5 Budget Traveler Must-Haves 

(The things you need)

Traveling on a budget is hard. You don’t want to get stuck in a situation where you’re buying things you don’t need, or overspending on useful items because you didn’t plan enough. At the same time, budget travel is smart travel. That means that even though you can go without some things, you know that if you research and find affordable options, you don’t need to, and having them may actually save you money and stress later. 

Whether it’s a book on a long plane ride, packing cubes for organized luggage, or simply lip balm and lotion, there are plenty of small things that you might think you don’t need, but ultimately, they make your life a lot easier for a small price. Here is my list of the top 5 items every budget traveler needs to get by on any trip!

1

This power bank is a must for anyone going on a trip. It can charge an smartphone up to 5 times, a Macbook twice, and an iPad 3 times. That means not having to cram next to the outlets at the airport and being able to keep your Netflix binge going. An added bonus: you get an 12-month warranty if there’s any issues! 

The charger is light, and can charge four devices at once, great for on-the-go charging. I can never trust my battery life to last, and I use my phone for so much, from looking at maps to ordering food. With this power bank, I know that I don’t have to worry about it dying at any point while I’m traveling. That means I’m not stressing about ever getting stranded and having no way to contact anyone to help! 

2

Good quality, yet inexpensive noise-canceling headphones to silent the roar of the jet engines and unhappy babies. These in-ear headphones are convenient and easy to use. I love bluetooth headphones, so I don’t have to worry about the cord getting caught on anything and ripping them out of my ears mid-song. 

It has a long battery life of 8 hours of continued music listening, and a quick charge within 2 hours. Good noise-canceling headphones are an item every budget traveler needs, but you don’t need to splurge on the trendy, super expensive versions when there are great affordable options like these.

3

Every traveler should have a universal adapter to charge your stuff in just about any country. It can also charge up to four devices at once, so you only need one outlet for all your devices! Seriously, when traveling internationally, it can be really hard to find an outlet anywhere, so when you go, it’s beneficial to be able to charge multiple devices with one adaptor. There is also a secure pin-locking mechanism that keeps the adapter from shifting between modes when in use.

4

A neck pillow set with an eye mask and earplugs that all folds up into a bag the size of your hand. It’s so convenient, with memory foam that shapes to you. It’s lightweight and can be put in a convenient bag that easily attaches to any carry-on, not taking up room that you need for other things. The eye mask is super dark and contoured to keep out all light, and is definitely better quality than the ones they give you on planes. It all easily fits in the compact bag, and is a great grab and go kit for any trip!

5

Tile Mate is a low-cost Bluetooth tracker that you can add to anything to keep track of it. Whether you’re always misplacing your keys, wallet, or anything else, the Tile Mate is a great and easy way to make sure you never lose anything again. This is especially important for when you’re taking trips. 

The Tile Mate is reasonably priced, and you can get a single, two-pack, or four-pack. You use your phone to locate the Tile and what it’s attached to, but it also works the other way. Double tap on the Tile Mate, and your phone will ring even if it’s on silent! Trust me, it’s worth it. 

Hopefully you find this list helpful for your own trip planning! Over my years traveling, I’ve learned that there are a handful of things that I just can’t take a trip without. Looking at this list, the items might not seem important, but to me, they make my travel a lot less stressful, so I can focus more on relaxing and enjoying my vacation!