Road Trip Gas Budget: A Quick Guide

Gas is usually the biggest cost of a road trip, and it is easy to guess wrong. Here is a simple way to estimate it before you leave.

You only need three numbers: your total miles, your car's mpg and the gas price.

3 simple steps

1. Find your total miles. Add the drive there and back, plus about 10% for side trips.
2. Divide the miles by your car's mpg. That gives you the gallons you need.
3. Multiply the gallons by the gas price. That is your fuel budget.

Quick example

A 600-mile round trip in a car that gets 30 mpg needs 20 gallons. At $4.50 a gallon, that is $90 for gas.

Ways to spend less on gas

• Keep your tires properly inflated.
• Pack light. Extra weight burns more fuel.
• Use cruise control on the highway.

Skip the math

Use this free road trip fuel cost calculator to get your number in seconds. More free car cost tools at AutoExperts Hub.