Add Dollar Signs To Foreign Prices To Trick Your Mind Into Spending Less When Traveling

Converting foreign prices into your home currency and adding its symbol (i.e. $, €, £) to menu prices, bar tabs, and grocery bills may be enough to trick your mind into spending much less money.

People tend to spend significantly more, no matter what the currency, when prices are displayed without symbols and even more when prices are rounded off or don’t have decimal points. This effect is amplified when the symbols you do read aren’t local to you (like seeing Euro signs when visiting France from the United States).

How To Trick Your Mind With Your Local Currency Symbol

Even travelers who are conscious of their budgets tend to spend more money when doing quick conversions in their heads. To best overcome the symbol effect discovered by Cornell University, it’s best to accurately convert a given price down to the decimal in your home currency, and write it with the appropriate symbol preceding it.

For example, 12 for a salad on a menu might be easy on the eyes, but try writing it as $12 or even better $12.00.

Useful Tools To Converting Prices On The Spot

These are some tools you can use to get accurate currency conversions close to real time so you can save yourself from the “dollar effect”.

• Currency – One of 5 free and useful iPhone apps for travelers, the Currency iPhone app converts in real time and stores the information for quick viewing, even when you don’t have Internet access. (Works on the iPod touch as well.)
• Google – Simply type how much and the currencies you want to convert in the Google search box. For example, “convert 5 USD to GDP”.
• Currency Converter Mac Dashboard Widget – Converts almost all international currencies as well as legacy ones (e.g. German Deutsch mark).
• Currency Converter Gadget Windows 7 – Very similar to the Mac version.

For those of you who don’t have smart phones or dislike carrying them on you, a simple pen and paper with common conversions may help you when ordering a meal that’s “not too expensive.” When all else fails, simply adding a dollar sign next to the prices on any menu (or handy napkin nearby) is likely to subconsciously make you spend less.

Working Against You At Home Too

While the added layer of operating with foreign currency will increase your tendency to spend, the lack of dollar signs has the same effect for you at home too. Hotel and restaurant owners are keening aware of this and manipulate their advertisements and menus to nudge you into spending a few extra bucks. So next time you see a nice rounded off price, convert it into the currency you grew up with (or get paid in) and add the appropriate symbol. Also, don’t forget to add two decimal points over to save even more on your simple travel budget.

[photos by: deltaMike (dollar sign glasses), oskay (pretzel money symbols), cheap eats (menu prices)]

A Review Of The Lightweight Paperwallet

The Paperwallet is a thin billfold designed to be both light and inconspicuous making it a good alternative to bulky pockets for travelers. The Paperwallet holds bills, credit and business cards to make a decent secondary or mugger’s wallet for travelers concerned about security.

Is It Durable?

That was the first question that popped into my mind when I heard the name “Paperwallet” and it came up again when the company sent me one to review. Although the Paperwallet feels flimsy, under normal use durability doesn’t seem like it would be an issue for at least a year of frequent travel. The completely recyclable Tyvek material the wallet is made out of resembles glossy paper and is difficult to tear.

Practical Uses For The Paperwallet

The Paperwallet makes an excellent travel wallet for those who like to have their money in something, as opposed to just keeping a few bills and a credit card in a pocket.

Keeping your valuables in your front pocket is good protection against pickpockets as is not carrying too much cash on any given outing.

For about $15 though, the Paperwallet can’t beat your front pocket, except to act as a mugger’s wallet. Basically you can keep a few small bills and an unactivated credit card in the Paperwallet so you have something to give up without losing much.

Sleek Designs And Recycle Discount Program

The Paperwallet comes in several solid colors for $14.99 as well as some pretty intricate designs contributed from artists from around the world for 5 dollars more. Paperwallet will also give customers a 15% discount on any replacement wallets they send back to the company to be recycled.

Justifying The Cost

The Paperwallet isn’t big enough to handle a compliment of more than 4 credit or debit cards and gets bulky quickly when holding more than a few bills. This wallet won’t replace the more conventional one you probably have, but makes a good travel wallet when you’re out and about. Budget travelers may not find the expense to be justifiable (especially when the alternatives are free) except that it may be more convincing to potential pickpockets and thieves as opposed to them watching you rummage around your own pockets.

Tell me how you’d use the Paperwallet in the comments below before August 24th (3pm US EST) and I’ll pick my favorite to send the Paperwallet I received to that person. foXnoMad readers will also receive a 10% discount by using the coupon code “Travel” upon checkout at the Paperwallet.com.

