Now that we know everyday spending makes travel more affordable, let’s talk about what else can ultimately hinder or advance your travel…… Your mobile carrier. While there are 4 main companies: Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile, T-Mobile is in my opinion by far the greatest in FREE international benefits.
In college, we got our phone service through T-Mobile, because it was the cheapest, despite the well-known myth for having poor service. But I discovered the biggest perk of T-Mobile to any avid traveler, free international data and texting. While this doesn’t cover voice calls, data calls via FaceTime or Skype do count. But, you do get faster data and free calls and texts in Canada and Mexico.
I recently became the hero/villain while traveling with my wife’s family on a cruise in Mexico. Her younger siblings were threatened to not increase the family’s cellphone bill while on vacation. So, I just created a hotspot while traveling and instantly became their biggest fan while ashore. And in doing so, became the in-laws biggest regret, as they thought they could get their younger kids to completely unplug.
While in Mexico I couldn’t use my debit card at first (yes I had called ahead and made arrangements), however, I was able to call them while looking at an ATM in Mazatlán and got my cash in 20 minutes, without spending a penny extra on that phone call. Throughout the trip I was able to use it to get directions, reviews, and more as we explored the country. These moments were truly invaluable savings compared to having another carrier. I also updated my Facebook with photos so my friends stuck in a snowstorm in Idaho could be jealous of my snorkeling pictures and videos.
We have a couple of big international trips coming up, to The Cayman Islands, Cambodia and Uruguay, and thanks to T-Mobile I will be online and able to connect to friend’s family and work while I travel aboard.
T-Mobile claims you get free travel in 140 countries and you can check that here. https://www.t-mobile.com/optional-services/roaming.html to see if your current travel plans are included.