Top 11 Travel Hacks To Stay Travel-Savvy

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Want to travel-savvy? Keep ahead of the game with these top 11 travel hacks.

1. Travel-Friendly Card

We are now living in a world where cash may no longer be king. With the fear of Covid-19 being passed by banknotes, it has never been more important to have a great travel-friendly bank card. I personally recommend using ‘Revolut’. I have sworn by this card in the past and you can read an extensive write up on why you should not be without this card…at home or abroad! Read Revolutionary Banking With Revolut here. Out of all these hacks, keeping your funds safe is surely the most essential on your journey.

2. Organise Your Inbox

If your anything like me, finding that specific email in my personal inbox can be a nightmare. Why not set up an entirely independent email address for your travels? Where do you think the name ‘Travel With Cooky‘ came from? It’s something I have done for quite some time. Not only this, organise your trips into folders so you can always find what you need. Trust me, you will thank yourself later for doing this!

I also recommend getting a travel journal organiser. This way you have a hard copy of any booking details instead of being 100% reliant on your smart device. See my blog ‘Top 15 Pack Hacks‘ for more details.

3. RFID Blocker Wallet… The Savvy Hacks

As I mentioned in the first hack, cards may become the new king. This also means an increased target for scammers and thieves. With the new technology out there that allows hackers to draw payment via wireless technology, you always have to be on your guard. RFID blocker wallets prevent exactly this from happening. These block any attempted wireless transactions unless you physically take the card out of your wallet. Giving you one less thing to worry about during your trip. 

4. Learn The Basics, Knowledge Is The King Of Hacks

It’s always a good idea to do some basic background research on your destination as well as any cultural differences you may need to be aware of. I recently wrote a guest blog on Lifetime Traveller, a partner of Travel With Cooky, about ‘Strange Social Norms‘ you may find on your travels. Take a few minutes to check it out. It also has a language bonus section to help you out. Learning the basics in any local language will get you a long way. Locals love to see people trying to communicate with them in their mother tongue. Not only will it put a smile on someone’s face, but it may also even get you that little bit extra.

5. Unlock Your Phone And Sim To Win

One of the biggest surprises while travelling in several countries was just how good the deals are you can get for sim cards. Some of the deals out there may be worlds apart from what you get at home. I met people travelling in Vietnam who had paid £15/ $18 for a 30-day sim card which gave them an incredible 9 GB data PER DAY! Not only this, you get a local number which is much easier to get in touch with tour operators and locals should you need to.

Generally speaking it is much better to bargain for deals while in that country. Do not make the same mistake I made. Make sure your phone is unlocked from networks before you travel to ensure you don’t miss out on these amazing deals.

6. Hacks To Map Out Your Plans

Before you set off on your travels, make sure you download ‘Maps.me’. This is an app very similar to ‘Google maps‘ but one I find much more reliable. If you enter your destination, you can download the map before you arrive, meaning you do not need to be attached to wifi or using up your own data in a foreign land. Most people I have met on my travels all prefer ‘Maps.me’. It’s free and available on IOS and Android.

7. Forgot Your Adapter?

Are you stopping off at a fly-over destination but don’t have the right adapter? Modern TV’s have USB points on the side or back of them. Use this method to charge up your smart devices so you aren’t caught out and can continue your onward journey full systems go.

8. Try A Hostel…Not Hotel

You will be amazed at the deals you can get from picking a hostel over a hotel. Hostels are a fantastic way of meeting people while travelling. They have an amazing social hub going on. Hotels can be a very lonely place if your travelling solo. It may be daunting to have to share a room with strangers, but some of the most rewarding trips I have taken are down to the people I have met while staying in them.

It’s also an amazing place to get advice if your planning on moving around. Help is always at hand and people are so happy to help each other out. This hack is one you should seriously consider and will save you a fortune. Not only that, but you may also even meet friends for life.

Not sure about dorms? Hostels also have private or twin rooms which more than rival hotel rooms. Check out the Travel Tips page for help and offers to help save you even more money.

Cooky’s Cue

Want to book accommodation for your trip? Get 10% off at booking.com with Travel With Cooky.

9. Backup Your Memories

There is nothing worse than losing a camera. It is not the camera itself that is the main issue, although no one wants that added expense halfway through a trip. But the photographs you take are PRICELESS. Did you know you can get a FREE Google Photo’s account that allows you 15GB of free space to save all your images? This can even be linked to your smart device and can be updated and uploaded automatically via the Google Photos app.

10. Uber Alternatives And Transport Hacks

Don’t just hop off the plane, pick up your bag and expect to grab an uber at the door. Do your research. Firstly, Uber may charge a premium for pickup at airports. Secondly, they may not be able to enter the airport. For instance, Sweden does not allow Uber to operate from airports. Thirdly…they may not even exist in the country you are in.

From most airports, it is usually very simple to get to the nearest town/city via public transport. I know this may seem very daunting trying to navigate another countries transport system, but it’s so worthwhile. Once you get to the nearest populated place, it may be much easier and cheaper to get an uber or taxi. 

As I said, Uber does not operate in all countries. In South-East Asia, ‘Grab’ is the equivalent and extremely well priced. This is also a much safer form of travel as there is no money changing hands and your ride is tracked and logged. Should you accidentally leave anything on board, you can easily trace the driver.

11. Get A VPN In Your Life

This shouldn’t just be in your list of travel hacks. This should also be at the top of your list of life hacks.

However, you may be asking what the heck is a VPN. A Virtual Private Network is essential for everyone, not only for while your travelling. It can be used to find cheaper flights as well as your own own personal online protection. When travelling, one of the first questions asked when you enter any establishment is ‘can I have the WIFI password please?’. So, are you safe to use public WIFI… absolutely not! These are an easy target for hackers and cybercriminals. 

A VPN creates a secure connection between you and the internet. When you connect to the internet through a Virtual Private Network, all of your traffic is sent through an encrypted virtual tunnel. This has a number of different advantages:

• You will be more anonymous on the internet. A VPN ensures that your IP address and location will not be visible to just anyone.
• Safety is key: the encrypted tunnel will keep away hackers and cybercriminals and your devices will not be as vulnerable to attacks, especially when on public WIFI.
• It allows more freedom on the internet. You can change the IP addresses of different countries. You will be able to access websites and online services that may not have been otherwise accessible or may have been otherwise blocked. For instance, some websites, or aspects of that website, are only accessible to those within that country. Videos on the BBC website are a perfect example of this.

One of the options available is to change the country IP address you are using. I have found that looking at flights while turning on the IP address for countries in South-East Asia tends to actually come up cheaper compared to when I look from a UK IP address. 

Safety is key

Keeping your personal information safe is essential. And for what it costs, there really isn’t an excuse to not have one. I got 24 months of cover on unlimited devices for $57 with Surfshark.com. Not sure? Sign up with my link and get 30 days free! Use the link for your 30-day bonus curtesy of Travel With Cooky  https://surfshark.club/friend/d6BbjA6K

Out of all the hacks in this article, nothing is more important than keeping your travel cash and personal information safe. Staying safe on your travels must also mean doing so online!

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