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How to save money when packing bags for flights

Save tons on your next flight with these handy baggage tips.
Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images
United Airlines jets sit at gates at O'Hare International Airport on September 19, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois.

Airline fees are continuing to soar and we want to help you pack lighter! Here are some handy tips to keep you from racking up unwanted airline baggage fees.

1. Buy travel sized

Although it may seem silly when you have a perfectly good and recently bough shampoo in your current shower, buying travel size will lighten your load (literally) and you can reuse them on other trips! Things like shampoos, conditioners, lotions and toothpastes all have reusable bottles and will save you in the long run.

2. Ditch the wheels

Carrying backpacks might not be for everyone, especially for people with mobility concerns, but studies have shown that for every set of wheels, inches of packing room are lost in luggage! If you can, try packing a bag you might have to carry - it'll be a little heavier, but worth it for the space (and will weigh less!)

3. Use travel compression bags

You may have seen those compression "space" bags on TV infomercials, but why not give them a try! By stuffing as much clothing as you can into them, you save yourself tons room. Plus, many of them no longer require a vacuum to suck up the air!

4. Go for a capsule wardrobe

A capsule wardrobe (which you can find tons of examples of on Pinterest) is made of several tops and several bottoms that are all interchangeable. This saves you tons of room and might even allow you to pack only a carry-on, rather than checking for long trips. Warning, this does work best if you know the climate will be generally the same for your whole trip.

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