Got the interview in Idaho, but....

[lobohopeful]

....I am broke as a joke. I desperately do not want to pass up this opportunity but I just can't afford to take off work AND buy a ticket from SD to ID. We're talking about a trip that could easily have a combined cost of $1,000.

As I'm sure others have been in my situation, any of you care to share what you did to make it work? Any advice is welcome. Thanks

 

[airgator]

lobo-
We've all been there before. It's called a credit card...buy now, worry about it later.

 

[stlpilot]

If at all possible drive, I know you have to get off work and it’s a long haul but you can drive it and if you have a decent gas mileage car you could probably make it for 3 or 4 fill ups each way. For hotel? I stayed in the biggest rat hold Des Moines had to offer when I interviewed there, sure it had fake dear cemented to the front yard, a Camaro on blocks in the back, and grass growing out of the gravel lot (im not kidding its called the A-1 motel if your ever there) but I took my own sleeping bag and sacked out on the floor for 25.00, cash only of course.

When I drove out west once I stayed at campsites along the way, what I did before hand was call AAA and they mailed me a book that had all the camping sites for every state that had showers (take flip flops for the shower) but it worked out very well. Believe me I’m the king of cheap and I know I could make your trip work for under $200.00 bucks.

 

[AD SUPT Hopeful]

Lobo,

If you go, shoot me a PM--I'll be there too.

Mike

 

[llowwelll]

That drive (I'm assuming you are in Sioux Falls) to Boise is just under 21 hours if you average about 67 mph on the interstate. The cost of the trip is about $85 each way if you average $1.60 per gallon and 27 mpg. You can fairly easily find hotels that are not really all that bad for $25-$30 a night in just about any town.

In the last couple of months, I've driven east coast to west coast twice, north border to south border three times, and halfway across the country once (don't ask, it's a long story). I averaged 67 mph including stops and saw lots of cheap hotels (and stayed in a few of them) that really weren't too terrible. Even slept in the car a couple of nights. Stayed at friend's and relative's places on other nights.

So...it shouldn't cost you anywhere near $1000, probably more like $300. Less if you stay in campgrounds and less still if you sleep in your car or at friend's or relative's places. If I were you, and really tight on money, I'd drive about 16 hours straight or so, sleep for a few hours at a rest stop, and finish out the drive when I wake up. Probably not the safest advice, but it's what I did pretty regularly. You can make your trip on the cheap, it's simply a question of how much pain you want to put up with.

 

[chawbein]

Dude, I drove from Houston, TX to Columbia, MO in one day. It took 14 hours. Just drive a real long day, stay the night; drive a real long day, stay the night, then do the interview. Do the same thing again. Your looking at a max of 4 hotel rooms for far less than 1k.

 

[lobohopeful]

Thanks for all the advice. Trying to get my brother to pull some strings with Northwest to get me a ticket. We'll see.

Here's how it adds up to near $1000, you gotta factor in the loss of revenue for taking off work. I pull two jobs making $150/day, sometimes near $200 if I get an add-on flight. Let's say if I'm lucky, it'd be 3 days total when all is said and done.

I should add....I just bought a house and we're closing on it two days after the interview. Also, I burned up my vacation time by driving out for the Montana interview. I'm just sitting in a world of hurt. Donations are welcome. haha

 

[THT]

If you want to fly I recommend scouring orbitz, expedia, cheaptickets, and travelocity.coms. You can get a package deal for flights and hotels. I just booked a flight from Seattle to South Carolina and got two nights in a hotel suite for only 30 additional dollars. Be sure to compare all the sites because they can have vastly different prices, and they change day to day.

 

[airgator]

Just don't take the bus...

Speaking of cheap ways to get around, has anyone else ever had the mispleasure of traveling on Greyhound. I took a trip from central Florida to Miami once in college, a ride that would usually take me 4 1/2 hrs by car. 13 hours it took by bus, stopping at every little bait and tackle store in the sticks that also doubles as a bus stop. One of the single worst experiences of my life.