These 8 travel essentials actually pay you back

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There’s no denying it — there are endless gadgets and accessories to make your travel easier, more comfortable, and more organized. But if a top goal is to keep your travel costs down, not every product is a must-have.

Some travel gear, however, can actually save you money. The right products can help you avoid checked bag fees, keep you from buying overpriced food and drinks while traveling, and even allow you to pack less and do laundry along the way.

Here are some of the travel products I personally use that can help pay for themselves over time.

Packing cubes — especially compression-focused ones — are one of my favorite travel items. Not only do they help me keep my clothes and other accessories organized, but the compression feature also squeezes everything down, which lets me pack significantly more in my suitcase.

My personal favorite is the EPICKA TripCozy Compression Packing Cubes. But if you’re looking for a lower-cost option, the BAGAIL Compression Packing Cubes are a great option as well.

When trying to pack for a longer trip, compression packing cubes let me fit everything into my carry-on instead of checking a bag. And as we all know, checking a bag these days can cost a small fortune.

We tested 4 different packing cubes: Which one is best?

So while there’s an added cost to purchasing compression cubes, they can pay for themselves in just one or two trips. And trust me, they will change your packing strategy — and make living out of a suitcase significantly better.

Get the EPICKA TripCozy Compression Packing Cubes at Amazon
Get the BAGAIL Compression Packing Cubes at Amazon

Carry-on luggage is usually my go-to — even during my recent three-week trip to Europe. But there are times when checked luggage is a must, and usually that’s during a ski trip out West.

That’s when a digital luggage scale comes in handy. Airlines have weight limits for checked luggage, and going over that limit can result in some incredibly expensive overweight baggage fees. And for me personally, ski gear — along with bulky clothes — isn’t light in nature and my checked luggage can get quite heavy.

While there are a few different luggage scale options, I’m a fan of the Travel Inspira Luggage Scale.

Being able to check the weight of my checked bags at home before I get to the airport is incredibly helpful — and significantly reduces my stress at the airline counter.

For the price of a luggage scale, avoiding even one overweight-bag fee can make it worthwhile.

Get the Travel Inspira Luggage Scale at Amazon

If there’s one thing I hate paying for on vacation, it’s bottled water. To me, it’s an unnecessary cost that can add up significantly — especially when traveling with a family of four.

Having a reusable water bottle on hand lets me fill up for free whenever I have access to a water fountain or refill station, which are typically easy to find.

But to go one step further, a collapsible water bottle is perfect for the on-the-go traveler. I carry the HYDAWAY Collapsible Water Bottle since it can collapse down to a mere 1.5-inch profile and weighs just 17 ounces.

While it doesn’t save more money on water than a traditional reusable bottle, it saves space in my bag and means I don’t have to carry a bulky bottle around all day.

Once I’ve finished my water, I can simply collapse the bottle and stick it into my backpack or even handbag. I also use my collapsible water bottles at home, so they get plenty of mileage.

Get the HYDAWAY Collapsible Water Bottle at Amazon

One of the easiest ways to save money on a longer trip is to do your own laundry.

Instead of packing enough clothes for two weeks, you can bring a smaller wardrobe and wash items along the way. The problem is that hotel laundry services can be expensive, and even laundromats can add up when you're traveling as a family.

That's where laundry sheets come into play.

They're lightweight, take up almost no room in your luggage, and eliminate the need to carry a bulky bottle of detergent. You can use them to hand-wash clothes in your hotel sink or take them to a laundromat.

During my recent trip to Europe, I brought the Enyur Laundry Sheets with me, and sink laundry became the norm. I even brought along clothespins to make drying my clothes even easier.

Get the Enyur Laundry Sheets at Amazon

Food and snacks at the airport are ridiculously overpriced. But you can avoid that cost before you even leave the house by filling up some reusable silicone bags.

Then use them to pack snacks, sandwiches, or fruit you purchase at the grocery store or convenience store. And you can continue to use them at your destination — they’re useful for a day at the beach, a visit to an amusement park, or any tourist attraction where food prices can be high.

They also work well for storing leftovers, giving you another way to avoid wasting food — or paying for another meal when you already have one sitting in the refrigerator.

Get the 10 Leakproof Reusable Bags at Amazon

Depending on your destination, if there’s water involved, having a lightweight, quick-drying towel on hand can save you from having to buy one at your destination.

In my experience, the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel is super compact, dries quickly, and comes with its own carrying bag. I have several of them and they’ve come with us on more than a dozen vacations.

On my recent trip to Europe, beach towels were a necessity — and they weren’t provided by most of our accommodations. Of course, we could have purchased overpriced towels at our destination, but having our own lightweight towels meant we could easily pack them in our backpacks (while taking up much less space) and use them at our spontaneous lake stop and during our whitewater rafting adventure.

Get the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel at Amazon

If you’re a tea or coffee drinker, a collapsible portable travel kettle can come in handy. Rather than buying your morning coffee at the hotel or nearby cafe, you can make your own using coffee or tea you've brought from home.

The savings can be particularly noticeable on longer trips or when you're traveling with multiple people.

Your kettle can also be used for making oatmeal or heating up a quick cup of noodles or soup later in the day. That helps you save on the cost of breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

And if you really want to go all out, the STOJO Collapsible Travel Cup provides travelers with a way to take their coffee or tea with them on the go.

Get the Portable Collapsible Electric Travel Kettle at Amazon
Get the STOJO Collapsible Travel Cup at Amazon

Don’t worry about purchasing oversized and expensive toiletries at your destination. Instead, pack your own products from home with these leakproof silicone travel bottles. They meet the TSA’s carry-on size requirements and let you bring your everyday essentials, such as shampoo, body wash, moisturizer, and even liquid medications — all in your carry-on luggage.

I’ve been using these for a few years now and they’ve completely changed how I pack. Not only do I not have to worry about finding a store at my destination, but I also get to bring my favorite products with me.

These were extremely helpful during my recent trip to Europe where many of the accommodations I stayed at offered an all-in-one soap, shampoo, and conditioner — which isn’t my favorite way to wash my hair!

Get the 18-Pack of Travel Bottles for Toiletries at Amazon