20 Tips
1. Put toys within kids' reach on road trips. Hang a shoe organizer on the back of the passenger seat so children can keep stuffed animals, books, and games organized in the pockets. Having everything close at hand may prevent meltdowns along the way. Jennifer Casasanto, Newton, Mass.
2. Use half a contact lens case to carry your medicine. My husband cut an old lens case in two and uses the halves for his medication when we're traveling. He prefers them to regular pillboxes because lens cases are watertight and compact enough to carry in a shirt pocket. Jean Holtmann, Broken Arrow, Okla.
3. Don't rush off the car-rental lot. Before driving away--especially in foreign countries where the controls might be unfamiliar--test the headlights and brakes, and look for the extra tire and changing tools. I once had a rental with malfunctioning brakes in Mexico and caused a minor accident--one that could have been avoided had I checked them properly before leaving the lot. Doreen Stelton, Lemont, Ill.
4. Buy multiple memory cards for your digital camera. Instead of investing in one large-capacity memory card, consider purchasing two smaller ones for the same price. That way, if your camera is stolen, you won't lose all your pictures. Ashley Miller, Miami, Fla.
5. Light sticks can replace a night-light. Finding the bathroom in the middle of the night in a strange hotel room or cruise-ship cabin can be a challenge. Leaving the bathroom light on seems wasteful and makes the room too bright for sleeping. My husband and I used to travel with a night-light, but we couldn't always find a convenient place to plug it in. We've recently discovered a better solution: plastic light sticks. They come in several glow-in-the-dark colors and are activated by bending the tube into a circle and connecting the ends. Each evening, we hook one of the loops over the bathroom door handle, where it provides a gentle glow through the night. Carol Attar, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.
You can find more tips in the July/August 2006 issue of Budget Travel magazine.