TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

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.

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!

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.

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.

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'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.

If you plan to carry a heavy pack on your pack, test it out first to make sure you can handle the weight. Pack a few days in advance, put the bag on your back, and walk around - go up and down some stairs, and see how it feels. You may discover that you can't handle the load, and need to readjust your luggage.

It's way better to find this out a few days before you leave, rather than get stuck carrying around a super-heavy load on your trip!

When you go on a trip, there's a good chance that you'll pick up some souvenirs or even some new clothes. Therefore it's often a good idea to pack some clothes that you wouldn't mind parting with, to make room for all your cool new stuff!

Make sure you know what the weight limit is for both your carry-on and checked luggage. If you're over the limit, you can get stuck with some pretty hefty fees from the airline. Therefore it's a good idea to weigh your luggage before you even leave your house. Pack a few days in advance and weigh your bags, so that you have plenty of time to take things out if you need to.