Evelyn Hannon

Dollar stores can be a traveller's delight. Sure you can go to top end travel supply shops and pay lots of cash for the simple things you carry in your suitcase. I prefer to keep my wallet plump by browsing dollar store aisles and becoming creative. Here are 10 inexpensive things I think every woman can make use of on their journeys...

No need to look for envelopes...

If you've tried to buy padded envelopes in stationary stores in Europe, you'll understand they're generally more costly compared to the ones one can buy at the dollar store at home. My last dollar store batch of 8.5" X 11"envelopes were priced at 3 /$1.00. That's an excellent price. For convenience, I throw a few packs into my suitcase every trip. They're perfect for mailing small items home along the way.

Figuring out the exchange...

We all need calculators as we travel. We all lose calculators as we travel. I carry two small but effective solar powered ones and those sell for $1.00 each at my corner dollar shop. Compare that with the least expensive calculator (ten bucks) I found at the stationary store. See? No contest. P.S. I also like to keep a glue stick and a roll of masking tape in my bag. Two dollars covers both.

A tiny tripod...

I am far from a photography maven. I use a small, light camera when I travel. Last week I found a one dollar, miniature tripod no more than four inches high that folds up to nothing. I haven't tried it yet but I think it might work for those night shots when you need an absolutely steady hand.

Don't pack your slippers...

The slippers that you wear in your own home should stay in your home. We wear slippers to protect our feet from 'yucky' stuff on the ground. Then why use your good pair in a hotel or hostel? Do that and you're transferring the 'yucky' stuff right back into your home. My solution is to treat yourself to a pair of one size fits all travel slippers from the dollar store. At that price you can afford to buy yourself a new pair every trip.