How to Pack Your Suitcase

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First of all it depends on the duration of your vacation. Is it a week-end, a week, a month, a year?
Next, the type of trip will influence; big city trip, beach vacation, backpacking. Naturally you don't need the 10-inch heels if you are going to Thailand. Neither do you need a mosquito net in New York.


Some all-round tips

• Bring clothes you can mix in different ways
• an LBD can be worn with a belt, accessories or scarf to wear it at day-time and to a party

• A pair of shoes for every outfit? NO!
• Shoes are heavy, think about the new shoes you can buy on your vacation instead

• A black/brown sweater/cardigan goes with everything

• Many Norwegian girls want to bring all their summer clothes since they get to wear them once a year
• BUT, you will probably not wear the miniskirt you bought 5 years ago no matter the weather

| I traveled for 6 months in a backpack (here in Cuba) |

• Take only your favourite clothes
• Not expensive or special clothes that you only wear at certain occasions
• BUT, your everyday favourite clothes

• Don't pack clothes that only go with one other item

• Take with you only the clothes you would wear right now, not something you really liked 6 months ago and might wear again if...

•  Create a must-bring, maybe-bring and if-room-bring piles
• There isn't even room for the maybe-bring pile so you can just put it straight back into the closet

• You don't need to pack every little thing
• There are shops in foreign countries too! 

What is your best tip for packing?

How to save money for a vacation (California)

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Me and my friend, Silje, (yes, we are both named Silje :)) traveled around the world last year.
We helped each other save money by changing our habits. I thought it could be useful to know what we did to increase our budget. The best advice I can give, is to visualize all the things you can do with the money you are saving. In these examples I will tell you what I usually imagine when saving money.

• Do you have an expensive habit?
• Coffee at your favourite coffee shop every morning?
• First: Imagine drinking coffee at Starbucks in California instead
• Then: Make your own coffee at home and bring it in a to-go-cup

| Awesome Starbuck's Toffee Nut Latte |

• Buying a magazine/newspaper every day/week
• First: Imagine buying 10 magazines in USA for your one 60 kroner magazine (in Norway)
• Then: Catching up on papers online, reading blogs or reading your favourite book again.

• Going to get a manicure/waxing job/skin treatment every other week?
• First: Imagine how cheap it is to do these things where you are going. You can get 10 massages for the price of one in Thailand.
• Then: Invite your friends for a spa-night where you color each-others eyebrows, do manicures etc.

  | Just got a mani-pedi |

• Do you spend a lot of money when you go out to party?
• First: Imagine spending the money on something you can remember really want to do
• Then: Try to cut down to going out once a week
• Go to Sweden to buy cheap alcohol or buy alcohol if you are traveling (Duty Free)
• Sneak into your parents liquor cabinet   Ask for beer/wine/liquor from your parents
• Go to a nice place with a low entrance fee
• Have a long pre-party
• If possible, take public transport to the party
  
• Try to limit yourself to buying beer (drinks are so expensive)
• If you usually buy drinks to everyone, tell them they are drunk enough you're saving
• If possible, walk home with a friend (the fresh air will do you good and you save the taxi money)
• Save some dinner so you have some snacks at home, no need for an expensive pizza slice/kebab/hot-dog

What changes do you have to make to save money?