#Travel140: Sharing is Saving

#Travel140 #TravelTip: Tired of airline baggage fees? A bigger bag – not too big, though – could actually help your family save on airline fees by sharing your suitcase space. But don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you team up with complete strangers at the airport.

We don’t imagine Sir Richard Branson has to worry about luggage fees, but think about how many souvenirs you could bring back from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with THAT suitcase!

If the baggage fee your airline charges was a person, it would be the least popular person at every party on the entire planet. But you can’t let your family go on vacation with no clothes, so you cough up at least $100 for a family of four, right?

Wrong. Take a look in your family’s suitcases, and in yours. Are they all stuffed to the brim, or could you re-arrange a bit and fit everything into one less suitcase? That would mean one less fee to pay. Often times, a family of four can travel with just two checked bags, provided everyone packs sensibly. (Note: We dare you to try this with a teen-aged daughter. We haven’t succeeded yet!)

Of course, you won’t be saving money if any bags are too full. Be sure to check your airline’s baggage allowances and weigh your bags (our link; see below) to avoid fees for bags that are overweight or too large. Then take the money you saved and use it to enjoy your vacation that much more.

Here’s an inexpensive and very portable luggage scale that we got from Amazon (our link). When you buy from Amazon through our links, you pay the same price but we get a small fee from Amazon to help pay for Rob’s latte obsession. So, thanks in advance!

Have you tried this tip, or have other sneaky ways to avoid airline fees? We’d love to hear about it in the Comments!

Can’t get enough travel tips? Here’s more #Travel140!