Travel Essentials That Will Help You Save
Pack These 11 Travel Essentials to Save Money
During a trip, you may not know what you need till you need it. This means you might have to purchase these things while on vacation, so save money by bringing them along in the first place. With some of these items, you could need just a little bit of them — but not enough to warrant the full package price. Check out this guide, and get some packing inspiration.
If new shoes hurt your feet, this vacation emergency may have you rushing to the nearest drugstore to purchase bandages. Since you probably already have them at home and don't want to buy a pricey big pack for a weekend getaway, stash enough Band-Aids ($14) and other first-aid essentials in a small container, like an empty Altoids tin.
Stock your most frequently used painkillers in clean, empty contact cases ($8). They fit in your bag, and you can keep the different meds safe and separated.
Stain remover pens like Tide To Go ($6) can help with spot blotting, but if you need to clean a heavier stain, pack a tiny bit of powdered detergent in an extra plastic bottle (like an emptied, rinsed, and dried hotel sample size). It's a lot cheaper than buying a jug or box of detergent on vacation when you'll only use a tiny bit to hand-wash something.
From the quart-size for carry-on to small snack-size portions, fold Ziploc bags ($8) of all sizes and place inside one gallon-size sack. That way you can buy larger snacks and save the rest for later or divide up for family members. It's also an easy way to keep messy stuff locked in tight or even hold a wet bathing suit.
Vaseline ($4) is such a great multipurpose product that you can use to moisturize your lips and skin or remove your makeup. It can also act as a soothing balm for your skin if you hurt yourself. Go generic to save more bucks!
Bring some snacks with you when you're on the plane to tide you over before your next meal. This way, you won't feel tempted to buy the overpriced, not-so-fresh snacks when you're in the air.
Bring along the book you're trying to finish and another one as backup, in case you're stuck with a delay on the plane ride home, too.
Liquids are a no-no when going through airport security, but there aren't rules against bringing an empty water bottle. Throw one in your carry-on, and fill it up using a water fountain on the way to your gate. That's $4 in your pocket.
Transfer the chargers from your packed luggage to your carry-on so you can use them during a long flight delay.
Bring this portable charger ($13, originally $40) with you whenever you travel on planes.
Get a clothesline ($9) so you can easily dry your clothes in your room.