If you enjoy getting gifts and souvenirs for others while on vacation, then you know that the costs of expressing your love language can get quite high quickly. This gallery would give you insights about how to create a budget specifically for gifts while on vacation and stick to it. Here are 6 ways to budget for gifts and souvenirs during travel without breaking the bank.
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Be Mindful of Your Budget
Let’s say that your initial budget is $2,500. This is for transportation, hotels, food, and other necessities. For souvenirs, you’ll want to consider a small percentage. Assuming you aim for a small figure, like 5%, this would mean $125 towards gifts. You’ll want to calculate this while planning the other costs so that you don’t add too much extra, if any, over your budget. The most important part is to keep your budget in mind – the last thing you want to do is blow it before you leave the house.
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Avoid Tourist Traps
According to FasterCapital, tourist areas tend to sell their items at a premium because they are banking on the heavy traffic. You can keep your eye out for items to purchase outside of these zones and find lower asking prices. There’s a good chance you can get bargain prices at local markets and vendors that offer authentic items rather than the more mass-manufactured items you’ll find at shops in the tourist traps.
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Buy Useful Things
Some gifts can be thought of as more than a source of sentimental value. If you buy an item that has a functional purpose, you’re cutting down future costs. For example, if you write in journals, you can purchase one on your trip. This way, the item that you would’ve bought at a later date at home doubles as a souvenir.
Account for Your Luggage Space
You don’t want to end up paying “extra airline handling or luggage fees,” says List Plan It. Even if you spent within your initial budget, this could cause you to exceed it. The smaller and lighter your souvenir, the better you fare on the way back. A shirt, for instance, is a lot easier to fit and transport than a vase or a painting.
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Research Beforehand
If you know how much the items of interest cost, you’re less likely to overspend on your trip, says FasterCapital. Moreover, you can use the time to research to find potential deals or discounts. You’re already coordinating savings on your other costs — this is something you can do with souvenirs and gifts as well.
Share the Experience
Create scrapbooks with the many pictures you take and print after. Not only will you be able to channel your sentimental energy into a physical thing at a low cost, but if you include cut-outs from free brochures you collect along the way to give the album a festive feel, you’ll able to create a part of the experience. Not only will an album help you reminisce, but it can also be a great gift for a significant other with whom you shared the experience. You could also include call-out photos of those who did not travel with you so they can enter into the experience your album describes.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 6 Ways To Budget for Gifts During Travel
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