Broke-Ass Travel: Cramming All Your Stuff In a Carry-on To Avoid Checking a Bag
I hate when places charge extra money for what are pretty much essential services. Airlines are the worst at this. Last time I flew Delta, I had to pay for the in-flight movie, which I consider an outrage. I need that movie in order to forget that at any moment I could be plummeting to my death.
But one thing I refuse to do when at all possible is pay to check a bag. Bag check fees vary according to the airline — most hover around $25 — but thankfully they are easy to avoid if you know how to pack.
1) Wear all your bulkiest clothes on the flight
Anything you can’t fit in your carry-on, put on your body.
2) Roll your clothes
Flight attendants confirm: rolling your clothes is the most space-efficient means of packing. Your carry-on suitcase will turn into a Mary Poppins bag of seemingly endless space.
3) Free laundry at your parents’ means you really only need two or three outfits anyway
Sometimes I make a purposeful effort to save up some dirty clothes specifically to launder them at my parents’.
No!
4) Other savings: pack your own travel snacks
This is also good for health reasons, because travel is stressful and in times of stress, many people naturally turn to Cinnabon for comfort. Later of course we all regret this, and the best way to avoid buying gross, expensive airport food out of sheer stress and boredom is to pack snacks. I recommend Trader Joe’s trail mixes, granola bars, or fruit roll-up things.
5) Take public transportation to the airport
When you’re traveling with just a carry-on, taking the subway or bus to the airport isn’t all that bad. The key is to give yourself enough time. It’s usually good to take the estimated travel time on hopstop and double it.
Happy traveling everyone!!
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