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Thrifty Fun for Long/Wet Travel Days: Beat Boredom on a Budget
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items Stay entertained without breaking the bank during those endless flights, train rides, or road trips. From clever travel games and offline apps to compact activities and creative ideas, this curated list is packed with budget-friendly solutions to ban...
Sections
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Hi-Tech Gadgets & Apps
Low-Tech Travel Gear
No-Tech - No Batteries Required.
Hi-Tech Gadgets & Apps
Keep boredom at bay with budget-friendly gadgets! From e-readers to travel-friendly movie storage this hi-tech section packs digital entertainment for long flights or road trips, all without breaking the bank
You don't have to spend a ton of money to get reasonable quality noise cancelling ear buds. (A blessing on noisy transport, in cafes, and accommodation with thin walls!)
Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Spend your spare time, learning a new language. There are so many free apps out their to assist, it's easy to pick up the basics. And take it from us, even just a few words will enhance your travel experience many times over.
8 Best Language Learning Apps (2024): Online Courses and a Pocket Translator
Following on from the last recommendation. You're probably not going to want to download a bunch of movies on to your phone or tablet. These days you can get a 1TB hard drive with lightening fast up and download speeds that weigh less than 100 grams/...
GiGimundo G20 Portable SSD 1TB
Keep up with your reading list without having to carry loads more kilos. An audible subscription will give you access to all the lates best sellers without breaking the bank. And you can access a 30-day trial for free.
Audiobooks
Low-Tech Travel Gear
This low-tech section features budget gems like a compact solar speakers, phone stand, and apps to keep you entertained on long travel days.
Having a NEtflix account is all well and good, but you don't want to be trashing your expensive data limit when wifi is spotty or not available. Plan ahead and download those you want to see.
How to download titles to watch offline
Watching movies on your phone, might be the solution to a long day traveling, but a compact phone stand might save you a crinked neck or tired arms. There are lots of different models and styles to choose from. Flexibility and weight are my two main ...
A Compact Cell Phone Stand
A little bit of music while you wile away the time on a long travel day can lighten the mood. This solar speaker lets you share your tunes with others, without decimating your phone battery.
Reveal Solar Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
Podcasts can entertain, amuse, educate, and inform. Make sure you stay in touch with all your favorites by downloading a podcast app before you head off on your next trip
The Best Podcast Player Apps for 2025
I love my Kindle. I still can't get over the fact I no longer have to carry around kilos of books to keep up with my reading like we did in the “old days.”.Long battery life and no need for WiFi are double the bonus.
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 16GB, 7" Display
No-Tech - No Batteries Required.
Timeless fun, no batteries required! This no-tech section brings budget-friendly classics like playing cards, travel-sized board games, sketch books and journals to keep kids and adults entertained on long journeys, all with zero tech hassle.
All you need is an exercise book to journal your adventures, but there are some very creative ideas out there these days to make things more ‘aesthetic.’
Travel Journal
Wet weather, long trips, lazy days relazing. Card games are a great way to stay entertained, and meet new friends. If you're like us and forget the rules to games you haven't played in a while, this set has notes on 30 of them.
Card Games Set: 30 Classic + 2 Decks & Rules
Theirs a puzzle book for everyone, young or old. I prefer Sudoko and find a words, but don't mind trying a cryptic crossword or two occasionally (Spoiler alert: I'm not that great at them!)
Pocket Puzzles: Books
I haven't got an artistic bone in my body, but Tim loves to “doodle”. We've met some amazing creatives on the road, sketching their memories in black and white, and some enhancing them with color. What a lovely way to remember your adventures.
Traveling Sketchbooks
When you run out of enthusiasm for card games, a travel size board game can stave off boredom on wet or long travel days - checkers, backgammon, ludo and more. Many of the sets available have more than one game so you can keep the variety up.
Travel Board Games
A good game of chess, never gets old. But it's easy to lose pieces while traveling. This magnetic chess set solves much of that problem.
Magnetic Travel Chess Set