Originally Posted by andrewclaus

A friend of mine in the same situation just puts on his backpack and starts riding his bike. I wouldn't like it, but it works for him and he's no newbie. He's crossed the country like that.

When I started out I had no money, so I got a cheap back rack and put some stuff on that, and strapped an old gym bag to the brake hoods and stem. In those days I'd never even seen a pannier and couldn't have pronounced it if I did.