Cheap air wares at the dollar store

With the holidays fast approaching, you may be one of those planning a trip home to ma and pa or to visit other friends and relatives. If you're traveling by air, you already know what the price of oil has done to air fare. With that in mind, let the dollar store help with a few money-saving items for your suitcase.

Hefty One Zip Travel Bags. Accidents do happen, so I like to use plastic zipper bags to carry hair spray and other likely-to-leak items when I travel, as insurance against disaster. These particular bags are 7" x 8" and were made specifically for your travel-size personal care items. We're not allowed to take regular size bottles of liquid on airplanes anymore, and these bags are perfect for containing those small bottles of shampoo, mouthwash and the like. There are seven travel bags in a package for $1.

Travel sized shampoo and conditioner. My dollar store generally has a couple of different types of name brand shampoo and conditioners in these convenient travel sizes, although the selection will invariably change from time to time. I would generally resent having to pay $1 for so little shampoo, but it's not so bad if you consider that you can refill the same bottle over and over again. Besides I mistrust that the plastic travel bottles they make are entirely leak proof.

Cepacol antibacterial mouthwash. This 4 oz. bottle is a decent size for traveling and again, refillable from a larger bottle, so your initial investment of $1 is well worth it for the secure seal it provides.

Gillette shaving cream. Not refillable, but what're ya gonna do? I can no longer pack hubby's large can of shave cream for him when he needs to travel on business, so this is the way to go.

Fun luggage tags. Dollar stores have lots of options here -- everything from Dora the Explorer and Mickey Mouse for the kids to plain and fancy ones for adults. Worried that someone else might grab your suitcase off the luggage carousel? For just a buck, you can let one of these wordy luggage tags speak for you.

Marlene Alexander is a freelance writer and dollar store diva. She writes tips and ideas for decorating using only items from the dollar store.