When you consider the costs of flights, hotels, rental cars, and meals, it’s easy to see why 75% of Americans rack up credit card debt to pay for vacations. In fact, a recent study revealed that the average American spends 10% of their annual income on vacation-related expenses. At the same time, many people spend upwards of 15% or even more. 

When you stop to think about it, spending so much of your hard-earned money on a trip may not be the best use of your funds. When you get back from your vacation, you’ll wind up having to work twice as hard to pay for the debt you’ve racked up to enjoy your time out of the office. And if you don’t pay off your debt right away, you’ll wind up incurring hefty interest fees. 

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t want to sacrifice going on an incredible vacation just to save money. Instead, you’re probably interested in learning some ways to better manage your money to offset the costs of your upcoming trips.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at three money-saving tips you can use to stockpile cash for a rainy day—and then use those funds to pay for your next vacation.

 

1. Open a High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA)

In recent years, HYSAs have become increasingly popular because they offer high-interest rates, which typically hover between 1% and 2% APY. These rates might not sound enormous. But when you consider the fact that the average savings account offers 0.09%, your interest quickly adds up.

For example, if you have $5,000 saved up for your emergency fund and you keep that cash in an HYSA that pays 1.5% APY, you’ll earn $75 annually. If your HYSA offers 2% APY, you’d earn $100 annually—without having to lift a finger. 

The more money you stockpile in your HYSA, the more interest revenue you’ll earn. Who knows? One day you might be able to pay for your entire vacation with interest alone.  

 

2. Make Easy Lifestyle Changes

It might be convenient to take an Uber home after work. But those costs can quickly add up. 

Good news: You can save a bunch of cash by changing your habits and taking public transportation or walking to your destination instead. 

For example, if you live in New York City, the minimum base fare for an UberX is $7, while the price of a single-ride subway ticket is $3. By walking or taking public transportation a few times a week instead of ordering a car, you can save at least $50 each month (or $600 annually). 

Add it all up, and that’s enough to pay for a round-trip flight from the U.S. to Europe. 

Similarly, many people also pay for gym memberships that they don’t use—or at least don’t use enough. Believe it or not, one study found that Americans spend $1.8 billion each year on unused gym memberships.

Instead of paying $50 or more each month to go to the gym, look into ways to exercise for free—like going on long walks, doing push-ups, running, or playing pick-up soccer, basketball, or volleyball at your local park. Thanks to YouTube, there’s also an endless amount of instructional fitness videos you can access for free—right from home. 

In the U.S., the average cost of a gym membership is $58 each month. By ditching the gym and finding free ways to exercise, you can save at least $696. That might be enough to cover a good chunk of your next vacation. 

 

3. Invest with Stash

As we begin the new year, it’s more important than ever to get your finances in order—especially if you plan on taking a vacation in 2020. 

Our partner, Stash, can help you save and invest your money right from an easy-to-use mobile app. To date, Stash has helped over 4 million people set aside $1.8 billion.(*1)

Stash is a personal finance and investing app. As a Stash account holder, you can start investing in over 288 single stocks and ETFs with as little as $5. When you spend money each day using your Stash debit card, you can also earn Stock-Back® Rewards on everyday purchases.2 

Stash has three plans, which are as follows:

1. Beginner 

This is an entry-level plan that offers access to a personal investment account and a debit account that earns Stock-Back® Rewards on everyday purchases.2,5 This account costs just $1/month.3

2. Growth

With a Growth account, you’ll enjoy the same benefits as the Beginner account. In addition, you have the option to also open and invest in either a traditional or Roth IRA. This account costs $3/month.3 

3. Stash+

The company’s premium membership option is called Stash+. This account includes the same benefits of the Beginner and Growth accounts. But you can also earn 2x Stock-Back® Rewards on everyday purchases made with your Stash debit card.2 Stash+ accounts cost $9/month.3

 

Get $20.20 Just for Signing Up

If Stash sounds like something that can help you save for your next vacation, you may want to open an account right away. The company is offering a $20.20 cash bonus for new Stash Invest account holders that sign up here through January 31, 2020.4 All it takes is $5 to get started. 

