Souvenirs – Skip or Splurge?

Souvenirs are a big business, as is apparent by the rows and rows of souvenir shops in every tourist destination. Often overpriced and cheaply made, sometimes you get back from vacation and wonder why you wasted your money on a glow-in-the-dark pool noodle with ‘Miami’ written on it in rhinestones. There are several things to consider before buying a souvenir if you want to avoid a bout of buyer’s remorse.

First and foremost, is this a quality item? Never buy something that’s going to fall apart during its second use. If there are a million copies, and they’re all being sold at every tourist shop on the boardwalk, you can probably bet you’re not getting a quality item. Rather than throwing all of your spending budget away on lots of little inexpensive knickknacks, wait to find one or two more expensive things that you know you’re getting the most for your money from.

Is this an item you’re going to use on a regular basis? If you’re an avid coffee drinker, and you just have to have the handcrafted coffee mug from the little pottery studio that you stumbled upon, that’s probably a good buy. If you already have a dozen coffee mugs collecting dust in your cabinets, though, you probably want to reconsider.

Do you have a hobby or collection that this item fits? Lots of travelers have cute and quirky collections of touristy items from snow globes and refrigerator magnets to postcards and Christmas tree ornaments. During your vacation, however, is not the time nor place to begin a new porcelain figurine collection just because you saw a cute porcelain frog figurine in a shop window, because you’ll probably never buy another one again.

Souvenirs can be treasured reminders of your travels and wonderful topics of conversation in your home. Choose them wisely and you won’t end up regretting your travel purchases.