There are lots of little expenses that can add up when you travel, making your trip more expensive. But it doesn't have to be that way! Some of the smartest travel purchases are the ones that actually save you money over time by eliminating unnecessary fees, helping you pack smarter, or preventing you from buying overpriced items on the road. As a frequent traveler who loves a good deal {and believes that you can travel well on a budget}, I've learned which items really do help save you money.
If you're planning a big trip, a weekend adventure, or trying to travel more and want to stretch that budget just a little bit further this year, these are my 10 favorite travel purchases that actually save me money!
My 10 Favorite Travel Purchases That Actually Save Me Money
1. A Reusable Water Bottle
This is hands down of the most cost-effective travel items I own. Have you tried to buy bottled water lately? Airports, tourist areas, and amusement parks all sell bottled water at ridiculous prices. Most of those places offer tap water for free and people still go back for the bottled water. If you have a reusable water bottle, you can fill up and get free hydration wherever you go!
Not only does it save me money on drinks, but it also helps keep me hydrated on those long travel days.
Savings: $50+ on a single trip! Even more if you are traveling with your family and young kids.
Pro tip: I LOVE cold water and prefer ice when I can. Did you know that you can go through TSA screening with ice in your water bottle? It's considered a solid. I fill my bottle full of ice and then add water after security.
This is my favorite water bottle right now. You can sip or chug and it has a cover over the straw keeping your water bottle free of germs.
Pro tip: When traveling internationally, most restaurants when you ask for water will automatically give you still or sparkling water. Make sure you know how to ask for tap water! It's free!
2. Packing Cubes
Packing cubes don't just keep you organized when you are traveling they also save you money by helping you pack and travel lighter.
When you pack smarter you avoid overweight baggage fees. You're also more likely to be able to travel with a carry-on only. This not only saves you money on checked bag fees, but it saves you time by not having to wait for upwards of an hour or more to collect your bags.
Pro tip: If a long trip has multiple destinations, I'll often separate my packing in the cubes. At the end of my trip, packing cubes also help me keep dirty clothes separate.
Savings: $60+ on checked bags each trip!
These are my favorite packing cubes. I've been using them for more than a decade! They expand and compress for easy packing.
3. My Go-To Travel Adapter
Buying the wrong adapter, or worse, buying a new one in every country can add up fast! The adapter I've used for years includes multiple USB and USB-C ports so I can charge everything I own with one adapter. I only need to pack one on each trip and then the key is to remember it when you pack, otherwise you're left searching local stores when you get to your destination and paying WAY more.
Savings: $10+ on each trip
Pro tip: if you forget your adapter, sometimes hotels have spares at the front desk that have been left behind. Simply ask before you buy!
This is my favorite travel adapter.
Something that is often confusing to travelers is the need to have an adapter or a converter. In all my years of traveling I've never needed a converter. Not once. And I've never blown a fuse!
Do You Need a Converter or and Adapter for Your Upcoming Trip?
4. A Lightweight Reliable Carry-on
A good carry-on isn't just convenient, it can also be a money saver. The right bag helps you skip checked bag fees {yep, I'm mentioning those again because I HATE them!}, and breeze through airports.
Lighter carry-on bags also make it easier for you to be able to lift them into the overhead bin by yourself, which will always be a goal of mine with travel. Forget looking cute in a bikini, I want to be strong enough to lift my carry-on into the overhead bin!
After years of travel with whatever bag we had, we received Away suitcases and it has been a game-changer! A good suitcase makes such a difference in your organization, and I swear I can pack more, allowing me to take a 2+ week trip with only a carry-on.
If you use this link, you can get $40 off a suitcase!
Pro tip: I haven't had to use it yet, but I have heard that the warranty is spectacular with Away suitcases as well. I love a company with good customer service!
Pro tip: Limiting yourself to carry-on only also helps prevent you from unnecessary last-minute splurges on souvenirs you don't really need since you are limited to the space you have.
5. Travel Friendly Credit Cards {Especially with Perks like Insurance!}
This is one of the most overlooked ways to save money, using those credit card perks that you probably already have!
Many travel-friendly credit cards offer:- Trip cancellation insurance
- Rental car insurance
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Delayed flight credits
- No foreign transaction fees
This means you don't have to pay extra for things like:- Rental car coverage at the counter
- Additional travel insurance policies
- Foreign transaction fees that can add up!
When you rent a car in Ireland or Italy, for example, using a credit card with primary collision coverage can save you hundreds of dollars. You will need to print off proof of insurance from your credit card company before you travel, but it will save you so much money!
The biggest travel hack of all is knowing what you're already paying for and then using it!
Pro tip: When you are traveling internationally and they ask what currency you want to pay in, always select the local currency. That way you aren't paying for the conversion at check out.
Even if you aren't renting a car in Ireland, I go into more detail in this post about Collision Damage Waivers when renting internationally and how you can get them from your credit card company.
