Quanto?
Italian for "How much?"
Always the key question.
How much does a 30-day auto-trip cost?
A while ago I created a budget for the trip.
Here it is:                                                                                                                              

Room   $130.00             x            30        $3,900.00                                    
Café     $7.00                                              $210.00                                                      
Breakfast          $10.00                               $300.00                                                      
Lunch   $10.00                                      $300.00                                                      
Dinner $125.00                                       $3,750.00                                                   
Gas       $25.00                                          $750.00                                                      
Tolls  $7.00                                               $210.00                                                      
Admissions      $25.00                              $750.00                                                      
In town Transport                                     $600.00                                                      
Miscellany        $10.00                             $300.00                                                      

Total estimated expenses are $11,070.00                                                                        

Basically, when I auto-tripped to New Orleans last year the trip cost $350 a day.
This estimate of expenses works out to $369.00 a day, the same thing considering that I really don't even know the configuration of the trip.

How many opportunities will there be to have formal, expensive dinners?
Obviously, Chicago, Yellowstone, Dallas and Savannah will have such restaurants.
But many places along the way will feature restaurants of a family nature, not very expensive.

So almost a year ago I budgeted a monthly set aside and am close enough to declare affordability.