camper van driving through tall trees

How To Save Gas and Money

As if planning your trip, deciding what to pack, and picking the perfect road trip snacks weren’t enough, rising gas prices can feel like the ultimate bad news for your trip.

We’ve got you. Check out the resources below to save gas and money so you can hit the open road worry-free.

Ford Transit camper van rental traveling down a forest road

Plan ahead

Ready to hit the road in your GoCamp camper van? Imagine driving along the desolate desert of Death Valley, cruising down the Oregon coast, or traversing the winding mountain roads of Rocky Mountain National Park. You may run into trouble finding any gas stations in your area. Luckily, Gas Guru is here to save the day.

With this app you can save information about the gas stations you will need along the way and check their regularly updated gas prices in real time.

Watch: Use the Gas Guru App to quickly find the lowest Gas or Diesel prices near you or along your route! – YouTube

Compare Gas Prices

You know that feeling when you fill up on a full tank of gas only to find much cheaper prices down the road? Same here. Lucky for you, that’s where GasBuddy and AAA Travel Planner come in handy. These apps help you compare gas prices nearby. And they give you credits to exchange for free gas later on down the road.

Watch: GasBuddy Deal Alerts: How to Save Money on Gas – YouTube

Watch: Using AAA TripTik Travel Planner – Create and Save Routes – YouTube

Get Money Back on Fuel

Much like GasBuddy, you can sign up for individual rewards programs for gas stations before your trip. Shell gas station’s fuel rewards gives you money off your next fill up when you buy concert tickets, go to restaurants, shop at grocery stores, and even when you snag a National Park Pass. You may even be doing some of those things on your trip already.

To get money while you spend money, check out GetUpside, Circle K Easy Pay, TruNow and Dosh.

Watch: How Does Upside Work? Does it Actually Help Save Money On Gas? – YouTube

Watch: Circle K – Easy Pay Registration – YouTube

Watch: Honest Dosh App Review: Why It’s The Only Money Saving App I Use – YouTube

You can even get some dollars back after your trip. All you need is to submit your receipts post-trip. Receipt Hog trades you photos of your receipts for cash back after you simply snap a pic, submit it in the app, and save. 

Watch: Receipt Hog Review: Is Scanning Receipts a Moneymaker? – YouTube

Cut Down on Travel Time

The easiest way to cut down on your gas budget is to not use as much gas. But that’s the whole point of the van, right? Well, yes and no. 

While we want you to make the most of your trip, we also want to save you money. With the Waze app you can check the road ahead for accidents, construction, and even those secret backroads that turn triple-digit miles into savings.

Watch: How To Use Waze: The Best Driving App – YouTube

Drive Smarter and Save Gas

While it may seem obvious, changing your driving habits can make a huge difference in your gas budget too. The first tip? Slow down. Driving slower can save you precious fuel, and keep you and others safer on the road. Besides, getting a speeding ticket would put a damper on your otherwise stellar trip. 

Here are some more tips on how you can save gas by shifting the way you drive:

  • Accelerate slowly
  • Coast more
  • Use cruise control

Also did you know paying with cash at the pump can save money too? Some gas stations charge a lower price per gallon to avoid processing fees. Therefore those savings go right back into your pocket. 

Also, studies show that gas prices are typically lowest on Mondays and Tuesdays, so fill up earlier in the week if you can.

Ready to hit the open road?

Now that you have all the tools you need to start your trip in a GoCamp camper van, click those seatbelts, turn up your favorite road trip playlist or podcast, and start your engines. You’ve got memories to make!

Want to rent the beauty featured in this blog?

Tanavan is a custom built Ford Transit camper van fully equipped with everything you’ll need for an awesome vanlife experience. Whether it’s a quick weekend getaway or a more epic adventure, Tanavan is sure to be the van of your dreams.

This van seats four with room to sleep up to three people. Tanavan’s kitchen offers a stove, a sink with running water, and a fridge for convenient culinary creations in camp.

With the built-in heater and the cooling ceiling fan, you’ll be able to enjoy your travels no matter the season.