I may have mentioned once or twice here that I am cheap.  I take road trips to save money.  I almost always name my own price for a hotel on Priceline.  I’ll stay on a couch whenever I can.

I love to travel and I’m not a Rockefeller.  I have had to master the art of cheap vacations.

It’s because of this budget consciousness that I avoid souvenir shops like the plague.  I abhor the idea of spending $20 on a T-Shirt that I’m never going to wear again simply because it bears the name of some city I was in on it.  I refuse to bring my children plastic trinkets from my travels, because I know will end up in pieces under someone’s bed.

But even I, frugal as I might be, understand the joy of having a memento of your vacations.  It’s nice to have something you can look at later that will transport you back to the happiness of a great trip.  It’s also nice, I’ve been told, to have a traveler bring you something back as a sign that they were thinking of you while they were away.

How can you reconcile traveling on a budget with the need for souvenirs?

4 Budget Travel Tips For Cheap Souvenirs

1. Buy something you’d buy (and use) anyway.

My husband says that I use this as an excuse to go shopping while I’m on vacation.  Clearly he does not appreciate my frugal nature.

$35 souvenir: Chinatown, New York City

I bought this purse for $35 in New York City.  I love it.  I use it constantly.  And every time I do I remember my trip to New York City in October of 2008.  I get a heck of a lot more use out of it than I would a mini replica of the Empire State building.

The other thing I love about buying things I’ll use when I’m on vacation is that it gives me opportunities to share that trip with other people in the future.  Every time I carry this purse and someone asks me where I got it, I end up telling them how crazy Canal Street is and about taking the subway in New York City.

The same thing goes for the gorgeous cocktail ring I bought on River Street in Savannah.  Or the cute scarf I picked up in Charleston, South Carolina.  Or the red stiletto slides I got in Las Vegas on my anniversary trip.  See how frugal I am?

2. Pictures make the best souvenirs – yours or someone else’s.

Remember that the point of souvenirs is to have something you can remember your vacation by later.

The "Rocky Steps" in Philadelphia. Which I climbed.

While I was looking through my own collection of vacation pictures on FlickR, I found myself reliving adventure after adventure as I flipped through the pictures.  Even the fuzzy shots had the power to transport me.

Of course, everyone takes pictures on vacation.  Turn them into souvenirs by printing out your favorites and framing them.  Hang them on a wall or set them on an end table – but put them out where you can enjoy them.  They’ll make much more interesting decor than the tacky plastic memorabilia you can pick up at a gift shop.

And if you don’t manage to capture the city skyline or ocean view just right – buy yourself a postcard.  For about $2.00 you can have frame worthy memories that really capture the feeling of the place you enjoyed so much.

3. Bring back pieces of the scenery.

For the love of God do not buy sand in a bottle.  Sand?  Is free.  Pick some up and put it in a baggy that you can put in a mason jar when you get home.  And while you’re at it, pick up some sea shells that you can stick in that jar along with the sand and Voila!, you’ve got yourself a pretty neat, homemade souvenir.

Sea shells by the sea shore

But what if you’re not taking a beach vacation?

Look for things in the environment around you that are unique and representative of that location.  Maybe you’ll pick up some branches from the Redwoods in the Pacific Northwest.  Or bring home some of that famous red clay of Georgia.  Pick up a few of the fall colored leaves that you can press and display as art.

4. Shop flea markets and local markets or fairs.

Whenever I have guests visit us in Florida, I make sure to take them to a flea market before they leave.  I give them strict instructions not to buy any souvenirs until they’ve hit the flea market.

Hand blown glass at City Market in Charleston

My most recent house guests walked away with t-shirts fo $1.88.  And a scarf for $3.00 (see tip number 1!).  And a Daytona Beach picture frame for $6 (to put tip number 3 to good use!).  While flea markets aren’t immune to overpriced junk, they also offer a lot of great finds at rock bottom prices.

Of course, not every city has open air flea markets available year round.  But the locals shop somewhere.  Find the markets and shopping districts that don’t cater to tourists and you’ll find your best bargains for souvenirs to bring home.  You’ll also find an opportunity to experience places off the beaten path and see new cities through the eyes of the people who actually live there.

Some experts will tell you that if you have to worry about money when you’re traveling, it’s just not worth it.  But I think that anyone who has a desire to see the world should find a way to do just that.  And it is possible to have a great vacation on a budget if you’re creative!

Just stay out of the gift shops.