7 Ways To Bump Your Frequent Flyer Earning Up A Notch

Not signing up for a frequent flyer program is one common mistake many travelers make, but even the most reluctant travelers can be earning miles in 8 minutes or less. You may already be signed up and have a few miles scattered across several programs, have lost track of your miles accounts completely, or are still waiting for your next flight to earn a few more miles.

With a few organizational tricks and tools you can start earning many more miles from home than you ever could in the air by bumping up your game to the next level.

1. Use A Single Account Per Alliance

When you sign up for an airline’s frequent flyer program, in most cases you can earn miles by flying on any of that airline’s partner flights. So, for example, you can earn miles on United’s Mileage Plus when you fly on Lufthansa (both Star Alliance) but only if you used your United frequent flyer account number for that Lufthansa flight. Many people make the mistake of using their individual mile accounts for each airline, which usually means you end up with small amounts of (unusable) accumulated miles scattered across programs.

2. Track Miles The Digital Way

Don’t waste time and discourage your mile earning enthusiasm by trying to track various accounts from different websites with logons and passwords you’ll never remember (unless you’re using KeePassX). Rather, use Award Wallet to keep track of all your frequent flyer programs in one place and get notified if any are about to expire. When booking use MileMaven to find all of the promotions for a particular flight route or hotel and trade your smaller account miles with others on Points.com to rack up a bunch on a single airline.

3. Get A Boost With Credit Card Bonuses

Most airlines and many banks offer you a bonus of several thousand miles for signing up to one of their credit cards. In fact, wait a few months after signing up and you’ll notice the offers get increasingly more enticing. Wait for one you like, or, if you’re not loyal to a particular program consider a points-based credit card. For most of the credit cards there is a minimum total to get the bonus miles ($250-1,000 in 1-3 months) and you’ll have to keep the card active for at least 6 months.

4. Know What You Need To Fly

This is perhaps the most basic yet confusing piece of information to find about the various frequent flyer programs. To best redeem your miles you need to know how many are needed for a free upgrade or round-trip ticket. Frequent Flier has a list of the most popular programs and how many miles you need to redeem for US domestic. You’ll still have to do some digging for international flights, here are the requirements for OneWorld partner airlines and Star Alliance members.

5. Ask For Unused Miles From Friends And Family

Sherry brought up a good point last week, many of us have family and friends who fly infrequently or have miles set to expire. Rather than let them go to waste, you can ask to have the miles transferred to your existing account. It does cost a fee to do so (about $50-100) but the investment might be worth its weight in a free ticket or upgrade.

6. Holding A Minimum Balance Has Its Perks Too

Most airline frequent flyer programs have an ‘elite’ or ‘premier’ level attained when you reach slightly less miles than you need for a domestic flight. When you reach this level, typically you get some perks like being able to use the business or first class lines (even if you’re flying coach), boarding before everyone else, and get priority on your luggage at the baggage claim.

7. Shop At The Online Mall

Many airlines and most of the airline alliance frequent flyer programs have online malls that are made up of familiar stores like Barnes & Noble (where you can buy eBooks from overseas), Best Buy, Macy’s, and Dell where you earn more than 1 mile per dollar spent. (Purchase with a credit card linked to your miles account and double the earnings.) All you need to do is click through to those stores from the online frequent flyer mall for a particular program to earn bonus miles on things you’d buy anyway.

Don’t Stop There

Always try and keep your frequent flyer account in mind when you spend money, travel, or sign up for a new airline program. Often, there are miles waiting there to be had if you simply ask.

• Pets since they can earn miles too with Jet Blue Jet Paws, Virgin Atlantic, and Continental Pet Pass among several others. Airlines don’t advertise these programs so call if you’re unsure about the airline’s policy on how to travel with pets and earn miles.
• Split miles as Earl mentions, you can also book one-way tickets without giving up round-trip miles.
• Donate your miles. Matador Network shares 109 ways to use frequent flyer miles for good.

You ultimately may want to redeem the miles you’ve earned for a free flight but beware airlines are changing the game. In order to make good on those miles you’ll need to book well in advance, and can only fly where that single airline goes (no code-shares generally). Refunds or changes of flights once booked aren’t typically allowed either so keep that in mind and always stay on top of the airlines to get the value of the miles you worked so hard to earn.

