7 Money-Saving Tips for Your Memorial Day Road Trip to Myrtle Beach

These tips will help you enjoy your trip without worrying about money.

With 60 miles of beaches, over 90 golf courses, and hundreds of restaurants and activities, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has something for everyone. So it's not surprising that it's one of the hottest road-trip destinations this Memorial Day weekend.

But given Myrtle Beach's status as a major tourist destination and the gas shortage going on right now, it may not be the cheapest trip to take. To help you keep your costs down on your holiday adventure, try the following tips.

1. Shop around for accommodations

Decide how much you can afford to spend and then compare options in that price range. Don't just look at hotels either. Consider resorts, Airbnbs, and even campgrounds if you don't mind roughing it. Pay attention not only to the cost but also to included amenities. It might be worth paying a little more for a place that includes complimentary breakfast rather than paying to dine out for every meal.

2. Pack your own food

Rather than stopping at restaurants along the way, you can reach Myrtle Beach faster and save money if you pack some food before you go. Focus on nonperishable snacks or bring a cooler with you if you're going to bring frozen or refrigerated items. Don't forget about water either.

3. Look for cheap gas

The gas shortage on the east coast could make your road trip to Myrtle Beach a little more complicated this year. Not only are prices rising, but many gas stations have a low supply of fuel. Some are even completely out.

You can avoid running into problems by using an app like GasBuddy. In normal times, it can help you find the gas stations near you offering the cheapest prices. But right now, it can also help you track which gas stations have low or no fuel left, so you don't have to waste time driving from station to station.

4. Avoid toll roads

If you're driving through areas that have tolls, you could end up paying quite a bit of money just to reach Myrtle Beach. But if you're using Google Maps, there's a simple way around that. Just go into your settings and make sure the app chooses routes that avoid toll roads.

That may not be practical in every situation, particularly if you have to go far out of your way to avoid tolls. So consider planning out your route with and without toll roads before you go so you can see the difference it makes and decide whether it's worth it for you.

5. Get a Monster Coupon Book

Myrtle Beach stocks a Monster Coupon Book all around town for free. This contains coupons for a bunch of local businesses, including restaurants and attractions. You can find them in most hotels and stores in Myrtle Beach as well as the city's visitor center. Pick one up when you get there and see if there are any coupons that can help you save on things you were going to do anyway.

6. Check the local event calendar

Myrtle Beach, like most towns, has an event calendar listing special events going on in the area. Check it out and see if any of its Memorial Day weekend events appeal to you. There are a few different parades going on that you can attend for free. And you may discover some other activities you wouldn't have known about otherwise.

7. Stick to a budget

Before you leave for your trip, decide how much you can afford to spend and track where all your money goes. You can use a budgeting app to make it less tedious. Then, all you have to do is enter your expenses or take pictures of your receipts. From there, your app will do the rest. Some apps will even give you spending alerts if you program them, so you can avoid spending more than you planned.

If you take these seven planning steps now, you should be able to kick back and relax once you get to Myrtle Beach without worrying too much about your personal finances.