14 ways to waste your money on a summer trip

David Long/flickr

Travel is often fun, but almost always expensive. That's especially true if your trip is for an extended amount of time.

The good news is you may be surprised how far your holiday money can go by avoiding certain things travelers often buy.

Here are 14 of the best examples:

Food you can get at home

When you're traveling, it's quite normal to crave the familiar foods you're used to back home. While there's nothing wrong with treating yourself to a food you love, the odds are you're going to end up very disappointed. The dish will not taste anywhere as good as what you're used to and will probably be more expensive than the local specialties.

Souvenir shirts

Souvenir T-shirts at just about every major tourist site in every country are typically gaudy and cheap looking. They look especially silly when you wear them back home. Buy a shot glass instead — that would at least be useful.

Knockoff bags

Knockoff merchandise is plentiful, but do you really need a fake bag or counterfeit coat? The price is appealing, but the quality of these items is always underwhelming. Trust me: I've been down this road before.