18 Dumbest Things Smart Travelers Waste Money On

Don’t Waste Your Money On These When Traveling

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💸 1. Currency exchange at the airport

Biggest rookie move. The rates are terrible and they tack on hidden fees.

Instead: Use an ATM or a travel-friendly credit card instead.

🎧 2. Buying overpriced neck pillows and travel gadgets at the airport

A $40 neck pillow that feels like a sack of potatoes? Nah.

Instead: Buy one online for a third of the price. This one is only ten bucks

📱 3. Roaming charges

Forgetting to get a local SIM or international plan can lead to a phone bill that looks like a car payment. Always plan your data ahead.

🔠4. Eating at tourist trap restaurants

That pasta place with a laminated menu and pictures? Yeah, you’re paying triple for spaghetti that tastes like regret. Been there done that

Instead: Go around the corner to smaller streets. The food will likely be as good or better. We did that in Rome, Italy and found a small cafe almost on a cliff. The great part was that it was facing the Pantheon.

🧳 5. Excess baggage fees

Overpacking like you’re moving abroad for 5 years? Nope.

Instead: Pack smart, weigh your bag, and avoid those brutal airline fees.

🚌 6. Hop-on hop-off buses in small cities

Unless you’re in a sprawling city, walking or using public transport is often faster, cheaper, and way more interesting.

🗺️ 7. Souvenirs that scream “Made in China”

Buying plastic Eiffel Towers in Paris? Might as well just light that 20€ bill on fire.

🨠8. Staying in chain hotels in areas full of charm

Why drop $300/night on a cookie-cutter hotel when a boutique spot or Airbnb could be half the price and twice the vibe?

🚗 9. Renting a car when you don’t need one

Especially in cities with great public transport or compact walkable neighborhoods. Now you’ve got parking fees, gas, AND stress.

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📟 10. Electronic luggage trackers… with no battery life

People drop $100+ on trackers that die mid-trip. If you’re buying one, get a reliable one (like an AirTag, we love ours) and keep it charged. Otherwise, it’s just a fancy keychain.

Instead: Get and replace or bring with you the 2032 batteries comparible with AirTag.

💨 11. Mini portable fans for airplanes

They’re the size of a deck of cards and blow less air than a whisper. For $20+, you’re better off fanning yourself with your boarding pass.

Instead: Each seat on every plane, even older models, has adjustable air vents. Point one towards you, but not directly, and adjust the air flow.

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📸 12. Oversized DSLR camera setups

Unless you’re a pro photographer or doing National Geographic-level work, lugging a giant camera + lenses is overkill. Smartphones these days shoot in 4K and fit in your pocket.

Instead: If you do bring a DSLR for better group, indoor, or evening shots take these lighter DSLR accessories: Manfrotto Camera Travel Tripod, LED Portable Camera Light, Lowepro Passport Sling DSLR Camera

🔌 13. All-in-one universal adapters with 57 unnecessary ports

Half of them don’t work, they weigh more than your laptop, and the USB-C port mysteriously never charges anything.

Instead: A compact, quality adapter is all you need.

🕶️ 14. “Smart” sunglasses with built-in speakers

They look like spy gear but sound like a busted radio. You’ll still end up using your earbuds. And you likely won’t look good in them

Instead: Get a great pair of regular sunglasses

🔦 15. High-tech “self-cleaning” water bottles

Cool in theory, but they’re $80+ and don’t actually filter anything dangerous — they just shine UV light. A basic filter bottle like a LifeStraw does more, for less.

Instead: Take along LifeStraw personal water filter

ðŸ›️ 16. Portable white noise machines

Just use an app on your phone. Lugging around a palm-sized speaker that plays ocean waves? Come on now.

Instead: White Noise Lite app, Sleep Sounds by Sleep Pillow, White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds

🧼 17. USB-powered portable washing machines

This one’s legendary. It’s just a bag that vibrates. For $70.

Instead: Just wash your socks in the sink like a normal person, and use liquid travel sink packets from Tide and other travel-size detergents

📺 18. Travel routers (for most people)

Unless you’re doing some serious remote work or connecting 5+ devices in dodgy Wi-Fi zones, these are bulky and unnecessary.

Instead: Unless you really need one and have one of these compact Travel WiFi Router

Get a reliable VPN for your computer and phone for travel and at home.

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