How To Pack For Your Next Trip! Plus FREE Printable Travel Packing List!

Road TRIP!! The best road trips are with families – it’s one of the best ways to make memories that last us our entire lives. Heading to the beach or going out of the country are just two of the ways to spend a family vacation.

We look forward to being able to get away and enjoy some downtime, but, packing for the whole family is not so fun, right? Packing can be a huge drag.

THEN after we pack and get on the road, we spend our time thinking “Did I bring this..” “Did I forget that?”. We’ve all been there.!

That’s why we put together this How To Pack For Your Next Trip with your own FREE Printable Travel packing List. This packing checklist will make the work of packing the family up for any trip easier. You won’t have to worry that you’ve forgotten something and you can relax and enjoy your time!

Before we get to the list – there are a few things we should think about first when planning a vacation:

Before you start packing, check the weather so you’ll know what to bring. You can grab an app like the YoWindow or Forecaster so you can have it on your mobile device. Of course you can always search the internet, too. I always find it hard to find exactly what I want that way, so an app works best for me.

Most of us use credit cards when we travel to be safe and make it easier. But, they can have hidden fees and that’s the last thing you want when you get back home, to find out that your vacation cost more than you had planned.

Be sure to read our post about the Best Travel Credit Cards To Use For Your Next Trip:

If you are traveling by car gas prices will affect your trip in a huge way. We plan for gas and hotel prices, but, gas prices are hard to predict in other cities and states.

Check out our post How To Vacation Inexpensively, too. It is jam packed with great tips for your next trip.

We use Gas Buddy to help us with our gas prices on our trips. Gas Buddy is our go to for gas prices. We enter in our destination, our car make and model, and Gas Buddy will tell us what route to take and where to stop and buy gas for the best price.

If you will need gas but, there’s a better price ahead, it may tell you to stop and put in a certain amount but, not fill up until you get to the better priced station. It has been extremely helpful on all of our trips.

Be sure to also check out our post on How To Save For A Vacation:

On to the packing list! Here is your travel essentials checklist, and below you can choose to download and print your own FREE copy.

Clothing

Toiletries

Medicine

Essentials

Credit or Debit cards
Cash
Travel size first aid kit
Camera or Video camera
Towel
Umbrella
Everyday bag for carrying day items in the beach
Sunglasses
Laundry bag
Cell phone
Cell phone Charger

Important Documents

Tickets (airplane, train, boat)
Itinerary
Hotel reservations
Car rental reservations
Directions to the hotel
Passport
Identification Card
Address book
Guidebooks
Map

Amusement For the Kids

To download the FREE Printable Travel Packing List <— click here

Choosing Your Luggage

Wherever you and your family are planning to go, you need to be careful when choosing your luggage. Your luggage should be versatile, lightweight, and yet spacious enough to carry all of your essentials.

Some people might not think about it, but, it is important to choose a bag that comes with a warranty. Traveling with a luggage that has a broken wheel, zipper or handle is the worst!

Brands that back up their bags with warranties promise durability. Find a travel bag that is as versatile as you need it to be, yet, fit all of your stuff and be easy to carry.

Check these out:

Travelers Choice Amsterdam Luggage Set

This 2-piece carry-on luggage set is perfect for packing your clothing and travel accessories. It includes an upright case and a zippered travel tote for your belongings. The rolling upright is designed with a large main compartment with elastic tie-straps to secure your garments neatly. It also features separate pockets to keep your shoes and other essentials. With an expandable design, this luggage set offers 25 extra storage space to pack for long trips.

Olympia USA 8-Pocket Rolling Duffel

This Olympia USA 8-Pocket Rolling Duffel is made of supreme Protecflon polyester to ensure that your belongings are safe inside. No matter how heavy your weekend bag is, it is easy to carry thanks to the recessed in-line skate metal ball bearing wheel system and hideaway pull handle. It also has 8 convenient pockets for maximum packing versatility.

