Pack It or Buy It? 9 Tips on Saving Space and Money When Traveling on a Budget
Do you enjoy packing for a forthcoming trip? Do you agonise time and time again on what to take or what not to take?
We have been on the road travelling as digital nomads since 2013 and have learned a thing or two about packing. At times, however, we still fall into the trap of taking too much.
These days we travel the world with a carry-on, and we would like to share our tips with you. The longest journey we undertook was 18 months travelling through Europe and Central America with our carry-on weighing in at 11 kilos and our day pack with our technology which weighs around 7 kg.
Know Airline Weight Restrictions
Although we travel with carry-ons, budget carriers have weight restrictions. They have become stricter lately with how much we can carry on board, and in most instances, we now have to check our carry-ons in.
Ensure that you know each airline’s weight restrictions and sizes for carry-ons when you book your flights. Fees at check-in are higher if you are above their regulations.
Compare Prices
When booking your flights compare prices of budget carriers and their add-ons such as luggage, meals, movies, etc. to a regular scheduled service. The regular scheduled services may be a better choice.
Use Packing Cubes
Packing cubes are a traveller’s best friend. They save packing time, and clothes are easier to locate in dedicated cubes. We travel with four each – two medium and two large sizes. They fit neatly into our Osprey carry-on.
Read Best Way to Use Packing Cubes – You’ll Never Travel Without Them Again!
Substitute Liquid for Bar Shampoo
If you are travelling with a carry-on there are size restrictions on lotions. If you are staying in hotels, they normally provide shampoo but most of the time they do not provide hair conditioner.
We travel with shampoo and conditioner bars as a backup in case the hotel does not provide them. Our favourite is from Lush! The bars last us for around 6 months, saving us $$ and space in our luggage.
Stock Up on Body Fragrance
We find deodorants to be quite expensive when purchasing overseas compared to prices here in Australia. We usually take two with us and if need be top up overseas.
Buy Your Body Lotion Locally
Hotels used to provide body lotion, but we are finding that this is a thing of the past. We like to support local businesses when we travel.
If we are staying in a country for a few months we will buy body lotion locally. Otherwise, we will buy a travel size or decant our favourite lotion in a carry-on travel size lotion container.
Never Forget to Care for Your Skin
Sunscreen is always expensive but a necessity these days. We bring our sunscreen with us ensuring that it is the right size for our carry-on.
Try Toothpaste Tablets
Regular size toothpaste tubes can be oversized for carry-on regulations. We usually purchase them once we arrive at our destination.
Another option is the Lush toothpaste tablets which weigh 0.6 grams and come in small carry-on bottles. You pop one in your mouth, chew for a few seconds, and then brush as normal.
Choose the Easy Seasons
We “chase the sun”! We escape the Australian winter and then return to escape the Northern Hemisphere winter and enjoy the Australian summer. Travelling with summer clothes makes it easier to travel with carry-ons.
If we do happen to travel during Spring or Autumn in cooler climes, we may have to purchase warmer clothes. In this instance, we will gift the clothes to those who need them in the streets or donate them to a thrift shop.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
What items do you prefer to pack when you travel? Which ones do you buy locally? Please share any tips that come to mind!
As we mainly travel around Europe, if it’s for a week or more we try to book an apartment that has a washing machine (in Europe washing machines are often in the bathroom). That way we don’t need so many clothes. When it comes to clothes I take black or navy yoga pants for travel and daytime (very comfy whilst sightseeing and you just need a couple of
t-shirts). For evenings I have a couple of pairs of palazzo pants in crinkle fabrics that roll up well, a few nice tops and some costume jewellery I can change the look with. A scarf is useful in case you need to cover your head at a place of worship, a long sheer one can double up as a shawl in the evenings. I never carry expensive jewellery. A pair of decent comfy trainers for daytime and a pair of sandals for evening. I try to take toiletries that can be used for more than one purpose and in hotels I use what is provided.
I also use the type of cross body bag that has a steel reinforced strap which can’t be cut and am very aware of pickpockets on public transport like the metro systems in some cities (I lived in London for 20 years so am quite streetwise).
Hi Linda, you have shared some of your great tips here!