What do you bring on holidays that makes you look cheap but in your mind is entirely practical

[AnotherTroyforHertoBurn]

I will start.

I bring a food container with detergent only for emergencies, refuse to wash clothes on holidays.

I also bring dishwasher tablets in case there aren't enough in the villa.

Ditto a starter roll of toilet paper as the last time it was like sandpaper.

This is not done out of meanness, this is because to my mind foreign supermarkets are for oohing and aaahing over the different foodstuffs and drooling at the fish counter.

A holiday is not for turning down the aisle of mundanity in the supermarket and buying the above. They come with us every year and they come home again, they are well travelled.

DH has stopped arguing. Only took 34 years.

I love a washing machine on holiday and like coming home with suitcases full of clean clothes 😊

My most recent holiday had a washing machine. It was so lovely to get home and put our clothes back in the wardrobes smelling of the sun.

A few of the little Robinson Squash'd bottles.
Medication
A couple of washing tablets. I don't want to do washing on holiday but if someone is sick or something it's nice to have the option.

DH has a permanently sore neck so takes a pillow as hotel ones are always rubbish.

Returning from our last weekend away, he looked at me askance when I crammed it into the suitcase.

I pointed out that whilst walking into a hotel with a pillow under your arm looks a bit rude, walking out of a hotel with a pillow under your arm looks outrageous!

A bright pink waterproof zippable washable tote bag with loads of pockets for purse, sunglasses, plasters, wet wipes, insect bite antiseptic and jellyfish creams that is also big enough to fit in a beach towel, bottles of water and sun cream. It is far from classy looking but perfectly set up for our needs and the colour makes me happy.

I knew it wasn’t just me!! 😂😂

I love this thread.
I agree with everything the OP said.
I don’t mind packing boring things like teabags and loo rolls but once I step off the plane I am all about the fun. When I go to the shop I am only buying cakes and local delicacies.

Oh I thought you meant in the Dolly Parton sense, and was going to tell you about my ancient glittery kaftan top

My coffee! I never go anywhere without my coffee. Okay I also take with me my esspresso maker. Seriously I even keep one at the office for emergencies.

Also, tea bags, salt sachets, nail polish, toiletries in travel sizes, etc.

A jar of marmite

When we went self-catering I took an eco-ball with me for washing clothes. I don't use one at home, but it was useful for holidays.

Proper mugs and a jar of decent insant coffee if going abroad.

We went to a caravan last year n Devon and rebooked for this year. Was lush, but will be taking a bath mat, 2 bath towels each, 2 hand washes and also the mugs again. We also bought (and will again) a couple of crates of beer and a couple of bottles of nice wine from home, because the offers in Asda are better than the sainsburys near the holiday camp. We have a big boot (pickup) so space not an issue.

Oh trust me… I bring stuff! But definitely not pasta, squash etc. false economy in my opinion

We always take squash to France as their version of squash is too syrupy!

Gosh I didn't know this was cheap? How so?
I always take loo roll, and bits and pieces and nowadays of course Dettol sprays and wipes, once mid COVID we took mattress protectors and sheet's And pillows!

The usual tea, coffee, etc and DH always takes his big mug as he doesn't like those little white cups that you always get in SC places

Me too.
It's one of the things I like best about self catering and I wouldn't stay anywhere that doesn't have a machine. I do a wash most days on holiday. Stick the machine on overnight, hang it out in the morning and in a hot country everything dries in no time. The only washing I'll have to do when I get back are the clothes we travelled home in. I hate coming home with cases full of dirty clothes.
The only things I take with me are a few bits and pieces for my DS who has multiple food allergies, though I've actually never had any difficulties finding suitable foods for him on holiday.

And one of those Robinsons Squashd tiny squash bottles

An old sporty swimming costume.
I don't want an itsy bitsy bikini that I'm constantly having to faff about with, or the bottoms end up on some blokes head the first wave that hits.

I know we take a lot 😁 but I'm ok with making some basic simple meals that DC (especially DS11) are familiar with. We'll often cook together on holiday & eat out about half the time depending on availability (vegetarian/vegan).

Also the things I take may be cheap to buy abroad but they won't be familiar, 'safe' foods that DS can relax & just eat.

We love having a nose round supermarkets & buy interesting fruits, vegetables & snacks etc.

I love the freedom & flexibility of self catering & don't really like staying in hotels.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask the owner for a bath mat to be provided?!

Bin bags

This. We arrived in one UK self catering cottage that we had used before to find they'd replaced the mugs with tiny ones. We ended up buying some huge ones in the nearby supermarket. They are now one of the first things we pack whenever we go away!!

When we go to Spain from Canada:

European kettle (there is never one in ANY European hotel we've stayed in)
teabags
Instant frothy coffee sachets
two mugs
a sharp knife
sugar sachets for the husband's tea
a couple of laundry pod thingies
two beach towels

I also bring my "disposable knickers", the ones that get thrown away rather than washed.

@starfishmummy We went on a boating holiday on the Norfolk Broads-all the crockery was Pyrex, and for some reason I can't bear Pyrex cups. Bought some bone china mugs in Norwich market, and I've still got them 45 years later!

@sueelleker a bargain!!!

I must admit we got two more of the giant mugs (I think they are three quarters of a pint) when we got home and they are in use everyday!!

I take fuck all with me.
Except for more clothes than I will ever wear.
I've never heard of anyone taking a load of crap on holiday 😒