Greetings, Frugalistas! So I got back last night from a MARHHHVELOUS weekend at the first Blogalicious conference, a networking event for women bloggers of different ethnicities. I laughed. I cried. I networked at the W hotel in midtown Atlanta.
I had so much fun.
The thing about blogging conferences (or any conference for that matter) is that they are rife with sponsors who are looking to get their products in front of tastemakers and influencers.
The swag (stuff we all get) was plentiful. Our registration bag was the size of a small village. At the different sessions and meetings, registrants were offered free lotion, hair care products, eyelashes, blankets and Barbie dolls. I had oodles and oodles of stuff.
So leaving the conference, I had an extra bag of "stuff." I filtered some of the swag, giving it off to the local bloggers. I know Shameeka, who blogs at The Broke Socialite, is doing a shelter run, donating some of the lotion and blankets to the less fortunate in Atlanta.
When I got to the airport, I ran into a swag dilemma. An airline agent made it clear I would have to check my luggage or get rid of some swag. I had no intention of paying $25 to check a bag due to the stuff I accumulated at the conference.
I thought about giving the swag away to someone at the airport, but for security reasons, I nixed that idea. I didn't want to be put "under watch" for the suspicious activity of giving way items at the airport. I did the unthinkable. I tossed some of the swag in the trash. I had free rice and other snacks in my swag bag. I was able to save the Barbie doll, make up and some hair care products. *Le sigh*
I feel pretty bad about being wasteful but I was up against the wall. I'm not a swag hag. It's just that the registration bag for the conference was filled to the top.
Should I have spent the $25 to check my luggage to keep the swag? Should I have not taken any of the swag? Am I a swag hag? Do I need to practice the "Swag Surfing" dance to get my swagger back? I can still shake it!
Related posts:
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Dang, it sucks that you had to toss out off of those fab goodies but I think you did the right thing in the end so don’t beat yourself up Frugalista.
What a tough dilemma…especially with such great swag. I think you did what you had to do. Nevertheless, maybe conferences could give an option to attendees to receive swag or not OR partner with a worthy cause to donate swag that can’t travel. After all, who needs 8 jumbo-sized lotions? Seriously.
Well, if you couldn’t consolidate, then you did the right thing. You obviously put some thought into it before trashing it, so that alone gets you points on the waste meter. I mean, why pay money for to carry free stuff. That cancels out the whole idea I say.
It only makes sense to pay if you have more than $25 worth of highly desirable crap. I always try to plan carefully for stuff I’ll bring back cuz I’m anti bag check (even when it’s free)
If you have to pay $25 to keep free stuff, it ain’t free. Had you done that you’d probably be kicking yourself for it. While I am not well versed on the finer points of lotion, eyelashes and barbie dolls, I’m pretty sure you kept the really good stuff. Think of the baggage fee as a safety net to make sure you didn’t become a glutton.
Hmmmm….I would have probably done the same thing…..however, I do love Broke’s idea about the partnership with organizations who could use the materials…
I would have tried to offer it to the airline clerk. Aren’t they cutting back on a bunch of freebies. I’m sure they would have appreciated it. It was brand new stuff!