‘9’ Things You Should Never Buy At the Airport To Survive Long Layover!
When you are stuck on a long layover, airport shopping can be an enticing distraction. So, what is the better way to kill the time than by shopping for a pair of fashionable travel boots? Airports know exactly how tempting it can be, and how much more they can get away with charging you, which is why the best airport shopping tip is to run, not walk, from the nearest retail stores in the airport. Unless you have no other choice – like you left your phone charger at home. The best thing you can do is avoid airport shopping altogether.
Considerable things you should never buy at the airport.
- Duty-Free
Duty-free purchases are unlikely to be a good deal despite conventional wisdom. Once in a great, you may find a good deal, but for the most part, you can find the price of the exact same goods online is less than at the duty-free airport shop. So, it quite is wise, if you go through online once in your Smartphone to get a sense of what something normally costs before you pick up.
- Water Bottle
Bottles of water can be too costly at the airport. It can add up fast if you are buying for a family or staying hydrated between connecting flights. To save money, bring a refillable water bottle in your carry-on bag and reload your water supply from a fountain or tap.
- Reading Material
When it comes to airport shopping, trashy magazines are one of the more throwaway purchases. Sure, you might pick up a certain magazine to pass time at the airport. Foreign airports may charge you more for magazines, which you can buy at home for just a couple of dollars. Shopping for books at the airport is a little bit more of a gray area. The selection is likely to be limited compared to what you’d find at a full bookstore, and you’ll generally pay the cover price rather than getting a discount. It’s probably better to buy your reading material before you arrive at the airport.
- Foreign Currency
Exchanging money is just one of a million things you need to do before you go to another country, so it’s common for people to just exchange cash at the airport to save time. But you’ll never get the best exchange rate at the airport. The transaction fees alone are high enough that you should either order it from your bank ahead of time or use an ATM when you get to your destination.
- Neck Pillows & Headphones
There is no reason to spend extra money on a neck pillow and headphones. Forgetting your headphone is a pain, but buying them at the airport will cost you far more than if you purchase a cheap pair on the plane to get you through the flight. If you know you need support, just order a pillow from Amazon for practically half the price before you go.
- Food
Not only is the airport food more expensive and less healthy than typical restaurant options, it’ can also be more expensive depending on which terminal you visit. Talk about confusing! Don’t subject yourself to fluctuating prices and poor nutrition. Bring some tasty foods from home—there are many meals and snacks that won’t cause problems with airport security.
- Airport Parking
Try looking for offsite parking and then taking a shuttle. At the bigger airports, Airport parking costs can add up incredibly quickly. So, consider taking a ride with sharing car services instead of letting your car rack up fees day after day.
- Airport Wi-Fi
Hourly, Wi-Fi charge cost at some airports and it may not even be necessary. You can often find an open connection near the first-class lounge or even the airport Starbucks. It’s worth doing a little bit of extra research before you pay. Or you can even use your hotspot on your phone if you have enough data or borrow a free portable Wi-Fi hotspot from your local public library.
- Gifts
You’ll typically pay a lot more for souvenirs at the airport than you would at regular shops for the same goods. This is not a hard and fast rule, as sometimes airports will partner with local artisans to exclusively sell unique handmade goods. However, for the most part, you should support the local economy by buying where you stay and not where you fly—then everyone wins.
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