“This Hack Saved My Trip”: 30 Genius Tips Seasoned Travelers Don’t Gatekeep

Traveling can be one of life’s greatest joys—or an absolute headache if you’re not prepared. While everyone knows the basics (pack light, keep your passport safe, and download offline maps), there’s a whole world of lesser-known tips that seasoned travelers swear by.

#1

Image source: wetback, freepik

Walk 3 blocks away from the tourist attraction for lunch. Food will be 3 times better, at 1/3 the price.

#2

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Stash a few different sized ziplocks in your suitcase. Dirty hotel remotes? Stick it in a ziplock. Soiled clothes and no way to wash? Keeps them separated and smells contained. Shells from the beach. Trash bag. Snack holder. Purse organizer. Barf bag. Ice pack. Coin holder. Leak prevention for liquids. Keep a change of clothes rolled up tight in your backpack. Keeps sand off an e-reader at the beach. Endless possibilities.

#3

Image source: huybecool, reddit

This is going to be controversial. If you have the poor misfortune of sitting next to someone that reeks of body odour, a little bit of tiger balm around your nostrils will mask every smell around you. Use small quantities and reapply as required.

This worked great when I had to sit next to someone through an 8 hour flight. Every time they laughed their whole body would shake and release what can only be described as sewer.

#4

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Pre-download offline Google maps for the area you’re going to be in so you can still navigate, even if you don’t have cell service.

#5

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I don’t know if this will count, but I’ve traveled with people who get extremely and overly annoyed about flight delays, hassles, hiccups, etc. Their responses and attitudes for me, are often worse than the situation.

My “hack” is that I go into the airport with the mindset that my only goal is to eventually arrive at my destination. In the meantime, it will be easier if I check my ego at the door until I get off the plane.

That means understanding that I am not important. My needs and desires are irrelevant. I am little more than a sheep or cattle being shuffled to and fro until I grab my bags and get off the plane at my destination. I paid for this and the airline and whatever s****y circumstances I’m exposed to do not require me to respond with aggravation.

Basically, just shut off your ego and let what happens, happen. Screaming, whining, and getting irate aren’t going to solve much at all.

#6

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Ear plugs. I can’t tell you how many people complain about noise and that it ruined their vacation, etc, etc. I wear them nightly b/c my husband snores, and I take them everywhere. Long flight? Noisy hotel? Irritating music at the beach? Cheap ear plugs are in all my toiletry bags.

#7

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Everyone learns local language words for hello, goodbye, thank you, please. But one that always makes people happy:

Delicious.

#8

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In a foreign country, grab a hotel business card to show locals/taxi if you need directions or a ride.

#9

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If you’re traveling with a partner share your clothes between suitcases, then if one goes missing you can still manage for a few days while you track it down.

#10

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Study stoicism. Sometimes you’re going to miss your bus, other times the bus might leave without you due to no fault of your own. Sometimes the restaurant you try will be bad and still expensive, and other times the one you walked a mile to find won’t even be open. Either way, you can get upset or anxious in those situations and ruin your day/week/whole trip, or you can just accept it’s part of the experience and figure out how to proceed from there.

#11

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Take a picture of all important documents such as passports, insurance, driver’s license. If you don’t have cloud storage, send it to yourself in an email!

#12

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Pack a power strip with an appropriate adapter for wherever you’re going. Not every place has enough outlets to charge your devices. This is particularly handy if traveling with a group.

#13

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Get some compression stockings for city trips where you walk a lot. Don’t be afraid that those are only for old people and get some that are made for exercising like running.

Your feet will hurt much less and will recover faster.

I can recommend this brand.

There are also cheap versions on Amazon, but those feel just like tight socks and even hurt my feet.

#14

Image source: morganpotato, freepik

If you’re lost, go to a hotel for directions, not a gas station.

Hotel employees are so knowledgeable, and often have access to maps and google and can help you with directions, where to eat, etc.

#15

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When checking out of your hotel, before they charge your credit card for the full price, use some or all of your local currency/pocket change towards paying the bill. Saves you bringing home foreign currency and avoid currency conversion charges.