[photos by: Alicakes* (number one), daftIntrovert (boost gauge), laurakgibbs (question mark and arrow), o.blaat (sharing beer), kalleboo (priority luggage), Ed Yourdon (girl using laptop in park)]

The Reluctant Traveler’s (8 Minute) Guide To Using Frequent Flyer Miles

There are many hardened travelers who’ve been to the corners of the Earth, crossing the globe on countless flights, yet who’ve never once signed up for a single frequent flyer program. Or you could be the other type of reluctant traveler – the one who takes very few flights in the average year and doesn’t think it’s worth signing up. In 8 minutes you can be signed up and earning thousands of points across more than 50 airlines without any more magic than clicking a mouse and typing on a keyboard.

Why You Really Should Be Earning Frequent Flyer Miles

For the record everyone who travels, whether it’s a lot or a wee little, should be signed up for frequent flyer miles (not doing so is one of 10 common travel mistakes). Aside from the fact that they’re all free to join, you can easily earn free upgrades plus little perks like getting your luggage at the claim faster. Of course free flights as well, even from a single flight or sometimes without flying at all.

Common Misconceptions About Frequent Flyer Miles

Some of the reasons that people don’t sign up for miles programs are because of the misconceptions, such as thinking that nobody ever gets free flights or miles only come from flying.

• Each Airline Has Their Own Program – Most major airlines belong to partner groups, the two largest being Star Alliance and OneWorld. When you sign up for a member program, you typically earn miles when you fly on any partner airlines. You can still only use the miles on the original airline (i.e. United) but earn across all the others.
• You Can Only Earn Miles By Flying – Many frequent flyer programs have online malls through their sites that let you buy from familiar companies (i.e. Dell, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, etc.) to earn multiple miles for each dollar spent. Choose the right bank and you can also earn miles for every dollar you spend.
• Miles Can Only Be Used For Free Flights – More commonly, people use earned miles to get upgrades on longer flights, access airport lounges, and use the business class lines when checking in.
• Past Flights Aren’t Redeemable – You can usually redeem miles for flights you took 3-18 months before you signed up for a frequent flyer program. Just took 3 long flights to Hong Kong from New York before signing up? You’ll still be able to earn the miles for those flights, so sign up!

One point to remember is that signing up to a frequent flyer program doesn’t hurt you in any way, even if you only earn 600 miles a year. They are free and you never know when you might have an unexpected flight half way around the world.

The Quick And Easy Ways To Earn Miles Fast

Now that you know why you should get working with frequent flyer programs, we’ve got a few minutes to get you going and all set up.

1. Sign Up For The Major Programs – Pick you favorite Star Alliance member, the one you fly the most (or flies to most of the places you want to go). Do the same with OneWorld and Delta SkyMiles to cover most of the world’s major airlines. Once you have your three (one airline from each partner program) find the link to their miles program on this list.
2. Redeem Miles From Past Flights – All the information you usually need is the flight number and date you took the flight. Check your email for past reservation information and add it through the miles program’s website.
3. Get Organized – Once you’ve signed up for the various miles programs you can use Award Wallet to keep track of all your frequent flyer miles in one place.
4. Earn Bonus Miles Right Away – Most major airlines have credit card programs that come with big bonuses for signing up. (United just ran a promotion for 50,000 miles. 20-30,000 is common for most cards.) Typically you have to spend around $250 in the first 3 months to earn the bonus miles and will earn a mile per dollar on top of that. Purchase things you normally would anyway through the mile program’s online mall and earn more on top of that – you can then cancel the card after 8 months to keep the miles and avoid the annual fee, or just keep earning miles. Be careful though to avoid the hidden underbelly of traveler debt.
5. Don’t Forget To Enter Your Frequent Flyer Mile When Booking – It will save you time versus having to go back and enter in the flight information after the fact to redeem miles.

Frequent flyer miles from many programs do expire from if you don’t use your account for a certain period of time. Award Wallet for example, automatically keeps track of the deadlines and will email you 90 days in advance.

You’re Set To Earn And Learn More

That’s about all you need to get started, but there are still more in-depth resources you can use to take yourself from reluctant beginner to a pro.

• Nomadic Matt’s Secrets To Successful World Travel – Get more information about leveraging specific programs and saving money to travel the world on a smart budget.
• Frequent Flyer Master – Chris Guillebeau is traveling to every country in the world using his mile program methods and guarantees you a free flight after reading his ebook.

