Extreme Travel: How to Go Light and Low Budget

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How little luggage can you take and how low can you go on the budget end? This article will help spell it all out.

With all the talk of airlines starting to charge for the very first bag you check, “one-bag” travel (or the pursuit of it) is going to become a larger priority for many.  This is easier to achieve on some trips rather than others. My personal indicators? The length, diversity and independence level of the trip. The longer my husband and I are traveling, the more climates, cultures and regions we’re trying to see, or the more independent we are trying to be in order to maximize our travel bucks, the harder it is to eliminate items like the corkscrew, multipurpose tool, and other miscellaneous gear such as mosquito nets, sleep sacks or hammocks. For your average 3-7 day adventure however, affordable “one-bag” travel is definitely doable. Here’s a breakdown:

How little luggage can you take and how low can you go on the budget end? This article will help spell it all out.

With all the talk of airlines starting to charge for the very first bag you check, “one-bag” travel (or the pursuit of it) is going to become a larger priority for many.  This is easier to achieve on some trips rather than others. My personal indicators? The length, diversity and independence level of the trip. The longer my husband and I are traveling, the more climates, cultures and regions we’re trying to see, or the more independent we are trying to be in order to maximize our travel bucks, the harder it is to eliminate items like the corkscrew, multipurpose tool, and other miscellaneous gear such as mosquito nets, sleep sacks or hammocks. For your average 3-7 day adventure however, affordable “one-bag” travel is definitely doable. Here’s a breakdown:

SPACE

Limit the Footwear.

If you’re going to a specific region and planning on mainly a sightseeing mission, one pair of sensible adventure shoes can get the job done. A good pick? Keen sandals for both men and women. I personally like the Newport design which is more of a full sandal available for both men and women. They are available in either washable leather or various colors of nylon webbing.

We first tried them on a six month trip, and they were the main pair of shoes for both my husband and I. The tread is still going strong over a year later, and while it might not be my favorite fashion statement, you can squeeze a pair of socks under them on a chilly day.

If you have multiple agendas or obligations on your journey, downsizing to a single pair of shoes can be a real challenge. Two pairs however, is achievable with a little forethought. And, if you make sure one set is as flat and flexible as possible, they shouldn’t cut into your space allotment too much. (Note: this gets trickier with winter travel.)

Go Miniature Where Possible.

Obviously, this won’t work for everything. Many items however are perfectly functional in miniature form. Head lamps and nail clippers are a couple that come to mind. And one of my personal high performance favorites? Sea to Summit’s travel clothesline. This is another item we took on the six month boondoggle. It got used a ton, took up minimal space, and was a penny pinching assistance item when we were doing our own laundry in the sink / shower. You can see ours in use here behind the hammock at our little beach cabana in Ayampe, Ecuador. Just scroll down a bit.

Follow the Container Principle.  

Having small and like items in separate containers or organizer bags keeps you from feeling like you are reaching into a chaotic bag of doom every time you need to find a particular item. In addition to being a huge fan of the personal organizers for toiletries from L.L. Bean, I also like Ziplocks,  Space Bags, and packing cubes.

Go as Thin as Possible on Layers.

This enables you to have more wardrobe options, be cool or warm as needed, and not take up too much space in your bag like a bulky sweater might. Besides, if you really want one of those, you can buy a cool one made from a local artisan on the trip. Great souvenir and you’ll be helping out the local economy.  We picked up a couple in Peru and shipped them home during the trip once we switched climates.

Consider Minimalism.

I’m not saying to deprive yourself to the level you won’t have a good time, but it is possible to pack everything you need and still save on space and number of items, including liquids.  Some things to consider? Pressed powder as a liquid foundation alternative, stretching liquid conditioner to the max, solid shampoo and conditioning bars, and alternative feminine products. I also have a favorite bra for both on and off the road. It has multiple ways to wear it, takes a licking and keeps on ticking, and doesn’t stain easily if you get it in the right color. Here’s a link. Bonus? Those of us with more than a D-cup can actually expect to get some long term use.

Pick a Color Scheme.

Or at the very least, coordinating clothing items. You’ll have much more mix and match ability this way.

Wear as Much as Possible on Travel Day.

Particularly if you want less to lug. Think leggings under travel pants, tank top or swim suit under a dress, T-shirt under longer sleeved shirt, etc. Another great idea if you are open to tossing your fashion vanity to the wind is fishing vests. Even on a sightseeing trip, the whole family can wear them (including kids). Bonus? They are loaded with extra pockets large enough to hold any number of essential travel items.  Using this strategy, you should have no problem getting onto the plane with one bag, or at least your allotted carry on and personal bag / purse / day pack. Definitely a hot tip to maximize your allowed amount of non-checked baggage. Think about it.

