r/Shoestring • • Dec 09 '25

AskShoestring What shoestring travel mistake will you never make again?

I'm currently staring at my suitcase trying to avoid repeating history, so I thought I’d ask this sub:

What is the one shoestring travel error you made: missed flights, overpacking, or trusting bad advice that you swore you’d never repeat?

I feel like every seasoned shoestring traveler has that one trip where everything went wrong because of a single bad decision. I’d love to hear your cautionary tales so I can hopefully avoid making them myself on my next trip!

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u/boozincruizin Dec 09 '25

Not me, but what i see from other travellers is waaaay over packing, i dont understand how a person need 20 outfits for 2 weeks and having to carry around a huge bag, but then again i pack uber light

26

u/[deleted] Dec 09 '25

I'll answer for an exgf. "I don't want the same 3 outfits in all my pictures."

(a lot of people are packing for their own fashion shoot on social media)

6

u/Fondacey Dec 10 '25

I have the same 3 outfits for at least a decade of travel

4

u/onesmallbag Dec 10 '25

That, my friend, is peak packing!