Pack tight clothes and prepare to be sick
Save time by not checking in additional bags or wasting time waiting at baggage claim: Only bring a carry-on bag and pack it neatly with necessities. Here's how it's done.

17. "I roll my clothes very tightly and put rubber bands around each piece to save space. This way I can fit about 20 pieces of clothing, underwear, jewelry and three or four pairs of shoes into a standard size carry-on bag. I carry a very large purse so that my makeup and hair supplies, toothpaste and toothbrush are with me always." (Guys may carry a backpack.)

18. "Trip planning continues past the day you buy your ticket. Consider what you need and ensure all toiletries, magazines, books, as well as snacks and gum are packed in advance. Airports and resorts charge steep prices for things like toothbrushes, contact lens solution, shampoo and even a small bag of potato chips. Also, prepare a travel first-aid pack with band-aids, antibiotic ointment, aloe (for warm destinations), stomach remedies and headache medications, along with an itinerary that includes good, reasonable places to eat and visit."

Continental breakfasts and grocery stores are your friends
OK, so dining out while on vacation makes for part of the fun, but food money can take a big bite into a vacation budget. You can save -- and spend that money on souvenirs instead -- by not eating every meal out and knowing where to find cheap food.

How do you find these cheap places to eat in an unfamiliar town? Whether you're road tripping, staying at a hotel for the weekend or vacationing in Europe, you can save on food by employing a DIY approach. (Or, if you can speak the language, by asking a local.)

19. "Nothing beats good old homemade sandwiches for lunch. Spending a few minutes in the morning making peanut butter and jelly or pimiento cheese sandwiches will pay off. How about some Kool-Aid for a change? You can make a gallon of it for almost nothing. This will get you out of those fast-food grease pits, allow you to sit by the side of the road on a park bench and relax awhile with your kids, spouse or whomever the person may be -- even by yourself. If you're lucky, maybe the park is off the beaten path a bit. Your kids will certainly remember those stops a lot more than those at the burger joints when they grow up. Take it from one who grew up in the '50s and still recalls those road trips before the days of fast food."

20. "When traveling with a family, look for a hotel with a free buffet in the morning. Since it's not a continental breakfast, it may cost you $10 to $20 more per night, but feeding a family of four in the morning is going to run you more than that. Plus, it saves time and gas running out to a restaurant."

21. "I sample the native food maybe a couple times, but mostly I hit the supermarkets and buy things that are easy to make such as sandwiches, drinks and snacks. This way I am not spending a lot of money on food so I can have some left to buy souvenirs or sightsee."