Travelling just got a whole lot easier!
Learn all the best tips and tricks used by seasoned travellers to make your next adventure a doddle with these helpful travel hacks. From space and money savers to beer chilling ideas, weâve compiled the definitive list of need-to-know hacks for your next big trip!
Donât let travelling stress you out, hack your way to a relaxing hassle-free experienceâŠ
Top 10 Travel Hacks
- Watch Out for Browser Cookies
- Use Google Maps Offline
- Chill Your Beers Without a Fridge
- Take One Plug Adapter and an Extension Lead
- Roll Your Clothes â See Other Packing Hacks Below
- Mark Your Bag as Fragile
- Scan & Email Your Important Documents
- Ask For an Upgrade
- Eat Like A Local
- Buy Compression Cubes
19 Handy Travel Hacks
1. Watch Out for Browser Cookies
Be savvy when youâre searching for flights! Those pesky internet programmers have woven in a feature known as âdynamic pricingâ which makes prices rise when you return to a website â i.e. when youâre looking for plane tickets. You can either out-sneak those dastardly internet gremlins by deleting your cookies (yeah, no idea either) or you can turn âincognitoâ private browsing on and bypass those money-grabbing cookies!
2. Be Flexible with your Dates
We know sometimes this isnât possible, but if you are flexible with your chosen dates, you may be able to save yourselves a nice chunk of money â Tuesdays and Wednesdays are generally cheaper days to fly.
3. Authorise Your Cards
Donât fall foul to the schoolboy error of failing to notify your bank that youâre jetting off abroad! Youâll find theyâll shut down your account down faster than you can say, âBut my mummy used to sort it all for me!â, leaving you up a certain creek without a paddle. And you definitely donât need that when youâre about to purchase your first, refreshing, holiday beverage!
4. Use Local Cash Machines
Whilst weâre on the subject of money, rather than using expensive exchange bureaus, be sure to use localised ATMs to save on the withdrawal fees. Although use your judgement, using a bank on a busy street may be a safer bet than the one under that flickering light in that dingy alleyway.
5. Use Google Maps Offline
Yes, you can now use Google Maps offline, meaning you wonât have to rinse your data and spend extortionate amounts on roaming when youâre out and about. Simply plot your routes when you have WiFi and download the maps for future use.
6. Chilling Your Beers Without A Fridge
Really this should be at the top of the list. If youâve never faced this dilemma, you should count your lucky stars! When youâre in a warm country and donât have access to a fridge in your room/accommodation, you used to just have to muddle through with tepid cans of lager which got hotter and hotter by the minute. But some forward-thinking pioneer had the foresight to fill up his sink with water and ice and, voila, you never have to face the dreary prospect of drinking out of a lukewarm ever again.
7. Donât Fork Out For Multiple Plug Adapters
Simply buy one and take a UK extension lead with you. If there is a group of you, this could end up saving you a surprising amount of money, meaning youâll have more to spend on the important things on a vacation; beers, food, beers, souvenirs, beers, etc. etc.
8. Conquer Jet Lag
Donât go losing valuable holiday time moping about feeling sorry for yourself because youâre tired. One of the biggest contributors to the effects of jet lag is dehydration. Staying hydrated is no magic cure, but making sure you drink plenty of water will certainly lessen your effects. Going for a run is also a frequently cited remedy, but that does involve considerably more effort than lifting a glass of water to your face.
9. Buy a Bum Bag
A fashion trend we certainly didnât foresee returning but has made a roaring comeback is the bum bag. Theyâre now a symbol of the cool guy rather than the pensioner or that weird kid at school who used to eat crayons. Fashionable and a great way to keep all your valuables safe and sound!
10. The Bottle Opener Keyring
The panic that sets in when you purchase a beer with a bottle cap only to realise you donât have an opener is akin, we imagine, to what must happen if you come face to face with a Bengal tiger in the wild: panic, sweating, the fear youâre not gonna survive! Well get organised and purchase a bottle opener for your keyring for all those bottle-related emergencies! You can pick these up for around a pound if you search the interweb.
11. Roll Your Clothes
A nifty space saver, rolling up your clothes instead of folding them gives you a surprising amount of extra room. Also, you donât have to waste time folding which is always a winner!
12. Mark Your Bag as Fragile
Even if it isnât! We know, sneaky, right?! This means the guys at the airport will handle it with care and also place it on the top of everyoneâs luggage, so itâll be first off the plane and you can avoid the long queues. You just have to live with the guilt of lying to the multi-billion pound aviation company⊠yeah, us neither.
13. Scan Your Important Docs
Unfortunately, we live in a world where sometimes people fall victim to theft. Equally, we also live in a world where people are pretty ditsy and lose stuff with worrying frequency. So itâs a good idea, before you set off, to scan a copy of your passport and screenshot your flight details etc. to alleviate some issues you might encounter if you were to misplace certain items.
14. Eat Local
Forget eating the same old slop you can buy back in Blighty, got native and search out local restaurants â theyâre generally cheaper, plus you get a real insight into the local culture.
15. Bin Bag Your Bag
If youâre off out trekking and the heavens open, you donât want all your valuables getting drenched. Pack a bin bag which you can whip it out as a luggage poncho if you get caught out by the weather!
