When you go on a trip, even if it’s for business, you often feel compelled to purchase souvenirs both for yourself and for others.  This is especially true if you’re on holiday or if you’re going to a really nice location or travelling abroad for the first time.  However, you can get too caught up in souvenir shopping and blow both your budget and your luggage space.  Here are some tips for souvenir shopping to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand. First, make a list of people for whom you should buy souvenirs.  Check this list over and make certain everyone on it really does need a memento of your trip of a gift.  If not, consider marking them off the list.  Even though it’s tempting to do birthday or holiday shopping while on your trip, it may simply not be practical. Look for small gifts that are meaningful.  If you know someone who has their whole refrigerator covered in magnets, think about getting them a magnet or two.  These types of gifts are inexpensive and don’t take up too much room in your baggage.  Pencils, pens, and key chains are other small gifts that don’t take up much space. T-shirts are also good gifts that are both practical and can be rolled up fairly small.  However, size becomes an issue here.  If you aren’t certain of which size to buy someone, you may think of getting them something else so they won’t be disappointed and you won’t spend money on something that won’t be worn. If you do see something large that you absolutely must have, ask the store if they can ship it for you or if they can hold it while you inquire about shipping options.  If you’re shipping something, especially if you’re shipping it from abroad, you may find that the shipping fees are exorbitant.   Don’t buy it before you know if you can afford to send it home. Also try to avoid buying fragile items.  If you do, attempt to keep your fragile purchases small enough that you can fit them in your carry-on bag.  Putting fragile items in a checked bag is always a gamble.  No matter what, try to wrap up the item as much as you can.  Use t-shirts or other garments if you don’t have any other type of wrapping. Finally, think about replacing souvenirs with something else.  Postcards can be a great little way of saying “I’m thinking of you” without taking up much space or money.  You don’t have to send them, either—when you get back, purchase a picture frame for them and present the framed postcard as a picture.  This works really well for postcards that have full colour, vibrant images on the front.