New Year, New Ways to Make Your Travels Better

There are always ways to make your travel better and if you didn't get any of those things for the holidays, it's okay, because I'm here to give you ideas on what to buy yourself with any of those Amazon gift cards or Grandma money you got instead.

I'm a travel gadget person there are things I always take with me and different stuff I take for different trips. If you feel like you could be traveling a little better and want something new, here are some of the things you should add to your carry-on.

Did you do all the walking? Does your body hurt? Get a cheap in-room massage by bringing along this little travel massage gun. It comes with several attachments and it's own carrying case. $59.99

Can't sleep when it's too quiet? Bring along your white noise without having to use your phone all night. This mini white noise machine is great for everyone, especially if you travel with babies who need a way to drown out sound from the next room. It comes in a bunch of colors $15.99+

Whether you take medication or you just like to be prepared with over-the-counter aids, this folding multi-compartment pill case has room for so much. Fill up with all your pills or with ibuprofen, allergy meds, and vitamins. Get 3 for $6.99 or 1 for $4.49

Stop tweaking your neck by looking down at your phone your entire flight. Get you - and your travel partner(s) - these great little phone holders that are specifically made to go on the seatback of planes, but can also be used in the car, on your luggage, on the table and probably a lot more places. $13.97 for one or $25.97 for two in different colors

Keep your hands free, for holding your child's hand, eating a bagel, or shopping with this handy drink holder that slides onto your wheelie bag handle. That way you can have your coffee and your water or bottles of juice that get held for two seconds and then shoved into your hand. Not only does it hold two cups or bottles, but the pockets are insulated! Plus it also has a zipper pocket for little things like napkins or your change, a mesh pocket for your phone, a strap to keep your personal item on top of your bag, and a slip-on strap to throw on while walking down the plane aisle or getting in your Uber. $17.98 in stone, black, gray, or pink to match your aesthetic

Sharing a bathroom or having to use a public restroom for anything other than a quick pee can be embarrassing for some, but it's also not optimal for gross smells. That's where Poo-Pourri comes in. If you haven't already been using this at home, I'm not sure what you're waiting for. Three quick spritzes in the bowl before you go and smells vanish into a black hole or something. I love these travel size ones, because you can keep one in your pocket or day-bag and one in your toiletry bag to pop on the counter at your accommodation. Everyone will thank you. $21.72 for a 5-pack

I always have a coat or cardigan or both with me at the airport, because the plane is unpredictable and so is weather, but when I'm not wearing it, it's annoying to stuff it in a bag or have to carry it around, so I have this carry clip that I can use to carry my coat or travel pillow (or both). $9.99 in several colors

Going on a beach vacation or a cruise where you'll be sitting by the pool? Don't leave all your stuff under your towel and hope nobody steals it. Bring along this fancy portable safe and attach it to something large, like a beach chair. It's big enough for your phone, hotel key, and credit card or cash. $22.54 for black, but it also comes in pink

Traveling internationally? You can't just plug your things straight into the wall. Get this all-in-one adapter that works in 160 countries. I have two and I gave them as gifts when our family all went to a destination wedding. This allowed both of us to plug in all of our electronics, since each has USB outlets for small things like phones and tablets, and a regular outlet for when I use my laptop. $17.59 in black and other colors If you need one for country not in the UK, Europe, or Australia, check out this one 

Sometimes travel can be exhausting. You get a lot of stimulation and maybe that gives you a headache or you just need to relax in the dark. If that sounds like you, toss a couple of these steam eye masks in your bag and you're set for when you just need to zone out. These can also be good for refreshing your allergy eyes, general puffy eyes, or helping you fall asleep. Have a mini spa break in your room for way less than the cost of going to the actual spa. $22.49 for 20

These are some of the budget-friendly items that can help you travel better and make your life a little easier when you're away from home. If you're looking for more items, don't forget to see my recommendations for last-minute gifts and my favorite travel gifts that cost a bit more.

I hope your 2025 is starting off with a bang and you're looking forward to some great trips.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend things I love. If you buy something through my site links, I might earn a commission. This allows me to bring you even more budget travel tips and is totally free to you.

Happy New Year 2025

Well, we made it through another year and after finally coming out of a crazy pandemic, it looks like we may be going into another bout of uncertain times. My pantry is stocked, my freezers are empty of unnecessary items, and I'm preparing for a worst case scenario, but hoping for not much to change. 

2024 was pretty good to us. I was able to return to visiting The Travel Goods Show, and visit 3 other destinations, 2 of which were new to us. How did I do on my travel "resolutions"?

Do more local activities

I don't think we did more, but we didn't do less than we did in 2023. We went to new markets, we tried new restaurants, we volunteered more. We already have more things planned in 2025 that are local and with how iffy travel might be in the coming year, we might find ourselves road-tripping on the weekends around our state.

Meet up with more friends on my travels

This didn't exactly happen. I couldn't make my plans match up with anyone else's, except when visiting Vegas for the Travel Goods Show. I was able to meet an online friend after years of never being in the same place at the same time, and it lined up with another friend's visit to the city as well. 