Organizing Everything

If you have different types of activities scheduled, that means you have different gears packed in your bag. Keeping everything in order can be a challenge.

One of the best things that you can do when you are planning a trip, especially if it requires you to pack a lot, is to use packing cubes.

Keeping your luggage organized with packing cubes means that you not only know exactly where everything is, but, your clothes and other belongings are also arranged and compressed to be able to fit more in your bag.

Why do you need to spend more time packing and unpacking when you can quickly unpack everything by sliding your packing cubes directly into the hotel drawers. You can also pack them up quickly and seamlessly from one place to the other without worrying about rearranging your entire bag every time.

These Bago Packing Cubes, come in a 10 piece set or the 7-piece Packing Cubes from Free Rhythm. These zippered organizers make it easier to keep your bags neat and provide quicker access to different things you’ll need during your trip. It also reduces the volume in your bags by almost 80%! All while keeping your clothes neat and folded.

Have Fun

Wherever you’re headed, make sure you’re planning on having fun! These are memories that will last a lifetime – for you and your family and friends.

I hope this information about How To Pack For Your Next Trip was helpful and that you enjoy the FREE Printable Travel Packing List we made for you. You can print it out or use it on your mobile device.

Staycation Ideas

by Dian Leave a Comment

Staycation Ideas

Have you ever thought about a staycation? Vacations can get over expensive in a hurry. There are many ways to save for and on a vacation and many resources, too. But, sometimes a staycation makes more sense. Less stress in planning, less financial burden on the family, and more time to actually “cation” since there’s no travel involved in a staycation.

Sometimes we are so involved day to day in our own lives that we have to have someone on the outside from another place to remind us that there are awesome things to do in our own town and surrounding areas! Local history museums, national parks, amusement parks, landmarks, local attractions.

It just takes a little planning – which you’d do anyway if you were to take a vacation away from home. It might also take a little budgeting, so be sure to click here to get your own free printable Monthly Budget Worksheet.

Let’s take a look at how you can plan an inexpensive staycation.

Friends And Family Movie/Game Night

Allow everyone a certain number of guests they can invite and plan a movie and/or game night. Have everyone bring movies and games, snacks and drinks and enjoy! You can also order pizza if that’s more your thing. Maybe even rent a suite at a local hotel to host your night!

Midnight Pool Party

We used to do this for our kids birthdays. They loved it – we’d have a sleepover and rent the local pool at midnight for a late night swim!

Shaving Cream Fight

Another favorite of our kids. I always kept a stash of shaving cream (super cheap just don’t get menthol… not the best for this use 🙂 ) in the house. We never knew when a shaving cream fight might break out. I remember my brother and nephew were visiting during one such time. One son came running down the stairs with the second chasing him… the second had a face full of shaving cream – out the front door they went – the fight was on! The rest of us grabbed more cans and headed outside. My brother and nephew weren’t quite sure what to think. When it was over our nephew – 7 – was covered head to toe…. so, my teen boys lowered him into the pool a few times to “rinse”! lol Those are times I know they’ll remember as much as or even more than the vacations we took. Make some memories.

Turn Off All Devices

Oh MY! This will be the test of who can last without them. But, after a few hours or days with no devices, including computers you might be shocked at how refreshed you’ll feel.

Try New Things

Try bungee jumping, zip lining, sky diving, take a cooking or dancing class. Step out and of something new. You might find a new activity you can’t live without!

Ask Friends And Family For Ideas

Some of their everyday activities or places to visit might be some place you’ve never been.

Check Out Local Tourist Attractions

Find your local areas tourist attractions. Historic local places can be a great way to learn more about and fall more in love with where you live. be sure to check deal sites like Groupon to find the best deals on those local attractions, too.

Make It A Themed Staycation

Let each member of the family choose the theme and activities for that day. Whether it be all day at the movies, shopping, museums, bike riding and picnic. That way each member of the family is invested in having fun. Don’t forget the camera – there are memories waiting to be made and recorded!

