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Things to Consider When Buying Gifts in Dollars

Source shutterstock.com I Buying in a different currency

If you have been travelling in the US and finally returning home, you can expect a lot of friends and family members waiting for gifts back at home. You might also want to send an online gift to a family member in the States. So it is important to know the best gifts you can buy under $100. Buying affordable and useful gifts is an art and cool gadgets make best gifts. The following things will help you figure out what to look for when buying a gift in dollars. The exchange rate recently has been around Rs.76.06 per dollar, which changes according to the market; therefore check the exchange rate before buying a gadget in dollars.

  • Always make a list of the things you have in mind, think of the things your friends wanted back at home.

  • Now re-check your list and see which of them are giftable. You can also make a list of the people you want to buy the gadgets for, like, gifts for family members, and gifts for friends.

  • Keeping the budget in mind is important. You might see something very good but it should be affordable as well.

These three steps will help you decide on what to buy and how much to spend on each gift.

Tips on Buying Gadgets Online

Source shutterstock.com I Online shopping

Are you one of those people who love to shop but hate going to the market? Well, now you can buy cool international gadgets online. Here are a few tips on how you can buy gadgets online to take back home or purchase them from India itself.


  • Check the reviews of the gadget you are interested in. If you are planning to buy it from a store, you can still look for the reviews before heading out to the market.

  • Look for the brands when you buy a gadget. Take the help of internet to find out the best brands and their ratings.

  • If you are buying a gadget online, look for its availability, as gadgets are always high in demand and get sold out quickly.

  • It is easier to find gadgets online as they are usually sold out faster in physical markets, plus it saves a lot of time and energy as well. You can also find reviews and feedback of the gadgets you want to buy online.
Source shutterstock.com I Online stores

Although buying things online is easier and faster, but there are costs attached to it. Indian shoppers don't mind paying a good price for quality but there are a few things you should know if you plan to buy gadgets from an international site.


  • Buying things online in India is faster - you get it in a day or two. But if you are buying it from an international website, you will have to give it some time as well as cover the shipping charges. Shipping charges are based on weight, size, the destination it is coming from, duties and taxes, insurances, etc. You will also have to pay as per the shipping service you choose.

  • Most of the things come with a basic custom duty of 10% and you also have to pay GST as per the government guidelines. Always check for the custom tariff before ordering something online.

  • Keep the currency conversion in mind. Most of the international websites list the products in their local currency. So keep a check on the conversion rate and order likewise to avoid going over the budget.

  • Check to see what payment options are available on the website. You can pay through credit cards, PayPal account, etc. but you won't be able to use your domestic debit or credit cards on international websites.

  • If you want to save money, look for offers which are available during the festive seasons or season sales on international websites.

Gadgets You Can Buy in Under $100

Source shutterstock.com I Cool gadgets for under $100

Here is a list of some cool gadgets you can buy under $100. They are useful and your loved ones will love having them.

NAPATEK 10 Inch Digital Picture Frame

Source amazon.com I Digital picture frame

Have you been travelling internationally and your mom wants to see all the pictures you took like a hundred times? You can go ahead and order this beautiful Napatek Digital Picture frame for her for $79.99 from amazon.com.

She will love this frame because it is easy to use - you simply plug your SD/MMC card or the USB drive with pictures on it to the frame and it will start showing all the photos and videos instantly. It has a 180 degree wide viewing angle therefore your don't need to sit directly in front of it to see the pictures.

It also comes with 10 languages, 9 slideshow intervals with different slideshow effects. You can view your pictures over and over again by using the repeat mode. You can change the brightness level according to your preference. The frame comes with 1920x1080 high resolution and 16:9 IPS screen for a great visual experience. This can be one of the coolest gadgets you can buy for your mom and watch her smile or show it off to her friends when she brags about your trip.

8Bitdo TG16 2.4G Wireless Gamepad

Source amazon.com I Wireless gamepad

If you love to play games then buying the 8Bitdo TG16 2.4G Wireless Gamepad is a good choice. You can hook it up with your PC Engine Mini, CoreGrafx, Nintendo Switch or the Konami TurboGrafx-16 mini and play for hours.

The 8Bitdo gamepad is cool and has a stylish retro design to it and it weighs only 80 grams. So you can play for hours at a stretch without having to worry about painful fingers or wrists. It comes with 18 hours of battery life and charges up in an hour or two. You can buy it in cool colours like black, white and blue. If you are looking to buy a cool gift for your gaming-freak brother or friend, you can order the 8Bitdo Gamepad for $24.99 from amazon.com.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Bedside Lamp

Source walmart.com I Xiaomi Mi Smart Bedside Lamp

If you are looking for an elegant and smart gadget for your father this Father's Day, buy the Xiaomi Mi Smart Bedside Lamp for him. The lamp gives out different mood lights which are in different colours. You can also control it as per your need or according to the environment. It is made beautifully to be placed in a room as a decoration piece. It has a 360 degree touch sensitive panel which makes it easy for you to control the settings.

You dad will fall in love with this piece because he will be able to use it according to his mood. He can set it for gaming, reading by adjusting the brightness. He can also use one of his favorite photos by having it customied.

The lamp works with the Google assistant which lets you control it with your voice, so your dad won't have to get up to change the settings when he wants to. You can buy this cool Xiaomi Mi Smart Bedside Lamp for $44.99 from walmart.com.

