Big trips are very exciting, but they also come with a pretty huge amount of preparation and planning. They're expensive, too, and when you find yourself preparing to take off on a giant adventure, there are a lot of moving parts that you're going to have to make sure get taken care of properly. As those expenses start to pile up, it can be nice to feel like you're saving money in just about any way that you possibly can. It just so happens that there are a lot of ways that the savvy traveler can shave a few bucks off just about any trip. One of the best places to save some money is on the always-expensive airport parking situation. We'll talk about five great tips that'll help you avoid spending money that you didn't really need to part with in the first place.

1. Have a Friend Drive You. It never hurts to rely on the kindness of your closest pals to give you a ride to the airport. If you know you're going to be gone for an extended period of time, and don't want to pay exorbitant fees to simply leave your car sitting somewhere, it might be a good idea to call up a friend and ask if you can score a ride to the airport. This will likely be free, but even if you throw your friend a few bucks for gas, it'll likely be way less expensive than paying for airport parking.

2. Take a Taxi. Even a taxi (which typically isn't the cheapest way to go anywhere that is more than a couple of miles away) can be cheaper than paying for a week or two of airport parking. Do your research a little bit in advance and see how you can get yourself the most affordable rate, so your taxi fare doesn't put you into the red before you've even left the airport.

3. Hire a Shuttle. Even cheaper than taxis are shuttles, which can pick you up right at your house and deliver
you to the airport. You might have to wait a little bit while other passengers are picked up, but this is often a much more tolerable option than leaving your car at the airport parking lot for an extended period of time.

4. Public Transportation. Try taking the bus or the subway; you might be pleasantly surprised at how affordable and efficient it can be. When there aren't a lot of ways to find cheap airport parking available to you, it's easy to simply hop on a bus and get yourself to the airport for a fraction of the cost you would have incurred by driving and parking.

5. Park Farther Away from the Airport. A little hike never killed anyone, and it might be worth the money you'll save by not having to use that expensive airport parking. If you can find a safe neighborhood or another place in which you can park your car a little farther from the airport, you can dodge expensive parking prices and feel a little more financially relaxed while you take your vacation.