TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

Here's a tip that will help make more room in your luggage, especially if you have a lot of clothes:

If you go to Target or Walmart (or any store with a travel section), they sell these clear bags called "compression bags" that you can put clothes into. You then seal it and squeeze all the air of the bag, which compresses your clothes to a much smaller size. They say these bags can save you up to 75% of luggage space.

This is really handy, especially if you pick up a lot of souvenirs and need to make room for them in your luggage!

If you leave cosmetics or a camera memory chip behind, that's no big deal. You can buy practically anything along the way, or when you reach your final destination. However, if you're travellig on a budget, having to buy a new camera or a fishing pole can be a pain.

So, a week or so before you start packing for your trip, make a list of everything that you want to bring with, and everything you need to bring with.

As you put each item in your suitcase, check it off your list.

When it comes time to leave, and you find you've got too much stuff in your suitcases, such that you decide to leave some stuff behind, check your list and make a note of what you're leaving behind. In the stress of the moment you might forget, and when you get to your final destination and can't find something you're looking for, the list will remind you that you elected to leave it behind.

If you didn't put it on the list, it's not your fault if you forget it.... so make sure you start your list well in advance, before the stress of trip planning starts to get to you, so that you don't forget to put things on the list!

Then, make a list of all your suitcases, and when each one is put in your trunk or the backseat, check it off. Missing fishing poles? Forgot the stakes for the tent? These lists will remind you of what you need to bring.

If you're bringing a gift for someone in your luggage, it's a good idea NOT to wrap it, especially if it is going in your carry-on bag.

There is a good chance that a wrapped package will arouse curiosity as you go through security - especially if the x-ray shows that the gift is something electronic (like a camera, mp3 player, etc).

You're better off just wrapping the gift once you reach your destination, or even shipping them before you go.

Practical shoes are a must for any traveler, on many levels.

First, if you are flying, you will almost always need to take them off as you go through security. Keep this in mind, because you may spend awhile unlacing those thigh-high boots, if that's what you choose to wear on board!

Second, if you are on a long flight, you may want to give your feet a rest by taking your shoes off (assuming that your feet are not smelly). This is another point where it's helpful to have shoes that are easy to take on and off.

Third, you are likely to spend a lot of time walking on your trip. Therefore, choose shoes that are comfortable. It's best to choose shoes that are already worn in, so that you avoid blisters.

When you pack for a trip, only pack the barest essentials. For instance, unless you KNOW you'll be needing them, there's no point in packing 3 different pairs of shoes. (Usually just 1 pair is enough!)

So look really closely at everything you're packing. There is usually something in there that you can take out because you don't really need it. That will help lighten your load!

If you plan on going out of town with children, packing can be nerve-racking. Some people just don’t know how to pack properly for children. There are some simple considerations when one packs for kids. You need to take into account the weather, the length of stay, how many people are traveling together, and what laundry facilities will be available. In addition, following a few simple rules will keep you ahead of the curve.

Kids are notoriously messy. For that reason, traveling with light colored clothes is a no-no. If you take stain-showing clothes, your children will look messy, probably even if you wash the clothes. In addition to packing darker colors, take along quick-clean wipes to clean spots while en route. Since you will probably pick up some t-shirts at various attractions, you may want to consider that for packing purposes.

A great tip whenever you go someplace where swimming will be involved is to pack double bathing suits for each kid. Kids often wear their bathing suits for the majority of tropical vacations, so having two is essential. You can wash and dry one while the child wears the other.

A great way to save space when packing for children is by deliberation. Consider the things you will and will not need. Items to avoid packing: baby bath tubs and beach towels. Hotels and cruises always provide towels, so bringing them is often unnecessary. Babies can be bathed in the sink with a clean towel placed under them to avoid germs, so bringing a bulky bath is silly. Definitely bring items such as diapers (so you are guaranteed to have the right brand), baby food and snacks, and children’s medicines (Tylenol, Baby Orajel). This will ensure minor health issues can be easily dealt with.

When you pack your luggage, you can often save space by taking things out of their original packaging.

For instance, if you are packing a bottle of contact solution into your checked luggage, take it out of the clunky box.

Anything in a box essentially takes up extra space. Likewise for anything you buy that has extraneous plastic packaging around it. It may not seem like much at first glance, but the space you save by taking things out of boxes and plastic packaging can save you a lot of room in the long run! Plus, your luggage will be a smidgeon lighter without the extra weight of boxes and plastic packaging.

For anyone who doesn't travel very often, you might find your seldom-used luggage gets a bit musty after sitting in the basement or closet all year long. You should probably store it someplace better if this happens, but when you're getting ready for a trip, it's kind of late.

So you can keep your clothes from also smelling musty when you get to your destination by laying scented fabric softener sheets between some of your clothes. Keeps everything fresh.

If you've ever used a laundry service offered by a hotel, then you know that it's rather expensive. You can save yourself money when traveling by simply hand-washing your own clothes.

Buy a small, travel-sized bottle of washing detergent that is meant for hand-washing, and wash your clothes in the hotel sink or bathtub. Wring them out really well, and leave them to dry in the shower or over the radiator (just make sure it's not still so wet that it's dripping).

Tide and Woolite are two well-known brands that offer laundry detergent for hand-washing in these convenient travel sizes, so they won't take up much room in your luggage.

On a related note, it also helps to bring clothes that can easily be hand-washed. Jeans and bulky sweaters will take a long time to dry, but lightweight clothes will do just fine.

At the airport, all bags look pretty much the same. It is a good idea to buy colorful bags or use luggage straps with bold colors and your name printed on them. It makes the bag easier for you to identify, and harder for another passenger to take it by mistake. It also helps airlines identify your bag, should it go astray.

Ensure your bag has a secure label attached with your contact details on and consider writing your name and address on the inside of the suitcase in permanent ink too.