How cheap was this? Confessions of a freebie souvenir collector

[MrsPete]

Sorry to be negative, but why would kids care about a souvenier from someone else's vacation? If my child brought one home, I'd see it as "I went to Disney World and you didn't." Maybe that's just me.

 

[MCazer]

When we went on our cruise last year, my daughter grabbed a whole bunch of the luggage tags for separating the luggage when leaving the ship.

They had different characters and rubber band.

I also got stickers from a really nice security guard at the Boardwalk entrance to Epcot. When I told him about my daughter's class, he told me to hold on, he walked into a room and came out with about 50 stickers.

They were little security type badge stickers.


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Just an FYI, I don't think any of her classmates thought that she was bragging about her trip, instead I think they were appreciative that they were thought of and missed while she was away.

 

[capegirl]

This is a great thread. Okay... I'm looking for cheap souveniers
to bring back to coworkers at the office. Did key chains the last time, and I would like to get them something to make them smile.
Any ideas out there?

 

[dandelion]

How common is it to have kids bring back something for their classmates? DD is just in first grade and no one has brought anything yet, and I know several kids went last year. We went in October last year (she was in kinder) and never thought of it. When I went alone in Feb. I bought some things for her kinder teacher, who was in the midst of a lawsuit that made it to the national media. Don't let me get started on that

We have a trip planned for April. I like the stickers and/or pretzels idea, she is requested to bring in snacks every now and then anyway.

 

[626]

I usually snatch the resort pens from our room and I try to collect the soap too, although they don't seem to give you as much soap as they used to. My wife and I both love to scrapbook so one way we save money at WDW is when shopping, if we find a shirt that looks really cool we hold it tightly so there's no wrinkles and take a picture of it. Later when we are scrapbooking we have a unique "sticker" which is really just the image from the shirt!

 

[SuprGro78]

Shh.... I stole a menu from Beaches and Creams. It will look great in my 50's kitchen.

 

[jilljill]

Originally posted by SuprGro78
Shh.... I stole a menu from Beaches and Creams. It will look great in my 50's kitchen.

You didn't 'steal' it - you are 'borrowing' it for an unspecified amount of time.

 

[SuprGro78]

I like the way you think!

 

[donnsuz]

Okay folks, let's face it. We're all hear reading the Budget Board so I don't think any of us are overloaded with cash or we'd just whip out the old Visa and go on the trip! By doing things like being frugal and yet thoughtful with souveneirs or making your own baby wipes (I'm pretty sure the world even did totally without them for centuries) we save money where we can. This allows us to have money to spend to go on, let's face it, very expensive trips like going to Disney World. That is absolutely nothing to "confess" or worry about. If anyone is interested in a million and one other ways to save money (to maybe get to go on your trips more often?) buy/borrow a series of books called "The Tightwad Gazette" by Amy Dacyzyn (sp?). She is the guru of penny pinching...but with a purpose not just to be cheap.

 

[jgates]

It doesn't matter where you go, something will usually work in the same manner.

When we went to Tall Stacks in Cincinnati, we took home plastic souv cups for each kid in class. They enjoyed getting something. Everyone likes a treat!

 

[QJ411]

I think it's very thoughtful that kids (& their parents) think about their classmates and bring little gifties to class. I love the coaster idea, and the pens and soaps, etc. When we were there, my DH thought I was crazy, but I took whatever I could get my hands on in the room!

I took the soaps/shampoos every night, so when they came to clean, they'll refill it, I took the pen/pad, and even the coasters too. On our cruise, we even asked our room attendant for extra pens (he was REALLY nice), and he gave us a bunch along w/ more shampoo/conditioner/lotion.

I think these little things cost them next to nothing, compare to the amount of money we actually do spend GETTING there and WHILE we're there.

While we stayed at the Dolphin, my DH got into "free souviners (sp)" too and took some of the "Dolphin/Swan" note paper that they had by the public phone booths...we took some everytime we walked by and now we leave it in our kitchen for scratch paper and it reminds us of WDW!!!

This IS a great thread!

 

[jgates]

Asking is a good idea. When my sons class went to Disney I didn't have any little bottles of shampoo - (usually I pour them in my big Suave bottle when we stay somewhere - we have the yuckiest color shampoo!!!). I went to our local holiday inn express & asked if I could get a couple of small bottles and they gave me a bunch to give to more kids.

 

[Arielle22]

Originally posted by capegirl
This is a great thread. Okay... I'm looking for cheap souveniers
to bring back to coworkers at the office. Did key chains the last time, and I would like to get them something to make them smile.
Any ideas out there?

My dh and I both work at the same place. When we went 1 1/2 yrs ago we brought back Florida mugs with everyone's name on them. Got them at an outlet for at $1.50 each (clearance section). The office would make tea at a certain time each day. With these mugs we didn't mix up who got which milk/sugar. We still use them.