Try something new

This was pretty open, so it was also easy to achieve. I ate new things, I met new people, I went new places, and I took on new responsibilities. Were they all exciting? No, but it was new and that was my goal.

Bring back 48 Hours posts

Honestly, I completely forgot to make this a priority and I floated the idea of starting a Patreon where I would post more of those kinds of things, where people could vote on what destinations they would like to see. If that's something of interest, I'll likely work on some of that.

Do more holiday-/month-specific posts

I feel like I did an okay job at this, but I'd like to do more still and will continue to push myself to work harder to achieve this goal this year.

Create more reels for Instagram

I'm not sure IG is that lucrative for me, as my follower count never really changes, no matter what I do. I did make more reels, but they don't do better than carousels, except for the static reels that I just add words and animations to. I'll keep doing my best and creating things that make me happy. If you aren't following me already, I'd love for you to do so. 

Support more local artists and businesses

This is easy for me. I do a lot of event vending with my fandom non-profit, so I am near a lot of artists throughout the year. I commissioned a piece from an artist friend of mine. I have also been going to more local shops and restaurants at home and when I travel.

2025 additions

More events. My hope is to get to at least one event a month

All the coffee shops. I want to bring back my Portland coffee series, where I try new, or new to me, shops and give my honest feedback. 

I'd like to bring back Destination Date Nights in some way. They will never be as frequent as they were during the pandemic, but one every few months should be doable. 

Visiting new places. This is pretty much always on my list, but if things work out this year, we'd love to visit New Mexico for Meow Wolf's installation there and I've set my sights on either Greece or Malta, depending on where I can find a place to stay and airfare costs. 

Start a paid subscription service. I have been thinking about this for a while and may or may not find time to work on videos and extra posts that may be more in-depth, as well as things like packing lists for specific trips, packing videos, and anything else that sounds helpful. I'll still be posting here like always. This will just be extra content.

Here's hoping for a surprisingly good 2025. I hope the start of the year is already awesome for you. Let me know your resolutions for the coming months, no matter what they are. I want to read all your comments!

Happy Holidays 2024!

Today we'll be spending time with family and taking time off of doing almost everything. I hope you have a great day, if you are celebrating anything, and if you aren't, I decided to bring you a round up of holiday stories.

If you're anything like me, you love learning new things about a lot of things, so here are some holiday tidbits for you:

12 Days of Christmas

1. Start now if you want to make a special Christmas cake for next year by soaking fruits in rum all of 2025. This is a traditional holiday cake from the Caribbean. 

2. We can't all get to Europe in December. That's okay, the U.S. has Christmas markets, too!

3. If you're looking for an untraditional winter getaway, find a dazzling wonderland at one of our nations best National Parks.

4. Is the story of Santa Claus a product of psychedelic hallucinogens? It's possible, as the story seems to pull from a lot of others, but also was maybe born of a reindeer herder. 

5. It's difficult to know where the first public Christmas tree debuted, but this city claims it with a large tree and a domed historic marker of the season.

6. I love traveling during the winter for warm weather, but there are actually some really cool festivals during the winter to travel for, like Pennsylvania's Fire and Ice Festival.

7. Why do the people of Saratoga Springs, NY smash a small peppermint pig after their holiday dinner?

8. The holidays aren't always a happy time and things don't have happy endings and every Christmas isn't "the best Christmas ever". Maybe this is why we love Christmas movies so much.

9. Santa doesn't always ride in a sleigh. He arrives by boat in these 9 seaside holiday destinations.

10. Have you heard of Jólakötturinn, the Yule Cat who prowls Iceland in search of children to eat who aren't wearing any of their new Christmas clothes?

11. In France, Santa has a sidekick. An unlikely one. A butcher and cannibal who carries a whip. Just, who is this Père Fouettard?

12. Looking to up your holiday cheer? Then you maybe want to plan a trip to one of these 12 small towns across America.

8 Nights of Hanukkah

1. People don't just travel for Christmas. People can travel for Hanukkah and here are 8 surprising places to go for it.

2. You have your own Hanukkah traditions, but here are 9 from around the world. 

3. Bring your own travel menorah when you travel and 4 other things to remember when you're away from home for the holiday.

4. Even in times of war, Jewish people found a way to celebrate Hanukkah. Here are some stories of finding the light, even during the darkest of times.

5. The dreidel is a fun game that combines gambling and chocolate, but where did it come from and why are we teaching kids to ante up?

6. If you aren't Jewish and don't know much about Hanukkah here are 19 cool facts, some of which you probably didn't know.

7. Looking to make your holiday more trendy and interesting? Here are some amazing decor for your home or to give as gifts to your favorite Jewish friends and family.

8. Menorahs come in all shapes and sizes. Check out these 14 public menorahs from around the world.

If you've ever traveled over the holidays, you know that Christmas gets most of the love, but that doesn't mean it's the only holiday. There are actually 11 holidays that are celebrated in the month of December, or 10 if you don't count New Year's Eve. We always love a Disney Christmas, but places like Paris and London have fantastic winter displays.

What are your favorite holiday destinations or traditions?