Display one type, artfully – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

Avoid the hodge podge of souvenir clutter by opting for one type of souvenir you can collect over the years and display with an artful flair.

Flag patches stitched onto a cozy blanket, framed local stamps, or a postcard album can turn souvenir junk into souvenir art.

When picking your collection piece, be mindful of how your life will change over the years. A shot glass collection may seem like a great idea in your 20-something travels but when you find yourself vacationing with children of your own, hunting for that perfect jigger probably isn’t on the agenda.

National Parks illustrated guidebooks – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

National parks are some of the most amazing, breathtaking places on earth. And, they also have some of the most impressive souvenir shops! I like to pick up the official illustrated guidebook for each national Park I visit.

They’re filled with fantastic information, history, facts, spectacular photographs — and they are very reasonably priced. In addition, when purchasing a guidebook from a Park, you’re contributing to the operation of the entire Park System.

In short, these guidebooks are perfect mementos for some of the most memorable and beautiful destinations you will ever visit.

Buy Christmas ornaments – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

Maybe you don’t need shot glasses, postcards, or (even more!) t-shirts cluttering your life. Perhaps a once-a-year reminder of your trip is enough. If so, consider buying Christmas ornaments, or other holiday decorations, on vacation.

Most vacation areas sell holiday items. You may find you appreciate your souvenirs more by unpacking them once a year and reliving your vacation memories. Plus, once you pack them away until next year, you don’t have to dust them all year!

Bonus: if you can’t easily locate a store selling holiday items, this means you’ve got to do some research and explore your destination more deeply. The reward will be tremendous.

Seven things to do with your unused foreign currency

by Katie Hammel on

Despite only taking out as much as money from the ATM as you thought you’d need each day, you somehow managed to come in under budget. Now what do you do with this extra foreign currency you’ve got burning a hole through your picket? You could convert it back to your home currency, getting hit with exchange fees again, or you could try one of these seven options.

Save it for next time.

If the currency in question is Euros, it may make more sense to just save the bills for your next trip to Europe. By the time you convert the money back into dollars (or whatever your home currency is), the amount you lose to fees may not make it financially worthwhile, even if the exchange rate eventually changes in your favor. Obviously, with more exotic currencies, this isn’t a good option. Who knows when you’ll be able to return to Uruguay.

Sell it to another traveler.
If you know of another traveler heading to the destination soon, you can offer to sell them your leftover currency. Offer then a rate that is lower than what they pay at the bank or once they arrive in country, but higher than what you would make selling the currency back for dollars. In this way, you both win.Donate it.
You were going to spend it anyways right? Why not give it to a worthy cause? At a few airports, I have seen donation boxes out near the security line. Throw your spare change in here and you may help improve life for someone in that country. You could also convert it and donate the changed bills to a charity at home.

Display it.
I’m fascinated by foreign currency. I always keep one or two of the most interesting or colorful bills and coins from every country I visit. I keep them in a glass jar on my mantel, as both a unique decoration and a subtle reminder of the places I have been.

Spend it on airport souvenirs. …
After arriving at the airport and realizing that (after we took out the money we wanted to keep and take home to display) we still had close to 100 South African Rand (a little more than $10) my husband and I decided to blow it on souvenirs. Since we had some time to kill, we each took 50 Rand and set out to spend as much of the money as we could on last-minute airport souvenir tchotchkes. We had a fun time and came away with a few silly mementos of our trip that we otherwise would not have bought.

Or be a big spender at the airport
I hate spending money at the airport. After spending money throughout my trip, I hate the idea of dumping more money right before I head home. But, when I have some leftover currency to get rid of, it doesn’t seem as annoying. Use the opportunity to get rid of the cash in style. Treat yourself to a a few glasses of quality wine at the airport bar, opt for the more expensive entree, or spring for one of the massages offered in your terminal. It doesn’t make sense to be wasteful of course, but sometimes it is fun to enjoy the little extras that you normally wouldn’t.

Add it to your travel fund.
If you do plan on changing the money back into your home currency, don’t just use the money for groceries or bus fare. Put into a special fund earmarked for travel and contribute to it every time you come home from a trip. After a few trips, you may not have enough to cover a plane ticket, but you might have amassed enough cash to cover a few splurges on your next trip.

Shop patiently – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

Patience will lead you to discover the most unique souvenirs.

When you begin to explore your travel destination, it may be difficult to keep from buying the first intriguing thing you see. After all, it’s so novel to you! Over time, though, you’ll usually realize that the same souvenirs are sold in almost every shop.

Once you get used to seeing the same things again and again, unique items that cannot be found anywhere else will start to stand out to you. These are the true prizes: gifts for those back home that are truly found nowhere else in the world!