The number of miles you need for an upgrade varies across programs but generally you can get at least that (if not a full domestic flight) just for signing up and getting some bonus miles by opening up a frequent flyer-linked credit card. That’s just the basic approach but you can also take it further by spending smart and so much more. I hope now, after this 8 minutes, you’re just a bit less reluctant and signed up to at least one frequent flyer program.

[photos by: caribb (jumbo jet at gate), Transguyjay (skeptical man), JustinLowery.com (the miles)]

How To Create Your Own Personal Travel Security Plan

When traveling you are susceptible to theft but you can mitigate many of the risks by implementing a personal travel security strategy. Security isn’t about preventing every possible risk, but rather, reducing the impact of any single incident. You can insulate your money, information, and person by diversifying and thinking more like a robber and less like a victim.

Protect Your Money With Dirty Socks

Never keep all of your money in a single place. Spreading out your money in various places isn’t difficult, even if you travel with alone or stick with a single carry on. Split up your money as best you can in routine places wallets and your backpack, but also smellier places that aren’t so inviting or typically associated with money.

• On Your Person - Spread out cash over yourself in places like deep within your socks, on the side of your underwear, or a bit in your bra.
• Dirty Socks - Your stinky hiking socks aren’t likely to be touched, even if you leave the socks under your hostel bed (and separate from your backpack). The same goes for your underwear – if it’s gross for you it will be for most crooks too and not many people would expect to find money there.
• Toys - Those of you traveling with pets or kids can use their toys as hiding spots for additional cash.
• Wallet - Have some cash in your wallet and don’t keep your important IDs or credit cards in it. Your wallet is the primary target pickpockets are after so make it a satisfying decoy by carrying unactivated credit cards along with a photo ID with no personal information on it (e.g. old student ID).

Another way you can be shadier than a thief is to leave just one credit card or free checking account card in your decoy wallet. If it is stolen, report the card as such immediately. Most companies keep close tabs on when and where stolen cards are used and you might get lucky if the thief happens to try and withdraw money under the watchful eye of store security cameras. Just make sure to find a bank that won’t charge time-based fees, here’s how to choose the right bank before going overseas.

Keep Your Gadgets, Laptop, and Data Safe

Next to money, your portable electronic devices are most attractive to thieves. Protect them physically and digitally by encrypting your data and having good backups just in case.

• Lock Down Your Laptop - Follow A Traveler’s Guide To Locking Down Your Laptop Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
• Make Your Stuff Ugly – You can find out how to uglify your digital camera and use the same premise for your other gadgets. Stickers, duct tape, and tacky carrying bags can make electronics less attractive to potential crooks than if they’re strutting around in their shiny best.
• Security At Internet Cafes – Keep your online accounts safe at Internet cafes by loading up a USB drive with these 12 applications or installing portable Linux. Also, don’t use Internet kiosks at airports.
• Zippers Down When Sleeping In Airports – Tie your bags together with a simple laptop lock and have your bags facing zipper down to make it slightly harder for someone to take advantage while you’re dozing.
• Carry Padlocks – Most hostels offer lockers but charge for locks so bring 2 of your own to save the money and get the security.
• Leave The iPhone Behind – There are some advantages to traveling without an iPhone but if you bring one be aware the encryption on the device is useless against even amateur hackers. Don’t leave credit card numbers or other sensitive data there.
• Backup Your Laptop, Backup Your Laptop, Backup Your Laptop – There are 2 good free online solutions which will help you recover from a stolen or dead hard drive quickly.

Perhaps the most important rule to keeping your tech gadgets safe on the road is not flashing them when you don’t have to. Be aware of your surroundings and read up on the common crimes or ask the hostel or hotel clerk what’s risky and not. Don’t assume a busy or touristic area is a safe place; take Drifting Focus’s word for it and follow her advice.

Think Chameleon To Blend In

Tourists are easy targets because they can be easily distinguished from locals and most travelers are carrying money and electronics. Begin your security strategy by blending in (here’s how Americans can blend in abroad).

• Ditch The Jeans - In most places around the world, blue jeans aren’t the default pants worn.
• Know The Faux Pas – Here’s a complete list of international faux pas.
• Look Confident, Even If You’re Not – Pretend you are acting in a movie, who’s the most confident character you know? Channel them to give the impression of confidence and don’t be afraid to be firm when needed.
• Watch The Pace – Look around you and see how people move when you arrive to a new destination. What is the local pace, are you running around while the locals are one step behind?
• Move With A Purpose – It’s not always easy (especially in the first few days) but even when you are wandering, don’t make it seem so.
• Bargain Like A Pro – Or better yet, bargain like a Ferengi, even when you don’t know the local language.