For Adults

Tour Your Local Eateries

Plan lunch (to help keep costs down) at all of the places you’ve been wanting to try, or at places you’ve never heard of or been to before. You might find a new favorite place or two!

Do A Happy Hour Pub Crawl

During happy hour most pubs offer great deals on food and drinks. this is a great time to try out new places, too.

Tour Local Winery Or Brewery

It can be fascinating to see how your Happy Hour beverages are produced. Some come with great history for the area, as well as tastings, of course! When you’re at your favorite pub it’s fun to see the local beverages on the menu.

Try A Coffee Shop Crawl

Check out coffee shops you’ve never been to before – you might find a new favorite Cup of Joe!

Book a local hotel stay

I remember one time we went to a local hotel about 30 minutes away and it was an area we don’t frequent so, it was very much like being out of town.

What would your staycation look like? Leave your ideas in the comments below.

Save Money Traveling At Home Or Abroad!

by Dian Leave a Comment

Save Money Traveling At Home Or Abroad!

We’ve all heard that Singapore is one of the most expensive cities in the world. The costs needed to cover both transport and accommodation in the city are demanding, so it’s not hard to see why.

But, like traveling anywhere in the world – at home or abroad, there are ways around it. You can ‘beat the system’ and be frugal in your travels wherever you want to visit, even in the ‘one of the world’s most expensive cities‘.

Here are a few ways to help you save money traveling abroad:

Image source

For the purposes of this post we’ll discuss traveling to and in Singapore since it is considered one of the most expensive cities to visit in the world. You can apply these tips to traveling anywhere at home or abroad.

Your attempt at being as frugal as possible on your traveling experience to Singapore should start when you are deciding when it is you will be going. You should be aware that the city isn’t necessarily a holidaying destination, even though many do choose it as their holiday destination every year. It is a city.

Furthermore, it is a city that is vibrant, bustling and thriving all year round. Because of this, you can literally go at any point in the year and still experience the full potential that Singapore has to offer. But this doesn’t mean that you should go at any point of the year without doing research beforehand.

There are certain times that should be avoided as they induce high seasons for the hotels. For instance, in June and July the city is inundated with foreign tourists flocking there because of their summer holidays. And in November and December many Malaysians will, quite rightly, spend their national holidays in the city too.

When more people are there, it will mean the accommodation available will be few and far between and more expensive than it needs to be. So, when planning a trip to Singapore you should aim to not go during the times we mentioned above.

During this planning stage you should also make sure to get your transportation worked out. By organizing Singapore airport transfers to pick you up as soon as you touch down you can make use of their ‘all inclusive’ and fixed prices. This means you won’t be left having to pay the ridiculous prices charged by a taxi driver that is looking to make a quick buck off of a tourist.

But, don’t think just because you got past the transportation issue when you first arrive that that’s the end of it, it’s not. To save yourself having to pay for bus and train trips over and over again, which will definitely add up, you should purchase an EZ-Link card. This card costs roughly S$12 but can be used for your entire stay and will give you cheap and quick access to transportation.

But it’s not all about the transportation, it’s about where you’ll sleep, too. Now, you’re probably not after five-star accommodation, but you don’t want to be sleeping in a cheap dive, either. This is why you might want to look into any one of the number of hostels that fellow travelers have recommended. They have been ranked as both safe and cost effective by those who have come before you: budget backpackers. And to further your attempts at being as frugal as possible, try to ditch paying for drinks at shops and restaurants and simply stick to water. The water in Singapore, unlike in other counties in Southeast Asia, is completely drinkable!

Who’s to say you have to experience the most expensive parts of Singapore to enjoy the city as a whole? Who’s to say you have to stay in the most expensive hotels? Nobody. That’s who.

You can experience and enjoy a trip to Singapore even when you’re on a budget. After a frugal trip to Singapore you will be much happier than if you had spent big on the trip, because after your frugal trip to Singapore your travel wallet will have some leftover!

GSFF

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How To Pack For Your Next Trip! Plus FREE Printable Travel Packing List!