I have been using xrp to send transactions, it is cheap for me as sending xrp requires only a minimum of 1 xrp for the transaction fee and that is equivalent to less than half a dollar. I have been using this trick whenever I sell coins like eth or BTC and others. The only thing to make sure is that xrp is available on the wallet you are using locally and tradable for USD.
I've also used the method like you in the past but if you want a cheaper one for now, then there are three more options that you can run, namely by choosing TRX, Matic, and also BUSD which even costs free if the transaction is done internally or with each other, so XRP is still less expensive when compared to the three options.