Don’t be under the impression that, despite your best efforts, the locals won’t be able to pick you out. You’ll just be a less likely target for pickpockets and scam artists since they tend to go for what they consider the easiest prey. A confident traveler who knows the local culture isn’t a good choice for most crooks.

Prepare Early, Prevent What You Can, And Be Ready For What You Can’t

As I mentioned earlier, you can’t keep all of your money safe all of the time, blend in everywhere as best you’d like, or ever be completely safe online. The point is that you don’t have to. Simply reduce the impact of any one potential security breach like a stolen wallet so you can move on from it without completely derailing your travels or sanity. Get creative and put yourself in the shoes of a pickpocket or hostel opportunist – figure out what they’d do and be ready with surprises.

[photos by: Hollywood Poodle (security dog), Roo Reynolds (stickers on laptop), ucumari (chameleon)]

How To Bargain Like A Ferengi And Get A Good Deal Anywhere On Earth

The Ferengi are the Star Trek universe’s greedy, mischievous, and crafty aliens whose entire culture is based on accumulating wealth. They are so dedicated to money that their holy book, “The Rules Of Acquisition” are a set of guidelines by which to conduct business. While the Ferengi world may be fictional, their rules can help you bargain your way in and out of most markets anywhere on Earth.

Rule # 214 – “Never Begin A Negotiation On An Empty Stomach”

Bargaining takes time and if you’re in a rush you won’t get the price you want and likely get frustrated in the process. Don’t start bargaining when you’re hungry, hurrying to make that tour bus, or when you’re bladder is telling you otherwise. Limited time means you’ve got less wiggle room to get that price down to what’s fair.

Rule # 7 – “Keep Your Ears Open”

You’ll stand a better chance of bargaining your way to a good price if you listen carefully to the person you’re negotiating with. You’ll notice when bargaining for anything, the seller is usually adept at picking up clues about their potential customers (Rule # 194 by the way – it’s always good to know about new customers before they walk in the door). Do the same, ask questions and have a conversation – and make sure to keep in mind all of the prices you’re quoted too.

Rule #3 – Never Spend More On An Acquisition That You Have To

People who aren’t comfortable bargaining often feel “bad” about asking for a lower price. During any negotiation in a shop, the prices are already inflated and the shopkeeper has a number in mind (Rule # 98 – “every man has his price”); a hard and soft point. The soft point is where you’ll get with a bit of negotiating, often the big initial drop in price. The hard point takes longer (recall Rule # 214 above) and is the lowest price the owner is really willing to accept.

Rule #74 – Knowledge Equals Profit

In addition to keeping your ears open (Rule # 7) you should keep your eyes open too. Shop around to get a feel for the local prices of an item or similar things you may want to buy (like shoes for example). Get a good number in your head and research how bargaining works in a particular area so you know both how to negotiate on local terms and what prices to begin with. For example, in Morocco your initial price should generally start with 1/4 of the quoted price.

Rule #16 – A Deal Is A Deal

An unofficial Ferengi rule is to “always inspect the merchandise before making a deal.” Then, once you agree to a price, that’s the end of negotiations, a rule that hopefully the person you’re dealing with will follow as well. After both sides agree (and don’t agree if you feel ripped off!) and are happy with the final price, relax. Assuming nothing extremely out of the ordinary happens, a deal is a deal. Bargaining isn’t a competition and more important than the best price is that you leave feeling good about the transaction.

Be Savvy And Enjoy The Process

Negotiating is a process you can learn to love. Bargaining is like a game and an integral part of many cultures here on Earth. The process is about forging relationships – locally it’s how shopkeepers can earn repeat business – and for you it can be a good way to learn about an individual in the society you’re visiting. You’ll most always be asked an initial price or what you think is fair for something, so have a number in mind. The lower the better (it can’t hurt if in doubt) and be sure to engage the person.

It’s what the Ferengi would do – well, they’d also do a lot of unethical and illegal things – but if you stick to these select Rules Or Acquisition you should be able to bargain like an intergalactic pro even if you don’t know the local language.

