Ideally, your summer will reflect the old song, “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.” Lots of adventure and fun, time spent by the pool and at the theme parks, racing to meet your flight, and herding your muddy kids out of the park as the summer rain descends. Unfortunately, summertime living could get a little less easy — and a lot more expensive — thanks to tariffs implemented by the Trump Administration.
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Instead of focusing on tug of war during field days, you and your family may find yourselves ensnared in a trade war that’s driving up the prices of summer vacation staples — even the clothes and gear that make travel more comfortable. As you start planning this year’s vacation, you should be aware of the items that might end up scorching your wallet.
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1. Car Seats
Going over the river and through the woods, whether you’re going to grandmother’s house or traveling to Disney World, requires a secure car seat if you’ve got a little one. Unfortunately, a trade war with China could raise the cost of this essential — and already pricey — piece of equipment. According to USA Today, tariffs on Chinese-made car seats could raise prices from around $59 to as much as $145. Parents may be among the hardest hit by these hikes.
2. Comfortable Footwear
If there’s one thing that any tourist needs, it’s footwear that can handle long treks through theme parks and national parks alike, as well as sprints through an airport. Unfortunately, many of those shoes are made in China and Taiwan, and tariffs could mean higher costs. About 70% of all imported shoes in the U.S. came from those countries, according to CNN, making this an unavoidable price bump for most consumers.
3. Samsonite Luggage
A suitcase is arguably the most important part of summer travel — after booking your tickets, of course. Travel + Leisure encourages you to buy your luggage now, especially if you love the iconic Samsonite brand. Because a major portion of Samsonite’s manufacturing takes place in China, tariffs could lead to wallet-busting price increases.
4. Digital Cameras
Is it even a vacation if you don’t document it on Instagram? You love to take and share pictures of your summer travels. But unfortunately, digital cameras may also see price hikes. Travel + Leisure anticipates that this travel staple, many of which are produced in countries that have been pulled into the trade war, could go up in price. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your camera before your trip, the publication advises you to snap one up now.
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5. Noise-Cancelling Headphones
There’s no way you’re making it through a trip — at least one where you’re not driving — without a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. Whether you’re trying to drown out a crying baby on a plane or that dude blasting his conversation on speaker for the whole train to hear, headphones are a travel essential. And, according to Travel + Leisure, it would be wise to purchase them now before their prices spike due to tariffs.
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Sources:
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Travel + Leisure, “Tariffs Could Make Travel Gear More Expensive — Here’s What to Buy Now From Apple, Samsonite, and More”
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CNN, “Here’s what could soon cost you a lot more because of Trump’s massive tariffs”
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USA Today, “Summer means new clothes, bikes, strollers and more. How will tariffs impact parents?”
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Summer Vacation Items That Tariffs Could Make More Expensive
