You’re overseas, and while you’re trying not to overdo the connected 24/7 thing, you probably do need to stay connected to family and friends (and maybe even work?!). I’m sure you’ve heard the horror stories of people who blithely used their cell phones to stay connected and racked up HUGE bills. It’s scary! But staying connected doesn’t have to mean your vacation just cost four+ times the price you budgeted. There are tips and tricks to staying connected for less.

Flickr cc: Sathish S

Before we start, let’s focus on data, since that will be the main means of connecting with home. If you have an unlocked phone, get a data SIM card before you go. It’s prepaid, and very inexpensive – from 35c to 18c per MB. While you might not think you use that much data, check when you’re at home and see what you use. Then imagine your patterns for usage while traveling, and extrapolate from there.

Wikimedia Commons: Andreas Kaltenbrunner

There are a variety of ways to stay connected overseas inexpensively – here's my top 10…

1. Cell phone

It’s easy to buy a cheap cell phone in country, or take your unlocked cell phone and slip in a local or prepurchased SIM card. When we were in Scotland, we got an Orange phone for $10, including SIM card for a certain number of minutes. When we ran out, we could top up easily. It also helped to have a local number for callbacks. Whatever you do, don’t just use your cell phone without figuring things out first. This is where huge bills can come in, especially if you’re using a ton of data (facebook, twitter, and instagram, I’m talking to you) or calling without knowing the costs (which can be more than $1 a minute).

Masked Man on Cell Phone by Diana Skok Corridori, on Flickr cc

2. Skype

As long as you have an internet connection, you can skype for free on your computer, as long the person you are calling also has a skype account. This is fun when you both do video chats, especially if you’re sitting by the ocean with the waves crashing in the background. Talking to someone that doesn’t have skype? You can preload some money in to make inexpensive global phone calls. You can even skype to your cat!

Skyping Lucky by Paul Harrison, on Flickr cc

3. Other apps that work with users that have the same app

Viber, gmail chat, and Tango. Just be sure to connect before you go on the platform, and then make sure you’re hooked up to wifi while using it. And of course, if you have an iphone, you can facetime for free with other idevice users.

4. Facebook has a video chat option

Just click the little camera when you’ve got the chat window open. Facebook also has a messenger app for cell phones, so you don’t need to open the whole facebook interface to chat.

5. Google Voice account

Do you have a google voice account? It’s connected to your gmail, and allows you to make and receive calls via your computer or phone. You can also route calls to your Google Voice number to your skype account.

6. Google Hangouts

Our family loves to do this. It takes an internet connection on your computer (or your phone, if you can tap into wifi for free where you’re staying), and can have up to 10 people on it. This would be a great time to connect with your parents and siblings, or your study abroad friends who are so jealous happy that you’re back in France.

Wifi Icon: Wikimedia Commons: Canopus49

7. Texting
If you’ve got a texting program and have checked with your carrier as to costs (and are happy with it), then stick with it. Or, use the texting app on your new inexpensive local phone. Use What’s App - it’s a free texting app that you can use to text with other What’s App users. Just be sure to text while you’re hooked up to wifi, or else you’ll also incur data charges on your cell phone.

8. Email

Call me old school, but email is a great way to stay in touch, especially when you're on different time zones.

Wikimedia Commons: Aristoteles Sandoval

9. Blog
Create a blog while you’re traveling! You can keep it private, if you’d like, or post links to entries on your facebook wall or via email to keep everyone up to date. It’s easy to share photos and experiences with people this way, instead of telling the same story a zillion times. Wordpress allows you to set up free blogs, and there are easy tutorials.

10. Postcards

There are many fun postcard apps that allow you to take a photo and then write something on the “back” and email it to your loved ones.

It’s old-fashioned, but also lovely to receive real mail. Buy postcards and stamps, and then mail them home. Wish you were here!

Photo Wikimedia Commons: A.L. Simpson

Money Saving Tips:

Use an app called wifi finder to locate free wifi.

Turn off apps you aren’t using. Or turn off all apps and then activate only the ones you need each time, so you don’t incur charges without knowing.

Download! Some apps (especially maps) allow you to download what you need while you have free wifi, before heading out for the day.

Safety tips:

Only use secure wifi when using anything that requires a password.

Backup all your information before you go!

Set up password protection on your devices before you go.

Red phone booth Wikimedia Commons: Abuk SABUK, adapted by Wandering Educators