Tim Ferris has discovered after traveling to 30 plus countries that packing minimalism is a real art. It can save you from lugging around heavy bags everywhere you stay so you can freely enjoy your adventure – just you and your backpack.

I practice what I’ll label the BIT methodof travel: Buy It There.

If you pack for every contingency—“better bring the hiking books in case we go hiking, better bring an umbrella in case it rains, better bring dress shoes and slacks in case we go to a nice restaurant,” etc.—carrying a mule-worthy load is inevitable. I’ve learned to instead allocate $50-200 per trip to a “settling fund,” which I use to buy needed items once they’re 100{a9f0d31f6175b3e4775e11a66c07db268fb74408d6095f6b46eeec420c0e9f62} needed. This includes cumbersome and hassle items like umbrellas and bottles of sunscreen that love to explode. Also, never buy if you can borrow. If you’re going on a bird watching trip in Costa Rica, you don’t need to bring binoculars — someone else will have them.

Tim also gives other tips on how to get what you want on a tight traveler budget, like negotiating a crazy cheap rate on a rental car or getting last minute dream accommodation in high season.

You can read his excellent article on his blog…