Ever wondered how packing smartly can help you to save money during travel.
Well I learnt the hard way. Once during a vacation I carried
almost my entire wardrobe and the ended up spending a lot due to my huge bags.
The worst part 50% of the clothes I carried, I never wore. So just imagine what
I went through. Ugh it was tough.
So how could I have saved money if I had travelled lighter?
- I had to pay almost EUR50 at the airport and book extra check-in baggage
- My hotel was just 1 Km from Airport and I had to take a taxi to reach there which charged me EUR15. I could have easily walked or taken a public transport if I had travelled lighter. Local transport costs 10 times lower than taxi /private transfer
- During the same trip I had to checkout from the hotel at 12pm and my flight was at 8pm and the hotel didn’t have an option to keep luggage. So I couldn’t go to the place which I wanted to before leaving the country and I had to leave for the airport early and waste time for approx. 6 hours.
If you travel light then you can save a lot by walking few
kilometers or take a public transport with your luggage. Most of the low cost
airlines charge extra for booking check-in luggage. So if you have a carry in
baggage then you can save costs while taking a flight.
The best part you are free to go anywhere and travel like a
true free bird.
So how do you pack smart to save costs? These are my
personal tips which I have learnt and used over many travels.
- Pick a Smart Bag/Suitcase : Most of the airlines allow Cabin/Carry-on baggage upto size 22"x14"x9" or 55cm x 40cm x 24cm with a maximum weight ranging from 7Kgs – 12Kgs.So pick up a backpack or a suitcase which you can carry as a cabin baggage.Based on where and how long I travel I carry a small backpack which doubles as a day pack and small suitcase which can be carried easily.If you can travel light then just carry a small suitcase/backpack and save few 100s EUR/$ on booking extra baggage.The below two products are my personal favorite and have been tried and tested.You can get an idea what kind of suitcases/backpacks I am talking about.
- Roll your clothes: We often fold out clothes and pack it. This is absolute disaster if we are doing this. Why? Folding clothes not only takes more place but also increases the wrinkles in the clothes along the folded lines. Roll your clothes to save space and keep your clothes wrinkle free.
- Rule of Thirds: Well this is not the rule of photography but a rule for packing. While selecting the clothes ensure that for every bottom (shorts/jeans/pants) you pack you need to pack at least 3 tops (shirts/tops) which you can wear. This way you easily save on the space and stop yourself from carrying extra stuffs.
- Pack in Halves: Well you don’t have to cut your clothes in halves. This is two stage of packing. How? First select the clothes you want to pack and then simply reduce the number by 50%. It’s very simple and have always worked for me.
- Use Packing Cubes: This low cost item helps in organizing packed clothes like a gem. Pack your T-Shirts in one cube, your bottoms in another and so on. Label your cubes. This not only helps to save space but also saves you from unpacking the entire suitcase to find out the garment that you want to wear.I have been using the following packing cubes and I am more than happy with it. You can also try out the same.
- Shoes as Storage: Ever wondered how shoes can work as a storage item while travelling. You can stack away your chargers /toiletries inside the shoes. Don’t forget to put your chargers/toiletries inside the zip lock bags before stacking into the shoes.
So happy travelling light save money with smart packing.
This is not the end, the next few tips will help you to prepare yourself for the worst while traveling.
- Save yourself from Baggage Loss: I hope, your checkin baggage is never lost by the airlines , however are you prepared for the worst. Statistics say that 85% of the lost baggage are retrieved with 48 hours and handed over to the travellers. So prepare yourself for the worst so that you can survive for 48 hours without your luggage. While packing your cabin/carryon baggage pack the items which you intend to use for next 72 hours and have absolute peace of mind while travelling.
- Don’t carry Iron: In few of my trips I have carried the Iron so that I can wear wrinkle free clothes. I have found out an interesting way how to get almost wrinkle free clothes without an iron. Close the bathroom door and move the temperature knob of the shower to the hottest. Fill some steam and take your clothes inside for few minutes. Then you can stretch the same with your hand and voila you will almost get wrinkle free clothes.
- Plastics Bags: Always carry plastics bags. This small thing can save you a lot from packing used clothes to storing electronic items during rains when you are outdoor.
Let me know how this article has helped you while travelling.
If you have any personal tip to share kindly let me know.
Cheers and Happy Travelling !!!
I recommend looking into the train stations because they have lockers to store your luggage. :) WE are a family of 5 and we put ALL of our stuff into one! 5 suitcases, 5 backpacks etc.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post. I will also recommend others. If you want to save money smartly and travel on a budget then try cheap Birmingham airport parking and avoid hassles during travelling.
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