[photos by: karenchu121 (drinks with Ferengi), Socwind (empty table), dotbenjamin (string telephone), benjuni (bargaining), Gerwin Filius (dollar bill), Litandmore (handshake)]

How To Choose The Right Bank Before Going Overseas To Save Time And Avoid Fees

When budgeting for your next trip or vacation the focus is typically on the road ahead. Yet there are many expenses back home like bank fees that can add up and others like fraud protection that can be tough to do anything about when you’re out traveling the world. Before you set off on your next international trip be sure to check up on few key points with your bank and come up with your own financial protection strategy.

Start With What You’ve Got

You’ve mostly likely got a checking account with at least one bank so begin by finding out what they offer. You want to get these key points – which you can probably find online – but since you have easy access to a phone or the local branch, try calling or stopping by. Don’t waste your time hunting through legal jargon or confusing policies, talk to someone at the bank directly.

• ATM Fees – They vary and you should find out the exact fees overseas. Some banks will also reimburse you for some of the fees you incur, be sure to ask.
• Service (or Foreign Transaction) Charges – Creepy little fees that can appear on your statement when you use your debit or credit card abroad. There are a few accounts at various banks that don’t charge these so make this a part of your comparison shopping.
• Transfer Fees – It’s not a good idea to travel with a single bank account on hand because if that account it compromised or locked by the bank (due to suspicious activity like being used overseas!) you could wind up in a heap of anxiety and trouble. There are plenty of banks that won’t charge for the first few hundred, or any transactions for that matter.
• Time-Based Fees – Monthly, annual, or otherwise you don’t want time-based fees with your bank account.

Now you should have a pretty good idea of what you’re working with and what areas need improvement in terms of fees and charges for your simple travel budget.

Shop Around

Ideally you don’t want to pay any bank fees when you’re traveling so shop around. You might not be able to find a bank that reimburses you for all ATM fees, doesn’t have a foreign transaction charge, and allows unlimited transfers but you can mix and match.

• Look Big – International banks give you more flexibility overseas and have arrangements with other banks that often mean less ATM fees.
• Online Banks – Banks like ING Direct don’t have physical branches and all transactions are done online. While it’s tough to deposit a check it’s very easy to just about everything else through a web browser.
• Earn Interest – ING Direct checking accounts earn a competitive interest rate as do their savings accounts. The same goes for HSBC, and with both banks transfers from your savings to checking are instant, which is good if you happen to go over budget. They also offer a small bonus (around $25) when your friends sign up.
• Hours of Operation – Changing timezones (keep track with FoxClocks) and finding free wi-fi can make calling difficult, keep this in mind.

When you’re calling around, but sure to let the person on the phone know that you’ll be traveling and how much – especially if you’re taking an RTW. Get set up with two solid checking accounts in case one becomes unavailable for any reason and don’t keep all of your eggs money in one basket.

Plan Ahead – Test The Accounts

It’s frustrating to see a little fee appear that wasn’t supposed to when you’re at home, but it’s much more so when you’re traveling. Set up your accounts early and test them out with one or two transactions on your next international trip. It’s also a good idea to let the bank know ahead of time you’ll be traveling – they might decide to lock your account if the card is suddenly used in another country.

Make Your Money Work For You

Bank accounts can help you earn a bit of unconventional money for your travels.

• Sign-Up Bonuses – Find a great account or program? Share it with your friends or family members who might be traveling with you. Usually both sides get a little bit of cash for the sign up so you can put those $10 to good use.
• Earn Miles – Chris Guillebeau guarantees you’ll earn at least 1 free airplane ticket by reading his eBook Frequent Flyer Master. (Use Award Wallet to track your mileage programs better.)
• Paypal Debit Card – They offer 1% cash back on all transactions, you can use money in your account directly, and is one of the few to offer two-factor authentication. (What that means for security.)
• Nomadic Matt’s Secrets To Successful World Travel – This eBook I’ve reviewed has a lot of good information about handling your finances when traveling for an extended period of time.

What Services, Banks, Or Money Hacks Do You Use?

The biggest obstacle to choosing the right bank, or banks, for your travels is the hassle upfront of calling and digging through information about the fees, restrictions, and everything else. It’s a good idea to connect with other travelers to find out what they’ve learned and share some of your own favorite accounts and bank offerings. Leave your favorites and best advice in the comments below – what banks, credit cards, and financial services do you use?

