Budget Travel Blog

As a general rule, I don’t think that vacations are for shopping. However, I know from experience that there are times when you end up shopping during your trip. Sometimes it’s because you come across such great local stuff that you have to have it. Other times it’s because you end up needing items unexpectedly during the trip. Still other times it’s just a bad impulse that takes over.

Here are ten rules that I follow to keep travel shopping low-cost and to a minimum:

1. Pack well. Making sure that you pack everything that you could possibly need during a trip helps to prevent arriving at the destination and finding out that you need to buy something that you already have at home.
2. Don’t shop at hotels. Hotel gift shops and stores adjacent to hotels are almost always expensive. If you do find that you need something (such as medicine or a toiletry item) then you should head to the nearest local store instead.
3. Don’t buy souvenirs for others. The family back home can see your pictures and hear your travel stories. They don’t need more stuff.
4. Buy only what you can not buy at home. If you see a local item that you really think you want, look very carefully at it. Ask yourself if you could find a similar item back home or on the Internet. If you can, don’t buy it. This helps you to only purchase items that are truly unique and really represent your travels.
5. Only buy things that will last. You should be as discerning during travel shopping as you are when shopping at home for high-quality items.
6. Know how you will use it and where you will store it before you buy it. This helps prevent wasteful purchases.
7. Learn to barter. You can save yourself some money on the purchases that you do make by negotiating for a lower price before you buy.
8. Consider taxes, currency exchanges and shipping costs. Don’t just look at the price of the item. Consider the total cost of the item including getting it back home.
9. Take time when buying items. The worst decisions are made when you’re under pressure to buy something before you leave the area. If you don’t have the time to make a good decision, don’t get the item.
10. Set a budget. If you know that you tend to buy items when you travel then set a reasonable budget for doing so and don’t spend more than the budget allows.

Do you have any other tips for frugal shopping during trips?

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