Seeing the country from the comfort of your own car is often a great way to travel on a budget. While renting a car can be more expensive than driving your own car, it might save you money in the long run because it reduces the wear and tear on your car. The main costs associated with driving your own car are gasoline, routine maintenance and insurance.

Whether you are renting a car or driving your own, the largest expense will be gasoline. Gasoline costs will vary from state to state because of the different taxes each state assesses on petroleum sales. Some ways to reduce your gasoline use are to open the windows instead of using air conditioning, avoiding fast starts and maintaining a constant speed.

If you are driving long distances, consider taking a cooler stocked with drinks and food from home. That way you won’t have to worry about spending extra money on snacks and meals while you are traveling to your destination. If you are traveling with pets, be sure to include some water and food for them, too.

Renting a car is an alternative to putting miles on your own car, but it will be more expensive. If you are traveling out of state with a rented car, tell the rental car company that you will be taking the car across state lines. Some rental car companies charge different rates if you take the car out of state.

Some rental car companies also offer discounts to auto club members, senior citizens, members of the military, and other groups. Check to see if you qualify for any of these discounts before you rent your car. Depending on how far you will be driving, you may be better off purchasing a car with a daily mileage limit rather than paying per mile driven. There will inevitably be days when you drive more than others, so the costs may average out to be cheaper than if you paid for each mile driven.