21 Travel Hacks Perfect for Your Next Getaway

Travel Hacks
Credit: Tony Webster / Wiki Commons

Making sure everything fits into your luggage can be a major hassle when traveling. Well, you don’t need to worry because we have 21 travel hacks that are perfect for your next getaway. These travel hacks will save you time, space, and money:

1. Create More Space by Rolling Clothes

If you simply roll each of your items into small tubes, it creates more space in your suitcase. Not only does it create space, but it will also prevent wrinkles and ugly creases left in your clothes.

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2. Place a dryer sheet in your bag

If you are wanting your clothes to smell like they just came out of the dryer, put a dryer sheet at the bottom of your luggage. It will keep your clothes smelling fresh even if you are traveling for a long period of time.

3. Sign up for last-minute deals on Headout

If you’ve planned a spontaneous trip and are looking for fun things to do where you’re going, you can sign up for Headout. They will notify you of last-minute deals on excursions that are still available, and they are at a discounted rate, so you won’t have to pay full price.

4. Don’t exchange money for local currency at the airport.

When exchanging money at the airport, they charge a fee of their own. They have a rip-off exchange rate that you can avoid. Instead, go to an ATM to exchange your money when you are traveling abroad. You won’t have to worry about a fee.

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5. Hotel Bookings through Groupon and Hopper

Trying to find a great hotel at an affordable price can be hard. If you are looking for a hotel, try using Groupon and Hopper they have hotels at a discounted rate. You can find great deals at 5-star resorts for half the price of what it would normally cost to stay there.

6. Use a credit card when traveling.

We suggest using a credit card when traveling. A credit card that when you use it, you receive points or rewards back for spending. When using a credit card, you usually get cash back on certain things, like gas, flights, and shopping at certain places. Credit cards are also more protected because they offer fraud liability protections that debit cards do not.

7. Fly on Cheap Days

It probably sounds crazy, but flights do have days that are cheaper to fly on. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are usually cheaper, being in the middle of the week. Of course, the weekends are more expensive because that’s when most people are often off from work.

8. Always Carry a Portable Charger

If you are planning on being out all day exploring the city we suggest you have a portable charger with you. Your phone will lose battery quickly when you take pictures, look up places to eat, and use it for directions. Having a reliable portable charger where you can charge your phone is essential so that if your phone does die, you aren’t stranded in an unknown place trying to figure out how to get back to your hotel.

9. One suitcase and one backpack

The price for carry-on and checked luggage has skyrocketed in the last few years, going from $35 to $60. There are some flights where a carry-on is included, but that isn’t all flights. We suggest if you are not traveling for a long period of time, only have one suitcase and one backpack. If you are going for a weekend or week trip, try doing a carry-on because it’s cheaper than checking your bag in. The backpack is for extra items like snacks and small toiletries that you are wanting to bring.

Travel Hacks
(Credit: Timur Weber / Pexels.com)

10. Mark your bag Fragile

Sometimes you get your luggage back dented, scrapped, and roughed up. If you mark your bag as fragile, it will be handled with care. Your luggage will be kept on top of other luggage when it is on the plane in the storage area. This means it will be one of the first bags to be released at baggage claim.

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11. Make a Travel Budget Plan

When you are traveling, you aren’t trying to spend thousands of dollars. Make a budget for your trip so you know how much you have for certain things. You don’t want to return home broke and questioning if you should have purchased the $30 t-shirt. Yes, you’re traveling to a new location to have fun and maybe splurge a little, but you will have to keep yourself in check when you are out spending money.

12. Print Everything Out

Print out anything from hotel reservations, plane tickets, excursion tickets, etc. You can never be too safe if you are staying somewhere, and the signal is bad and you can’t get anything to load at least you will have copies printed just in case. It is better to be safe than sorry. You want to be able to have a smooth trip with little to no issues along the way.

13. What to put in your backpack or purse

You’re going to be exploring the town or city you are visiting. There were some things you should carry in your backpack or purse.

  • Mask/ Covid Vaccine Card
  • Sanitizer
  • Portable Charger
  • Reusable water bottle  
  • Snacks
  • Tissues

14. Use local transportation or UBER/LYFT

When you are traveling in a new area, it’s best to use local transportation if you’re staying in a city. If not, we suggest using Uber or Lyft because it is cheaper than renting a car. 

15. Use shower caps to pack your shoes

If you plan to pack one or more pairs of shoes, this hack is a great way to ensure nothing from the bottom of the shoes gets on your clothes. Put your shoes in a shower cap and, when packing, simply place them on top without worrying about your clothes getting dirty or stained.

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16. Unpack the minute you get to your hotel

You might be exhausted after your flight, but just putting your clothes away or hanging them up will make you feel accomplished before laying down after a flight. That way, when you get up, all your clothes are put away and easy to get to, and you don’t have to rummage through your luggage trying to find something to wear.

17. Wear heavy clothes on the plane

If you are traveling to a place where it is cold and you packed a big jacket, wear it on the plane. You will likely want to get it out of your suitcase because you will want to put it on since it will be colder than what you are used to. You could always tie it around your waist if you aren’t going to wear it, but it will save you a lot of room in your luggage for other things.

18. Use an old sunglasses case to store charging plugs

If you are packing chargers for your phone, headphones, or any charging cord, place them in the old sunglasses case. You won’t have to go rummaging through your bag, taking everything out, and just putting it back once you find the charger you’re looking for.

19. Google Translate

If you are traveling to a country where you don’t speak the language, we suggest using this hack. Install google translate on your phone it will allow you to type in what you would like to know in your spoken language and be able to translate it into the official language of the country you are traveling to. 

20. First Aid Kit

Having a first aid kit is a necessity when traveling because you don’t know what could happen. You might scrape yourself and need a Band-Aid. Having a small travel-sized first aid kit that can fit in your luggage, backpack, or purse will come in handy. If you don’t have a small first aid kit you can create your own using a Ziplock bag placing in Band-Aids, gauze, and sanitizing wipes for cuts and scrapes, and place the Ziplock in the bag you will be carrying.

21. Always make sure to tag your bag

Many bags can look the same, and there’s always a chance someone will mistake your bag for there’s. That is why we suggest you purchase a tag to place on your suitcase that can be reusable and be moved from suitcase to suitcase. You will write your name, phone number, and address on the tag.

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