4 Easy Ways to Stay Connected While Traveling
♥
By: Alyssa Tuck
Prior to COVID-19 grounding our flights, traveling had become highly accessible with all the advancements in technology, but one of the many challenges we still come across is how to stay connected especially while traveling.
Thankfully, there are many ways to stay connected while traveling and even some that are affordable for those traveling on a limited budget.
Here are four tips I’ve learned in my travels which have helped me to not only work while traveling, but have also allowed me to stay in touch with my family and friends in my home country.
Messaging Apps
One of the greatest benefits of traveling is the opportunity to meet new people and make friends from all around the world. But staying in touch after you’ve parted ways can sometimes seem like a challenge. Luckily there are lots of options for international communication that make staying connected much easier.
Facebook Messenger is a commonly known chat app, and it is a great option for people because you don’t have to have a Facebook account in order to use it, just a Wifi connection.
Skype is another option people like to use because of the options for video and phone calling. Skype is awesome but does require quite a strong internet connection to work properly. This can sometimes be at a disadvantage when you want to video chat but the video and audio cut in and out.
WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app that is great for international communication. They have both a regular chat version and a business version of the app, which is a great alternative for those who would typically use it for working abroad. It has become one of the most common ways people communicate internationally. It is very user-friendly and has an excellent format for group chats. You can also have people back home sign up and text them for free whenever you have a connection to Wifi.
One of the nice things about WhatsApp is that it assigns you a phone number without having to use the personal number attached to your cell phone. This is a great option for people who use it to do international business if they want an extra layer of protection for their personal information.
There are a lot of great options for communicating, so I recommend trying them out and finding which one you like best.
Public WIFI Sources
Now that you have your messaging app, the next step is to find reliable access to WIFI. For travelers on a budget, utilizing public WIFI is a great way to stay connected and get work done on a low budget.
Some of my favorite sources for finding free WIFI are libraries and cafes. Libraries in most countries are a great way to find unlimited free data which is useful for any high usage tasks you may be doing such as downloading or streaming.
Cafes are my favorite way to use WIFI. As a big coffee drinker, I love getting out and trying local cafes. Often when I am traveling in one place for a while, I enjoy becoming a regular there. I mean coffee and WIFI– what could be better? Although this is not an entirely free source of WIFI, it is a very low budget way to get internet connection. Whether it’s just for a quick stop to check your messages and emails, or for a longer stay to get work done– cafes are an awesome option.
However, not all cafes offer free WIFI, and it especially varies depending on where you are traveling. The US, Canada, and the UK were great for finding cafes with reliable WIFI. Other places like New Zealand sometimes will offer it for free, sometimes at a small fee for the data, and occasionally none at all. One of my strategies is to check online for reviews first before I go to a cafe, especially when I know I am really going to need access to the internet. If you can’t find any reviews about WIFI and you have time to spare, I will also sometimes go to a café but before I go in I will see if I can find their WIFI network on my phone. Overall, cafes are great, but there are a few things to look out for when going that route.
Depending on where you plan to travel and what activities you do, there are other public sources for internet connection. Sometimes grocery stores, restaurants, and info centers will have WIFI.
Every country and culture is different, so the best course of action is if you know you will need the internet but don’t have much of a budget to pay for it, do your research on how the culture works and what kinds of internet you can find.
VPNs for Security
You may be thinking, free Wifi sounds great! But what about keeping my information and devices protected? VPNs are one of the easiest ways to keep your information private and secure, while still maintaining a small budget. You can typically purchase a yearly plan that comes out to less than $5 USD per month.
The way VPNs work is essentially that you can change your device’s location so that your internet is rerouted through the VPN, and people can’t steal the information. VPNs are also highly recommended for anyone who works online as it keeps all of yours and any clients work protected, as well as any of your accounts.
A couple of popular VPN companies include CyberGhost and NordVPN, but there are also a lot of other options. I definitely recommend doing your research on what each company offers and their prices to see what will work best for you.
International Data Plans
Possibly the most secure way to work and communicate internationally is through a paid plan. There are a few different options, depending on your needs and budget.
One option is to pay for an international SIM card. These are great for not having to worry about your phone being connected to any sort of Wifi and still having connectivity. Although this is a very secure option, they can get pretty expensive with data costs and some still don’t allow calls and texts (which is where that messaging app would come in handy).
Another option that is typically less expensive is to get a mobile hotspot device, which operates by paid subscriptions that roam for any local cell services. These are great because they can be used on the move, connecting to various cell signals as you go. The subscriptions can vary in price, but depending on what you will be using it for it can be a very useful tool at a fairly affordable price. We use Skyroam, which we have found to work very efficiently and at a fair price for data.
As travel becomes more accessible again, the best way to prepare is to decide before your trip what kind of connectivity you will want, how often you will need it, and to research what resources are available in the place you will be traveling. Depending on your needs and budget, there are a lot of options for safe affordable connections!
4 Easy Ways to Stay Connected While Traveling
♥
By: Alyssa Tuck
Prior to COVID-19 grounding our flights, traveling had become highly accessible with all the advancements in technology, but one of the many challenges we still come across is how to stay connected especially while traveling.
