1. DIY car insurance
I collect vinyl bumper stickers—the kind that peel off without leaving a mark—and put them on the bumper when I get a rental. With my car dressed up like it's local, I don't have to worry about thieves who target tourists. Chris Manos, Centennial, Colo.

2. Beat the competition
On our last cruise to Hawaii, most of the passengers rented cars to get around. When we got off the ship, everyone else began loading onto the rental-car bus, but my wife and I hopped into a taxi and paid a small fare to get to the rental-car agency. We were the first to get a car. As we drove off to explore, we noticed a long line of people from our cruise waiting for their wheels. Gary Kessler, Avondale, Ariz.

3. Strap happy
If the strap from your travel bag or camera is digging into your shoulder, put a padded seat-belt cover on it. You can find these at most auto-parts stores for less than $10. Gretchen Hord, Weatherford, Tex.

4. Museum markdown
The Museum of Modern Art in New York shows films every day for $10. If you keep your ticket stub from the film, you have 30 days to apply its value toward the museum's $20 admission fee. Carli Entin, Hoboken, N.J.

5. Scents and sensibility
To avoid the hassle of taking a perfume bottle with me on trips, I spray my accessories with the fragrance before I pack. Dori Pappas, Drexel Hill, Pa.

6. Coming clean
You can't always count on public restrooms to have soap, so it's best to take your own when you travel. The mini shampoos from hotels work great as liquid soap. Ed Foster, Texarkana, Tex.

7. Wrap star
My husband and I line our suitcases with bubble wrap and layer it between our clothes. It's a life-saver: The wrap lies flat against the sides, keeps our clothes wrinkle-free, is almost weightless, and comes in handy when we buy breakables that we want to carry home. Nanette Ruffner, Miami, Fla.

8. Sew clever
On a recent vacation in Rome, my husband accidentally sat on his glasses. As we were trying to fix them, we lost one of the screws. We searched throughout the whole city for inexpensive reading glasses but found only designer glasses that cost hundreds of dollars. In desperation, I got out my sewing kit and stitched the glasses together with a needle and thread. They held perfectly! Sandy Davenport, Destin, Fla.



9. Child's play
When my husband and I travel with our kids, we always plan to spend a day at a local zoo or amusement park about midway through the trip. For example, we've gone to Leofoo Village Theme Park near Taipei and to Parc Astérix, an amusement park north of Paris. The trips are a good break from museums and monuments, and we always learn a lot about the local culture. Gwen Gibbons, Thousand Oaks, Calif.

10. If the shoe mitts ...  
The little shoe mitts that are part of some hotels' complimentary toiletries are great for dusting your computer monitor or wiping the lenses of your glasses or camera. Kimberly Button, Orlando, Fla.

11. Show and cell
Asking for help in another country can be tricky, but traveling with a camera-phone has made my trips easier. I've created a photo album with pictures of basic necessities like a bottle of water, a toilet, a taxi, and stamps. Now when I'm traveling and I don't know the word for what I need, I just show a local a picture of it on my phone. Jena Persico, Arlington, Va.

By Budget Travel editors, msn.com