Hit the open road with a free car and free gas

September 12, 4:59 PMNY Budget Travel ExaminerSusan Finch

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Car? Free. Gas? Free.  Bragging rights? Priceless.

Cookie-cutter vacations are a thing of the past and true travel innovation allows for bragging rights at your next cocktail party or office banter. Pick a destination and give yourselves a year to achieve it.

Write it down, post it up on your fridge, and focus on it. But don't just focus on forking over several hundred bucks, figure out how to do it with inspiration and save yourself some money along the way.

But what if you let someone else decide where you're going and leave it up to fate? Imagine the adventure of waking up one day and get a call that you're going to drive to San Francisco or Lake Tahoe or Wyoming... and that it will essentially cost you nothing?

AutoDriveway.com is one of the leading industries for transporting vehicles. And that means they need drivers to transport them safely and quickly. The company acts as an innovative matchmaking service between car owners and those looking for transportation. You can opt for just about any route or let them contact you with new opportunities.

And what will it cost you? Just about nothing. There is a $350 deposit which is refundable at the nearest AutoDriveway office or by mail if the car is delivered in satisfactory condition. And the first tank of gas is free. Drivers must be at least 23 with a valid licence and sign an agreement so they know you're not going to drive 18 hours a day to get a car delivered and agree to delivering it safely. Here's a list of requirements from their website:

- If you are at least 23 years of age or older with a valid driver's license (foreign travelers also need a passport with valid exit visa), you can travel the United States with Auto Driveway Company.

- A refundable security deposit of approximately $350.00, check with the office that you are driving for to get the exact amount and method of payment on deposit.

- You will receive the first full tank of gasoline, a certain number of days and an appropriate amount of miles to complete your trip!

- A current MVR (motor vehicle driver?s record) for ALL drivers will be needed when you arrive at the office to pick up the vehicle. If you do not have a MVR, one will be generated at a cost to the driver(s). Foreign travelers must bring a current Motor Vehicle Record from your home country.

Although it's true that the rising cost of gas is keeping travelers grounded, there are always ways around this issue. If you buddy up with a few friends wanting to hit the open road, you're looking at a cheap vacation and a cool story to tell when it's all over. But be sure to utilize the road trip to your advantage. Use a credit card that gives you frequent flyer miles when paying for your gas and lodging so you can earn for future trips.

Try Couchsurfing.com for a free couch to crash on for the night or log onto priceline to find a cheap hotel along the way. But to really put dollars in your pocket, check Craigslist.org or post your own ad and see if anyone needs their own delivery. Someone may be looking for a way to transport a computer or audio equipment without paying costly shipping and insurance fees. Ask for a competitive but comfortable fee to make it worth their while. They don't have to know you paid $0 for the car.

There's plenty of ways you can make a few bucks on the road and keep your expenses in check. Come up with at least 10 ways you could make some extra change in transit and put them in motion. What else can you try? How about hitting up your local newspapers, blogs, and magazines and pitch your innovative road trip story -- for a fee, of course. Make your vacation work for you.

Email me your budget travel questions and challenges at travelexaminer@yahoo.com.  I'll post them here and help you get on the open road.