When traveling abroad, one of the worst mistakes you can make is paying way too much to use your cellphone.
This happens to many people because they think using their cellphone abroad is complicated, and therefore pick the easiest (and much more expensive) option.
So, what are the two main options?
Option #1: Global Roaming (The Expensive Option)
Cellphone companies will allow you to use your phone abroad and still get service. It’s called “global roaming”, and all you have to do is call up and ask for it.
This option is only good for people who are planning on using their phone very sparingly or who are in a country for a few days.
Option #2: Getting a SIM Card (The Cheap Option)
Fortunately, this being 2014, there is now a very easy and very cheap way to use your same cellphone abroad.
A SIM card allows you to switch carriers and use that carrier’s network.
So when you’re in Spain, you’ll buy a SIM card for a carrier that operates in Spain (such as Vodafone). You’ll then be using Vodafone’s network on the exact same smartphone that you typically use when at home.
And you’ll be paying much less than you would if you used a global roaming plan.
For anyone spending more than a few days in a country and who wants to be able to use their phone freely (especially as a GPS with data), this is the way to go.
And contrary to what many people believe, using a SIM card isn’t difficult. It can be broken down in to two parts; unlocking your cellphone before you leave and then getting and using a SIM card when you’re abroad.
Here’s how to do it in 5 easy steps!
Step 1: Unlock Your Cellphone
Yes, it’s LEGAL for you to unlock your phone for international travel, and yes, you should do this BEFORE you leave on your trip!
Verizon: Most Verizon phones are already unlocked when bought.
Sprint: Call 1-888-226-7212. More information can be found here.
T-Mobile: Call Customer Service at 1-877-746-0909 . More information can be found here.
Step 2: Backup, Update, and Restore Your Phone
This step may not be necessary on all carriers, but it currently is with Sprint. Ask when calling to unlock.
Also, the process will look different on an Android phone, but the steps should be fairly similar.
2A) Backup everything on your phone either to a safe location (iCloud, your computer hard drive, etc.)
2B) Update Your Phone to the Latest Software
2C) Restore Your Phone From Your Backup
This will ensure that everything that you had on your phone previously (pictures, apps, etc.) are all put back on.
2D) Your iPhone is unlocked!
Now that your phone is unlocked, you can continue to use it as normal until you go away on your trip.
Unlocking it shouldn’t affect the way it works in your home country at all.
Step 3: Find a Place That Sells SIM Cards
In almost any country, this shouldn’t be a problem (I’ve personally done it in 10+ countries, even China).
Usually, you can find a phone or electronic store or kiosk in the airport or train station when you arrive.
When in doubt, just say “SIM” and everyone will know what you’re talking about.
Step 4: Pick Out the Plan That Works Best
There will most likely be a plethora of options, especially in European countries. I personally go for the plans that don’t include many minutes but are heavier on data.
I only need minutes in case of an emergency but I need data because I use my smartphone as my GPS.
Almost all plans will be prepaid, so you won’t have to worry about any crazy overage costs.
Even if you don’t quite understand all the ins and outs of what the person is telling you (and most of the time, this will be the case), your phone will just stop working if you run out of minutes, texts, or data.
Step 5: Pop Open Your SIM Card Slot and Insert Your New SIM
Some phones, like the iPhones, require a “microSIM” card. Just ask them to use their special tool to cut down the larger SIM card.
After inserting your SIM card, it may work immediately. On other providers, you’ll have to enter the PIN number from the package.
DON’T lose this package, as you may have enter the PIN each time you turn on your phone.
Now, you should be able to use your phone in the country you are traveling in!
Answers to a Few Questions
1. How much will it cost?
This will vary based on the plan you choose, how much you use the phone, and the country you are in. A rough estimate for if you are using the phone sparingly to talk and mainly for data would be $15-20 for 2 weeks.
2. Can I use the same SIM in different countries?
Most of the time, no. Most countries require you to get different SIMs when you enter that country. For example, when I traveled to Spain and Portugal, I needed to get a different SIM in each.