Savings: Hundreds of dollars on additional insurance and in fees!
6. My Favorite Travel Apps
Some apps will cost you money, but these ones are free and they will save you money!
Google Maps
Download your destinations before you leave. We don't need to stay connected to WiFi or buy an expensive eSim or travel plan from our mobile provider. Most people rely on maps, so make sure you download them offline before you travel for the areas you'll be visiting. The only thing you won't be privy to is traffic data, and really, that doesn't matter that much when you're traveling.
WhatsApp
I forget how much people out of the US actually use WhatsApp to communicate. You can text internationally without international rates. It really is the best way to stay connected and communicate with vendors and providers as you travel.
Phone's Currency Converter
Many years ago, I was traveling in Zambia and needed cash. I didn't realize that the currency had been reset and so my at-home calculations before I left were wrong. I ended up taking out enough Zambian currency that I could have bought land!
My iPhone has a currency converter as part of the calculator. When I travel, sometimes foreign money feels free. Having a currency calculator helps me know what I'm spending and helps me stay on budget.
Too Good To Go
This app has discounts on food in the area that you are in. I was recently in Vancouver, Canada and was able to take advantage of majorly discounted food items simply by checking the app and using my current location to see what was available.
It's currently active in the US, all over Europe and Canada as well as in Australia.
Savings: $10+ dollars every meal I use it!
Pro tip: don't forget to pack non-perishable snacks that are high-protein. As they say, failure to plan is planning to fail and you don't want to be stuck paying high prices for food because you're hangry!
7. Vitamins and Probiotics
Travel can take a toll on your body, and no one wants to be sick on a trip that they've spent months planning. One of the biggest things that wrecks people is their gut when they travel. I've been to a lot of places and eaten a lot of questionable things, and don't hesitate to stop for street food and knock on wood, I haven't been sick yet!
I really do think that by taking a daily probiotic and continuing to take the probiotic even when I travel makes a difference. There are lots of new foods you're eating on different schedules than you normally eat, and not to mention getting...ahem...backed up.
These are my favorite probiotics. I tried a Costco brand and didn't feel like they worked as well.
8. A Compact Toiletry Kit Stocked with My Favorites
This sounds small, but it's one of the biggest money savers in the long-run. I keep a go-to toiletry kit stocked and ready to go for any trip. I have products in it that I'm used to and reuse old travel containers.
I also pack a mini first-aid kit because you don't know what you'll need until you need it and you might as well not be stuck having to take an expensive Uber or Taxi ride to a pharmacy to restock items.
Pro Tip: so many hotels use refillable bottles for their toiletries now. If you really like what you're using, refill one of your containers and take it home!
This is the travel toiletries bag I have.
Savings: $10+ every trip
9. TSA Precheck and/or Global Entry
As someone who travels a lot and spends a lot of time at the airport, there's nothing worse than standing in a long line and being at the mercy of the people in front of you. Years ago, our family got Nexus, which is the Canadian program that includes TSA precheck and Global entry. It cost us $50 each and kids were free, so for our family of 5 it cost us $100 and worked for 5 years.
Here's the thing, if you miss a flight, and it's your own fault, you're out a LOT of money. Changing tickets, buying new tickets, rearranging existing reservations, being out prepaid travel fees for hotels or rental cars, the list goes on!
Not only does it save us time, it saves us money by getting us through airports quickly so that we can enjoy our vacations.
10. Travel Clothing
I love clothing that earns its space in my suitcase, and good travel clothing does just that. I also like new outfits for travel and dressing for the location. Just know that it doesn't have to cost a lot of money!
I have been known to thrift cheap outfits {but not ones that look cheap!}, that help me feel my best on a trip. There are times that I'll pack items that I intentionally know I'll leave behind.
I also have high-quality clothing that I know will travel well, but I often buy them second-hand or on deep discount to save more money.
Right now, wool clothing is starting to creep higher at the top of my list of travel items. Not only does it wear well, it travels well and washes quickly and easily, even in a hotel sink!
This is my husband's favorite brand for travel clothing. I love the Lululemon Swiftly Tech shirts.
Pro tip: You don't have to buy a new wardrobe every time you travel! Splurge on high-quality classic items. Even better if you can buy them second-hand or deeply discounted!
Frugal travel doesn't mean cheap travel. It means being smart about the things that you buy once that save you money every single time you pull out your suitcase.
These 10 items help me
- Avoid fees
- Stay organized
- Travel lighter
- Enjoy the journey more
- Reduce stress {and overpriced airport purchases}
Whether you're planning an international adventure, a road tip, or a long weekend away, these money-saving essentials have paid for themselves over and over again and they'll do the same for you!
disclaimer: this post may have affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing through them, I may receive a small commission. These small purchases help me to continue to keep writing content and creating at Rachel Teodoro. Thank you!
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