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Leaving Items In Caches


InHope

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I saw where some people who have found certain caches say they left something behind. I've seen some where there are things to take.

 

Is there a rule/method to this? Should I find some swag to take with me to leave in traditional caches when I find them?

 

Thanks!

 

my gps will be here in 2 days!!!!!!

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Yes, generally caches have do-dads, thingamajigs and tchotchkes in them. Usually nothing of great value (though sometimes you may get lucky). The idea is to take something and leave something and most people try to make sure its somewhat even trade (meaning don't take that new Mini Mag Lite and leave a broken McDonalds toy that you found under the seat of your car).

 

Trading is not mandatory however. You can just sign the logbook and be done.

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I saw where some people who have found certain caches say they left something behind. I've seen some where there are things to take.

 

Is there a rule/method to this? Should I find some swag to take with me to leave in traditional caches when I find them?

 

Thanks!

 

my gps will be here in 2 days!!!!!!

 

The common practice is if you take something, then leave something of equal or greater value. If you take kids caching bringing items to trade is almost a definate must.

Edited by Bill & Tammy
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Yes, generally caches have do-dads, thingamajigs and tchotchkes in them. Usually nothing of great value (though sometimes you may get lucky). The idea is to take something and leave something and most people try to make sure its somewhat even trade (meaning don't take that new Mini Mag Lite and leave a broken McDonalds toy that you found under the seat of your car).

 

Trading is not mandatory however. You can just sign the logbook and be done.

 

How do I know what I should bring? I mean should I just bring 4 or 5 items of varying value?

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I have put together 3 caches that each weekend, I say its time to hide...But on way to hiding spot I cache instead...

 

We find a cache lacking in tradables boom we load them up and then after a day of caching we realize we did it again... not much stuff to hide...

 

Of course Team_Talisman are ordinary people enjoying the adventure of caching and if we can add to a cache, rescue or adopt a cache we will to keep the adventure going for others to find

 

Dave and Lil from Team_Talisman

:)

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Yes, generally caches have do-dads, thingamajigs and tchotchkes in them. Usually nothing of great value (though sometimes you may get lucky). The idea is to take something and leave something and most people try to make sure its somewhat even trade (meaning don't take that new Mini Mag Lite and leave a broken McDonalds toy that you found under the seat of your car).

 

Trading is not mandatory however. You can just sign the logbook and be done.

 

How do I know what I should bring? I mean should I just bring 4 or 5 items of varying value?

 

Basically. The kinds of things you will find vary, but it could range anywhere from total garbage, to inexpensive but useful items. One of my favorite things to bring along are individual packets of insect repellent wipes. I buy a box of them and leave a couple in each cache. Another favorite of mine are the Wal-mart emergency rain ponchos that they sell for 84 cents. Think cheap stuff that you wouldn't mind finding.

Edited by briansnat
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One thing I have found out, if you live near a casino....They always have good decks of cards to donate or sell cheap them them a call...Playing cards work well in caches for adults and kids...

 

Brian the emergency rain ponchos work great...

 

Small first aid kits are a a good swag...

 

Sacagawea and $2 dollar bills go fast...

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I think a variety of things would do best. I bring things with me which will fit in a larger container and trades which will fit into smaller containers. There are so many different things to trade, these people are very creative. Some leave items which identify them like buttons and pins which have photos on them, beads, action figures, caribiners, mini flashlights, stickers..the list is limited only by your imagination.

I put a bunch of things into my backpack and leave them there. I add to it to freshen things up now and then.

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The Acacdemy store in our area has an .88 cent isle. There are toys, household goods, tools, etc on this isle. This is my favorite shopping spot for caching. There are things on that isle that would please any cacher of any age! I can spend a little or a lot, add items to caches that are low, have plenty to trade, and still have stuff left over to put in a new cache that I might have found the perfect spot for while I was out!

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I'm sure this is common sense but I'm gonna say it anyways. Alot of caching involves kids. So don't put things in there you wouldn't want your kids to get ahold of(matches, lighters, pocket knives, adult materials etc). Although for my tobacco addicted caching partner a dry pack of matches would sometimes come in handy, generally considered not a good trade item. Mcdonalds items are common but in my opinion boring. I personally enjoy key chains, flashlights, and playing cards. My personal trade item is those carabiners with the AAA flashlight built it. I found a hardware store that had them for a $1 a piece and I bought them all. I wish I could find more cheap like that. They seem to be a big hit around here.... O yea BATTERIES ARE ALWAYS A PLUS. Infact my FTF prize for a cache I will be placing near my camper in Mohican this year is a energizer charger and set of 4 2500mah batteries with a car charger, cost about $30 at target but I expect it to be a hit as well as a great suprise for the first visitior.

 

Bill

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Currently I ususally take nothing and leave a signature item which is a poker chip I have painted my user name onto.

 

Go to the local dollar store for a good selection of trade items. Get the 10-packs of pens and pencils to leave in caches that lack a writing utensil. Any cheap items you can buy in bulk will do.

Edited by wesleykey
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Myself, I have a box of national guard keychains, enough to last me 500 caches, and leave one in each one I find. Personally, I dont really care what I take out of there, and usually leave cool signature things for others. I dont mind the cheap little toys (actually got a cool toy pirate), and keep all my found shwag is a huge jar. It makes for an interesting converation piece too, when people come over :)

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Think dollar stores: playing cards, calculators, small tools, matchbox cars, beanie animals, pens, bookmarks, small roll of duct tape, metal whistle.........etc

 

I'll have to shoot by the dollar store...

