When You Buy Too Much on Your Vacation…

Often when you are on a vacation, you want to spend more money.

When You Buy Too Much on Your Vacation…

Often when you are on a vacation, you want to spend more money. Some of this is related to wanting to bring home souvenirs for everyone, while others want to buy things they might not be able to find in their hometown. But these kinds of shopping trips can often lead to problems getting everything home easily and safely. Here are some tips that you can use when you realize that you’ve bough more than you thought you had:

Send it home - More people than ever are choosing to have additional items shipped via postage and air mail instead of having to lug it around at the airport and onto a plane. While shipping rates can be expensive, if you don’t need the items particularly fast, they can be quite reasonable. Try to pack only the things that are unbreakable as shipment over long distances can be quite rough. If these items need to go through customs, be sure that you’re following the rules as indicated.
Buy a new bag - You might want to buy an additional piece of luggage to ensure that your new purchases arrive home with you. You can find a local thrift store and pick up a second hand bag or simply buy a new piece altogether. Some travellers favour this approach as it allows them to be in control of their items and reduces the possibility of it being lost in the mail. The items you place in these bags should be unbreakable as well as simple to search during the security process.
Bring it onboard with you - When you have specific and fragile things that you want to bring home, take them on the plane with you. Try to package them gently in your carryon or in another bag so that they are less likely to be broken or misplaced.

There are also some things to keep in mind, should you want to try to fit everything into your bags that you brought with you. Airlines generally charge more for overweight bags, which are typically those over 50 pounds. So, by buying a new bag and distributing the items, you can avoid this charge. If you’re not sure how much things weight, you can use a regular bathroom scale to find out ahead of time.

Also, check with the airlines about any restrictions they might have so that you don’t have to send something via mail by default - often far more expensive than it would have been if you’d shipped it on your own.

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