By making some easy lifestyle changes, saving your money in the right places, and investing with Stash, you might be surprised at how quickly you could be able to pay for that next life-changing vacation. 

Here’s to making smart financial decisions and to reaching your dream destination sooner than later!

1“Set Aside” is defined as complete incoming transfers from external funding sources to Stash Invest across all account types including the debit account since 9/11/2015. This value does not factor in withdrawals. 

2Stash Stock-BackⓇ is not sponsored or endorsed by Green Dot Bank, Green Dot Corporation, Visa U.S.A., or any of their respective affiliates, and none of the foregoing has any responsibility to fulfill any stock rewards earned through this program.

3You’ll also bear the standard fees and expenses reflected in the pricing of ETFs in your account, plus fees for various ancillary services charged by Stash and the custodian. 

4 Promotion is subject to Terms and Conditions. During the Promotion period you must (1) have an individual brokerage account in good standing (2) link a funding account (e.g a bank account) to your Stash Invest Account, AND (3) initiate a minimum deposit of 5.00 into your Invest account.

5 Account opening of the debit account is subject to Green Dot Bank approval. Debit Account Services provided by and Stash Visa Debit Card issued by Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.Investment products and services provided by Stash Investments LLC, not Green Dot Bank, and are Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, and May Lose Value.

Dollar Flight Club is a paid partner of Stash.   

Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investments LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser. This material has been distributed for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended as investment, legal, accounting, or tax advice. Investing involves risk. 

 

 

If you’ve ever sat next to someone who smells bad on a long flight, you know how unpleasant the experience can be. 

All you can do is think about landing and taking that first deep breath of clean air once you’re outside. Depending on your destination, you might not get that relief until several hours after you first notice you chose the wrong seatmate.

Out of comfort and courtesy, you likely want to do everything within your power to prevent someone else from experiencing that unpleasantness because they’re sitting next to you.

You’re in luck. We’ve teamed up with our friends at type:A deodorant to come up with a list of four carry-on approved items that will make sure you stay fresh wherever your travels take you.

 

1. A tiny amount of cologne or perfume

A little bit of your favorite cologne or perfume can go a long way toward making you smell delightful throughout your trip.

Some less experienced travelers hesitate to pack these liquids because they’re worried that they’re not allowed to. However, if you’re flying in the United States, the TSA lets you pack liquids, gels, and other aerosols so long as they’re in containers that hold 3.4 ounces or less and can all fit in a single quart-sized plastic bag. 

 

Since no one needs to bring an enormous about of cologne or perfume with them on vacation, you’re best off getting a sample-size vial or two, filling those, and sticking them in your carry-on.

Worried you’re starting to stink? A few drops of cologne or perfume will save the day! But remember, you’re in a contained space and a little goes a LONG way. Freshen up, but don’t overpower. 

 

2. Non-toxic deodorant that actually works

The last thing you want is to be the guy or gal stinking up the aisle on the plane. 

There’s an easy fix here: packing a high-performance deodorant that helps you stay confident throughout the day.  For example, type:A deodorant is an aluminum-free, completely non-toxic deodorant that doesn’t leave any marks or stains. It’s better for you and those around you as it contains sweat-activated technology, working harder as you sweat and passing the sniff test.

The company offers all sorts of varieties—like The Visionary, a clean crisp citron scent; The Maverick, a modern spice scent; and The Adventurer, an evergreen forest scent—so no matter which smells please your olfactory sense, you have options.

type:A deodorant is travel-friendly; it comes in a tube (not a stick) and is easy to apply. Just need a little refresher? They also make deodorant wipes that perform double duty, cleansing AND deodorizing. Even if you’re flying halfway across the world, you can dip into the bathroom (or not!) and reapply the deodorant to keep your travel neighbors happy.

 

3. Mind your stinky feet

Pretty much everyone’s feet are capable of producing noxious stenches, at least every now and again. While you might be comfortable with the rancid smells emanating from your own feet, take our word for it that no one else will be.

