FrugalMonkey Discount Travel News

Tag: packing tips

  • Backpacker’s Travel Checklist – What to Pack on a Backpacking Vacation

    The number one rule of backpacking is to travel light. However it’s important to grab the essentials before you set off on your frugal vacation. In this article we look at the items that should be in every backpacker’s knapsack.

    The first item on any backpacker’s luggage list must be the backpack itself. Ensure that it’s comfortable with padding in the back and wide, adjustable straps, as you’ll be spending many long days with it attached. Durability is also an important point to consider. You’ll spend more money on a sturdier knapsack at first, but it’ll pay for itself in the long run.

    Clothes are a given, but make sure that you don’t take too many. Packing tops that can be layered up is a great way to avoid bulk. We suggest taking a few outfits that can be easily laundered during your travels. If the modern royals can wear the same outfit when they step out, so can you! Also find space for a raincoat if there’s a chance of inclement weather. Sticking your clothes in a vacuum-seal bag is a great way to save on space.

    A smartphone is a modern-day essential for many people, and that goes double on your vacation. It does away with the need for guidebooks, maps, a camera, notebook, and more. And did we mention that it’s a great way to stay in touch, so long as you heed those pesky global roaming fees? Make sure you take a look at our free travel app guide for some useful programs.

    The importance of a water purifying bottle will depend on your intended location. If you’re traveling through privileged areas in the Western world it might not make your shortlist. However if you’re backpacking through Asia or South America, it could save you from contracting a nasty bug.

    Some may consider noise cancelling headphones to be an optional extra, but anyone who’s traveled with them may disagree! Say goodbye to the cries of unruly babies on long haul flights. Forget about the amorous sounds of your backpacking buddies. And enjoy the extra hours of shut eye these clever gadgets provide. If your mates are particularly rowdy a sleeping mask may be another wise investment.

    Three BackpackersIt’s a no brainer but it deserves to be said: never leave home without your travel documents. You won’t get very far without your plane or train tickets and a passport. Always double-check you’re carrying these important papers before you head out the door.

  • Tips for Packing Light – Cut Down Your Luggage

    Whether you’re a backpacker keen to ensure you’re not weighed down, or simply a frugal traveller anxious to avoid those sneaky excess baggage fees, you’ll need to learn how to travel light. This article offers a few handy tips for cutting down your cargo.

    Reading is a great way to pass time on a lengthy long haul flight, but a few books can quickly weigh you down. Leave the hard copies behind and invest in an e-reader. If your budget can’t stretch quite that far, you can always download e-reader apps onto your smart phone. The smaller cell phone screens make reading more difficult and the batteries won’t last as long, but they’ll do at a pinch.

    Guide books can be handy resources for a visit to an unfamiliar location, but they can also weigh your bag down. We’re not suggesting ditching them entirely, but there are still ways to reduce your bulk. Consider downloading a digital copy onto laptop, smart phone, or that handy e-reader. Alternatively, you could take photocopies of the pages you’re interested in.

    If you’re traveling to a chilly location, it can be tempting to pack all your woolly winter apparel. However some thick sweaters and a bulky jacket can quickly fill a suitcase. Instead wear a coat onto the plane and layer up your regular clothes during your stay.

    Women, I’m looking at you: you do not need all those shoes. One smart pair of flats, and perhaps some trainers if you plan on hiking, is really all you need.

    Pack for a week away rather than an entire vacation. No one wants to do chores while on vacation, but most of us can usually find a little time to do laundry. Just make sure you do it regularly to avoid the smelly backpacker stereotype!

    And finally, consider what your accommodation will offer. If you’re staying at reputable hotels they’ll take care of toiletries, linen, corkscrews, and other essentials. Backpackers won’t enjoy so many perks, but many hostels still provide bedding. You might as well use these items rather than your own; you’re paying for them after all!

  • First Time Camping Tips – Camping for Beginners

    The daily grind is getting you down, and another weekend at home seems like little respite. You’d take a vacation, but your bank balance won’t stretch to a hotel. And so you begin to consider something you thought you never would: a camping trip. While the thought of inclement weather, too many baked beans, and things that go bump in the night can be scary, this guide will help you overcome those first time jitters and enjoy your debut camping trip.

    Packing is your first obstacle, as it’s a little different for a camping trip. Without a stocked hotel to rely on, campers need to bring their own bedding, basic kitchen equipment, a cooler stocked with food and drink, lighting, and entertainment. Making a list a few days before is a great way to ensure everything you require ends up in your car.

    It’s a common misconception that all campgrounds are created equally. So it’s important to research your destination to ensure it offers the creature comforts you need. Beginner campers can feel out of their element without public restrooms or powered sites. Of course once you get the hang of the great outdoors, there’s something to be said for going back to basics! Ask your friends for their favorite camping spots, or chat to your local scout troop or camping store staff.

    Once you’ve settled on your destination you’re ready to reserve your campground. In the digital age you can book in to a campground online, just as you would a hotel or resort. User-friendly websites like ReserveAmerica and KOA Kampgrounds make the process simple. Just make sure you read the cancellation policies before you commit, as they can vary from park to park.

    On arrival at the campground, it’s time for the novice camper to become bewildered once again. Setting up camp can be daunting, but it needn’t be if you consider a few simple points. Smooth, dry ground is best for pitching a tent. No one wants to sleep on soggy, uneven land! Think about your conditions and the surroundings too. If it’s cold you’ll want to find somewhere sheltered, but if it’s warm you might sniff out a cooling coastal breeze. And if you can find a spot with ocean views or the clear night sky above, so much the better. Five-star hotels often don’t enjoy such amazing outlooks!

    When you’re camping the great outdoors is your playground. Make sure you explore the local area’s hiking trails and go swimming in its waterways. Fishing is another great way to spend some time. If you’re lucky you might even hook your dinner! Once the sun goes down make sure you rediscover simple pleasures like sharing ghost stories, playing card games, and putting on a shadow puppet play.

    After a day’s activity your tummy’s probably rumbling. Gone are the days where camping means basic meals of canned slop. You can take a small camp stove or dutch oven and cook up most things you’d serve at home. If you don’t have that equipment, try wrapping meats, seafood, and potatoes in heavy duty aluminum foil and roast them over hot campfire coals. Food steams inside the foil parcels as they cook, which makes for mouth-wateringly tender meals. And don’t forget roasting marshmallows over the fire for dessert!

    TentsA camping trip isn’t just a cost-effective vacation. It forces modern families to leave technology behind and reconnect with the world around them and each other. It’s also a much more eco-friendly style of travel than your usual getaway. And after spending so much time in the great outdoors, you’ll probably feel a bit more protective of the world around you! These benefits to your personal relationships and the planet may even be greater rewards than the dollars you’ll save!