Saving Money on the Road

Expenses can mount on the road quickly. Competition is fierce, and time is money. But with a little self-discipline and the right approach, you can keep spending at a reasonable level, and hold on to your money instead of seeing it slip away the same day you make it.

Taking Stock of Your Finances

Perhaps the best way to control your spending is with a budget. Some see that as a four-letter word, and prefer the term spending plan. However you look at it, keeping track of your income and expenses can never hurt. By tracking your expenses, you can get a clearer picture of your spending habits, and where your money is going. Having this snapshot of your financial picture will allow you to better plan for expenses.

An important point for most truckers to remember is that income can fluctuate from month to month and even from week to week since most drivers are paid by the mile. Mileage can vary wildly if you don’t have a regular run every day, and most drivers don’t. So to prepare for the eventuality of having a week or month with a lower income is probably smart planning.

Eating on the Cheap

Once you know where your money is going, you can start to cut out the fat in your spending, and make wiser money choices. Perhaps the biggest expense on the road is eating. We all have to eat, but there are lots of ways you can save on food expenses.

An obvious way to cut costs is to avoid eating out as much as possible, including fast food. This isn’t always easy, especially since time can be extremely limited on your runs. But whenever possible, a good strategy is to prepare meals ahead of time so you have them ready for you at lunch or dinner time. Trust us, investing in a good portable refrigerator and a small microwave will pay off quickly!

Stocking Up to Save

Another strategy for saving is to avoid buying just about anything at truck stops. Most things there are overpriced and can be purchased elsewhere for much less. This may take some planning to buy things like snacks and drinks ahead of time, but it will be time well spent. The extra money in your pocket will be a welcome reward.

That being said, you’ve got to buy diesel at truck stops, so why not take advantage of loyalty cards and fuel cards? Read this blog about fuel cards from our friends over at TruckLogics to learn more about how these cards can help you rack up the savings.

Saving with Travel Planner

And speaking of TruckLogics, this innovative program can save you money in a number of ways. With the Travel Planner feature you can plan your route easily and save yourself down time that you would spend manually planning routes. The Route Optimization feature incorporated in Travel Planner calculates your best route for you, so you don’t end up driving unnecessary miles.

Everyone likes having extra money, and just by employing a few of these ideas the savings will start to mount. With the added cash you can do some things you really want to do, and isn’t that a huge reason you work in the first place?

If you have any questions or concerns about ExpressIFTA, contact us at 704.234.6005 or by email at support@expressifta.com.

And don’t forget to join the conversation on our Facebook page and Twitter. Post or tweet your favorite money saving tips or tricks you’ve learned from your time on the road. Your feedback allows us to continue providing you with the best service available.