can be refilled with the coleman for easy drinking and to avoid spills. This will save you time and money from buying bottled water in pitstops or from your destination.
4. Comfort essentials – these are essentials that are usually forgotten: sunglasses, goggles, floaters, caps, hats, face towels, sun block. These are small things but can make your next adventure more comfortable and sulit versus hiding under a tree and not enjoying the destination to avoid sunburn. Face towels are for wiping sweat off your face. The more comfortable everyone in the family is, the more they can enjoy the road trip.
5. Simple & light toys – if going to the beach, kids are already happy with a pail and shovel. Refrain from bringing several toys that can get lost and will give you stress.
6. Packed meals – my coleman jug comes with a coleman ice box which can hold cooked meals. This saves moms from the stress of looking for a good and affordable place to eat (which can divert your drive). Do as our own mothers do – cook & bring adobo, steamed rice, sandwiches to your trip. Don’t forget water, eco-friendly paper plates and utensils too, plus a large garbage bag for cleaning up.
Having a picnic vs. eating out saves a lot of money!
In my experience, it is best to avoid cooking and bringing spaghetti or pancit as these tend to spoil fast and end up in the trash.
Car fuel saving tips
1. Go for a full tank – I always thought I was saving money going per liter or gas up for P500 at Shell every time versus a full tank. Turns out, a full tank leads to less fuel loss by preventing empty space and evaporation. It also gives passengers peace of mind that you’ll have enough fuel in case of traffic jams or when you’re traveling to a new destination.
This happened to us when my family first went to Munting Buhangin beach resort and I did not leave our town with a full tank. I was nervous of not making it to the resort and prayed that we’ll come by a gas station. Luckily, there was a station somewhere in Nasugbu although not the same brand of fuel we are using (see tip #5).
2. Use a map and plan your trip – Google Maps is our friend when driving to a destination. Before, we have to stop and ask the local where the right way is – with apps like Google Maps we avoid getting lost which in turn, saves us more fuel. Planning your trip ahead gives you a huge advantage on both money and time savings.
Mommy Lace tip: Print the map and directions for the driver. This is easier to read and bring along versus using a mobile phone with small screens or iPads.
3. Avoid the rush hour – it’s hard to wake up ahead of everyone else but this surely makes a BIG difference to travel time. When the roads are not as busy, the drive is more relaxed, cooler (you can open your windows vs. using the aircon), and there are less people, tricycles, and other obstructions. You reach your destination faster and have more time to enjoy with your family.
4. Unload unnecessary cargo – review your car and check for things not required for the trip. Usual suspects are old water bottles, trash, stuffed toys, sports gear, and roof rack if you don’t need it. You can use the space to bring your packed meals which also saves you more money.
5. Choose the right fuel – not all fuel are created equal. Shell FuelSave, which is designed to last longer helps motorists to be efficient in terms of their time, which helps in reducing frequency for refueling and more time doing a lot of other things.
FuelSave also has a detergent-like component that cleans inlet valves clean, preventing deposits that soak up fuel (which means more fuel loss) and keeps the engine efficient.
Proper nutrition
When it comes to road trips, proper nutrition before, after, and during the trip is easily forgotten. I am guilty of this in the past. However, how many times has your travel been affected by a family member who suddenly gets LBM, hyper-acidity, or other sickness while on holiday? Please consider these Mommy Lace tips (disclaimer: these are my personal tips, consult your doctor):
1. Eat breakfast before leaving – if you read the tips above, it’s best to leave the house earlier than the rest of the motorists. However, it is best to eat a proper breakfast before riding your car, especially children. My personal tip is to skip anything processed or sour like milk, spaghetti, etc. and opt for the likes of oatmeal or wheat bread with peanut butter. This type of food lasts longer (just like the right fuel for your car would) and will provide long-lasting energy while keeping proper digestion.
2. Hydrate before leaving – hydrate with water (not soda, fruit juices, or other sugary drinks) at least an hour before traveling. This gives your body time to absorb the liquid and urinate properly before your trip. It’s best to drink water outside the car to avoid spillage as well as eating/ingesting air when drinking inside a moving car.
3. Stock nutritious food inside the car – junk food like chips and sodas will make you feel groggy and rob your body of essential nutrients. In my experience, junk food which is full of sodium causes dehydration, indigestion, hyper-acidity, and lack of appetite for proper meals – especially in children.
Bring fruits like bananas, apples, oranges, peanuts, and wholewheat crackers. This way, you are improving your family’s health while on the go and everyone will have the right energy, focus, and health to enjoy your holiday activities.
4. Packed meals – this gives mothers the peace of mind of where their food comes from. So do follow packing tip #6 above and prepare convenient but healthy & real meals for your family to enjoy during the trip.
5. Medicines – don’t forget to bring the usual medicines like fever or pain reliever especially for headaches. This saves you fuel, time, & money in looking for and buying meds from a pharmacy.
Do you have your own tipid travel tips? Please help by sharing your own advice with fellow moms under comments below! 🙂
Mommy Lace is a blogger from the Philippines. She started this blog to share information on pregnancy, breastfeeding, childcare, family, and health.