Don’t be the person who takes their shoes off on a flight and lets the odor fill the air. Keep your shoes on. Full stop.

If you need to bring along a couple of pairs of shoes on your journey, don’t just stick them into your carry-on or checked luggage. Use protection—in this case, we mean travel shoe bags, which you can find on Amazon. 

You might also want to look into charcoal odor absorbers which can help neutralize your stinky shoes—and whatever else is stinking up your luggage, for that matter.

 

4. Be aware of your bad breath

A recent study found that sitting next to someone with bad breath is every traveler’s biggest nightmare—believe it or not, worse than sitting next to a crying baby!

The longer your flight is, the more likely you’ll wind up with bad breath sooner or later.

Avoid that fate by coming prepared with items like breath mints, breath strips, mouthwash, and products like Colgate Wisps, which are disposable mini-toothbrushes you can turn to in a pinch.

And don’t forget to hydrate! 

Basically, just make sure you have a few products designed to combat bad breath with you while you travel, and you’ll be good to go.

When you’re traveling, the last thing you want to do is make the person sitting next to you angrily because you smell bad. And you also don’t want to wind up in your destination smelling like garbage.

Keep these four tips in mind next time you’re traveling, and you’ll bring a breath of fresh air with you everywhere you go.

 

 

Here’s to staying fresh on your next journey!

 

According to a recent study, 70% of U.S. adults deal with stress every day.

While stress may be unavoidable, there are ways we can minimize its impact on our lives.

For example, lots of people travel to get away from the stress in their daily lives. After week after week of grinding away in the office, kicking back on a beach with a fruity cocktail in hand is often just what the doctor ordered.

But traveling can be expensive—especially when you’re the kind of person who’s accurately described as a globetrotter (like us!). 

That’s exactly why we created Dollar Flight Club, by the way. If there’s anything we love more than exploring every corner of the world, it’s doing so in an affordable way.

But what if your everyday routine wasn’t full of so much anxiety and stress? Maybe you wouldn’t need to kick back on a beach to unwind. 

Instead, maybe you could even get to the point where you’re in a calm and relaxed state of mind every day. That way, when you travel, the new places you explore are more changes of scenery and less much-needed getaways to preserve sanity.

To help people like you adopt the vacation mindset every day of the year, we’ve teamed up with our friends over at Moon Pod to come up with a list of five must-have items you need to have nearby to live a stress-free life and experience every day as if you were exploring a wonderful new part of the world. 

 

1. Exercise gear

When’s the last time you worked up a sweat?

Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress. It helps us clear out our minds, speed up our metabolism, and improve overall health—all of which lessen the impact of stress on our lives.

And the best part? By and large, exercise is free. 

Sure, you could join a gym, and you might have to buy a pair of running shoes and some Underarmour workout gear. But odds are you probably have some gym clothes tucked away somewhere in your closet. And there are countless exercises you can do without opening your wallet: push-ups, sit-ups, and going for a run outside, to name a few. 

 

2. Meditation apps

Meditation also has been proven to decrease stress while improving our self-awareness and emotional health. It can also help reduce depression, improve focus, and enlighten our moods. 

Worried that you might not have what it takes to meditate on your own? Don’t sweat it. 

You can use an app like Headspace to guide you through meditation and help you figure out what you need to do to unwind and empty your mind. Headspace works like any other app: It’ll prompt you when it’s time to zone out and it’ll help you track your progress to keep you moving toward your goals.

 

3. Moon Pod

Another easy way to de-stress is by relaxing at home. You don’t want to become a couch potato, to be sure. But watching a movie or even binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix every now and again won’t kill you.

To make sure you actually do relax, you need to make sure you have somewhere comfortable to sit and unwind. Good news: Our friends at Moon Pod have you covered.

Moon Pod is a zero-gravity beanbag designed to deliver a full-body weightless sensation for all-day stress relief and relaxation. 

