{"id":1478,"date":"2021-07-26T16:45:11","date_gmt":"2021-07-26T20:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skypointfcu.com\/wph\/workarea\/?p=1478"},"modified":"2021-09-02T16:03:31","modified_gmt":"2021-09-02T20:03:31","slug":"what-not-to-buy-for-your-vacation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skypointfcu.com\/wph\/workarea\/blog\/what-not-to-buy-for-your-vacation\/","title":{"rendered":"What Not to Buy for Your Vacation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Purchasing a bunch of unnecessary items and then overpacking for a trip<\/a> won\u2019t just annoy your traveling companions and give you a sore arm from lugging around a heavy suitcase. It can also blow your limited vacation money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what not to buy for your next vacation in order to save both money and time<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Travel-size products<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Avoid travel-size products, says Tracy Stewart, content editor of travel deal site Airfarewatchdog.com. Travel sizes can be enticing and easier to pack, but they\u2019re not typically economical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cThey\u2019re not very smart to buy in terms of cost,\u201d Stewart says. \u201cThey\u2019re really only slightly less than the full-size versions, and usually they contain just a fraction of the actual product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It often makes better financial sense to stock up on necessities after you arrive at your destination, says Stephen Solosky, founder of TravelingProfessor.com and professor emeritus of math at Nassau Community College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Waiting to buy such items could help you avert checked bag fees, says Solosky, who\u2019s lasted 45 days on a trip with only a carry-on. His first stop when he lands? The supermarket. Remember, he says, you\u2019re not going to another planet. You can buy most everything you would get at home while you\u2019re away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Typical hotel amenities<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Read this tip before you make a Target or Walmart run to stock up on trip supplies. Skip any products you can get for free in your hotel room, suggests Jessica Sanders, a frequent traveler and founder of The Happiest Blog on Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Sanders recommends calling the hotel where you\u2019ll be staying ahead of time to see which items it regularly places in the rooms. It may provide guests with shampoo, conditioner, soap and even makeup remover wipes, she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Duplicate items<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Solosky and Sanders both say to ask the other members of your group what they\u2019ll be bringing on the trip with them. For some items, you can share. That\u2019ll save money and room in your luggage, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        You may be able to borrow your daughter\u2019s flatiron or buy one tube of toothpaste to share with your spouse, for instance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        1. Workout attire<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          If you\u2019re going to a warm or tropical destination, don\u2019t bother wasting money and space on a bulky towel. Most resorts and cruises have beach towels available for you to use after your swim, Sanders says. But as with the hotel amenities, check with your destination ahead of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Similarly, buy and pack yoga pants or running shoes only if you\u2019re certain you\u2019ll use them. Avid exercisers can benefit from them, but if you\u2019re hoping to kick-start a workout regimen on vacation, you might be better off waiting until you\u2019re back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \u201cIf it\u2019s just wishful thinking, leave them at home,\u201d Sanders says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          If you\u2019re traveling internationally, buy and bring fewer clothing items and do laundry (check online for laundromats near your destination before you depart). The plus side? It\u2019s a great way to meet the locals, Solosky says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          1. Anything valuable or brand new<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            When possible, bring used items from home, as opposed to buying brand new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Solosky often shops at secondhand stores before his trips. That way, if he pays only $1 for a T-shirt, he has no problem leaving it overseas. If you don\u2019t want to throw things away, consider donating apparel and supplies you no longer need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            In a sense, traveling smart is as much about what you pack when you start out as it is about what you pack on your way home. \u201cIt\u2019s not what I bring, it\u2019s what I leave when I get there,\u201d Solosky says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            So what about every other category of item you might be thinking of buying? To keep purchasing in check, Sanders says to ask yourself: What would be hard to replace at your destination if you left it behind?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            More From NerdWallet<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n