Best Buys for Your Travel Buck

by Kathy Grear 07/01/2016

(NNPA) – If you’re like me, you want a lot more simplicity in your life. So I am constantly on the lookout for great ideas, products and gadgets that can help me pare down, reduce stress and travel smarter and lighter.

To that end, here are several items that have become some of my new favorite lifestyle necessities whether at home or on the road.

Smelling good on the go

Figuring out how to fit those liquid/cream/gel items that must fit into the little plastic bag to get past security just got easier with Travalo. TSA approved and small enough to fit into any pocket or purse, Travalo offers a range of convenient, portable fragrance atomizers using patented Genie-S technology to suit any travel fragrance need or desire for both men and women.

The Travalo Touch comes with a rolling head for application directly onto any area of the skin and without the spray going into the air affecting those around you. The Travalo Excel holds 30 percent more fragrance (65 sprays) and comes with tamper-proof black storage. The company also makes Classic and Pure varieties, all of which are designed with a spill-free internal refill system and made of environmentally friendly, durable aluminum. www.travalo.com

Just a touch

Having many of the necessary components of our life literally accessible at our fingertips through our smartphones, tablets, computers and so forth is of great benefit, but when the weather is a little cool or downright cold and we need to keep our hands warm, wearing gloves can be a bit inconvenient. That is where Mujjo Touchscreen Gloves come into play.

These gloves are fashioned from a unique combination of crocheted Egyptian cotton and Ethiopian lambskin leather. The former creates what the company calls “a deliberate and powerful contrast with leather on the palm of the gloves while sleek lines and uniform dark tones amplify harmony.” The leather itself incorporates nanotechnology that is integrated into the glove to emulate the conductive properties of human skin, making it work flawlessly with almost any touchscreen. Their elegant design looks great on women as well as men and, yes, your hands do stay warm!

www.mujjo.com/leather-crochet-touchscreen-gloves

A different kind of charge

Smartphone, laptop, iPod—all of this stuff needs to be recharged from time to time, and carrying around all of the long cords that go with them is not always the best or most feasible option. For this I say, less is more, so that’s why I like the ChargeKey.

Produced by Hello Nomad (www.hellonomad.com), ChargeKey is billed as the world’s smallest, most portable USB charging cable. Made with high-grade plastics and shaped like a key to fit onto any keychain, it works just like your standard device cable for charging from any USB port or transferring data when connected to a computer. It comes in a Lightning version for the iPhone 5/5S/5C and a MicroUSB version for Android phones. The company also offers a ChargeCard in the shape of a credit card that’s designed to fit into your wallet.

Must-Have Travel Necessities

There are so many great travel-related clothing and accessories, gadgets, products and more on the market today that it is often hard to know which ones would be of benefit, whether sojourning to faraway lands or close to home. Nevertheless, I have found a few lately that are not only highly functional but also stylish as well and, in some cases, have helped me travel a lot lighter.

Even though the weather has changed across much of the U.S., there are still destinations where it remains warm almost year-round. There are oodles of us who travel abroad to sunny destinations at any given time. In doing so, good sun protection is always at the top of my mind. That’s where Suntegrity Unscented Body Sunscreen comes into play.

Providing SPF 30 protection, this mineral sunscreen offers broad-spectrum defense without the use of harsh chemicals, including chemical UV absorbers. I love it because it goes on evenly, has only a faint scent (great for folks like me with asthma), is non-greasy and loaded with antioxidants such as pomegranate seed oil and green tea extract. It’s suitable for use by the entire family. The company also offers a variety of other body and face sun protection products. www.suntegrityskincare.com

Keeping all of your money, credit cards and passport and other travel documents together and organized can be a challenge, particularly for the fellas who prefer to travel much lighter than the ladies and who, unlike us, don’t have the benefit of space in a purse. That’s where great travel items from the Wallet Shoppe can help.

Billed as “a one-stop destination for amazing men’s wallets with style,” the Wallet Shoppe offers several different options for the busy and stylish man on the go that are perfect for both your front and back pants or jacket pockets. Among them are the Slim Sleeve, Note Sleeve and TGT (Tight) wallets, all slim and simultaneously roomy with unique functionality and high quality. Male travelers can also get good use out of the Passport Sleeve by Bellroy, with a few extras such as a small pen for custom forms or paperwork, as well as a pull-tab for quick and easy access to other documents. www.thewalletshoppe.com

In addition to the dilemma of deciding which shoes to take on a trip, one that will involve several different settings—a casual day trip, business meeting, evening cocktail party, etc.—is the stress of trying to fit them all in your travel bags. So I was delighted to come across Linge Shoes ballet flats. To say that they are compact and flexible is an understatement, as they are the smallest shoes I have ever owned. I can even fold or roll and conveniently drop them in my purse to replace whatever I’ve been wearing along the way anytime.

At first I thought I might look like a dancer wannabe in these chic ballet flats, but now I love them! Worn with or without the customary elastic front tie—it can be discreetly and comfortably tucked under your foot—they are made from top-quality genuine leather, come in 12 gorgeous colors and can be paired with almost any outfit. www.lingeshoes.com •