My youngest son has literally traveled around the globe and I’ve been amazed at how little he packs as he travels. He only takes a backpack as his luggage that has a zip-off day-pack attached. As holiday weekends approach he often searches for exceptional air fares for a quick get-away trip on a budget. He found a ticket recently from Charlotte NC to Philadelphia PA for $37 but there was a catch… this airline required passengers to pay a fee for any carry-on or check-in luggage that exceeded the air fare price!

In many cases travel by plane can be a financial challenge, especially in an emergency situation. It may be necessary to think in terms of minimalism when dealing with a limited budget. The question is “what do you really need to carry with you during your flight?” and “what is the purpose of your trip?”. That will determine your luggage requirements.

I have heard stories of folks who at the check-in counter had encountered over-weight luggage fees. They stepped away from the registration desk and returned soon afterwards wearing some extra clothing that had been packed in their luggage resulting in a now lighter luggage weight that avoided the higher fees. That caused me to think that a person could wear items normally packed in carry-on luggage and avoid added fees.

I looked up the fees from the budget airlines that had this restriction and found that they allowed a “personal item” for free. They must be no larger than 14” x 18” x 8” in size and must fit under the seat in front of you on the airplane. That personal item could carry a second set of clothes that would allow you to wash one set while wearing the other and one set may be more formal for any occasion where it was appropriate. If I chose to wear the extra set of clothes I would also carry a compact folding ruck sack so that once I landed at my destination I could remove the extra clothes and carry them separately along with any sundries that I might purchase along the way.

Smaller items such as electronics, hygiene items, snacks, and personal items can be carried in coat pockets. Plastic bags are useful to keep all of the small items together and your pockets dry. It is a simple thing to lay the loaded coat into the TSA tray on your way through inspection. Extra needed items might be purchased upon arrival to your destination.

You may enjoy these links to other travel tips.

– For water proof storage: Packing clothes and other items inside plastic bags within your backpack or luggage will help sort and retrieve things more easily. The contents will stay dry if you drop your pack or bag in water or are caught in the rain for an extended period of time.

– To expedite travel bag inspections: When traveling by public transporation where security inspections take place your luguage contents can be easily inspected by security personnel and will remain intact. I keep non-approved items in a separate bag so that it can be easily removed and left behind before-hand, however, it remains in my bag if I travel privately.

– As a clothes washer: A large bag can be partially filled with water with a bit of soap. Next, insert a few clothes items that need washing. Gently toss the bag from hand to hand to agitate. Clothes can be rinsed the same way with plain water.

– As a canteen: Water can be carried in a sealable plastic bag that when opened at the corner provides a spout from which to drink. It can be placed inside a second plastic bag for an extra measure of protection against leaks. For transport it can then be kept inside a cloth bag or pocket, providing it with support and added insulation.

– As a cooler: A bag filled with ice can keep it’s contents cool for many hours. This works best with sealed items like cans or bottles.

– As an ice pack: A bag can be partially filled with water and frozen around an object or instead you can just fill it with ice.

– As a funnel: You can cut a tip off of the bottom corner and pour contents into the top. This has worked successfully for adding gasoline into a car tank in a pinch.

– As a tinder carrier: Keeping tinder dry could prove to be critical when traveling in a survival situation.

– As a water lens for making solar fire: By filling the bag with water, squeezing out the air, and forming it into a ball, you can focus light on a sunny day well enough to start a solar method fire (yes, I’ve done this…).

– As a fishing float or buoy: You can attach a fishing line or anchored line to an inflated bag to either fish or mark a spot for submerged items.

Perhaps you have used sealable plastic bags in other travel or emergency situations. Please leave a comment from your experiences.