Travel and lodging can be one of the largest expenses during a move. Even a move that is not long-distance may surprise you with the need to rent a hotel room or some other form of lodging. After you have plotted out your move, research which hotels in the areas you will be staying in offer the best deal in the safest neighborhoods. One can compare hotel rates and find reduced rates via an online agency, such as Travelocity. When budgeting for lodging, it would be wise to set aside money for a few additional nights in a hotel just in case of an unexpected delay during the moving process. Whether you are traveling in your own vehicle, or using a rented moving truck, it would be wise to understand how much money you need to set aside for fuel. AAA offers a cost of gas calculator, found at https://fuelcostcalculator.aaa.com/. This can come in handy when plotting a move, as you will have some sort of general idea of what you will be spending on gasoline. As with the budgeting of hotels, it is also wise to set aside additional money for fuel in case of an unexpected event or delay during a move. One way to save money on fuel during a long drive is to utilize cruise control whenever possible. The less you accelerate and decelerate, the less gas you are generally using. One of the most difficult things to budget during a move is food expenses. When traveling, one does not have access to a lot of storage space for groceries, nor a full kitchen to cook meals. In addition, one will often find the task of preparing food less than appealing after a long day of travel. It is for these reasons that people will turn to the food service industry for their meals during a move. Despite the often cheap prices offered by many fast food restaurants, eating out on a daily basis adds up very quickly. It is for these reasons that one should develop a strict budget for daily food allotments. To help save money, one could keep lunchmeats and condiments in a hotel fridge and transfer it to a cooler during a long drive, using rest stops to prepare picnics. Also, the use of social media sites, such as Foursquare and Groupon, can yield large discounts for when one does decide to eat out during a move.