Griffin GC36503 WoodTones Over the Ear Headphones

Source amazon.com I Griffin Wood Tones Over the Ear Headphones

If you are a music lover, then you should buy this Griffin Headphones for yourself this festive season. This is one of the coolest gadgets you can own as it is made from real wood and looks out of the world. They are extremely lightweight and the ear pads are very soft and comfortable for you to use it for hours. It comes with a cord and a mic which can be used with your iPhone or Siri. The cord itself is very cool as it has wood trimmings on both the ends and gives it a stylish look. You can easily adjust the headphones which lets you wear it comfortably without having it sliding down from your head. You will love these headphones for the style and comfort. Go ahead and buy it for $19.99 from amazon.com.

Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation Duo

Source pcmag.com I Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation Duo

Are you a traveler and tired of your phone running out of juice every now and then? Don't fret, buy the Mophie Juice Pack PowerStation Duo for $100 from in.pcmag.com.

The PowerStation is one of the coolest looking gadgets in the market currently. It is comes with a rubberised plastic body and metal accents and measures only 4.3 x 2.3 x 0.8 inches (HWD). The weight of the PowerStation is only 6.9 ounces therefore you can simply put it in your handbag and take it anywhere you want. It also comes with dual high output charging ports which allows you to charge two devices at a time and the LED indicator lights tell you when it’s working or when the device is fully charged. Buying this classy Mophie PowerStation will make your life a lot easier and will keep your phone all charged up to use anytime.

Tile Mate (2020)

Source target.com I Tile Mate

Don't you hate looking for your keys or your phone when you are almost out of the door? Now, you can buy the Tile Mate to help you find almost anything you lose around the house. It is a great device, just turn on your Bluetooth and watch it find your lost devices by making itself ring when it is within 200 feet of the Bluetooth range. If you are looking for your phone which was right there a few minutes ago but you can't find it? Simply double press the tile button and your phone will start ringing even if it is on silent mode. You can also see it on a map through the tile app. If somehow you end up losing your tile then the tile app will use the other phones with the same app and send you the location of the place you left it.

The tile mate comes with a replaceable CR1632 battery which comes with one year guarantee from the activation date. This can be one of the best gadgets you can buy this year. You can buy it for $24.99 target.com and forget about losing things anymore.

DOHM Classic Natural Sound Machine

Source yogasleep.com I Natural ambience sound machine

The spread of Covid-19 has brought many sleepless nights when we end up tossing and turning due to the anxiety of it. If you find your lost sleep again, you should buy the Dohm Classic Natural Sound Machine. It was invented in 1962 and was called the sleep mate and since then it has been in demand by the people who love their beauty sleep. It comes with fan based natural white noise which helps you sleep peacefully. You can use between the two speed options by adjusting the tone and the volume and mask the background noise.

All you need to do is to plug it in, turn it on, on high or low, and rotate the cap and collar and sleep. It instantly drains out the unwanted noise of your partner snoring beside you or the noise coming from another room in a hotel. It is great for babies and it helps them sleep throughout the night without letting the outdoor noise disturbing them. You can buy this miraculous gadget for $44.95 from yogasleep.com in white, black gray or tan colours and sleep like a baby.

RYZE Tello Intelligent Drone

Source adorama.com I Ryze Tello Intelligent Drone

If you want to buy something cool for your kid this birthday, you can buy this Ryze Tello Intelligent Drone and make him/her happy. Although the drone looks quite small, but it has great features. It is lightweight so your kid can carry it along on a trip to a park. It is fairly easy to use, you will have to toss it up in the air and it flies high. If is smooth in handling and you can use the default Smartphone app to fly it. It comes with a camera which allows you to shoot in 720p.

It has smart switch 2 antennas and can fly up to 13 minutes at a stretch. It has a high quality image processor, so your kid can shoot great videos or take impressive pictures with it. The inbuilt electronic stabilisation lets you take sharp images even when it’s flying. It is VR compatible, so your kid can connect it with a VR headset and fly it with a first person view. This can be a great gift for your kid and will surely make him the coolest kid on the block. You can buy it for $99 from adorama.com.

Merge AR/VR Headset

Source amazon.com I Merge AR/VR Headset

Another great gadget to buy this season is the Merge AR/VR Headset. It comes with a anti reflective and anti blue light coating lens which lets you enjoy it for a long time without having to strain your eyes. This VR headset weighs 12 ounce and comes with a soft head strap for a comfortable wear. You can use it with your smartphone with 5.5-6.8 inches screen and have a time of your life with your friends. Buy this great VR headset for $49.99 from amazon.com and play till you drop dead.

Roku Streaming Stick

Source walmart.com I Roku Streaming Stick

Streaming stick is quite popular these days. They make wonderful gifts for movie lovers. The Roku streaming stick is a dongle which can be plugged into your TV and you can see hundreds of free TV channels, movies and other subscriptions you like. This is a great gadget especially when you are lockdown in your home and need an ample amount of entertainment to keep you busy.

It comes with HD, 4K and HDR picture quality and has a strong signal. You can place your TV in a different room than your router and watch quality TV. It also has a voice remote button to turn on your TV or control the volume. You can even mute it with the help of your voice control without having to move each time you need to receive a call on your phone. You can buy Roku streaming stick for $49.00 from walmart.com, plug it in, connect it with your internet and watch away.

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Buying the Right Gadget

Before splurging on any gadget, make sure that you actually need it. There are a lot of tempting offers, but the gadgets also come very costly. So it is necessary ti set a budget and also ask yourself if it is an absolute necessity so that you don't end up buying something that you or the receiver is not really going to use. Keeping these things in consideration will help you make better choices.