Bringing back mementos and gifts is a wonderful way to remember a trip, but unchecked shopping can quickly sink your travel budget. The best strategy is to shop smart and avoid the common pitfalls that cost you time and money.
💰 Pricey Pitfalls: Where NOT to Shop
To keep your spending in check, avoid places designed to overcharge tourists.
- Skip the Airport: This is the most expensive place to buy last-minute gifts. You’ll pay premium prices for low-quality items like basic T-shirts and keyrings. Save your money for your next trip instead.
- Steer Clear of Tourist Traps: Crowded gift shops near major attractions are often overpriced and filled with generic merchandise. Venture off the main strip and explore local, authentic stores or even supermarkets for better finds and prices.
- Beware of Attraction Gift Shops: Nearly every museum, theme park, and zoo forces you to walk through a shop to exit, making it hard to resist. The temptation is everywhere!
- Remind yourself that you have to carry everything you buy home.
- Do a quick online search for the item’s price. If your kids absolutely must have it, consider buying it less expensively online when you get home (as long as shipping isn’t too high).
✈️ Travel Hassles: What NOT to Buy
Focus on items that are easy to pack and won’t be confiscated.
- Be Cautious with Edible Gifts: Avoid buying unwrapped food. Airport authorities may confiscate it due to agricultural or security concerns.
- Either eat that Italian salami before you fly, or ensure you buy it vacuum-sealed or commercially packaged.
- Watch out for liquid-heavy foods like jams, jellies, and olives, as their volume may cause issues at security checkpoints.
- Dodge the Breakables: Choose items that you can easily transport without worrying about them getting damaged. Fragile ceramics or glassware are often not worth the risk and hassle.
- Don’t Buy Dust Collectors: Be practical. If you won’t actually use those tiny spoons, shot glasses, or fridge magnets, pass them up. Avoid buying simply for the sake of buying—you’re just creating clutter for your home.
🌟 Value & Authenticity: What TO Buy
Make your purchases count by focusing on quality and practical use.
- Seek Out True Value: Invest in quality items you or the recipient will actually use and that will last a lifetime. For example, a hand-knit Aran sweater from Ireland or New Zealand is a valuable piece of clothing that could last decades, offering far better value than several cheaply made T-shirts.
- Buy Unique Local Goods: Look for items sourced from indigenous resources that you truly cannot find anywhere else. Think Alpaca clothing in Peru or beautiful turquoise and silver jewelry in the American Southwest. Local markets are great places to hunt for bargains.
- Check Thrift and Local Stores: Pop into a local thrift store for unexpected items with a local theme, or check out dollar stores for small, locally-themed trinkets that can keep children happy without breaking the bank.
- Pre-Shop for Name Brands: If you know your kids want a specific branded item from a theme park (like Disneyworld), buy the shirt online ahead of time. You can often get it for a fraction of the price you’d pay inside the attraction.
