When you live on a tight budget, finding the cash for a holiday doesn’t have to be tricky. Using the cheapest transport and accommodation options means that you can still enjoy exploring the world.
However, getting there is only half of the story. If you want to keep the overall cost of your holiday down, you need to be smart about what you pack and if you can travel with a carry-on, your life would be much easier!
Keeping the cost of the basics down
If you are going somewhere hot there are some items you really cannot travel without. The sun is going to be fierce, so you need to protect yourself from it.
This means that you need sunglasses that provide protection from the sun and high factor sun cream. You can keep the cost of buying both of these potentially costly items down by avoiding the big brands and buying them from the supermarket.
Research carried out in the UK has shown that the cheap versions of these products provide just as much protection as the very expensive ones do. This is because the law dictates that all sunglasses and sun creams sold in the UK have to perform to the same standards. Of course, you still need to be careful and buy from retailers you trust to follow those standards. You can do the same when buying after-sun and basic drugs for your first aid kit.
Find these toiletries samples you got from your previous holidays
Get your travel-size toiletries (or recycle old ones!). These tiny bottles of the product will be allowed in your carry-on luggage and you can fill them up before you go! Then, you could always replace them (or even refill them) when your accommodation provides it.
Travel light
Another way you can save money at the packing stage is by traveling light. Taking hand luggage instead of paying to put your case in the hold will save you a huge amount of money. If you travel by train or bus, you can usually take quite a bit of luggage without having to pay for anything.
However, some companies do charge, so even if you travel in this way keeping the amount of luggage you take with you will still keep the costs down. Most of the time, we don’t actually need too much. It doesn’t matter if you’re planning to travel for a month or just a few days. All you need is a few clothes and stick to the essentials!
Smart clothing choices
If you want to save money by minimizing the amount of luggage that you take, it is important to pack in an organized way. It makes sense to pack items of clothing that you can use for more than one activity. I normally roll my clothes to save room (it doesn’t matter if you use a backpack or a suitcase, it works!).
Take beachwear as an example. If you are a woman, packing a tankini rather than a traditional swimming costume gives you the option to use the top in the evening, perhaps paired with a pair of jeans or a skirt. If you are a man, opting to pack swimming shorts instead of trunks is a good idea because the shorts can be worn during the days you are not spending on the beach.
All of the above are simple tips, so they are easy to implement. Following them will save you a surprising amount of money, and allow you to enjoy more holidays.
Do you have any packing tips to share with us?
