Geocaching contents!

[Wolfinlied]

Hello everyone, I'm a noob (yay go me!)

I'm trying to get my bf into geocaching and I'm wanting to make sure I have all information possible, after a few searches on the forums and the main site I have found basically what you CANT put in a cache, things like food and drugs and sharps etc. keep it PG and unscented! But I didn't find examples of what you can put in there. Can I put in certificates for items from a store? can I put in pet items? can I put in jewellery that I made? The site says put in something of EQUAL or more value. How do you value an item? I'm on a disability pension, so I don't want to find I need to spend hundreds just to get into a cache and be able to leave something.

 

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, i just want to make sure i know everything possible before i say "YES! lets go!"

 

Thanks

[+niraD]

Most trade items are inexpensive trinkets, so don't expect to find anything resembling genuine treasure. More typical trade items are dollar-store toys and freebies from trade shows and fast-food restaurants.

 

And no one is expecting a professional appraisal for every trade. As long as you think the next person will be at least as happy with the contents of the cache as you were, then you're keeping with the spirit of "trade up or trade even".

[+oxford comma]

I'm pretty new, but from what I've learned so far, handmade signature items are the most appreciated. I like to leave something cool ( well, at least in my opinion) that shows I put some thought into it, so the next person who probably expects to find rusty swag and soggy cards will have a nice surprise. if you keep an eye out, you can find cool cheap

stuff at the discount/surplus/unclaimed freight type of stores.

[Wolfinlied]

Oh wow thanks for the insight, i suck at finding these things so im not sure ill be putting much in em, but i could at least create a few in the future. I like making things with Polymyer clay (i think thats how you spell it) and cute little japanese type food trinkets (not actual food!) They make great jewellery, phone charms, nicknacks.. they look nice. They arent even too girly

 

Im glad that hand made items are appreciated, i put a lot of time and effort into things i make and to actually have purpose for them instead of having them sit around home and do nothing is GREAT. (i dont know anyone in the area to actually give things to lol).

 

Thanks for the replies

[+L0ne.R]

Oh wow thanks for the insight, i suck at finding these things so im not sure ill be putting much in em, but i could at least create a few in the future. I like making things with Polymyer clay (i think thats how you spell it) and cute little japanese type food trinkets (not actual food!) They make great jewellery, phone charms, nicknacks.. they look nice. They arent even too girly

 

Im glad that hand made items are appreciated, i put a lot of time and effort into things i make and to actually have purpose for them instead of having them sit around home and do nothing is GREAT. (i dont know anyone in the area to actually give things to lol).

 

Thanks for the replies

 

Check out the comments on my blog. Lots of people appreciate handmade geoswag:

 

My geoswag blog 'leave a message' link

[+T.D.M.22]

Can I put in certificates for items from a store? can I put in pet items? can I put in jewellery that I made? The site says put in something of EQUAL or more value. How do you value an item? I

 

Thanks

Certificates is kinda iffy IMO, sure it's allowed, but if the store uses paper then don't do it. It's likely to get wet and make a mess, even in a waterproof container. If it's a card, or somehow waterproofed then go for it. Pet items, depends. No pet food or anything that could be scented, maybe a leash, plastic toy something like that. And as for equal value, it's kinda up to you. carabiners, keychains, fast food/dollar store toys, give-aways from a trade show all kinda fall into the same value, and that's mostly what you will find. A lot of people don't take any SWAG, they just leave it, in there, maybe put some more in. If you find a geocoin or Travel Bug, you don't have to trade, but please move it on to another cache and make sure you log them properly.

[+germanybert]

You don't HAVE to take or leave anything. I never take swag but I carry some football or baseball cards and drop them in for the kids.

[+Chief301]

You don't HAVE to take or leave anything. I never take swag but I carry some football or baseball cards and drop them in for the kids.

 

+1....you don't have to trade anything if you don't want to. I never trade stuff (well, hardly ever), I just sign the log. My kids like to trade stuff sometimes, but that part is optional. If you feel like dropping some items in a cache and not taking anything, that's OK too.

 

If you are interested in trading, you can probably look around your own home for trinkets and knicknacks that you can bring with you when you go out. Or around $10 worth of dollar store goodies goes a long way. Cache swag items usually don't have any great value (of course there are exceptions) so don't feel like you have to spend hundreds of dollars on trade items.

[Wolfinlied]

I didnt expect like 100 dollar items but i thought that if i had to take or leave swag at EVERY one i went to even at 2$ each it could get costly haha. Having the choice to leave it is nice. I like the idea of handmade good,s that comes cheaply to me and its really fun for me to make. I LOVE to trade things, even if its a piece of crap.. theres something about the trade thats just exciting.

 

As for the pet items i said in my first post i was aware about the scented/food etc items are a no-no. Im glad i asked about certificates.. what good is a soggy certificate LOL.

 

I like junk so i think trading is something i would enjoy, i can keep the pieces i like and trade on the ones i dont haha (thats ok too right? )

[+fuzziebear3]

I didnt expect like 100 dollar items but i thought that if i had to take or leave swag at EVERY one i went to even at 2$ each it could get costly haha. Having the choice to leave it is nice. I like the idea of handmade good,s that comes cheaply to me and its really fun for me to make. I LOVE to trade things, even if its a piece of crap.. theres something about the trade thats just exciting.

 

As for the pet items i said in my first post i was aware about the scented/food etc items are a no-no. Im glad i asked about certificates.. what good is a soggy certificate LOL.

 

I like junk so i think trading is something i would enjoy, i can keep the pieces i like and trade on the ones i dont haha (thats ok too right? )

 

Yes, you can even pick up something in one cache, add it to your bag, and then trade it for something else down the road. Sometimes it is the idea more than the actual item.

Have fun, trade what you want, sometimes you just leave something without a trade, or sometimes you don't take or add anything at all.

 

I have also started making some polymer clay items, I would be happy to find some in a cache, and the ones I have dropped have been popular.

[+ByronForestPreserve]

I didnt expect like 100 dollar items but i thought that if i had to take or leave swag at EVERY one i went to even at 2$ each it could get costly haha. Having the choice to leave it is nice. I like the idea of handmade good,s that comes cheaply to me and its really fun for me to make. I LOVE to trade things, even if its a piece of crap.. theres something about the trade thats just exciting.

 

As for the pet items i said in my first post i was aware about the scented/food etc items are a no-no. Im glad i asked about certificates.. what good is a soggy certificate LOL.

 

I like junk so i think trading is something i would enjoy, i can keep the pieces i like and trade on the ones i dont haha (thats ok too right? )

 

Also realize that half (or more) of the caches around you are probably too small for swag--micros and nanos. If trading swag is part of what appeals to you, look for small and regular size caches, but you might not need as much as you think.

 

I garage sale and flea market hunt, too--some places have boxes of kid's toys and trinkets for 10 or 25 cents.