The stress-relieving furniture comes in five glorious colors: space gray, rose quartz, neptune blue, charcoal, and deep navy. So whether you’re looking for a Moon Pod that matches decorations in a certain room or you’re looking for one in your favorite color, you should be in luck.

 

4. Cookbooks and supplements

Your diet can also have a significant impact on how stressed out you feel. Consuming too much caffeine, alcohol, and refined sugar can have an adverse impact on your health, causing you to feel more stress in your everyday life, for example.

If you want to de-stress, it may be time to buy some healthy cookbooks. You’ll also want to consider supplements, too. Research has found that supplements like omega-3 fatty acids, green tea, valerian root, and kava kava can help reduce stress and anxiety.

If you have a pre-existing health condition and take medications for it, consult your doctor before trying any new supplements to make sure that they won’t interact poorly. (You’d probably end up with more stress if that happened.)

 

5. A creative outlet

Do you have a creative outlet? If not—and you’ve been stressed out lately—it might be time to pick up a guitar or channel your inner painter.

One recent study found that adults had a significant decrease in cortisol levels (the hormone that combats stress) after engaging in a 45-minute artistic exercise where they were told to create whatever they wanted.

So, if you want to destress, pick up a pad and pen or head over to the local arts-and-crafts store and get cracking on your creativity.

If your natural setting is “stressed out,” you’re doing it wrong. Moonpod is in the business of relaxation, and by incorporating a few of these items (or better yet, all of them!) into your life, you should be able to notice a significant decrease in your natural stress levels. Plus, DFC readers get a little something off the price. Use the code DFC150 to receive $150 dollars off your Moonpod purchase. *This code is only valid until 12/2*

That way, you can bring your vacation state of mind with you everywhere you go, day in and day out.

 

 

 

Let’s face it: Whether you’re flying to the other side of the world, the other side of the country, or even just an hour or two away, you want to stay connected. 

Because of the integral role technology and the internet plays in our lives, we can feel a bit naked when we lack connectivity. Without an internet connection, it’s harder to stay in touch with our friends, check out account balances, confirm reservations, and research answers to the questions we have. For example, during your first night in Paris or San Francisco, you might want to run a quick Google search to figure out where to eat dinner. 

The good news is that—in the age of technology—a number of tools and gadgets have emerged in recent years that make it easier for you to stay online wherever you’re traveling.

We’ve teamed up with our friends at Skyroam to come up with a list of six tools you need to pack in your carryon if you want to stay online, without interruption, during your travels.

 

1. A messaging platform

One of the easiest ways to stay connected to a group of people—whether that’s friends, family, or colleagues—is by using a messaging platform like Slack or Mattermost, both of which are freely available for smaller groups.

These platforms provide cloud-based chat rooms that offer persistent messaging across devices. While both tools are designed for enterprises, there’s no rule that prevents you from spinning up an instance of either platform for friends and family—or even just creating one to discuss a hobby with strangers you’ve met on the internet.

With a messaging app on your phone, you can let the people who care about you know when you’ve made it to your destination. And you can also easily share images and videos to make them jealous of your adventures.

 

2. An external battery

One of the biggest challenges of staying online when you’re traveling is maintaining a battery charge. Chances are you’re not going to sit around in your hotel room all day, and you’re not going to leave your phone behind in your hotel or Airbnb, either.

A simple $30 investment in an external battery will solve this problem. Lightweight and travel-ready by design, external batteries can help you keep your mobile devices charged as you go about your day in a foreign locale.

 

3. A personal hotspot

When you’re traveling, you’re always on the lookout for wifi. Whether it is in the hotel, at a restaurant, or just walking down the street, people have their phones in hand searching for connectivity, but finding a safe, solid connection is always a struggle. 

Hotel wifi can be expensive or have poor connectivity and public wifi can be unsafe for your internet security and privacy. And you don’t want to miss out on an amazing local restaurant just because it doesn’t have the Wifi sticker on its door...

This is where a personal hotspot—a gadget that gives you excellent WiFi connection—can come in particularly handy.