And if it does show you still have service when entering another country, it’ll be charging you international roaming and cost a fortune. Much better to get another SIM for that country.
3. Will I have the same phone number as my number at home?
No. When you buy a SIM card, it comes with it’s own unique number. That will be the number you’ll give people to call you.
4. Can I call my home country using my new SIM card?
Maybe, but it will probably cost a bunch of money. It’s much better to try to connect t0 Wifi and use a service like Skype.
5. If I use up all my minutes, data, or texting, can I add more money to the same SIM card?
Usually yes. You’ll just have to “top up”, which can be done for some providers online or through automated machines. For others, you’ll have to visit a store.
You’ll add more money to that SIM card and keep the same number.
6. Do SIM cards expire?
Generally yes. If you’re thinking about trying to use the same SIM card that you used last time you were in the country a year ago, you’re probably out of luck. You’ll most likely have to buy a new one.
7. Will I have any problems using my phone when I come back home?
You shouldn’t. Just pop the international SIM card out and you should reconnect with your regular provider. Do note that if your provider at home uses SIM cards, you’ll have to put that back in, so don’t lose it!
Final Word(s)
Don’t be caught paying a huge phone bill when you return home. Instead, follow these steps and get yourself a SIM card while you’re traveling.
Many of you dream of being location independent or living abroad for an extended period of time.
Of engaging in a place and culture, rather than just traveling through it.
And no one is a bigger expert in this field than John Bardos of JetSetCitizen, who has started, run, and sold his own business in another country, has launched a successful location independent lifestyle, and has lived abroad for the last 17 years.
Today, John discusses the actual costs of living abroad, tells us some of his favorite home bases, and helps dispel some of the rumors surrounding a location independent lifestyle.
He also gives his best tips and advice for how someone who wishes to pursue living abroad can get started and what they can do to set themselves up while still at home.
There are 17 years of wisdom packed into this podcast, and you won’t want to miss it!
The more I travel internationally, the more annoyed I get each time I return home and am faced with paying an exorbitantly large cellphone bill.
Because I’m home often enough, I can’t just cancel the plan straight up. A US cellphone, for better or worse, is necessary for me.
But after being away for a large chunk of the month, or sometimes even the whole month, why should I have to pay the same amount of money as someone else if I’ve only used my phone a fraction of the amount?
I’m throwing money down the drain, and it’s constantly irked me. But unfortunately, because I needed to keep a US cellphone, I was stuck, a slave to Sprint.
Until now!
Enter Chris, the brains behind the terrific site Mr. Everyday Dollar and avid EPoP reader. When he mentioned to me that there was a much cheaper, much better options, my ears perked up.
As he began to give me more and more details, my smile grew wider and wider. Chris had finally give me the answer to my “throwing money away” cellphone woes.
The best part: while Chris’s “secret weapon” is especially beneficial for people who frequently travel overseas, it can actually save money for anyone, even people who never set foot outside of US soil.
If you travel internationally you probably fall into one of two camps when it comes to connectivity.
The first camp – incidentally, my group of folks – is when you tell your friends and family, “I’m going on vacation, don’t contact me!” and power off your phone for two weeks on the way to the airport.
The second camp, increasingly popular, is when you find yourself breathing into a paper bag a few days before your trip, your mind racing with thoughts on how you’ll stay connected.
Suspending Service
If your preference is to tuck your phone away when you travel, you may want to suspend your service to save some dollars on your monthly bill.
The top three U.S. carriers – AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint – will allow you to suspend your service, but unfortunately it may not be worth it because they all charge ridiculous fees to do so.
Thankfully, there may be a better way.
Consider Switching to Ting
Ting is a wireless service provider that utilizes Sprint’s network. They’re unique because they allow you to pick your plan based on what “size” service you think you’ll use, from XS to XXL, as shown below:
The awesome thing about Ting is that they’ll automatically bump you up or down in “size” based on what you actually use during the month.
Paying for what you ACTUALLY use; what a novel idea!
Many folks who sign up choose to pick XS across the board, forcing Ting to bump them up in size as they use minutes, messages and data over the course of a month.
