Travel Hacks: How to Pack and Save on Baggage Fees
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If you're going on vacation in summer and you're traveling by plane, watch out for baggage fees. According to Airfare Watch Dog, baggage fees for your first checked bag can range from $20-$35 and a second checked bag can be $35-$60.
Spirit Airlines passengers also need to be aware that AirFare notes that:
if you change planes, you may be charged for each leg for all these fees.
Keep more of your money by minimizing waste and maximizing your bags' storage for your upcoming vacations.
Packing Tips for Stuff
When we traveled to Los Angeles for E3 a couple of years I shared some advice on packing for trips.
- Pack clothing using the “roll” technique. Lay a few items on top of one another, flatten them out, and roll them up like you would a sleeping bag. This simple technique will save space and prevent wrinkles. For added wrinkle insurance, place a sheet of heavy tissue or packing paper between items of clothing before rolling.
- Enclose toiletry containers in airtight plastic bags to prevent contents from spilling into your suitcase in the event of a leak. Wrap socks or pajamas around breakable items to cushion them.
- Have travel size toiletries. If you need more, you can grab some at the hotel or a nearby store.
Rolling our clothes has definitely helped and we’re able to fit more in the same bag. Of course, just packing more isn't the solution. Just pack a few multiuse articles of clothing with colors that can go with many outfits.
Thoughts on Packing for Vacation
Even if you're driving to your destination, you can still save money by packing right and keeping it light. Less weight on your car can improve your gas mileage by a bit.
I'd love to hear from you. How light (or much) do you pack for vacations? What tips do you have for packing smart on trips?
Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels
My husband and I learned this the hard way on the way BACK from a recent trip. On the way there our bags were fine weight wise, but we brought back a few things that put us over the weight limit and ended up costing us $90 🙁
$90?! wow, that’s horrible! We too learned how easy it is to over-pack and with a baby it can be even harder.
I pretty much won’t fly anymore simply because of the hassle that the airlines have made flying these days. We plan our vacations local to the state of Michigan, which actually puts money right back into our economy. Friendly skies? Not any more!
Yes; I agree that airlines are making it harder and harder to want to fly. Right now my planned flight is for Denver (Financial Blogger Conference). I wanted to go to NYC to see family, but it was too pricey and with baby not worth it. I might do a road trip to the city later this year.
Great tips! We will have to use these because we’re terrible packers 🙁