16. Ask For An Upgrade
When youâre getting your flight, ask for an upgrade. They can only say ânoâ and youâll be amazed how often this little charm actually works!
17. Utilise the USB
Most phones and tech gadgets charge via a simple USB cable these days, so you can charge your device from TVs, laptops and other gadgets you find around hotels and hostels. That means, in some cases, you could get away with leaving those bulky plug adapters at home.
18. WiFi Passwords
Forget paying for access to WiFi as some places are known to make you do, internet forums and websites are rife with travellers sharing the WiFi passwords of some of the most popular places from around the globe.
19. Never Carry Too Much Money
Donât carry too much on you at one time. If you go out with all your money and end up losing it or having it pinched, youâll be well and truly stuffed. Leave it in the bank or leave some in a safe place at your accommodation.
Flight Hacks
11 of the Best Flight Hacks for a Smooth Trip
1. Exercise Before Your Flight
If time allows, have a workout before your flight. Not only will you feel better, but it’ll also tire you out meaning you’ll be more likely to sleep or at least get a little bit of rest whilst you’re travelling.
2. Wear a Comfy Coat
In the height of summer, this won’t always be an option, but a comfy coat can also double up as a nifty travel pillow.
3. Buy a Travel Pillow
If you’re really looking to get your head down, particularly on a long haul flight, it’s definitely worth investing in a top-quality travel pillow so you can get some proper shut-eye. We’d highly recommend these which come with eye masks and earplugs, so you can block everyone else out.
4. Avoid Booze
Probably not a hugely popular suggestion as the pre-flight pint is all part of the holidaying experience, but it can make you feel lethargic.
5. Conquer Turbulence
Well⊠OK, you can’t quite conquer turbulence, but if it affects you badly, you can make your life slightly easier by avoiding the back of the plane where it is worse. Flying over the wings is the best place to be.
6. Bring Wet Wipes
If you’re worried about picking up a cold being crammed onto a flight with a load of other people, minimise the risk by wiping down your armrest and tray table with a wet wipe – make sure they’re disinfectant ones.
7. Book a Window Seat & Aisle Seat
If there are two of you and you’re on a flight which isn’t likely to become fully booked, it’s worth taking the gamble of booking a window seat and an aisle seat, leaving the middle one free. It is unlikely anyone will want to book this one, plus if someone does, you can just ask them to swap with one of you.
8. Buy a Portable Luggage Scale
Don’t get slapped with extra charges for exceeding the weight limit, buy a portable luggage scale so you can weigh your luggage for the trip there and back – extra handy when you’ve stocked up on souvenirs.
9. Book Well In Advance
Flights are cheaper the further away from the departure date you book them. Don’t leave it late and find yourselves paying well over the odds.
10. Travel With Carry On Only
How much do you really need to take with you? Save some money by packing the bare minimum. The lighter you travel, the less there is to worry about.
11. Invest in a Portable Charger
Ideal for a long-haul flight, it means you can watch movies and listen to tunes on your mobile/tablet without worrying about them running out of juice.
Packing Hacks
Now we’ve already mentioned our little rolling clothes trick which is a banger, but here are some other handy suitcase packing hacks, so you can maximise your space!
8 Travel Packing Tips to Save You Space & Stress
1. Get a Suitcase with Wheels
Kicking things off with an obvious (not-so-much-a-hack) hack, but the difference is massive between lugging a heavy suitcase and rolling it leisurely behind you. You could say, they’re a wheely good idea⊠you don’t have to, though.
2. Wear Your Biggest/Bulkiest Items
Another one which may seem obvious, but the amount of people who pack a bulky coat rather than wearing it is astonishing.
3. Pack Dryer Sheets
Not a box of them, but pack a few dryer sheets in between your luggage to keep it smelling fresh.
4. Get Some Handy Travel Pouches
Particularly useful if you’re one of those people who live out of their suitcase, you can keep your laundry separate from your clean clothes, plus you can have your plugs and chargers kept together for quick and easy access.
5. Place Your Heaviest Items At The Bottom
It makes it a lot easier to wheel your luggage, and less likely it’ll tip over, particularly if you’re making a mad dash to the gate when you’re late.
6. Invest in a Shirt Carrier
Big meeting abroad? Romantic dinner and you want to look sharp? Dressing to impress? Well, you’re not going to impress anyone with a shirt riddled with creases. Get yourself a crease-resistant shirt carrier and look a million dollars (or fifty quid – we don’t know what the standard of your shirts are).
7. Write a List Before You Pack
If you rush, you’ll probably forget something. In fact, you will. Don’t pretend you won’t. OK, lists aren’t cool. Brad Pitt probably doesn’t write lists, but Brad Pitt probably forgets his toothbrush⊠just saying.
8. Buy Compression Cubes
Compression cubes can reduce packing size by up to 30% by squeezing out all the air meaning you can get more into less.
Here are some of our favourites.
Bonus Travel Hack – The Travel Hack Backpack
This seriously cool travel hack backpack is compartmentalised so you can section out all your gear, plus it comes fitted with an external USB port and it’s water-repellent. A solid travel investment.