Ting is a great option for travelers who don’t plan to roam with their phone abroad: because their usage will be lighter than normal they’ll automatically save money.
Additionally, if you’re traveling for months at a time and won’t be using any services, you have three great options with Ting:
Suspend your device – the phone will be deactivated but the number will stay active, and you’ll only be billed an active device fee of $6 a month.
Do nothing – if you really won’t have any usage, you’ll be billed the $6 a month for an active device.
Cancel your account – Ting is a no-contract service so you can cancel your account at no-cost. The downside is that you’ll lose your phone number, which to some people might not matter.
Now that we’ve figured out the best, cheapest cellphone option for when you’re home in the US, what about options for staying connected with friends and family (and possibly even work) while you’re abroad?
If you plan to stay connected while traveling abroad, there are a few techniques that will allow you to communicate back home and leave you with some extra money to enjoy your vacation.
Free WiFi
You’ll find you won’t pay a dime to talk to friends and family back home if you take advantage of free WiFi – available at coffee shops, hotels, and hostels, amongst others – and use apps that let you communicate over the internet.
Voice Calls
There are two great options to place voice, or video, calls for free over that free WiFi:
Google Voice – allows you to make free voice calls to regular numbers. Calls can be made from a tablet or laptop through Gmail or the Google Voice website. You can claim a free domestic phone number and use it when you travel to call back home, or you can port your current number to Google Voice and then forward it to your phone.
Skype – offers the ability to make free calls from a phone, tablet, or laptop as long as both users are on Skype.
Messaging
Like calls, there are a few awesome ways you can message your contacts completely free:
Google Voice – allows you to send and receive traditional text messages through Gmail, the Google Voice website, or the app that’s available for iOS and Android devices.
WhatsApp – recently acquired by Facebook, is the easiest messaging app to get started with. It works by scanning your contacts for others that use the service. Chatting is speedy, plus you can send short recorded voice messages, videos, and photos which is perfect for travelers! There’s other popular messaging apps – WeChat, Kik, Line, Telegram – but they’re underwhelming in comparison.
Viber – has many of the same messaging options as WhatsApp but offers free voice calls if both users are on the app.
Using a SIM card
While using free voice and messaging apps over free WiFi may meet your connectivity needs, a nice complement is to buy and use a SIM card. A little chip that you insert into your phone when you’re abroad, they’re available for $5-$20 and usually include minutes and data.
Having a phone to use locally in a foreign country can be extremely useful to make calls for things like reservations and tickets, and to be able to use Google Maps to help navigate a city, although getting lost can be fun too!
The Bottom Line
If you are person that wants to disconnect from your normal day-to-day life when you travel, by choosing a flexible and inexpensive provider like Ting you’ll save money off your monthly bill.
If you choose to, you can still stay in touch with people back home by taking advantage of free WiFi and services like Google Voice and apps like WhatsApp.
Happy (frugal) trails!
What cellphone service do you currently use? Are you eyeing a switch to Ting? How much would it roughly save you? It will most likely switch me at least $25 per month!
Chris runs the blog Mr. Everyday Dollar, which publishes practical articles for people striving to improve their personal finances. Individuals and families can use his tips, tutorials, and resources to make decisions on how to budget, save, invest and spend for the long haul. He’s also a big fan of Clark’s Desert Boots.Connect with him on Twitter @MrEverydayDolla or Facebook.
You’ve once again been regaled by a travel story. One in which the person telling the story talks about the amazing places they’ve been, things they’ve seen, and the foods they’ve eaten.
It seems like they are always traveling, and you aren’t. You want to do that too, but…how can they afford it?
Enter Nora Dunn, the mastermind behind the fantastic website The Professional Hobo, and someone who has been able to travel full-time for the last 7 years.
Today, she reveals all her secrets for how to live a full-time life of travel in a financially sustainable way.
From how she saved over $63,000 in the last few years on accommodations to how she is able to earn an income from the road, she gives incredible advice that hits on all facets of a full-time traveler’s life.
