Getting out of town these days is much more than a luxury. Whether its just for a weekend or for a full-on vacation, the need for a mental and physical break-in-the-action is as important to one’s psychy as a good nap when you’re sleepy or a good sip of water when you’re thirsty. It goes without saying that there are a lot factors that go into making or breaking a good vacation, but one factor often thought about as an after-effect can be a tool for having peace of mind for back home. Staying in touch.
With smart phone technology ruling our communication means these days, one needs to be careful with a gliche (sure, we’ll call it a gliche) in the system – a horrible auto-search that your phone initiates when out of network; called “roaming”. Many unsuspecting smart phone users have been snagged with outrageous roaming and data charges while traveling abroad as their device actively (and chargingly) searches for new towers. This is especially prominent on cruises and multi-country tours where accessible towers can change with the wind.
What to do? You may be able to add a feature from you provider that will allow you to use the device internationally; phone, texting and email capabilities for a fee. If you do not turn off this feature and leave your phone on (or it turns on in error), you could potentially sustain recurring charges while your phone continuously searches for international signals. Even if you are hanging out in one locale, regular roaming charges can be exorbitant. There are very inexpensive and reliable options on the market today that can allow you to stay in touch with loved ones, dog sitters, plant waterers and fish feeders back home without paying the price equal to another airline ticket. Check out a few of these options:
Skype: for NO CHARGE whatsoever, you can connect to someone else on skype using a smartphone device or laptop. For mere pennies, you can make actual phone calls from Skype to someone’s landline or mobile phone. If you are not using Skype, you need to. Download it at www.skype.com
Onesuite: for mere pennies a minute, your friends & family at home can call you in your hotel room or on your mobile device. Onesuite is a virtual calling card that you can recharge online instantly anytime. From the US, one simply calls a toll free access number then keys in PIN and then the number they want to call. Cheap Cheap Cheap! Visit: www.onesuite.com
PennyTalk: No Wifi, PINs or access numbers required. You can download this app on your mobile device for free and then you simply use your contact list or app keypad for easy calling. Canada = 1¢ per minute. Spain = 2¢ per minute. UK = 1¢ per minute. Over 200 countries available and most are 2¢ per minute or less. Visit www.pennytalk.com
Whatever you choose, don’t get ripped off by the ease of roaming charges. With a little effort, you can save a LOT of money…and have peace of mind to stay in touch with those at home so that you can enjoy your holiday time away.
