Tip #2 Mobile Phone Use

Hello everyone. This tip will solve that pesky and expensive issue of mobile phone service while abroad. Instead of paying more money for a roaming plan with your current mobile carrier to travel, have them unlock your phone. This is free of charge and most 4G LTE phones now come unlocked when you purchase them. Ask your mobile carrier to verify that for you. Once that is complete, you are now ready to save money. Here is how-

Carriers around the globe will sell anyone with a passport, a SIM card and a prepaid plan. Just pop in a mobile phone store or purchase from a newspaper stand in some countries. Pop the new SIM card in your phone and you are online. Make sure your contacts are saved to your cloud accounts as they should be anyway. SIM cards are no longer supposed to be used for contact storage. Any apps, photos or documents will not disappear and will work the same. You are simply telling the phone to connect to a new network. For example, I paid 9 euros for a monthly prepaid plan that included 3GB of data and 200 minutes of talk time when I was visiting Spain. In Germany, I paid 12 euros for 4GB of data and 300 minutes of talk. In Dubai, 13 $USD. In Belgium, 12 euros. Here in Spain, I pay 25 euros a month which includes 18GB of data and unlimited talk and text. I have this plan because I use it for my tour company. If you live in the USA, note that people abroad use Whatsapp and Viber to message and talk so unlimited talk and text is not important when traveling. The amount of data, 3GB+ is more than enough for Google maps, Whatsapp, Viber, Instagram, Facebook and internet browsing. If you plan to stream shows, maybe you should stay home. You are traveling!  

I have a friend that came and her mobile company would charge her 10$USD for 24 hours if she used the phone at all. For that price you can get a SIM card and plan to use the phone anytime you want. In a foreign country, maps and internet come in handy when you leave a Wi-Fi area. Hope this helps some of you.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Tip #1 Separate Your Phone and Bank Cards

Hi travelers, here is travel tip number 1. This is a great tip to protect your money and mobile phone. The item in the photo below is a travel nightmare waiting to happen.

I have seen many young tourists around the globe using one of these mobile phone cases that also holds their bank cards and cash. These are a big NO-NO. When people take these out to either talk on the phone, or take photos, every thief or pick-pocketer around sees this. They often will watch the tourist for a bit to see what pocket or purse they put it in. While, yes, there is always the chance to be violated and someone pick your pocket. But keep cards, mobile and cash separate. For one, thieves do not know where the cards or cash are if they remain hidden while your phone is out, but also, if they steal the phone, you still have money. I was on the metro one day and two mid 20s girls had their wallets stolen in front of them out of a big purse. They had no idea until after the fact. Never think that you are smarter than the thief – they do this for a living.

Second, when traveling, there is a higher chance of leaving your phone somewhere, than if you were at home. It’s true. Ask any employee at an international airport or tourist bar next time you travel. I worked at 4 airports in the past and we had boxes of phones and IDs left behind. Imagine if you accidentally set your phone down, walked away, and you had every bank card and your cash with it. How stupid would you feel?

Mobile phone cases are built to protect the phone from damage, that’s it. I’m not sure what MIT flunky thought of this horrible idea.