After two years of minimal travel due to the pandemic, isn’t it time for you to explore the world again? Certainly a family road trip is doable, right? Traveling hacks not only save you money — which is what KCL specializes in — but time and space too (we’ll get to that).
You may need a few items before you hit the road. After all, researching and planning make for a smoother vacation. Whether you’re flying, driving, or cruising, try these money-saving travel hacks:
- Household coupons (snacks, disinfecting wipes, napkins, facial tissue)
- 12+ ways to get free children’s books
- Tips to save on gas
- The best time to buy an airline ticket
1. Use a button as an easy travel hack to keep a pair of earrings together.
Looking for more packing tricks? Here are 29 tips that every traveler should know.
2. Create a binder of printables and other games as hacks for kids who are restless.
- Pack creative options like coloring books with crayons/markers, word searches, road trip scavenger hunts.
- Play games like bingo, tic-tac-toe, or ‘I Spy’ over and over by inserting copies into plastic sleeves and using dry erase markers.
- Download movies, apps on a tablet or other device.
- Create a custom binder with their name and interesting facts about their destination.
Interested in the best audiobooks for family road trips? Find out how to get free audiobooks here.
RELATED: 11 Amazing Hacks to Keep Your Car Clean and Organized
3. Reorganize bed pillows for a fun and creative hotel hack so kids can have their own spot.
Another useful traveling hack is to set an alarm reminder to re-pack special stuffed animals, cell phone chargers, and shoes.
4. Use the USB slot on the back of your hotel’s TV to charge your phone.
5. Roll your clothes (instead of folding) as a travel packing hack to make more room in your luggage.
This classic traveling hack saves space, and it’s the recommended packing method of flight attendants, so it must work well. It’s ideal for kids’ and adults’ clothes because you can actually see your contents, it maximizes space, and it feeds your inner OCD.
You might want to browse the KCL luggage deals page so you have enough room.
6. Save on snacks by creating your own travel-friendly portions.
Depending on where you’re traveling, a snack box (like a bento box) with items like string cheese, fruit, and veggies would make the perfect light lunch or snack for hungry kids. After all, room service is great but can be costly for a large family.
Need a few hotel cooking hacks? Here are some ideas:
- Use the coffee maker’s hot water function two ways — instant oatmeal and ramen noodle soup.
- Make breakfast using a mini waffle maker. Pack a waffle maker, store dry waffle mix in a zip top bag, stir in water, and cook.
- Mix and microwave your own mug cake dessert.
- Pack microwavable rice, fully cooked pasta pouches, or microwavable mac and cheese bowls.
Check out the KCL snack coupons page to download savings.
7. Store liquid cosmetics in a contact lens case so you don’t have to bring the entire container.
Speaking of liquids, if you want to save on buying bottled water at the airport (which is $3 – 5), store a couple of empty bottles in your carry-on baggage and refill them after going through security.
Want to learn more about airline hacks for your next flight? We’ve got 19 tips for you to explore.
8. Use a binder clip as a travel packing hack to protect your razor (and your fingers).
9. Put breakables, glasses, and/or jewelry in your shoes so they don’t get lost or damaged in your luggage.
10. Create a backseat hack for kids — a shoe organizer for long car rides.
- Toys
- Games
- Snacks
- Extra clothes
- Diapers
- First aid kit
- Phone chargers
11. Keep toys close by filling a suctioned shower caddy during family road trips.
A shower caddy with suction cups makes for a smart idea for kids to store their favorite small toys and even some snacks. Just don’t roll the window down!
You could even create a family road trip game using construction paper — a paper-chain activity list. Make the chain by cutting brightly-colored paper into strips, curling it until the ends meet and taping it. Then, add/tape more strips until you have a necklace.
Here’s where you insert the game portion. On each chain — before you roll and tape — write a fun activity or task, like watching a movie, singing your favorite song, playing Uno, or drawing a picture.
Related: Start making your travel bucket list with these 23 cheap places to travel in 2023.
12. Have kids make their own edible snack necklaces before the big family road trip.
You can never have too many tricks to deep clean your car, especially on a family road trip.
13. Place jewelry in between two sheets of Glad Press’n Seal to avoid tangles and breaks.
14. Use a dryer sheet in your luggage as a travel hack to keep your clothes smelling fresh.
15. Turn a shower cap into a traveling hack to store your dirty shoes.
16. Place a cotton ball or pad over your powdered makeup to keep it from breaking.
Unless you pack your powdered makeup in your purse, you never know how it will end up in your luggage. A round cotton pad is the perfect solution and size to fit over the makeup so it doesn’t break into pieces. Here are a few makeup traveling hacks to try:
- How to Rehydrate Dried Out Makeup
- 8 Surprising Ways to Use an Old Mascara Wand
- Want Free (Or Mostly Free) Makeup Samples? Try These 6 Easy Ways!
- 14 Clever Beauty Hacks You’ll Actually Use
Do you need to stock up on foundation before your big trip? Visit the KCL makeup coupons page.
17. Screenshot travel directions, then turn off location services to save battery.
A related road trip hack is plugging in your phone and showing the map on your car’s display monitor. My 7-year-old son loves to follow the map, and since he can read, he knows how many miles and how long it will take for us to arrive. It’s the little things, folks!