10 Budget-Friendly Summer Travel Finds at Five Below You’ll Wish You Bought Sooner

Jul 14

We are deep into summer, and you know what that means- summer road trips, here we come! I love to travel. It’srefreshing to switch up your view from time to time; to get away from the grind and regular schedules.

Travel doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. And preparation for your trip doesn’t have to either. (Anybody else ever feel like they need to purchase something new for a road trip just for the sake of excitement? Me too.) Enter Five Below.

Five Below gets a bad rep sometimes because its product prices can mean a sacrifice in quality. But the store is a gold mine filled with travel essentials waiting to be explored. I’ve done a deep dive into my favorite Five Below travel finds to help you get a start on your trip without breaking the bank.

My 10 Favorite Five Below Travel Finds

Here are some of my favorite travel necessities and road trip essentials from Five Below!

1. Foldable Laundry Bag

I bought this laundry bag from Five Below on a whim before a recent Half-Marathon trip —and let me tell you, it was a lifesaver. I have always relied on hotel laundry bags for my stinky clothes, but those tend to rip and don’t hold as much.

This bag holds about twice as much as standard hotel laundry bags, and it seals easily with a nice drawstring opening.

I love how the bag folds flat into a little pouch. It makes it so easy to toss into your luggage at the last minute. The pouch doubles as a pocket on the side of the bag when the bag is out. I like to store my more delicate dirty clothes in the pouch pocket, or sometimes a small sewing kit.

2. Travel Sewing Kit

Usually, Five Below has little sewing kits for around $3 in-store. They have all the essentials, including a small pair of scissors, and come in a compact zip-up pouch. While writing this article, I was unable to find the kit online- which shocked me.

You can also find travel sewing kits sometimes in thrift stores or estate sales.

Travel sewing kits are arguably cheaper to make at home. You can utilize a small tin, like an Altoid tin, or even an old empty pill bottle. Throw in a couple of needles, some straight and safety pins, and a small amount of threads. The only thing you won’t fit will likely be scissors.

3. Travel-size Blankets

Okay, so this isn’t necessarily a necessity. But if you’re looking for an affordable, small, light, and easy-to-pack blanket, you likely can’t do better than Five Below. I bought this adorable Strawberry Shortcake blanket from the store. However, the blanket’s price has increased $1.45 since I bought it (it now sells for $7, and was only $5.55 a few months ago).

Other cheap places to find blankets include stores like Burlington and Ross. The blankets are likely standard twin-size throws, whereas Five Below’s are a little lighter and smaller, making them perfect for plane travel or a road trip.

Thankfully, Five Below still has some blankets for $5.55 (for now) including this cute capybara blanket.

4. Collapsible Dog Travel Bowl

This next travel item is for the dogs- literally. When I go on roadtrips, I like to bring my furry friend, Tootles, with me.

These collapsible dog dishes at Five Below are only $3.50 and are a lifesaver when my pup gets thirsty while traveling.

5. Power Banks

Devices die. Save yourself the headache by always traveling with a backup power source. Trust me, it’s always better to be overprepared.

I used to travel with two power banks that I bought from Five Below. It came in handy once on an airplane. The woman next to me pulled out her Kindle, only to realize it was dead. I offered her my spare power bank, and she was grateful, asking me where she could find one, too.

Back then, these power banks were only $5. The price for a power bank at Five Below is now anywhere from $7 to $10. But there are so many more options to choose from, including magnetic power banks if your phone case allows for a magnetic charge.

The only problem is that these power banks don't come with cords. However, they connect to most phone chargers. Honestly, though, these are a game changer. Amazon has travel power banks for $17 and up… and I do mean up, like $50 to $170.

6. Travel Toiletry Bottles

Toiletry bottles are great for those of us who don’t want to spend money buying miniature versions of our favorite shampoos and soaps! You can usually find a good set of travel toiletry bottles from places like Marshall’s or TJ Maxx for around $8 to $12. At Five Below you can get a set of 4 with a bag for $5. These squeezable collapsible ones work great for getting out every last drop without breaking the containers!

I purchased a set of travel toiletry bottles from Five Below a year ago that were plastic. I loved the colors and that they came with labels. However, the hard plastic material broke fairly easily after repeated use. From here on out, I’ll only be buying silicone.

7. First Aid Kit

It’s always better to be prepared for everything. That’s why I recommend grabbing a small emergency first-aid kit. The Bioswiss waterproof emergency first aid kit at Five Below is sleek. It contains everything you need for minor cuts and scrapes, including 5 adhesive bandages, 2 alcohol prep pads, 3 dressing pads, and cleansing towelettes.

You can also make a first aid kit at home with similar items!

8. Downy Wrinkle Release Spray

If you’ve ever traveled with clothes that easily wrinkle, you need this product. Five Below sells a miniature version of Downy’s Wrinkle Release Spray for just $2, and it is a lifesaver. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

9. Water Bottles

So this item is not necessary if you already have a serviceable water bottle (and let’s be honest, we all do). But if you’re in the market for a new water bottle, Five Below has plenty of affordable options that are cute and sturdy. I recently bought this $5 30oz Zak! bottle for a trip and am pleased to say it never once leaked inside my travel backpack! It’s also dishwasher friendly- but the designs do start to wear off.

10. Misc. Travel Toiletries

Does anyone else love looking at the miniature toiletries travel aisle? Just me? Well, if not, at Five Below you can foster a love of mini items by browsing their travel section. This is the section that will have the mini Downy Wrinkle Release Spray!

You can grab smaller versions of necessary medicines, like Tylenol or Pepto, and find brand-name shampoos, sunscreens, soaps, and more!

Is it cost-efficient? Not really. It is fun to purchase these items from time to time. However, there is a more cost-efficient way to have travel toiletries. Stay tuned to A Frugal Fairy for a future article that can help you turn empty hotel shampoo bottles into weekend getaway toiletries!

Final Thoughts on Five Below Travel Items

Five Below straddles the line between quality and cheaply made products with some of its products. Yet, if you know where to look, the store is a gold mine of travel items. You can even find plenty of travel-sized games and crossword/sudoku books, too! And don’t forget the snacks!

Want more travel-sized items to take with you on trips? Check out my retailer's birthday rewards article! I have taken many of my beauty items from that list on trips because they are the perfect size!

Hope Merrill