Women also have an extra spot to carry valuable extra cash. Their bra. Here’s a link to a post on a product I got turned on to years ago by a fellow traveling teacher. The bra stash.    

Quick Dry is King.

This also fits in with the thinner is better philosophy listed above. The quicker items dry after sink or shower washing, the sooner you’ll be able to wear them again or pack them and hit the road without risking that mildew smell that’s hard to get rid of on the road.  This was really helpful on our long trip as well, as it really promotes the wash an outfit, wear an outfit thing. My only hold out was one pair of jeans. You’ll hear mixed opinions about this on the travel circuit, but I wanted something that didn’t look like adventure wear for times when we just wanted to blend in more with the everyday flow of things. We did find a pair of conversion pants for my husband that could literally fit in just over a handful of space. They dried super quick.

Multi-purpose Rocks.

Think sarongs, or men’s swim trunks that are lined and look more like travel shorts. Women’s swim suits make a great underwear substitute, and bandanas, in addition to having multiple uses around the house, are a great travel item. My all time best score in this category for both money and space? A neutral toned lip liner. Wanna know how I used it? Read all about it here. Bonus? I got it for thirty-three cents on sale at a chain drug store. The cheapskate in me danced a jig.

Digitize. Digitize. Digitize.

This can apply to important documents and information you may need to access on the road, pictures, video, and ID.  It was one of the most time consuming things we did to get ready to hit the road, but was more than worth the effort many times.  

MONEY

DIY.

This can apply to making gear, laundry in the shower, booking your own reservations, cooking on the fly, taking loads of photos as your alternative souvenir collection, and more. It also applies to things you can do before and after your trip to save money for travel on a regular basis.

Carve Out the Cash.

This is possible in all areas of travel. Some ideas will be more appealing to you, others not so much. But the fact is money can be saved, and independent long term travel is far more affordable than most people think. In fact, we found we spent less money on the road having a blast than we did living outside of Tucson and clipping coupons. Pack a brown bag type of picnic, incorporate a few hammock sleeping campground evenings, or BYO sleep sack hostels along the way in between the other guest house or B&B stops.  Just bring along a travel padlock or two for standard travel security issues. House sitting is another way to go if you have lots of time to play with.

Slow down.

Seriously, just slow down. Just like letting off your car’s accelerator can save you gasoline, slowing down the pace on your trip can help pinch more than pennies. With travel as in business, time is money.

Location. Location. Location.

This applies to more than just business as well. Certain regions are far more affordable than others. If you are just starting to explore travel as a hobby or life passion, do you have to see Europe first? I love it there too, but South America or Southeast Asia are way more affordable.  Ditto with Indonesia versus Japan.

Bond with Your Car.

Or if possible, a camper van. Many people try this as an alternative to RV trips. Way more doable without kids I would think. But if you want to take the whole “fam damnily”, the RV plan is certainly more affordable than high end hotels, particularly for the long term.

Be as Independent as Possible.

Some times travel agents can come in handy. But honestly, I’ve found less than a handful over the years who were truly knowledgeable about how to find the best fares on international ticket legs, and it’s been years since I’ve had access to one at all. Check out the online communities, and get familiar with Lonely Planet. They may not be as shoestring oriented as they used to be, but they are a great resource to hit the ground running, and then local places can help with finding more affordable accommodations once you’ve had a chance to catch your breath.

TIPS FROM OTHER TRAVELERS

• Beth Whitman, Seattle P.I. blogger, author of Wanderlust and Lipstick, and owner of the web site by the same name, swears by compression sacks and a rolling backpack within carry-on parameters, which can help eliminate the need for checked baggage altogether. She also advises that with the exception of underwear, don’t pack anything for clothing on your departure. Wear only the clothes on your back, and buy additional needed items once you get there. Here’s the trick: Buy the cheap stuff, so you don’t mind leaving it behind.  As for carving out extra cash, she recommends walking whenever possible, and using sites such as Couch Surfing and Global Freeloaders to snag inexpensive places to stay and make new friends.       
• Wise Bread’s own Thursday Bram recommends churches as international architectural destinations, ordering the soup as one way to eat cheap while abroad, and ethnic local clothing as a fantastic and affordable souvenir alternative. 
•  Nora Dunn, another rock star travel guru and fellow Wise Bread blogger, suggests bypassing the guidebook and going with tourism boards and visitors bureaus. 
•  And of course, I can’t forget Sarah Winfrey’s post of quick travel ideas with money saving suggestions included. 
•   Lara Dunston is a travel writer whose work I’ve recently been turned on to. She and her husband basically live and work from the road full time. Here’s a link to her blog.   

Well folks, I’m honestly not sure how to condense it more than this. Is there way more detail to go into? Sure. But if you are starting to consider travel for the first time, this should serve as a helpful primer to get you started.  Happy trails!

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