FYI – the answer is NOT the airport or the souvenir shop at the theme park. Finding the local Goodwill, Salvation Army, and other local thrift stores (no matter where you are) will save you a significant chunk of money on your family travel. Especially if you are trying to buy travel gifts for kids on a budget. I learned this from my mama too. In Lake Tahoe and in Orlando, my mom and I hit up the local consignment stores to see what we could find. You better bet that shirts and bags (with the city name or popular local attractions on them) were abundant and a fraction of the price of the souvenir shops we looked at. I even got a couple of t-shirts for the kids for like $3 instead of $20 (because really, how often will they wear it before they grow out of it). Shopping is fun when you are deal hunting and won’t break the bank!
*Disclaimer (again): Not every deal is a good deal. In Orlando, I saw 6 stores on the same road that all claimed to have $1.99 Disney souvenirs. Does it sound too good to be true? It kind of was. They did have some $1.99 keychains, but most items were more expensive. Not DISNEY expensive, but still more than $1.99. One of the shops did have $1.99 shirts, but they had little screenprinting defects, so just be careful. Walmart, Target, and Walgreens will usually have local gifts and souvenirs for less than themepark prices also.
** Do you have any other tips for finding souvenirs for family travel on a budget? Share them with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.