Looking for an affordable family vacation? Hit the road!

Before you do anything else, figure out how much you can spend on your trip. Budgeting is an excellent way to ensure you don’t finish your family vacation more stressed than you started it. One simple method is to set a maximum spend for your trip and divide it by the number of days you hope to vacation. With this daily budget, you can estimate your costs, which include fuel, meals and snacks, lodging, and attractions.

You can save money on a road trip by mapping out your route ahead of time using a maps app such as Google Maps. Just enter your departure and destination locations and plot the route between. Be sure to toggle route options like “avoid tolls” by clicking the three dots at the top right. Another feature of Google Maps is “eco-friendly routing,” which looks at traffic patterns, steep hills, and road types, among other things.

Pre-booking vacation rentals along your route can be a budget-friendly bet, especially for large families. It also adds a degree of flexibility to where you can stay—vacation rental options can often be found in large cities and small towns alike. If you don’t need to stay in a major city center, try to avoid it—everything from lodging to food tends to be more expensive. Even parking can be a budget factor.

As you pack, take note of things that may need replacement on the road and try to bring enough to last the full trip. This may include such items as:

• diapers
• wipes
• batteries
• personal toiletries
• pain medication
• Sunscreen

Many of these at-home essentials are more expensive when purchased in the moment of need. Better to stock up in bulk before you hit the road.

Lodging prices can go up and down depending on when and where you’re traveling. If your budget is tight and your time is flexible, you may wish to travel during an off-peak season. If you can work around school schedules, or find an extra-long weekend to make the trip, this unlocks savings on everything from vacation rentals to attractions to car rentals.

Car maintenance for family road trips is key if you’re taking your own vehicle across the country. Check your tire pressure, change the oil, top up your fluids, and ensure headlights and wiper blades are functional before you go.

Did you know that aggressively speeding and braking can lower gas mileage by roughly 15% to 30% at highway speeds? Squeeze more out of each tank of gas by using cruise control, not traveling at high speeds, and avoiding rapid changes in speed. You can also make the most of your fuel economy by packing light and leaving your dumbbells at home—every pound is more for your car to pull.

Savings at the pump can really add up when you’re on a family road trip. Typing “gas” into search on Google Maps will provide you with results for nearby gas stations, along with per-gallon (liter) pricing for most results, allowing you to fill up for less. Another option is GasBuddy, which can save its users an average of 5 to 15 cents per gallon.

Road snacks feel easy to justify in the moment, but impulse buys will devour your budget faster than your kids can consume them. Consider packing your family’s favorite snacks and treats instead, like nuts, nut butters, crackers, and oranges or apples, which keep well in changing weather conditions. And remember to pack your refillable beverage containers—to-go coffees and bottled waters can really impact your bottom line and the environment.

Figuring out what and where you’ll eat can help ensure you stick to your meal budget. Your route plan should give you some idea where your family will end up at meal times, allowing you to pre-select places that will suit your family’s dietary and budget needs.

Keep track of your daily purchases using a spreadsheet on your smartphone, and try not to sweat it if you go over one day—you can try to make it up the next.

Now roll down the windows, turn up the tunes, and enjoy the open road.