[photos by: alancleaver_2000 (piggy bank), genvessel (woman on lookout) , AJU_Photography (20 dollar bills)]

How To Keep Mesofacts From Screwing Up Your Next Vacation

The Internet is a wonderful resource for quick facts and information, lists (here are a few of mine), and tidbits of knowledge you can easily absorb when planning your next trip or vacation. The problem is that facts and information change – but you knew and accept that. Human beings are very good at noticing and remembering sudden change (think Iceland’s economic collapse or protests in Bangkok) but much less adept at realizing slow change (think Iceland’s economic recovery or South Africa’s improving crime rate).

You all know to brush up on the ‘free stuff to do in Sydney‘ when researching for your next trip but you should brush up on the subtle “mesofacts” to ensure you stay on budget and consider all of the places you didn’t because they were too dangerous, expensive, isolated, or whatever.

What Is A Mesofact?

According to Samuel Arbesman a mesofact is something that doesn’t change too quickly or slowly, but is in the “meso” or middle and may be causing your reality to be out of date.

How They Mess With Your Travel Plans

You read that there is a terrorist bombing in Mumbai or that there is a conflict in Lebanon and they’re off your plate. It ends up as the basis of so many of those “up and coming places” lists or articles about how Syria is “suddenly” a safe place to travel. It’s news to you but in reality the change has been happening all along, you just haven’t noticed.

• From there you can go either of two ways; reject the new information or be impressed at “how quickly” things can change.

Most times though, people don’t bother to update the knowledge they’ve learned some time ago. You can talk about what a bargain Istanbul is and book a trip there only to go seriously over budget or never book that trip to Panama because you haven’t heard of anyone else going there.

Updating Your Reality

In the planning stages before any vacation or trip make a list of all the places you don’t want to go see. Countries you feel aren’t safe, interesting, or simply never crossed you mind. You might even have to break out that trusty globe to find a destinations and put them on paper if you don’t know where to go.

• Get Online and Check The Dates – When you do a Google search about a place odds are you’ll get older information rather than newer. You might happen on someone’s old travel blog posts that haven’t been updated in a while or tourism sites. During your search to update your reality make sure to check the dates of the articles you’re reading or do a Google news search for the latest information.
• Twitter – You don’t need a Twitter account to do a search for information. Go to http://search.twitter.com and look up anything you want to know about a given locale, political situation, or simply get firsthand advice from people who’ve already traveled there.
• Use These Online Budgeting Tools – There are a number of good online tools that can help give you an idea of what you’ll need to save up and set aside for your simple travel budget.
  • Budget Your Trip – Gives you cost estimates for cities around the world based on other travelers’ experience.
  • cost4travel – A similar budgeting tool with an emphasis on social networking.
  • Economist’s Foreign Exchange Map – See how any two currencies are moving against each other on a daily, weekly, or annual basis.
• Ask Travel Bloggers – There are people blogging right now from most everywhere in the world and are an excellent up-to-date local resource. You can look under my local blogs section to find some, email some of these RTW bloggers, or get in touch with me and I’ll try to help or at least point you in the right direction.

How Current Is Your Travel World?

You can stay on top of the slooowly changing world by being one step ahead of it. You can visit places before they become expensive tourist hot spots by noticing the warning signs of losing that cheap destination or figuring out the best places to travel on a weak dollar. Another way to see all of the places you aren’t considering is to realize you make your own reality and you can really visit most anywhere on Earth with proper planning. It’s the safest time in human history and despite the rising and collapsing economies you see on the news, the change is subtle enough for you to afford.

[photos by: jenpilot (baby turtle), shoothead (screws), rachellake (girl studying)]

7 Things You Can Really Do Without To Save Money While Traveling

There are the practical ways to save money when traveling, like looking for a cheap hostel, using hostel alternatives, and figuring out the best places to travel on a weak dollar. Then there are other ways to skimp and save that don’t sound as fun but will save you things in addition to quite a bit of money. There are some things you can really do without, or at least do without when your budget gets tight.

1. Lunch

One of the most important things to look for in a hostel or hotel is a good breakfast so you can load up before you head out for the day. It’s easier to forget about a full lunch when you’re out exploring and on a full stomach. Cutting out this meal in addition to a simple hotel room workout are good ways to keep in shape and avoid gaining a little extra cargo too.

2. Luggage

You can make do without checking in any baggage – at least most people can. I can’t speak for family travelers but even on the longest trips most people can stick to a single carry on by packing like a stripper. You never need as much as you think you do.

