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6 Reasons To Request Free Samples Before Your Vacation

Traveling this summer? Definitely request free samples before your vacation. It’ll make your suitcase lighter and your wallet heavier.

For more tips to help you plan your trip, check out all of our travel posts.

Traveling soon? Definitely request free samples before you do. Get 6 Reasons To Request Free Samples Before Your Vacation here.

A few years ago, Pete and I went on a mini-vacation during his Spring Break, and I opened my travel bag in the bathroom. “I better find a new free sample of toothpaste because mine is running out,” I thought. Because yes, my entire travel bag is filled with trial-sized free samples.

And if you have any trips coming up, we have a few reasons why you should request free samples before your vacation.

While you’re on vacation and living out of a carry on bag, full-sized items just doesn’t make sense. Not to mention they’re not carry on friendly. So free samples are the way to go.

But why? Find out all our top six reasons below. Sure, you can probably come up with more reasons, buy we tried to keep the list pretty succinct. If you do have a reason we missed, though, be sure to leave it in the comments so we can add it to the list to help everyone else out.

If you're going to Las Vegas, find out what to pack -- and what to leave at home -- with this Las Vegas Packing List.

6 Reasons To Request Free Samples Before Your Vacation

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These reasons to request free samples aren’t in any particular order. All the reasons are important and make sense … according to us anyway.

Free samples are usually trial sized.

Most free samples are trial sized. Well, HBA samples (health and beauty aids) are generally trial sized. Free samples of food are usually single serve. But, let’s focus on HBA samples since those are the ones you’re packing for vacation.

Because free samples are usually trial sized, there’s a very good chance you’ll finish it when you’re on vacation. Then, you can throw away the empty bottle before you head home.

That way, you’re not lugging a full bottle of shampoo and conditioner on vacation, then dragging an almost-full shampoo and conditioner back home. Same with something like toothpaste, body wash, and anything else you might need for the bathroom.

And, we all know how expensive HBA items can be. So if you’re taking your expensive items on vacation, you know you’re going to be packing those half-filled bottled to bring back home.

Free samples are lighter than full-sized items.

If you’re checking a bag when you’re flying, you have to worry about the weight of it. If you’re not flying in first class, your luggage can only weigh a certain number of pounds. After that, you have to pay an additional fee.

How awful would it be if a few ounces of a full-sized body wash was the reason you had to pay more for your checked bag?

If you pack samples, there’s a much smaller chance of that happening. And, if you do exceed the weight limit, you won’t mind throwing away free samples. It’s hard to part with full-sized items.

Free samples take up less space in your bags.

If you pack like me, every single inch of your bag is filled. Every pocket, every hidden section, has something packed inside it. Especially when we go to Japan. My bag is always packed with gifts for my family over there, so I can’t waste space on mouthwash from home.

Free samples take up way less room. Which leaves more room for extra pairs of shoes.

Which I should probably pack on every trip, to be honest. My sneakers got ruined on a trip to Florida a few years ago. A hole ripped through the sole. And my dressy flip flop fell apart on our walk to our hotel in Las Vegas.

So having space for an extra pair of shoes is clutch if yours enjoy falling apart as often as mine.

Plus, for the journey home, you’ll have more room to pack souvenirs since you don’t have to save that space for full-sized hair care products.

A trial sized Dove deodorant spray.

You can carry free samples in your carry on bag.

Post-9/11, you can’t carry liquids that are over 3.1 oz. onto a plane (with the exception of hand sanitizer). Cumulative, sure, no problem. But individually, nope. Those have to be packed into checked luggage and stowed under the plane during the flight.

Sample sizes are always exactly 3.1 oz. or smaller, meaning they comply with the limit and you can pack them in your carry on. That’s great for people like me who only bring a carry on (because we’re too cheap to pay for checked luggage).

If you are using free samples at home and finish a sample, keep the bottle. Rinse it out and refill it when you’re going on a trip. That’s great in case you can’t find a sample of your favorite mouthwash before your trip. You can just refill an old free sample bottle and know that you are within the 3.1 oz. limit.

You won’t feel bad if you forget to pack the free samples when you go back home.

After I got my belly button pierced, I had to clean it with expensive soap for quite a while. During that time, my family stayed overnight at a hotel, so I packed my full-size bottle of soap.

And, in the bustle of leaving the next morning, I forgot it.

I was so mad the whole car ride home.

And you know, that incident was half my lifetime ago and I still think about it every time I stay in a hotel. And, to be on the safe side, I double check the shower before we check out, just in case anything is left behind.

If I had a small free sample of soap and left it at the hotel, it wouldn’t still be in my thoughts decades later.

Free samples are free.

This is the most obvious reason. If you’re frugal like me, you want to save as much as you can … even if you’re on vacation. So instead of spending money and bringing your actual products with you, use free ones. Those pennies add up.

And, even if you pack your own body wash free samples to use during your stay, the hotel might provide you with small bottles. Use those instead and save yours for your next trip!

Which of these Reasons To Request Free Samples Before Your Vacation makes the most sense to you?

Dee

Saturday 9th of April 2016

Great idea!

chellie

Monday 4th of April 2016

Brilliant!

Pamela smith

Saturday 2nd of April 2016

I love taking the small bottles along, especially when flying. Thanks for the tip!

Amberjane

Friday 1st of April 2016

I never thought of doing this great idea.

Nina

Thursday 31st of March 2016

Great ideas for getting ready for a summer vacation. We haven't been able to take a vacation for a while now, so we are looking forward to getting away this summer.