So if you’re someone who has always wanted to travel more, whether it is full-time or not, Nora is THE person you want to follow, and this interview is a great starting point!
Nora just gave us some absolutely incredible tips for how to live and work around the world for free, so show her some love by clicking “Tweet This” below:
@hobonora Thanks for the awesome tips on financially sustainable #travel on the EPoP Podcast w/ @PackofPeanuts. You rock!
Frequent flyer miles have the ability to turn ordinary people into travel superheroes, allowing them to jet set around the world to their favorite destinations for almost free.
Paris, Sydney, Rome…take your pick.
Unfortunately, they are also one of the most misunderstood topics out there. Most of society wrongly believes the myths that surround frequent flyer miles.
But now, it’s time to debunk those myths and pull the veil of secrecy off frequent flyer miles so that more people can start traveling more and spending less!
#1. Frequent Flyer Miles Can Only be Earned Through Flying
This may seem ludicrous to anyone who has started earning frequent flyer miles, but this is exactly what I thought for the first 28 years of my life, and was the reason I never paid any attention to them before 3 years ago.
It’s also the #1 reason that 90% of people don’t take advantage of these wonderful opportunities.
They believe that large amounts of frequent flyer miles can only be accrued by people who travel all the time, and since they don’t travel all the time, there is no point in figuring them out.
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
In the last two years, I’ve accumulated over 2 million frequent flyer miles, and only 8,000 have come from flying. That’s right, less than 0.5%.
So how did I earn all these miles? There are many ways:
Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses
Credit card signup bonuses are far and away fastest way to earn large chunks of frequent flyer miles. The best cards will offer you 50,000 miles or more as a sign up, which is already enough for 2 roundtrip ticket in the US and almost enough to fly to Europe.
As long as you keep your credit score high, you’ll be able to take advantage of these opportunities over and over again.
Everyday Spending
You can also earn miles by using your credit card instead of paying cash or debit. Standard cards offer you 1 mile for every $1 you spend, but some of the better cards, like the Barclays Arriva card, offer 2x points per $1 spent.
Online Shopping
By using an online shopping portal, you can often earn huge bonuses for purchases from all types of brands.
For example, I was able to earn 10x points per $1 spent from Nike the other day.
Instead of going to the store and earning 100 points for $10o worth of Nike apparel, I went through the Chase Ultimate Reward Mall shopping portal and earned 1,000 points for the same $100.
Why run out to the store when you can sit in your pajamas and with one mouse click, order what you need.
Throughout the year, there will be various promotions that pop up, both big and small.
Usually, they only take a few minutes to complete, like a survey or a game, and can net you between a few hundred to a thousand miles a piece.
This is a nice, easy way to supplement the large chunks you get from credit card bonuses, spending, and online shopping.
Flying
And while flying obviously isn’t the ONLY way to earn frequent flyer miles, you should make sure that you are earning them if you do fly.
All you need to do is sign up for a free frequent flyer account with whatever airline you are flying with and give them your number when buying the ticket or when checking in.
#2. Every Mile You Earn Means That is a Mile You Can Fly
Another common mistake people make is thinking that if they earn 50,000 miles then they can fly 50,000 miles.
Unfortunately, it’s not quite as lucrative as that (but it’s still pretty good). Most airline’s frequent flyer programs operate on a zone-based award chart with fixed pricing.
For example, if you are flying from North America to Europe on American Airlines, you’ll pay 60,000 miles for a roundtrip ticket.
It doesn’t matter whether you are flying a relatively short flight like New York to London or a much lengthier one like San Francisco to Istanbul.
Because they both are going from the North American zone to the Europe zone, they will both cost 60k roundtrip in economy.
A zone based award chart allows you to get some tremendous value from your frequent flyer miles by using them for flights that normally would cost a lot to purchase, such as flights to obscure cities or flights that are longer in length.
#3. Frequent Flyer Miles Earn You a Completely Free Ticket
They say that nothing in life is free, and while this is true with frequent flyer miles, it can certainly come close.