3. Alcohol

Alcohol in many parts of the world is taxed quite heavily and you pay a premium for it. You also don’t need alcohol to survive and while it’s nice to drink, a big waste of money on a very tight budget (same goes for cigarettes). If you simply can’t resist some booze, consider getting a bottle of vodka when you pass through the duty free shop – there are 4 other things you can do with vodka other than getting drunk as well.

4. iPhone

Or at least turn off roaming (Hole In The Donut has a good tutorial on setting up your iPhone for international travel). Technology is great but roaming charges aren’t and a iPod touch or laptop can replace your iPhone for most purposes. Besides, there are many advantages to traveling without an iPhone.

5. Debt

Using debt is the opposite of saving – it’s spending money you don’t have to get something now. Many travelers use debt to shortcut the waiting process that is saving, but like a sculptor you can hack away the inessential and travel around the world by expanding your budget in two directions.

6. A Real Place To Sleep

Airports are free places to sleep and if you’re on a long trip around the world, you can save quite a bit of money by planning 1 night over at an airport after each major stop. Assuming the average hostel night will cost you $26, doing this once a month and planning your flights accordingly can save you a bit for a nice luxury stay along the way.

7. A Fancy Camera

You don’t need an SLR to take good travel photos and with some minor changes in focus, it’s easy to improve your travel photos. Don’t believe me? Take a look at these travel pictures taken with a cell phone camera.

You can also make your money work for you by signing up for mileage and reward programs (Chris Guillbeau’s Frequent Flyer Master comes highly recommended), use corporate discounts (no matter who you work for), and try some unconventional ways to earn a bit more.

[photos by: by_amil, kozumel, sunface13, Christopher Chan, RogueSun Media, pallotron, Claudio Matsuoka]

The Top 4 Scams Of Marrakesh And How To Avoid Them

Marrakesh is a bustling and very active city, especially within the walls of its old city or “medina”. A place that’s constantly in overdrive and full of people who, if you’re not careful, will hustle you out of some money. Many of these common Moroccan scams are easily preventable if you’re simply aware of them.

1. “Market, Square, Tannery?”

You won’t be able to walk very far at all without hearing these three words from mostly teenage and young boys. It’s a game they place amongst themselves – who can get more people lost – and they actually count their triumphs at the end of the day. Basically they want to lead you astray in the medina’s maze-like narrow streets and then will demand money once they help you “find” your way back. You need to be confident and at least act like you know where you’re going, and if in doubt, go the opposite direction of little pointing fingers.

2. Bait and Switch

You walk up to someone to ask them where to find bread, a map, or cigarettes and you’re lead on a wild goose chase around town. You likely won’t end up with what you were looking for and have to pay for an hour of wandering. If you do need directions or are looking for something specific, ask a shopkeeper, since they can’t leave their shop. The only time to leave a shop without directions is if they tell you to wait for a friend who will show you the way.

3. “For You A Special Price”

Don’t get me wrong, bargaining is not a scam and is a part of Moroccan culture. That said, you shouldn’t take the first price you’re quoted. In Morocco, you should typically shoot for 1/4 of the quoted price and work your way to mid ground from there. Bargaining is ultimately about building relationships and you can bargain your way to a good price, even if you don’t know the local language.

4. Hash

Don’t try to buy drugs in Marrakesh. You’ll be offered to do so quite a bit as you walk around (particularly if you’re younger) but most claims aren’t legitimate and even if they were, it’s illegal in Morocco. Undercover policemen have been known to dupe tourists into drug purchases only to arrest them – a sticky situation no traveler wants to be in.

How To Keep From Falling For These Scams

Typically these scams end with you being asked and intimidated into giving money for the “directions” or “help” you’ve been given. Once you know about these scams they’re easy to avoid; firmly say “no” to anyone who wants to show you around and tell kids that latch on to go away. Violence is rare so you don’t have to be scared in Marrakesh, just aware. It also doesn’t matter how familiar you become with the local kids, they’ll still try and lead you astray day after day, take no mind of it.

Scams on tourists are common around the world and your best defense is to know what they are. Even if you do brush up, it’s possible to get cheated so here’s what to do if you get ripped off and 13 other elaborate travel scams to be aware of. Despite these scams however, Morocco is still a place you should visit even if you’re a bit scared to.

[photos by: Rain Rannu, placid casual, Brett, The Wine Maestro, Morgan200]

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