 

My wife was doing the grocery game and scored 14 bottles of Garnier Fructis for 44c each. On each one of them is a portable little FM walkman w/earbuds. I think I might use them too.

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I always trade. Some just sign the log. I like the goofy little figurines such as the Mactoys. Presently I have a frankinstein like Mctoy, a rubber dolphin eraser? and an orange car. These are my trophies for finding the cache. They make me laugh. They'll sit around on my table until I'm ready to trade them off for something else. I'll also trade for things I can use.

It's good to have different size things in case a cache is small. You should trade for equal value items.

It's best to leave things in a cache looking like you would want to find it- better if you can.

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The common practice is if you take something, then leave something of equal or greater value. If you take kids caching bringing items to trade is almost a definate must.

 

If everybody left something of equal or greater value, there wouldn't be any McToys out there and eventually we'd be carrying gold bars around to leave in caches.

Not a bad idea actually!

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Dollar store is great for Swap With Another Geocacher stuff - SWAG.

 

I have bought a 10 pack of dice and put them 2 to a bag.

mini kleenex packs

small boxes of crayons

AA batteries

keychains

I went to the Hobby Lobby and bought some small individual bags which I put my stuff in - like the batteries. I used these small bags to make up mini emergency kits which I put in a bandaid, rubberband, paper clips, some safety pins, alcohol wipe and a hand santizer. These only cost me pennies each. The bags are sold approximately 2x2 or 2x4 roughly and work great. This way the stuff you leave stays extra dry. :ph34r:

 

I usually try personally to leave stuff more for adults as there always seems to be plenty in the caches for kids. Grownups need to have fun too! I also have some signature items and those are well liked too. I bought some dove lapel pins on line. With your name and the word Hope in it, I bet you could find some nice stuff. Oriental Trading Company also sells loads of things sometimes by the GROSS.

Edited by lonesumdove
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My 6 year old loves finding and leaving things. We save up the toys you get in the cereal boxes that are duplicates of the ones he already has (example are the Sliders from Ice Age 2 or the little cars from CARS). These are basically freebies, surprisingly well made toys and make great cache items. We also have an assortment of foreign coins for for him to leave in the more adult oriented caches. You need to take a selection of items with you because some cache's seemed to be geared more for kids and some more to adults. :ph34r:

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I have noticed a lot of people like to leave an item but not take anything. Question I have is some of the caches I have come across were so stuffed with swag it was a pain to get everything out to sign the log and then stuff everything back in. Under those conditions would it be okay to take something out just so there is some room? If I did it I would probably take something that was smashed or damaged in some way. So far all I have done is sign the log. I am going to get me some swag so I can start trading but was curious about some of the overstuffed caches.

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I rencently found a 2 pack of the led key ring flashlights that sold for $1.75 a pack at my local walmart.. i bought 10 packs and placed 1 in ad ziplock bacg with a card og our team name. thought this was a nice handy item that people might like to have. It cost me less than $20 dolars and gave me 20 items to place in the cache.

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How do I know what I should bring? I mean should I just bring 4 or 5 items of varying value?

 

I raided my desk drawers at work and came up with some cool stuff. I had a few stickers, some ear plugs (unused ;)), a crappy yo-yo, some CDs, rubber balls, and other stuff. At any given time, I've got about 8 or 9 items in the bag to trade, all of varying values so I can trade as fairly as I can.

 

Aaron

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Try to imagine that you are taking your five year old neice or nephew caching for the very first time. They open up the box. What would you want them to see? That's what I leave in the cache. If the contents are meager, I'll fill them up a bit. If they are broken, I'll replace the broken ones. I've come across caches where the owners haven't been there for a couple of years - other caches where the owners are there at least once a month. The community steps in and takes over these neglected caches. At first I didn't pay too much attention to what was in the caches. I happened to be caching on day with a man in his thirties. He took everything out, lined them up, wiped out the box of dirt and pine needles, and examined every item before placing them back into the box. He even spoke about several of the items - what kind of person might have left a certain type of item. I thought, I'm really missing something. Since then I've taken a bit more care and time with caches.

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I also clean as I go and swap up. I will sometimes leave 2 or 3 items because there is really nothing good left in there. I have found things such as broken sunglasses (this past weekend), a tube of half used Chap Stick, a wad of hair (I am not kidding - someone thought that was good thing to leave with a ribbon tied on it ;) ), candy wrappers, a chewed pencil, and plenty of broken toys. I also throw away things with an agenda or stuff that kids should not see or take such as lighters, knives, etc... I have only found a little over 200 and sometimes I can't believe the cra* people put in there. I also think there is a group of cachers who put nothing in and take something. I have found this with the caches I have placed and have a good idea who they are... ;)

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I always leave something but only occasionally take things. Once I darn near emptied an ammo can of dirty, broken McToys and GOP (Lyndon LeRouche) propaganda leaflets. In this particular case I left a mid 3rd century Gallienus Ant with a hippocamp on the reverse, put all the junk in my trash bag, and moved on. I e-mailed the cache owner what I had done, (sadly got no response), and feel no remorse for cleaning up/out a cache. Hope I didn't offend anyone's sensibilities. I usually put *good* swag in caches, trying to set an example.

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