Luggage can be such a hassle when going on a trip - not only is it large and bulky, but it costs a pretty penny, and you always run the fun risk of having your luggage go missing, or arrive delayed (forcing you to return to the airport the next day). The wife moved 2,000 miles away from her family when we married and now tries to visit home once a year. This is already a pricey endeavor which we save up airmiles and credit card points for. Adding luggage for an additional 50 dollars makes it even more painful. Last year she visited for 3 weeks in the summer and made do with only carry-on bags. This year, however, she is going for 5-6 weeks over the holidays (where it is cold, which means bulky, heavy clothing). I don't think we can skip the luggage cost this year, no matter how much we keep trying to find an angle out of it. It's hard to pack light in the winter. What about you? Would you wear the same 2-3 shirts for a several week trip if it meant saving the money? Do you hate the risk of losing luggage? Do you favor a particular airline for their luggage policy?
When you travel a lot, you learn less is more practical and sensible. I don't think you can ever pack too lightly and you can wash clothes in any case. You can always spot travelers from tourists who over pack. Besides the risk of losing your luggage, I would never put things in the hold that I value dearly, but keep them as hand luggage.
This is/was one of my concerns when I read up about traveling by plane. There are so many do's and don'ts and it can be and is very daunting for first time travelers. I know that there are certain items that can be hand luggage, and checked luggage, and that every airports policy is different, so it is a concern of mine.
I too would agree that traveling as lightly as possible is the way to go - as apart from avoiding the problems of having too many bags to lug around and to have to keep an eye on while waiting - as well as the possibility of losing more possessions than you would like to should your luggage get lost or stolen - with all the varying size and weight restrictions that all the different airlines appear to have these days - it also cuts the chances of having to pay excess baggage fees - especially as they can often be huge. In fact as its possible to buy anything that is needed or has been forgotten at your destination and everything can be washed too - if need be - I've found that you generally can't go too far wrong - just packing a minimum amount of clothing that can be easily mixed and matched to look like entirely different outfits - as that way not only will you need way less luggage - but you won't look or feel like you are wearing the same clothes day after day.
I think it would be best to bring as much clothes as necessary, and just try to get the savings elsewhere. If I were to spend an extra $50 on bringing luggage, I wouldn't feel too guilty about it if I thought I packed just the right amount and couldn't have had it any other way, then I'd maybe just eat cheaper for the first week or week and a half until I feel I have saved myself around $50 worth. If I knew I could wear the same clothes over and over and had access to laundry then I'd bring less, but otherwise I think it would be better to save money elsewhere.
When we first started traveling abroad in 2012, our usual plane ticket comes with a baggage allowance for departure and arrival as well. It was only last year when we realized that we do not need baggage allowance in departing for abroad since we don't carry much. What we need that for is when coming home since we always buy items from that country particularly clothes for coming home gifts to relatives and friends. So now we save a little for that baggage allowance in going abroad.
I think if you have a dryer at the place that you're going to then you can afford to carry less clothes in my opinion. Or you can just wash the clothes that you wore as soon as you change clothes to keep your luggage light, so I think I would be creative in bringing less items when I go on a trip.
I travel back and forth from my husband's house to my mother's house. What saved me space in my luggage is just leaving a set of clothes in both houses. Even my toiletries were divided too. This way, I only bring clothes that I love and chargers. But traveling to another country or place for a vacation is a different issue. I would rather pack all that I need than buy from the expensive stores in that place. I don't think airlines here have different policies regarding luggage though. They charge an extra if you go over the required limit for your luggage.
Years ago, I realised that I never wore half the stuff I took on vacation so these days, I do pack lightly. I'll only take clothes that can be hadwashed and don't need ironing. Then, I can just wash them out at night and hang out to dry. I tend to take vacations in hot countries anyhow so the clothes I do take don't tend to weigh much.
