With 38 million smartphone owners in the UK who regularly use their device, the world is more connected than ever. However, it is difficult to maintain this whilst travelling, without risking extortionate roaming charges. Here’s how to stay connected with your loved ones when you’re travelling.
Change to a Travel SIM Card
You can save money on text messages and phone calls home to your friends and family by changing your SIM card before you go away. Most major phone networks offer pay-as-you-go SIMs that are activated for international roaming and include limited minutes, texts and data that you can use whilst abroad. Another good way to be always connected and be able to surf the internet is using a Vpn as explained in this article
Roaming rates are currently capped in the EU but can skyrocket outside of Europe so be aware of this and don’t use your data unnecessarily. Avoid massive charges and try to use free WiFi and internet cafes where possible to keep in touch with your loved ones.
Take Advantage of Free WiFi
Take advantage of the restaurants, bars and hotels abroad that offer free WiFi to their guests. This is very common, particularly in Europe where they have aimed to have free WiFi in all public places across its member states within the next four years.
Before you go travelling, download apps that will allow you to contact your loved ones via a working internet connection, such as Skype, Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp. Through these you can let them know you’re safe and share photos and interesting stories with them without having to pay for text messaging and phone calls.
Show Your Love by Sending Parcels Home
If you’d rather not rely on technology, you could send home a good old-fashioned postcard to let people know where you’ve visited and what you’ve seen.
You could even post a gift to your loved ones, to save yourself the luggage space when travelling back. You can send items internationally using any good postal service, such as TNT, and similarly, your family may want to send a care package to you if you’re travelling long-term.
Keep Checking In
It’s not always possible to contact home so make sure you let your family know if you’re going somewhere where you know you’ll struggle to contact them. That way they won’t panic if you don’t get in touch with them for a few days. Also, try to let them know whenever you go to a new destination so that they can rest assured that you have arrived safely in each new place.
Keeping in touch with your loved ones whilst you’re abroad doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money. Follow these tips to keep connected with your friends and family whilst on your travels, to let them know you’re safe and share your stories with them.
