My budget for this adventure was $1,500. I kept detailed records to illustrate how through ride sharing, Couchsurfing, and a few lucky breaks, I came in $299.65 under budget. Below is the breakdown.
GAS
Gas costs were $322.02 total from San Diego to Durham, and my route excluding local driving was 2,713 miles. I received $40 from a rider on the San Diego to Phoenix leg, for a net cost of $282.02.
(I spent $54.13 in fuel to drive from Rocky Mount, NC to the Kill Devil Hills and back, plus another $4 for admission to the Wright Brothers National Memorial.)
Gas costs were $528.59 total from Durham to San Diego via Oregon, a route of 4,018 miles, again excluding local driving. I received a total of $300 in contributions from riders on various legs of the route, for a net cost of $228.59.
Altogether, I spent $564.74 out-of-pocket on fuel.
LODGING
If an average hotel costs $50 per night, and without factoring in planned stays with family and friends, couchsurfing saved me $300. I stayed with six different hosts (three met through couchsurfing.org, three met through ride share passengers).
I spent zero dollars on lodging.
FOOD, BEER, WHISKY & FUN
The stuff that really matters. Given the savings on gas and lodging, this is where I chose to splurge, and it was awesome. I tried at least one beer everywhere I stopped (and usually more), treated friends, family and strangers to dinner on several occasions, and generally lived it up.
Living consecutive months like this, however, would absolutely beat me.
Grand total for food and fun: $689.74.