Thankfully, there are many ways to stay connected while traveling and even some that are affordable for those traveling on a limited budget.
Here are four tips I’ve learned in my travels which have helped me to not only work while traveling, but have also allowed me to stay in touch with my family and friends in my home country.
Messaging Apps
One of the greatest benefits of traveling is the opportunity to meet new people and make friends from all around the world. But staying in touch after you’ve parted ways can sometimes seem like a challenge. Luckily there are lots of options for international communication that make staying connected much easier.
Facebook Messenger is a commonly known chat app, and it is a great option for people because you don’t have to have a Facebook account in order to use it, just a Wifi connection.
Skype is another option people like to use because of the options for video and phone calling. Skype is awesome but does require quite a strong internet connection to work properly. This can sometimes be at a disadvantage when you want to video chat but the video and audio cut in and out.
WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app that is great for international communication. They have both a regular chat version and a business version of the app, which is a great alternative for those who would typically use it for working abroad. It has become one of the most common ways people communicate internationally. It is very user-friendly and has an excellent format for group chats. You can also have people back home sign up and text them for free whenever you have a connection to Wifi.
One of the nice things about WhatsApp is that it assigns you a phone number without having to use the personal number attached to your cell phone. This is a great option for people who use it to do international business if they want an extra layer of protection for their personal information.
There are a lot of great options for communicating, so I recommend trying them out and finding which one you like best.
Public WIFI Sources
Now that you have your messaging app, the next step is to find reliable access to WIFI. For travelers on a budget, utilizing public WIFI is a great way to stay connected and get work done on a low budget.
Some of my favorite sources for finding free WIFI are libraries and cafes. Libraries in most countries are a great way to find unlimited free data which is useful for any high usage tasks you may be doing such as downloading or streaming.
Cafes are my favorite way to use WIFI. As a big coffee drinker, I love getting out and trying local cafes. Often when I am traveling in one place for a while, I enjoy becoming a regular there. I mean coffee and WIFI– what could be better? Although this is not an entirely free source of WIFI, it is a very low budget way to get internet connection. Whether it’s just for a quick stop to check your messages and emails, or for a longer stay to get work done– cafes are an awesome option.
However, not all cafes offer free WIFI, and it especially varies depending on where you are traveling. The US, Canada, and the UK were great for finding cafes with reliable WIFI. Other places like New Zealand sometimes will offer it for free, sometimes at a small fee for the data, and occasionally none at all. One of my strategies is to check online for reviews first before I go to a cafe, especially when I know I am really going to need access to the internet. If you can’t find any reviews about WIFI and you have time to spare, I will also sometimes go to a café but before I go in I will see if I can find their WIFI network on my phone. Overall, cafes are great, but there are a few things to look out for when going that route.
Depending on where you plan to travel and what activities you do, there are other public sources for internet connection. Sometimes grocery stores, restaurants, and info centers will have WIFI.
Every country and culture is different, so the best course of action is if you know you will need the internet but don’t have much of a budget to pay for it, do your research on how the culture works and what kinds of internet you can find.
VPNs for Security
You may be thinking, free Wifi sounds great! But what about keeping my information and devices protected? VPNs are one of the easiest ways to keep your information private and secure, while still maintaining a small budget. You can typically purchase a yearly plan that comes out to less than $5 USD per month.
The way VPNs work is essentially that you can change your device’s location so that your internet is rerouted through the VPN, and people can’t steal the information. VPNs are also highly recommended for anyone who works online as it keeps all of yours and any clients work protected, as well as any of your accounts.
A couple of popular VPN companies include CyberGhost and NordVPN, but there are also a lot of other options. I definitely recommend doing your research on what each company offers and their prices to see what will work best for you.
International Data Plans
Possibly the most secure way to work and communicate internationally is through a paid plan. There are a few different options, depending on your needs and budget.
One option is to pay for an international SIM card. These are great for not having to worry about your phone being connected to any sort of Wifi and still having connectivity. Although this is a very secure option, they can get pretty expensive with data costs and some still don’t allow calls and texts (which is where that messaging app would come in handy).
Another option that is typically less expensive is to get a mobile hotspot device, which operates by paid subscriptions that roam for any local cell services. These are great because they can be used on the move, connecting to various cell signals as you go. The subscriptions can vary in price, but depending on what you will be using it for it can be a very useful tool at a fairly affordable price. We use Skyroam, which we have found to work very efficiently and at a fair price for data.
As travel becomes more accessible again, the best way to prepare is to decide before your trip what kind of connectivity you will want, how often you will need it, and to research what resources are available in the place you will be traveling. Depending on your needs and budget, there are a lot of options for safe affordable connections!
About author: Alyssa Tuck
Alyssa is a Virtual Assistant specialized in Content Repurposing, Blogging, and Social Media Management.
She is passionate about travel and is a van lifer extraordinaire.
Connect with her on Instagram: @alyssa.m.tuck
About author: Alyssa Tuck
Alyssa is a Virtual Assistant specialized in Content Repurposing, Blogging, and Social Media Management.
She is passionate about travel and is a van lifer extraordinaire.
Connect with her on Instagram: @alyssa.m.tuck
