In the age of social media, life hacks are all the rage. From DIY cleaning solutions to budget-friendly travel tips, it seems like there’s always a new hack to make our lives easier and more affordable.
Recently, a woman on TikTok posted a video that quickly went viral, sharing her new favorite hack for traveling: shipping her luggage instead of paying for airline baggage fees.
@thesarahrachul my new favorite hack for traveling #spiritairlines #luggagehack #spirithack #cheaptravel #cheaptok ♬ Hey, Mickey! – Baby Tate
The TikTok user, Sarah Rachul @thesarahrachul, shared a video showing a cardboard box filled to the brim with clothes, explaining that she had shipped the package to Disney for just $28 instead of paying the steep Spirit Airlines’ baggage fee. She added, “Look at everything I was able to fit in this box and it’s only gonna cost me another $28 to ship it back. Best money spent ever.”
An overlay text in the video further highlights the savings, stating that shipping with FedEx cost her just $28 each way while checking a bag with Spirit Airlines would’ve cost $62.
The video was posted on Jan. 26 and has since managed to accumulate over 778,300 views with many users going to the comment section to share their reactions.
“No because imagine not getting your stuff in time,” one user said.
Another had similar reservations, remarking, “I’ve had way too many packages lost to do this lmao.”
“I always ship my dirty clothes home, souvenirs in my carry on,” a third said.
But is shipping your luggage really a viable option for budget-conscious travelers? The answer is yes, depending on the specifics of your trip. While shipping your luggage may not be the most convenient option, it can save you money in the long run, especially if you’re traveling with a lot of bulky items.
One of the biggest advantages of shipping your luggage is that you don’t have to worry about weight restrictions or size limitations. With airlines, you’re often limited to a certain weight or size for each checked bag, and going over those limits can result in steep fees.
Another advantage of shipping your luggage is that you don’t have to worry about lugging heavy bags around the airport. When you ship your luggage, it will be delivered directly to your destination, and you can track it every step of the way.
Of course, there are some downsides to shipping your luggage. It can take longer for your bags to arrive, which means you’ll need to plan ahead and ship your bags well in advance of your trip. Furthermore, companies like FedEx have recently been criticized for the way they handle shipments, with some TikTokers alleging they will even nonchalantly throw packages with fragile stickers on them.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Sarah Rachul, Spirit Airlines, and FedEx via their respective emails for comment.
