Trinkets, Trinkets, Trinkets (aka Trash)

Seriously, I don’t understand why travelers buy trinkets. At all. Aside from burning a gigantic hole in your pocket and taking up more space in your bag, what do they do for you? Do they make you happy? Do they solve your problems?

When I see photos such as these…

…all I see in my mind is “TRASH“.

If I bought any of these trinkets, here’s what would happen:

  1. Trinkets would sit at the bottom of my backpack and take up space for the next few months, or whenever I happen to find my way back “home” to Seattle. Until I reach Seattle, I would carry them on my back wherever I go.
  2. Whenever I got home, the trinkets would be moved from the bottom of my backpack to the bottom of my closet — where they would collect dust for the several years until I get around to buying a place of my own (not happening anytime soon).
  3. Whenever I buy a permanent place of my own, the trinkets would be moved from the bottom of closet #1 to the bottom of closet #2.
  4. After collecting dust at the bottom of closet #2 for 5 years or so, they would be sent off to goodwill or the trash.

Or I can cut that 10 year cycle entirely and just not buy them in the first place.

Spend your money on experiences. I guarantee you’ll be happier for it.

Can someone explain to me why you buy this trash??

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Drew Meyers

Drew Meyers is the co-founder of Horizon & Oh Hey World. He worked for Zillow from September of 2005 to January of 2010 on the marketing team managing Zillow’s API program and various online partnerships. Founder of Geek Estate Blog, a multi-author blog focused on real estate technology for real estate professionals, and myKRO.org, a blog devoted to exploring the world of microfinance. As passionate as you get about travel.

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