With the American Dollar so low right now, I often find myself writing down on the Customs form that I am bringing no purchased merchandise into the country. I felt guilty about it so I wrote down $30.00 one time. But when I travel abroad, I purchase mainly food, beverages (lots of beverages) and accommodations. I'm really not going to Europe to shop, although, I occasionally will stroll through a store.

I've been told by the local department stores that when the Europeans come to Florida, they often pack empty suitcases and stock up because clothes are much cheaper in the States then in Europe.

BTW, Dillards is having a sale. 70% of merchandise Plus take an additional 30% off.

Honestly, you can get it all here in the US for less. Those Venetian masks are available at TJ Maxx. The terra cotta soldier that my son schlepped home on his first trip to China is ALSO now available at TJ Maxx. We buy a few things to remember the place by, but usually it is local art.

we go to London often to visit family that is currently living there. We often return home with nothing - except maybe some food for the plane ride. too expensive!

That is exactly how I felt when I went to Brussels in July! In the end I brought home exactly two things - a bag that was on sale for 40 euro (flat and packable) and a pair of shoes for 60 euro. But I only bought the shoes because the pair of ballet flats I had taken with me got a hole in the bottom (I've never actually WORN OUT a pair of shoes!) and it was raining.

Frankly I just couldn't justify spending money on clothes and such when I had little room in my carry-on and could buy the same things in the U.S. for cheaper. Plus I'm moving to Brussels soon for work

I went to Florence in '05 and only bought a something small in the duty free shop and a paperback book for the flight home. I am going again at the beginning of next month and don't plan to purchase any things then either.

I don't like shopping when I am at home and don't do a lot of shopping when abroad, so I am not acquisitive at all. But I can't think of a single time when I've truly never brought back a single thing. That's because I like music and literature a lot, and almost always have bought some CDs or books abroad, things I cannot easily get at home or really are a lot cheaper in Europe (certain dictionaries and books I've bought in foreign languages would cost a lot more in the US, if available). I also may buy classical music piano scores, as I play that instrument, because they can be cheaper in Europe if from a European publishing company.

I usually have some minor sculpture, bauble or something I have bought, also. Oh, yeah -- one thing I do like is jewelry, so I usually buy some jewelry that is local to the area -- garnets in CR, amber in Poland, some special Spanish designs, etc.

I would never go on a trip to do routine shopping like many Asians do or Europeans now, but I can understand it if things are really a lot cheaper. I was surprised once when in a dept store where I live in the US when I encountered some French tourists buying luggage in a major dept store. Well, maybe somehow theirs got destroyed, but seems unlikely.

I'm with you! I can get everything right here in Fl, I did , however just came back from D.C. and bought 3 to-die-for dresses, and guess what? Everything is so casual these days. When I went to Italy, I brought back cheese just to use up the liras then. Even any of the islands, all there, is here.

I hardly ever have time to shop at home. I try to hit twice a year for clothes, when the sales are on. So...yes I shop when I travel. I don't buy junk. I bought a beautiful and expensive scarf at a shop when I was in Paris last year. I also got baby clothes for my SO's grandaughter at Monoprix. Reasonbly priced and just adorable..so much cuter than Mervyns or Penny's for equivilent price. Bought mustard at Maille (they had some new flavors and she likes to cook) for my SIL as well as several bottles of sel at Bon Marche. I also bought perfume. It's a "thing" with me, just have to get some perfume when I'm in Paris. So, yea, I always shop, I love to shop.

I always try to bring back Susan. She is good value and seldom complains.

Excellent answer,Bob!!!

Depends where I've been. When I went to Rome, I really didn't see anything I wanted to buy. I never shop for clothes on vacation, at least not for myself. If my daughters are with me, that's another story, but even they didn't find anything in Rome.

Paris, or anywhere in France, I need to bring an extra gym bag to pack my clothes in on the way home, so I have plenty of room for purchases in my carry-on luggage.

Never, ever since the time I didn't buy something because I thought I would see it later on and never did.

When we come back from Paris we are loaded with Provençal food products and Mariage Frère tea from Paris.

Wally et al:

Haven't brought anything home for many years..that is, except wife, fond memories, good feelings, some stories to tell friends (who show any interest), the children and the grandchildren... and mucho pix.

stu t.

"Honestly, you can get it all here in the US for less. Those Venetian masks are available at TJ Maxx. The terra cotta soldier that my son schlepped home on his first trip to China is ALSO now available at TJ Maxx. We buy a few things to remember the place by, but usually it is local art."

Yes. This is a fact-those terra cotta soldiers that they try to rip you off by charging you all kinds of money for in various shops in Xi'an? They are available in ALL sizes (even the big ones!) at TJ Maxx, sometimes Marshalls and Ross-it's amazing what I find in those stores from overseas-my great Thai hand-made silverware?-check! (Marshalls, for less, but they didn't have my particular pattern!) My lovely Thai puppet dolls? (I have at least 8, some with gold faces, white faces, wood faces, each one with a different look, different eyes and lips and noses-because they were all individually hand-painted faces-which is what I love about them)-check! World Market (but not the ones I have-mine are more interesting looking-and I sure as shite didn't pay 25 dollar each for them, more like 3 to 5 dollar, esp. on the Thai/Burma border!)-CERTAINLY Venetian masks, maybe not the most expensive and elaborate, but hey, those are authentic hand-made Venetian masks at TJ Maxx, and they are a lot less expensive!

My Annick Goutal perfume, I do buy in Paris, but I re-order it from fragrances.net, as they do carry the limited edition "de Lys" which is my favorite, in addition to others, for a little less than what I would pay in Paris.

About the only thing I can't find here, are certain Italian handbag makers, and the newest styles of Lancel handbags, that sort of thing-but I do come back frequently without buying anything in Europe, except little knick-knacky things, indeed I do.

I returned home from the UK a couple years ago without bringing anything back because Air Canada lost my luggage. They lost it on the way over as well, so at least they're consistent. Yeah, they eventually found it both times, so I guess I shouldn't complain . . . much.

I came to France in 1990 and didn't buy one thing to take home When we were on the plane I said to my husband - this looks really suspicious, I'm sure we'll be challenged when we land.

Sure enough, when the Customs Officer saw that we were not declaring ANYTHING, he asked how it could be possible that we would spend 3 weeks in France and not buy anything

'We bought a house!' Oh - end of discussion. When you spend your whole holiday with real estate agents, looking at 40+ houses, you don't get much time to buy wine, perfume, etc.

But still the best buy we ever made.

I came home a few years ago with only an $11 apron which I dutifully wrote down on the form. I was pulled aside and my suitcase thoroughly examined. I still don't bring much home, but I write down a generous number and walk right through.

I rarely buy anything abroad. For one thing, I was born without a gene for shopping. The exception is books, without which I cannot live. And the odd CD.

Au contraire, on my last trip, I lost a) a hoody
b) a camera
c) an eye mask

I once bought a jug of Chanel # 5 at the duty free shop at the airport in Paris, but then discovered it was selling for the same price in J.C. Penney's.

All I ever bring back is local wines and liqueurs unavailable at home here in Australia plus (I hope) a heap of unused travellers cheques. And of course the odd newspaper or magazine in one of the three local languages I can read, which have too small a market here to be imported by wholesalers.

Harzer

NEVER! I am a total vacation shopper