Being in a completely strange place without having anything in common,exploring new cultures and destinations brings you the ultimate happiness. You can have the time of your life until something very ”little” just spoils your entire vacation. One such things is running out of airtime or battery getting in a way of your communication.
Often times it is not advisable to use the same sim card as you do back home when traveling abroad because of the high price tag and probable technical difficulties that might occur. The best way to equip yourself during travel is buying the local SIM card at your destination to stay in communication and be able to have informed travel choices since you can be in contact with the local guides and people you meet at the place you are visiting. With this you can minimize your expenses and save your battery life for longer. Jumia Travel highlights five best ways that you can make the most out of your gadgets benefits.
Wifi – using your hotel or institutions wifi will save you from paying every time you browse anything. Almost in every country, you will find free wifi at public places including at airports,hotels,restaurants,shopping malls etc.If you need to make a call or browse the internet, just jump on to a free wifi network and save some money.
Use data Bundles – Many travellers who do not really know shortcodes or how to enable data bundles for local networks always end up paying more while they can pay less. Just ask your local travel agent,contact your local network service provider to be aware of the best available and cheaper network options. Bundled data is more efficient than direct data charges from your pre-paid airtime account. So if you are someone who exchanges photos,videos etc a lot,you may want to bundle always to avoid high data charges.
Utilise social media – These days, so many social media platforms have made it possible to call friends,family back home and still save cost. You even have the added advantage of video calling. They basically run on data which should be manageable provided you have access to free wifi or bundled data packages.Platforms like whatsapp,Skype,Facebook, messenger,Snapchat and Yahoo messenger allows you to call at all times through data usage. Instead of calling with airtime, just use social media,it is relatively cheaper.
When to call – There are certain times of the day when everyone is calling and this may tend to have an adverse effect on price and call quality since the networks may be overloaded and become expensive at peak hours.However,during certain times of the day, when a lot of people are either asleep or inactive, the phone lines may be clearer and you may talk for long paying less. Very late at night ,at dawn or very early in the morning is the best time to call.Unless it’s urgent, plan your calling times to suit the best time of day when you don’t have to pay much for it.
Turn off automatic downloads,updates and close apps which are not in use This is something that almost everyone is guilty of. Many people do not know that leaving automatic downloads and updates as well as running apps may cause higher charges than normal. When apps are not in use,try to turn them off to avoid unnecessary charges. Save money by cutting off the things you have control over. Update your apps when you need to.
Running out of airtime or being disconnected from the outside world because of insufficient airtime or a lack of cellular data may be very frustrating. Make sure you have enough airtime and data on your phone before you go out of your hotel room It always comes in handy. Be safe and enjoy your vacation.
Credit – JumiaTravel
