Budget-Friendly Road Trip Tips

• Look to budget-friendly websites, such as www.GasBuddy.com, which also offers an app that helps you find the closest gas station with the best prices near you. Another gas-saving app is Gas Hog. It costs 99 cents and calculates your car’s fuel economy, then provides tips on ways to make your car more fuel-efficient.

• It can actually be cheaper to rent a car for weekend getaways than it is to drive your own. According to a study by Brett Smith, co-director, manufacturing, engineering and technology for the Center for Automotive Research, when renting a compact car from a national rental agency at its weekend rate the savings can come to 12 cents per mile. If your getaway is a 300-mile round trip, the fuel savings could be more than $12.

• On road trips, most people grab a few snacks every time they stop for gas. Over time, those candy bars and sodas can really add up. A family of four can easily spend $15 for drinks and snacks at just one stop. Instead, pack a cooler full of bread, peanut butter, string cheese, water, juice and plenty of fruit. You’ll be less likely to splurge while filling up the tank, make healthier choices and save a bundle.

• Book hotels on Sunday nights — this is when the weekend rush is over and hotel managers have time to talk on the phone and discuss available discounts. Ask to get a free night’s stay if you’re staying for more than two nights. That’s at least $100 saved right there.

Tips To Transform Trash to Treasure

• Frame It — If you are holding on to old magazines, books or maps because they’re too interesting or appealing to toss? Or, perhaps, they’re items of sentiment. Instead of keeping them stuffed away in a desk drawer, showcase the items on your wall or mantel by framing them, which is also a great preservation tactic.

• Don’t trash the glass — Leftover wine bottles after a dinner party? Remove the labels and wash the bottles and they can quickly be transformed into a water carafe. Or cluster several bottles together with fresh cut flowers and candles and you have an eye-catching centerpiece. Keep the corks too and throw into a spare vase for a table or countertop display.

• Reuse old towels — Did you buy new bath towels and don’t know what to do with the old ones? Cut them into squares for dish rags or the size of a hand towel to store in the garage to dry your car after a wash. If you’re super handy, you can stitch the ends with a needle and thread. Otherwise, leave them undone and they’ll do the job.

• Refresh key pieces — Looking to freshen up your dining room chairs because they’ve endured their fair share of spills? Don’t throw them out. It may be easier than you think to reupholster the cushions with a fresh, new print or perhaps something spill-proof.