#16

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ESIMs are a time-saver—skip the hassle of getting a physical sim, and you can connect as soon as you land if you set it up ahead of time.

Also, not sure if this is a travel hack, but I always do a deep clean of my house and put fresh, pressed sheets on my bed before I leave. That way, when I get back, all I have to do is throw my clothes in the laundry and not stress about cleaning. It’s such a nice way to come home to a clean space!

#17

Image source: Awkward_Point4749, reddit

-I’ve seen someone use an AirTag for their suitcase, just in case it gets stolen. Also too, take a photo of your luggage just in case the airlines lose it, which has happened to me before.

-make a paper copy of your passport and pack that too, in case your passport gets stolen.

-If you struggle with packing, make + keep a default list of items you’d normally pack so you don’t forget anything.

-If you have multiple bags/suitcases, bungee cords are an easy and compact way to bundle bags on top a wheeled suitcase.

-Zip up your suitcase and keep it closed if you’re not actively using items. I had a terrifying spider crawl out of my suitcase once bc I used to just keep it open.

-obtain foreign currency before you travel, at a legitimate foreign currency exchange.

#18

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If you’re staying in place with a kitchen and plan to be cooking a lot, I get one of those Monday-Friday pill organizers and fill them with cooking spices and put them in my luggage.

#19

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I’m sure plenty of people know this “hack” but I’ve surprised my friends quite a few times with this knowledge: I had a friend who was trying to go to Ireland somewhat short notice and the flights were crazy expensive. I told him to look into London and then fly to Ireland from there. He saved $300 on the flight to London and a flight to Ireland was £19.

This works for a lot of places in Europe as well. I’ve flown into London for trips to Ireland, Spain, Italy, France… etc.

#20

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Learned this from reddit, but have a “mistakes” fund. Give yourself say 100$-500$ (depending on the trip) where your mistakes cost will go to, for example a missed train ride, or flight change fee, tourist scams, etc. It will help you not get one bad thing ruin the whole trip, especially if you are traveling with a travel partner or group.

#21

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If you’re alone at the beach and want to swim, put your belongings in a sealed diaper. Very few will gamble.

#22

Image source: ktappe, reddit

Packing cubes.

Whenever I mention them, the recipient seems to say “yeah, I use those!“. But I don’t see anybody else actually using them.

#23

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Carry more than one debit card. If one gets eaten by an ATM and you have no way of getting in touch with the operators, you’ve still got another one.

Carry more than one credit card just in case fraudulent charges show up on one while you’re traveling and you need to cancel it.

I’ve had both situations happen to me. Having multiple cards saved me a lot of time and hassle.

#24

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I keep a journal while I travel as I usually forget the details.

#25

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I take a travel pillow, remove the pillow, and refill it with socks/undies/bathing suit/pjs. More space in your carry on!

Bonus points; I pack all my old stuff that I need to throw out anyway, and throw it out after I wear it. (My husband hates this hack).

#26

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ALWAYS carry on anything you can’t afford to lose, both monetarily and sentimentally!!

#27

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Look up a hotel’s number based on their booking.com listing and contact them directly either with a phone call or on WhatsApp and ask for their price, cash and credit card, and often times, it’s cheaper.

#28

Image source: anon, reddit

AirTags in every luggage you have whether checked or carry on. They helped us finding a suitcase Air France lost, and was sitting in the terminal in Paris for a few days. Hi you guys lost my suitcase. Ok we’ll have to find it. It’s in terminal 2E, in the blah blah building. How do you know? AirTag. Hi, Bucharest, when is my luggage arriving? We have to look for it. It’s in the logistics building. How do you know? AirTag. Can you tell which part of the building? Yes, closer to the car rental agencies. Great. Hours later found.

#29

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You’re allowed to empty your pockets before you get to the belt with the bins!

#30

Never buy your flight thru a bucket shop or second vendor i.e. expedia. If you have a flight canceled or delayed you will have to go thru them to get a refund which will never happen.

You can look at the schedules and prices online, but always buy directly with the carrier and have no shame about asking for the same price online. If it’s $50 more, worth it.

Image source: nursebad