Save money on a road trip: It's not rocket science!

Despite the fact that they're still cheaper than taking a plane, long road trips can be financially tricky for some families to manage. Thankfully, though, there are a number of fairly simple ways that they can save money on a road trip and keep costs under control.

The first is simply to be smart about purchases while at rest stops. In addition to avoiding premium fuel (if possible), looking for deals on snacks and quick meals can yield significant savings for frugal travelers. Also, memorabilia for sale in larger commercial rest areas is generally quite expensive, and can quickly eat into a family's travel budget.

However, some apparently obvious money-saving tips aren't all they've cracked up to be. Avoiding toll roads, for example, may offer some limited savings in the short-term, but taking the long way around can easily eat up much more in fuel costs. Additionally, poorly maintained side roads can be dangerous, increasing the risk of damage to the car - and consequently higher auto insurance premiums.

That said, sometimes it can be good to get off the beaten path once in awhile. Vacationing families could well discover an out-of-the-way attraction by taking some of the less-traveled roads.