7 Things That Are Cheaper to Buy Than Pack

Airport gift shops and hotel lobbies will sell you destination t-shirts for $15-25. That's roughly what you'd pay at Target, except these come with "I ♥ NY" or wherever you actually went.

The real value isn't the shirt, it's the suitcase space. Three t-shirts weigh about a pound and take up room you could use for souvenirs you actually want to bring home. Buy a couple tees at your destination, wear them during the trip, and either pack them for the return flight or donate them to a local thrift shop on your last day.

A hardcover book weighs about a pound. Two paperbacks, same. That New Yorker you grabbed at Hudson News? Four ounces. None of this seems heavy until you're standing at the baggage counter watching the scale climb toward 50 pounds.

Buy reading material after security instead. Most major airport terminals have bookstores with current bestsellers, magazines, and newspapers. Browse while you wait for your flight, pick up something for the plane, and leave it in your hotel room when you're done.

Better yet, get an e-reader. A Kindle weighs 6 ounces and holds thousands of books. The upfront cost ($100-180) pays for itself after your second or third trip when you realize you're not hauling three pounds of books through airport security anymore.

Unless you're staying somewhere particularly fancy, nobody sees your pajamas. Any old t-shirt works, or a $10 set of cotton PJs from a local discount store.

Here's the move: grab cheap sleepwear at your destination–CVS, Walgreens, or a local equivalent and wear it all week. Then either pack it for the return trip or leave it behind. You just saved a pound of luggage weight both directions.

Hotel rooms include mini shampoo, conditioner, and soap. Vacation rentals and budget accommodations don't, which is where drugstores come in.

Basic shampoo at CVS or Walgreens runs $3-6. Toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant are all cheaper to buy locally than to check a bag. A small bottle of shampoo also doubles as emergency laundry detergent for sinks or bathtub hand-washing.

Buy what you need when you land, use it all week, and either bring the leftovers home or leave them for the next guest. Except if you're traveling internationally and have specific brand requirements, then you should pack travel sizes.

Lonely Planet guidebooks weigh 12-18 ounces and cost $20-30. Rick Steves’ guides run about the same. That's a pound of paper you'll consult maybe five times during your trip.

Buy guidebooks at your destination in either the hotel gift shop, airport bookstores, or local shops. Or download PDF chapters from the web and read them on your phone or tablet. No extra weight, same information, and you're not hauling a guidebook through airport security just to discover half the restaurants closed since the last edition.

Alternatively, photocopy relevant sections and fold them into your carry-on, and recycle them when you're done.

Airport terminal food has improved significantly in recent years. Major hubs now have smoothie bars, grab-and-go salads, and sushi counters alongside the usual burger chains. You'll pay airport markup ($8-12 for lunch), but you won't pay $35 for a checked bag because you packed granola bars.

Check your airport's website before departure to see what food options exist past security. If you spot healthy choices, leave the snacks at home and buy something after you clear TSA. Your carry-on just got lighter, and you avoided that awkward moment when security confiscates your homemade hummus because you forgot the 3.4-ounce rule.

Buy a water bottle after security, use it all trip, then decide whether to pack it home or recycle it. Most airports now have water fountains with bottle-filling stations, and nearly every hotel room has a sink.

The exception: if you already own a collapsible water bottle like the Vapur Anti-Bottle, pack it. Foldable bottles weigh almost nothing and take up minimal space. But if your only option is a rigid 16-ounce bottle, buy a cheap one at your destination instead.

Checking a bag costs $35-40 each way on most airlines. Buying a $6 bottle of shampoo, a $15 t-shirt, and a $12 water bottle at your destination costs $33. You're basically even, except now you have extra suitcase space for souvenirs on the return flight.

The savings multiply for families. Buy basics at your destination instead, and you've just funded a nice dinner or a museum day. Even better: skip the checked bag entirely. Pack a carry-on with clothes, shoes, and electronics. Buy everything else when you land.

You'll breeze through the airport, avoid baggage claim, and never worry about lost luggage again. Not everything makes sense to buy at your destination. Pack your prescriptions, electronics, and anything irreplaceable. But everything else is cheaper to buy than schlep.