For example, Skyroam offers a personal WiFi hotspot with unlimited data for a mere $9/day—a drop in the bucket compared to the sky-high roaming fees you might otherwise incur. You can rent from Skyroam or you can buy your own device and get service by the day, month, or GB with Global data. 

Plus, their service is available in more than 130 countries. Plan your next trip with a personal hotspot in mind, so you don’t have to worry about SIM cards, contracts, or roaming fees.

 

4. A virtual private network

A virtual private network (VPN) is a secure network that you can connect to once you’re connected to the internet. VPNs don’t provide internet access on their own. But they do encrypt traffic, thereby enabling you to send and receive data across public networks while maintaining privacy.

When you’re traveling, you might opt to connect to a public WiFi network at a Starbucks, for example. There’s one problem: A hacker might connect to that public network, too. If they’re good at what they do, they might be able to monitor your activities.

By connecting to a VPN after you’ve connected to Starbucks’ WiFi, that would-be hacker wouldn’t be able to see what you’re doing online.

VPNs are relatively cheap. You should be able to find a decent option in the $5/month ballpark (e.g., TorGuard).

 

5. A project management platform

Planning on getting some work done during your trip? A project management platform like Trello or Asana can help you and your colleagues stay on the same page even when you’re working in different time zones.

By making use of a project management platform, your team can collaborate asynchronously without having to drown each other in emails. 

It’s an easy way to make sure projects move forward efficiently—even in the event, everyone on your team is traveling at the same time.

 

6. An offline travel app

Depending on where you’re going, you might not always have connectivity. If you’re in a remote enough location, a personal hotspot might not do the trick.

To always know where you’re going, make sure you have an app on your phone that works offline, too. 

For example, Google Maps recently rolled out updates that offer turn-by-turn navigation support when you’re not connected. That way, you get the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you can make it from Point A to Point B—even when you’re in some of the most remote places on earth. 

For more information on travel apps that work well offline, check out this blog post from the TripSavvy team.

Not too long ago, traveling meant giving up the convenience that comes with always being connected. But thanks to a number of new innovations that have arrived on the market in recent years, that’s no longer the case.

While you might not need all six of these tools to stay online while traveling, a few of them can go along way toward making you feel right at home—regardless of where you happen to find yourself on the globe.

 

 

If you’ve ever found yourself flying to a wedding, a work conference, a funeral, or some other formal event, you know how annoying it can be to show up, unpack your suitcase, and be greeted by a wrinkled suit. 

The good news is that—no matter what you might think—it’s actually possible to pack a suit in such a way that protects it from getting wrinkled mid-flight. 

To help you travel wrinkle-free, we consulted with our friends at Indochino, where you can get made-to-measure suits that fit you perfectly at off-the-rack prices. Even better, you get to choose your customizations to really make it your own. 

If you’re in the market, Indochino’s Black Friday Event is on now. You can snag high-quality custom suits made from 100% wool from just $289 USD, plus 100’s of other deals on custom coats, shirts, and pants.

Without further ado, here are five tips to keep in mind as you pack a suit for your next jaunt.

 

1. Don’t roll it 

You’ve probably heard the so-called wisdom that tells us to roll up our clothes to save space in our suitcases. While this is definitely a useful tactic for things like underwear, undershirts, shorts, and pajamas, it’s not a great approach for suits by any stretch of the imagination. Take our word for it.

If you roll up a suit before a trip, you’ll need a professional steamer to get the wrinkles out when you unpack on the other side. Instead of signing up for that headache, pack more strategically.

 

2. Leave some room

You might be tempted to cram as many clothes into your suitcase as possible. Who wants to pay extra fees for checked luggage anyway?

The key to packing in a way that lets you travel wrinkle-free is this: less is more. 

The more crap your stuff into your suitcase, the more weight you’ll have pressing down against your precious cargo: the suit.

After you’ve built a solid foundation of socks, underwear, and other clothes, gently place your suit on top of all of it, giving it ample room to breathe. Of course, you’ll also need to exert caution when you physically move your suitcase and (if it’s the right size) store it in the overhead compartments. Make sure not to stack weight on top of it, if it’s possible.