It depends on where I'm going and what I'm doing there. If I'm visiting family I can afford to travel very light because I have the chance to do laundry there. If I'm going to a place where I don't know anyone I usually take some extra things in case of emergencies.
I pack light all the time, it is not a problem to wear an item wash it and wear it again as long as I am comfortable. Now that the Airlines charge for extra bags it is not a problem for me I always try to have only one bag when I travel.
I try and pack light when our family travels by air. We usually stay at places that have laundry facilities too. This saves a lot when you are packing just knowing you can wash clothes when they dirty. I just make sure that what I pack can mix and match well with many different pieces and I pack one pair of shoes that can go with everything. I do the same for the kids and it's great. I can pack for a week for our whole family in two large pieces of luggage. We'll sometimes take smaller one that's mostly empty to hold souvenirs. We always stay under the minimum weight for the airlines.
Because we are active outdoors, including hiking and backpacking, most of our clothes is of the quick drying sort. For instance, I have two macabi skirts that I can wash in the shower with me at night, hang on the shower bar, and trust that they'll be dry enough to wear in the morning. I also keep a fairly minimalist wardrobe even in daily life, I used to be able to go a month without wearing anything over and now, I can only go a single week without doing laundry. When I fly anywhere, I focus on the size of the bag I want to take and pack with that in mind. I'm perfectly happy to wear the same outfits multiple days if it means not needing to check luggage. I hate checking luggage. I also PLAN to buy things at my destination so I don't have to pack them, giving me more space. As an example, shampoo and/or body wash costs the same amount here as at my destination so I buy it there to avoid the rules about liquids.
I usually aim to travel with as little luggage as I can manage. I'll take with me a change of clothing and a few things which I don't intend to buy and since clothes are relatively cheap I can buy some clothes when I get to my travel destination. Actually it usually is recommended. I've got used to it. Even when I'm not traveling far, I still pack light.
Absolutely! I pack lighter than most women naturally, and I try avoiding extra luggage fees at all costs. There is so much you take places and end up not using. You need to really think when you are putting things in your luggage, if you really need it and if you will have a hard time without it.
I always pack very light when I go on airplane trips because I am nervous about my luggage getting lost and I have a hard time justifying the checked bag fees. Most trips I go on are only for a couple of days and so my roll bag will hold all of my clothes and everything I need for the trip. We usually drive if we are going on a long trip.
You know in some cases it might be better to buy a few new clothes when you get there. Maybe you could also send the items UPS or something. I mean if you are going to be on the trip for 5 or 6 weeks that is a long time, and would require a great deal of luggage, so I would try to figure out the cheapest means to get all of your 'stuff there". It seems like something that you really need to figure out what the best process is.
One word of caution if you are packing lightly and only taking a carry on bag - be aware that in some instances, you still might not be able to carry on the bag, and they may force you to check it in. I've had this happen to me a few times when the taxi got me to the airport late and I was scrambling to get on the plane literally at the last second. They told me all the compartments were full and I would have to check it in. I don't recall if they charged me for it though. But the bigger problem was I packed all my important stuff in there such as my *car/house keys* and my *phone charger*, but thank goodness I didn't throw my phone or wallet in my suitcase. I was in such a hurry I forgot to grab that stuff out of my suitcase before handing it off to them. Needless to say, they lost my luggage when the flight landed. It was 1am, and all the stores in the airport were closed. My phone was almost out of power. I was literally stranded there and couldn't even call for someone to help me pretty soon. I had to get a taxi to drive me to Wal-Mart to buy a phone charger so I could charge my phone and call my folks to drive an hour to my place with the spare keys I gave them. Then I had to wait at my place all day for the airline to stop by and drop off my lost luggage.
I virtually always travel with less. Yes, it pays to be prepared, but it's not good to be over-prepared, especially if you anticipate moving around a lot. If I'm really starved for fresh clothes, I'll either track down a laundromat or find a cheap clothing store and buy a fresh t-shirt or two. Hauling around huge things of luggage is such a pain.
