Inexpensive Souvenir Ideas

FREE Work Planner Sample!

I won’t send you any spam, ever. Promise!

Is your family doing any traveling this summer? If your kids are tagging along, you already know the cost of souvenirs they *need* along the way can easily add up. When we were traveling a few weeks ago, we gave each of our children $50 to spend on the trip (they “earned” it by memorizing this), but you can bet that $50 went fast.

My ten year old desperately wanted something “special” from New York, and after spending three days in the city was really struggling with how to save some of her money for other things along the way. With a $24 price tag on every t-shirt she saw, she was wise enough to know she didn’t want to spend that much, but really wanted something to remember where she’d been!

So, while standing in Grand Central Station, I eyed the postcard rack and realized they were perfect. At a cost of $.35-$1, she could easily get a post card in each area we stopped in, and when she got home she just added them to a new photo album that she’ll be able to keep as she gets older and add to as she travels. We wrote the year that we were there on the card, and I’m hoping that one day she’ll look back and love seeing all the places she’s been!

The best thing about this was that it gave her a target in each store we shopped at. Instead of spending an hour checking out all the stuffed animals, t-shirts, or pins in each store we visited, she made a bee line for those post cards, spent a few minutes finding just the one she loved, and had some control over her money. (I couldn’t believe how much of a difference that made for her!) And, when wehit the last stop before heading home, she still had quite a bit of money left and was able to get a few extra things at Hershey Park. Success!

Here are a few more penny pinched souvenir ideas . . .

The Penny Press: These cost $.50 + $.01 penny to make, and many areas have them. They’d also be a fun way for your kids to remember where they’ve been over the years!
Local Maps: let your kids pick out a free map from each area they’ve been in, or even a brochure or two along the way. Encourage them to add it to their “collection” so that they have something to remember areas by without spending any money at all.
Items purchased at the Dollar store ahead of time: If your kids just want to have something new, pack a few extra items found for a steal at your local family dollar store. It’s a great way to save and as so many of the items they *have* to have will end up in the donation bin, so why pay too much?
If you’re heading to Disney, stock up on a few Disney treats out of the park. Disney souvenirs can be pretty pricey, so stock up before you go in the park, and let your kids know that you have a special treat for them at the end of the day!
Going to the beach or a special park? Have your kids watch for special seashells, or even gather up a collection of rocks, pinecones, or search for different types of leaves as you go.

What other suggestions do you have to help your children remember their special trip but not break the bank? I’d love to hear your ideas ~ because while I love their special memories, I don’t love a bunch of wasted clutter, so finding something inexpensive that also allows them to “shop” a bit is always a great idea to me.

Looking for more penny pinched travel ideas? Here you go!