 

3. Pack a steamer

No matter how careful you are with packing, chances are you’re going to end up with at least a few wrinkles on your suit. Such is life.

Bring along a travel-sized steamer so that once you check into your hotel room, you can begin removing the wrinkles from your suit. You should be able to find a pretty decent steamer for $30 or so on Amazon.

 

4. Roll your ties

While you shouldn’t roll your suit up, you should definitely roll up some of your dapper accessories—like socks and ties (and especially ties!). 

Rolling your ties can help prevent wrinkles, and it can also help you pack more strategically. For the best results, put your rolled-up ties in a Ziploc bag or a small tie box so that they stay folded up neatly.

Wondering the best way to roll up a tie? Check out this quick tutorial to get a better idea of what the process looks like.

 

5. Wear your heaviest shoes

Years ago, people actually dressed up when they traveled. If you’re like us, you’re probably more keen on dressing comfortably versus looking your best for your next flight.

That said, the way you dress for your flight can still help you keep your suit free of wrinkles. For example, wearing your heaviest shoes will make sure that you save space in your suitcase—giving your suit more room to breathe. 

So there you have it. 

Take your time packing your suitcase, err on the side of caution, and you should end up with a suit that’s wrinkle-free—or at least close enough to it that a handheld steamer can take you over the finish line.

And if you need a new suit, don’t forget to check out Indochino’s Black Friday Event. 

Here’s to looking your best wherever your travels bring you next!

 

 

There is nothing worse than getting ready to board your flight for a 3-week long vacation and realizing you forgot to pack your birth control. It is not something you can just pick up at the airport or in the hotel lobby. Birth control while traveling is c.o.m.p.l.i.c.a.t.e.d. As if being a girl wasn’t already hard enough! 

Nurx understands how hard it is, so they work to make your life easier. They make healthcare easy and affordable by bringing real doctors and real care to you, with or without insurance. With Nurx, you can get your prescriptions and home testing kits delivered right to your door. No hassle, no big spend. With automatic refills and renewals so you're always covered.

Nurx knows all about birth control and we know all about travel, so together we put together a list of the best tips for female travelers and birth control. 

 

1. Plan ahead.  If you’re going to run out of birth control while you’re away, get in touch with your pharmacy or provider and ask to get your next refill early so you’re prepared.

 

2. Try skipping your period. If you don’t want to pack tampons or deal with cramps on your get-away (who would?) you can skip your period if you take combination birth control pills or use the birth control ring or patch.

 

3. But bring menstrual supplies anyway. Even if you’re skipping your period or aren’t due for one while you’re away you might want to bring some pads or whatever you use for periods. If you miss a pill you could experience breakthrough bleeding — far from ideal when you’re far from your laundry room.

 

4. Set a timer. If you’re traveling across time zones, adjust the time you take your pill so it’s close to the time you’d take it at home, and set an alarm on your phone so you won’t forget. Birth control is most effective when taken at the same time every day, and your body won’t know you’ve switched time zones. Note: This is extra-important if you take progestin-only pills (also called “mini” pills). These pills should be taken within the same three-hour window every day, so if you go longer than that without taking one, use a back-up method of contraception for two days to be safe.

 

5. Keep your pills close. Pack your birth control in your carry-on, not your checked luggage, so it won’t be lost if your luggage is. And since hormonal birth control shouldn’t be exposed to extreme temperatures for long it’s better off in the temp-controlled cabin.

 

6. Pack back-up. On vacation, it’s common (some would argue, required) to toss routine out the window and caution to the wind. So pack condoms, and maybe even an emergency contraceptive like Plan B. That way if you forget to take your birth control or lose it on the road you’ll have a pregnancy protection back-up plan.

No matter what your birth control situation is, it is always best to be prepared for any situation. 

We hope these tips help and happy travels! 

 

 

 

There’s nothing worse than leaving for a big trip only to realize a few minutes later that you forgot to bring some crucial belongings with you.

