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When you set out on your road trip, you will quickly realize that there are large areas of the countryside that is put-you-to-sleep boring. We’ve been traveling the US in our RV for over three years so we have picked up a trick or two to stay alert on the road.
Audiobooks from Audible keep us entertained and focused while driving down the highway. You can also match the audiobook to your destination. Heading to Rocky Mountain National Park? Listen to The Shining by Stephen King which was written after his stay at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO.
After one trip you will see why Audible is worth it. Not convinced yet? See more about why we think you should have Audible below.
Is Audible worth it?
Yes! Audible is worth it if all you use it for is to help you conquer boring tasks. There is nothing better than listening to an audiobook to get you through a boring task like washing dishes, doing laundry, or driving down the highway. I can’t vacuum our RV anymore without listening to an audiobook while doing it.
If you commute, you need Audible. I started listening to audiobooks during my 45-minute commute to work. Since it was in LA, it was mostly in slow-moving traffic and along the same 10 miles stretch of freeway. While it takes a little bit of getting used to listening to someone read a book, after the first one you will want to “read” more. I now have over 300 books in my Library.
Speaking of first books, you can get the first book for free with this link! Use it to get that book you have always wanted to read or check out our recommendations below!
The great thing about Audible versus other audiobook programs is that you can return the book if you don’t like it. I have done this a few times because the book wasn’t what I thought it was going to be or because a narrator’s voice just bugged me for some reason.
If you have a kindle book then you will love it. Audible has a service called Whispersync that will sync the audiobook location with your eBook. This has worked great for me in the summer when I like to sit outside and read a little at the pool. I love being able to switch back and forth without any thought or effort on my part.
How much is Audible?
After your free book and trial, the Audible cost varies based on your membership. The most popular membership is the Gold which grants you one Audible credit a month for $15.
If you are like me and need more credits then the Platinum membership is $22 month and gets you 2 Audible credits.
Both of these memberships offer other Audible membership benefits as well like 2 Audible Original books a month and more. There are various other annual memberships and add-ons that are less popular that allow you to get all your Audible credits for the year upfront.
They even just released a “Romance Package” that grants you unlimited romance books every month. A great option if you like that genre of book.
How does Audible work
- Every month on the 1st you get new credit(s) depending on your membership level. You also get to choose 2 Audible Originals from their monthly list of books.
- You exchange your credits for any books in the enormous Audible Library.
- The book is added to your Library which is stored in the cloud
- Download the books to any device of your choice
- Listen away (and gain badges)
If you don’t have time to use your credits during the month, don’t worry! Unused credits will roll over for up to 5 months!
Tip: Don’t use credits on books that sell for less than $15 (the average credit price). Save money by buying them outright.
If I cancel audible can I keep my books?
Yes! Cancel anytime and you can still access any books you have purchased. You can even purchase books still but lose out on the free Audible originals
Tip: Use any leftover credits before you cancel! You will lose any existing credits when you cancel.
Tips and Tricks?
On top of your book credits, another monthly benefit you get is the choice of two books from a selection of Amazon Audible Originals. Access to these might make audible worth it to you! Make sure you log in to Audible at least once a month to choose your free books for that month.
If you want more audiobooks but don’t want to spend a ton of money, wait for sales. You can get extra credits for a discount rate and some sales even have books for $0.99. but make sure you don’t waste your credits on them and purchase them directly.
If you’re not reading fast enough to keep up with your subscription, use all your credits then cancel until you are caught up on your books.
Also check out Sirius XM for another source of entertainment on the road!
Recommended Books
Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
In September 1960, John Steinbeck and his poodle, Charley, embarked on a journey across America, from small towns to growing cities to glorious wilderness oases. Travels with Charley is animated by Steinbeck’s attention to the specific details of the natural world and his sense of how the lives of people are intimately connected to the rhythms of nature—to weather, geography, the cycles of the seasons. His keen ear for the transactions among people is evident, too, as he records the interests and obsessions that preoccupy the Americans he encounters along the way.
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America – majestic mountains, silent forests, sparkling lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaining guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way – and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and listen in).
Death in Yellowstone by Lee H. Whittlesey
The chilling tome that launched an entire genre of books about the often gruesome, but always tragic ways people have died in our national parks, this updated edition of the classic includes calamities in Yellowstone from the past 16 years, including the infamous grizzly bear attacks in the summer of 2011, as well as a fatal hot springs accident in 2000. In these accounts, written with sensitivity as cautionary tales about what to do and what not to do in one of our wildest national parks, Lee H. Whittlesey recounts deaths ranging from tragedy to folly – from being caught in a freak avalanche to the goring of a photographer who just got a little too close to a bison. Armchair travelers and park visitors alike will be fascinated by this important book detailing the dangers awaiting in our first national park.
Use your free trial to listen to one of these great travel books today!
