Money
Emergency money and what to do if it all goes
Losing cards, cash and documents simultaneously is recoverable, and the recovery depends on arrangements made beforehand.
Money
Budgets, cards, currency, tipping and where the costs hide.
Money
What travel actually costs over a lifetime
Treating travel as a budget line rather than as a series of decisions changes what becomes possible.
Money
What things actually cost around the world
Cost of living comparisons are widely quoted and frequently misleading, and the useful comparison is narrower.
Money
Budgeting a long trip
Extended travel has different economics from a holiday, and the daily rate falls substantially with the right approach.
Money
Scams that target travellers
The techniques are remarkably consistent internationally, which means recognising the pattern protects against most of them.
Money
Where the money actually goes
How tourist spending is distributed determines whether it benefits a destination, and the differences between arrangements are large.
Money
Bargaining, tipping and paying the right amount
Conventions differ enormously, and applying home habits abroad produces either offence or unnecessary expense.
Money
Points, miles and whether they are worth it
Loyalty programmes have real value for some travellers and consume attention out of proportion for most.
Money
Travel insurance and what it actually covers
Policies differ substantially in what they exclude, and the exclusions are where claims fail.
Money
Phones, data and staying connected
Roaming charges have fallen in some places and remain punitive in others, and the alternatives are straightforward.
Money
How much a trip actually costs
Budgets fail on the same categories every time, and building one that survives contact with the trip is straightforward.
Money
Travel money: what actually costs you
Currency conversion is where travellers lose the most money without noticing, and the mechanisms are simple once described.