New Year, New Travel Hacks

7 Digitally Awesome Ways to Make Traveling Easier and Cheaper

Did the start of a new year set off a serious case of wanderlust? We hear you! With twelve fresh months ahead, travel is a great way to fill up those empty calendar pages.

But before you book your next trip, check out our techie travel hacks for better vacays, the techie way.

• Charge all day

  If you’re in a new city, chances are most of your time will be spent out and about—in other words, not at your hotel, charging devices.

  Slip a portable charger into your purse or pocket before you head out for the day, so you can stay juiced up all day (and night!).

  Because no matter how much you love your boujee frappuccino, you don’t want to be stuck in a cafe, using one of their outlets to get your phone battery back up to 30%.

• Download your boarding pass

  Going digital with your boarding pass? Awesome. Not being able to retrieve your boarding pass? Um, not so awesome!

  Airport WiFi is notoriously unreliable. And your provider’s signal might not be too strong. But no signal, no worries: we’ve got you covered with one of our favorite travel hacks.

  Don’t be “that passenger” and hold up the line. Download your boarding pass (or take a screenshot of it) and make boarding a breeze.

• Journal on the go

  We’re huge fans of journals for storing our favorite travel memories.

  But we don’t blame you if you don’t want to carry a bulky, heavy journal around all day. And why should you, with travel hacks that make being a tourist so easy?

  While you’re out and about, use “found” time (standing in line, on public transportation, etc.) to jot down quick notes in your phone.

  When you’re back home, you can take all the time you need to write it out in your fanciest journal with your curliest cursive.

• Order food

  Between delish local grub and bottomless poolside margaritas, eating healthy on vacay is always a challenge.

  Make your travels a little easier on your wallet and your waistline by ordering groceries online and having them delivered to your hotel or Airbnb.

  Prepare yourself a healthy breakfast, then load your backpack or purse with your favorite trail mixes, fruit, and other energy-packed snacks to keep you energized for the day’s adventures.

  Cheap, delicious, and super easy!

• Ship your bags

  Let’s be honest: traveling with luggage is a hassle. From lugging them through the airport to wasting time at baggage claim, checking your bags is soooo 2022.

  Instead, ship your bags directly from your home to your final destination with LugLess.

  All you have to do is create a digital label on your phone, then have the nearest UPS or FedEx location scan and ship your bags for you.

  Easy-peasy and super techie.

• Take screenshots

  Researching your trip on your phone? Take screenshots!

  Museum exhibit hours? Screenshot. The address of that trendy new cafe? Screenshot. Subway map? You already know…

  Create a photo album in your phone, and you’ll have all the trip info you need, no WiFi or “What was the name of that place…” required.

• Use maps offline

  Did you know that you can download Google maps and use your maps offline?

  While you still have WiFi, enter the name of the city you’re visiting and tap in the center of the map. Then select “Download” from the list of options. If you find yourself without WiFi or if data takes too long, you’ll still be able to use your map to get around.

  Yeah, we kind of love this tip, too!

Traveling is an expensive hobby, but our travel hacks will help you save money—and time, and hassles. Cheers to exciting adventures in the new year!