At best, you get a little annoyed and try not it let it ruin your day. At worst, leaving something behind can worsen your mood and take you out of that vacation mindset.

We’ve partnered with our friends at Skinny Dipped Almonds to give you an idea of five last-minute carry-on items you need to make sure you bring with you on your next jaunt.

 

1. Skinny Dipped Almonds

Traveling is a lot less fun on an empty stomach—which is why we always try to pack at least a few tasty treats in our bags before we hop on a plane.

Skinny Dipped Almonds are one of our favorite last-minute items to bring along to any destination. These fiber and protein-packed almond treats make for the perfect snack and come in a variety of delicious flavors. So regardless of which flavors tickle your fancy, you shouldn’t have a problem finding one you like.

You can buy Skinny Dipped Almonds online. They’re also at most major brick-and-mortar grocers and retail stores, like Whole Foods, CVS, and Kroger. If you’re trying to be more specific, check out this store locator to find the place nearest you. 

If you forget to bring your favorite pack to the airport, don’t sweat it. You can buy Skinny Dipped products at most airport markets and newsstands. So, if you leave your favorite snack at home, they’ll save you in a pinch. 

Bring Skinny Dipped Almonds along with you on your next flight, and you won’t miss the free airplane nuts of years’ past.

 

2. Portable USB Phone Charger

These days, it’s unthinkable to travel without your smartphone. But if you forget to charge your phone the night before your flight, you might have to deal with living phoneless for at least a few hours. 

When your phone is dead, you can’t contact your friends, family, or colleagues when you get to your destination. You also won’t be able to order an Uber or search for the best public transit route to your destination. Just as importantly, you won’t be able to kill time searching the web or browsing your favorite social networks.

You can immediately solve this problem by bringing a portable USB phone charger or external battery on your next trip. If you forget to bring one or don’t have one, you might also be able to find one in an airport shop. You might have to pay a little more, but it’ll be totally worth it once you see that charging icon next to your 27% battery power.

 

3. Bottled Water 

You probably know that airplane travel makes you dehydrated. Of course, drinking lots of water is the best way to solve this problem.

If you forgot to bring your favorite reusable water bottle at home or in the taxi, pick up one small bottle of water at the nearest airport newsstand (after clearing airport security, of course).

Once you finish the water, keep the bottle and simply refill it at the next drinking fountain you see. This way, you’ll save money and will have a full bottle with you on your flight. See? Staying hydrated while traveling doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.

 

4. Travel-sized Hand Sanitizer

Germs are literally everywhere at the airport and on the airplane. In fact, the tray table in front of you has been determined to be even dirtier than the toilet flush handle in the bathroom. Yikes!

Of course, you want to keep your hands clean while you travel. An easy way to do that is by stocking a travel-sized hand sanitizer container in your bag. 

If you forget to bring one with you, grab one from the airport newsstand. It won’t cost more than a few dollars. You’ll have optimal hand hygiene no matter how many tray tables you encounter. 

Plus, your hands will be sparkling clean when you go to town on those delicious Skinny Dipped Almonds we told you about earlier.

 

5. Spare Headphones

Whether you’re waiting to get through a massive security line or you’re just relaxing mid-flight, sometimes you simply want to zone out and listen to music. When you’re in this kind of mood, what’s worse than realizing you forgot your headphones at home?

In the age of smartphones and mobile devices, it’s probably not that surprising that spare headphones are easy to find at airport newsstands and automated kiosks. You can even splurge on some high-end noise-canceling options if you’re feeling a little fancy. 

Wouldn’t you rather listen to your favorite tunes or an engaging podcast instead of the chatterbox in the row behind you for the next several hours?

Whether you’re flying across the state, across the country, or across the globe, traveling in comfort should always be a top priority.

As you prepare for your next trip, put together a little list to make sure you bring everything along with you that you need for an enjoyable flight. It might take a little bit more time. But, by doing so, you’ll kick off your vacation the right way and put yourself in a positive frame of mind to enjoy the rest of your trip.

Happy travels!