When you use frequent flyer miles to get a ticket, you don’t pay the “price” of the ticket, but you are still responsible for paying the taxes and fees.
The amount of taxes and fees can vary wildly depending on what airline’s miles you are using and what airlines you are flying on.
This is why it’s imperative that you learn how to avoid the fuel surcharge that some airlines tack on, which can cost you up to $700.
But once you learn to avoid the fuel surcharge, you can book tickets like one of my most recent trips, a $2.50 ticket to Rio for the World Cup!
No, it’s not free…but I’ll take it!
#4. Frequent Flyer Miles Are Hard To Use
I absolutely love hearing this because it couldn’t be more untrue.
If you’ve met me, you know I’m not a genius, and if you haven’t, take my word for it.
Three years ago, I knew absolutely nothing about frequent flyer miles.
I had zero frequent flyer miles to my name.
And now, I’ve been able to not only earn 2 million miles for myself, but also help others earn well over 100 million miles!
That equates to a lot of travel!
But just because they aren’t hard, doesn’t mean that they are super easy at first glance.
Airlines make frequent flyer miles seem complicated and difficult because it’s in their best interest for people NOT to redeem them.
The less miles people actually redeem, the less money the airline pays out.
Luckily, there are plenty of resources out there that pull the veil of the world of frequent flyer miles and help people to get started immediately.
If you’re looking for all the information you need, jam packed in to one concise and convenient place, you’ll want to check out the Ultimate Guide to Frequent Flyer Miles, which is specifically designed to give you the tools you need to start earning and using frequent flyer miles in less than 3 hours.
That’s a really small price to pay for a lifetime of free travel!
#5. It’s Impossible To Find an Available Seat With Frequent Flyer Miles
While many people have never given frequent flyer miles a chance, there are a number of people who have tried to use frequent flyer miles before and then given up.
And the most common excuse I hear is that they can never find availability.
The simple reason: They can’t find availability because they are looking in the wrong spot!
Admittedly, finding award ticket availability is the hardest part of the whole process, and is the reason that courses such as Frequent Flyer Bootcamp exist.
Frequent Flyer Bootcamp is geared toward people who know how to earn frequent flyer miles, but don’t know the best ways to use them.
And one of the most integral parts of this is figuring out where to look for award ticket availability.
Most people assume that whatever airline they have miles with, they can go to that airline’s website and search for availability.
I have American Airlines miles, so I go to AA.com and search. If nothing shows up, then there’s nothing available.
But they are missing the crucial element of partner airlines, which allows you to fly on many more airlines than just the airline whose miles you have.
For example, if you have AA miles, you’re able to fly on any of the 13 members of the OneWorld alliance because AA is a member of that alliance. And you won’t find all of the partner availability showing up if you simply search on AA.com.
Simply put, frequent flyer miles are a currency. Just like other currencies out there, some are more valuable than others.
If someone offered you 1,000 US Dollars or 1,000 Japanese Yen, you’d check to see which one is worth more (Hint: It’s the US dollars by a 100:1 ratio).
The same theory holds true with frequent flyer miles. Just because one credit card offers 50,000 Amex points doesn’t mean it has the same value as another credit card that offers 50,000 Chase points.
Or 50,000 American Airlines miles.
Or 50,000 United miles.
In fact, the differences between how much they are worth can vary greatly.
This is because each airline has their own set of rules, which determines a number of things.
You want to check for:
How many miles an airline charges for you to fly from one place to another– use milez.biz to find out.
If they charge a fuel surcharge or not– check out my handy chart.
Frequent flyer miles are an absolutely wonderful tool that will allow you to literally travel the world for almost free.
Don’t be scared of figuring them out, because with just a few hours of “studying”, you’ll be given a pay off that lasts a life time.
If you’re ready to start (and why wouldn’t you be?), the first step is to figure out the best miles for you to earn. Then use all the tools at your disposal, from credit card sign ups to online shopping.
You’ll be rolling in frequent flyer miles in no time, and you’ll never pay for a flight again!
Now that your phone is unlocked, you can continue to use it as normal until you go away on your trip.
