Travel Tip Tuesday: Australia Requires a Visa

Until doing a bit of research, I had no idea we needed a travel visa to go to Australia.

The process is as easy as going to a website (https://www.eta.immi.gov.au/ETA/etas.jsp), putting in your passport and personal information, and paying $20 per person, but, still, you need a visa.

The airline didn't tell me.  I had no warning.  I found out from a random website while doing travel planning.  So do a bit of research to find out whether or not the country you're going to visit will let you in before you get there.

I'm glad this worked out okay for us.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Packing Solution = Eagle Creek Pack-Its

A while back, we started using Eagle Creek Pack It travel folders to pack our clothes. 

They are these great folders that help you fold your clothes and keep them compressed.  I have some in different colors to help separate my pants from tops. 

Kris is anti excess.  He doesn't like carrying bags in bags, but he uses these too.  They just make you pack much more efficiently and help you utilize your packing space.

I've just recently started carrying around a third folder...for those dirty clothes.  Not only do I not have another bag to lug around, my dirty clothes are separated in a manageable way into that third pack-it and fit into my luggage without issue.

Pack Its come in three different sizes, but only the small and medium size fit in carry-ons. 

We even got a Pack It for my friend (and co-worker's) birthday.

They even fit in my travel backpack!

Travel Tip Tuesday: Laundry 3-in-1 pads

Instead of bringing laundry detergent, bring Purex laundry 3-in-1 pads. They make your clothes smell good, don't count against your liquid allowance, and are your detergent, softener, and antistatic sheet in one.

Doing laundry could save you money by allowing you to only take a carry-on bag instead of checked luggage.  Now-a-days, that can save you over $50 per trip per person.

Travel Tip Tuesday: Shopping Portals for Travel Purchases

Recently, while booking a hotel, I noticed the best price for the hotel I was looking at was both on Orbitz and Travelocity.

Both Orbitz and Travelocity have bonus miles for booking through my credit card shopping portal.  Orbitz earns 1 bonus point per dollar with the portal while Travelocity earns 2 bonus points per dollar with the portal.

By spending a few more seconds checking, I got 3 points per dollar instead of only 2 (or one if I'd not shopped through the portal at all).

Hotels.com on my shopping portal would have awarded me 4 points per dollar, but the price wasn't competitive for the same hotel.

It's always good to make sure you maximize your mileage opportunities.  =)

Travel Tip Tuesday: Coolers on Car Trips

If you are taking a trip where you'll be driving around a lot, it's a good idea to get a small collapsible soft cooler that you can pack in your luggage and take with you. If you plan it well, you'll be able to actually pack your clothes inside of the cooler, and it'll hardly take up any space in your baggage.

If your lodging doesn't provide ice but you have a mini-fridge and freezer, you can freeze your water bottles for the day to keep your stuff cold.

The money you save not paying for marked up beverages everywhere will be well worth it.