Cheap Ways to Stay in Contact with Home While on Holiday

Staying in contact with home while on holiday can be important for a number of different reasons. There may be family members staying back at home. You may be on vacation, but work still goes on. And sometimes just saying hello to loved ones will be enough reason.

The cost of holidays goes up every time you turn around. Fuel costs more, which carries over into accommodation and food. The last thing any traveler needs to add to the expense budget is communication. Finding inexpensive ways to stay in touch can help to decrease worries and at the same time decrease (or at least not affect) the budget for the holiday.

Cheap Ways to Stay in Contact while on Holiday

1. Take advantage of amenities. Many hotels and even hostels (for those on a serious holiday budget) will provide free Wi-Fi access to guests. Ask at the front desk when you are checking in to find out any limitations on Wi-Fi access. You may also discover that your hotel offers free use of computers in the business room. Use this to:

• Keep a record of your holiday adventures posted on your blog.
• Tweet regularly about what you are doing.
• Use your Facebook page to post notices about your holiday travels or pictures.
• Take advantage of services like Skype to call home using the internet.
• Send emails or instant messages to stay in contact.

2. Visit a public library. The internet has become an essential form of research and many libraries have invested in computers and internet access for the community to use. Out of town visitors may be required to pay a small fee to utilize the library computers.

3. Check out the local coffee shops. Although most now offer Wi-Fi access, some also offer computer access for a small fee. Finding places where you can use public computers can keep you from traveling around with your own computer. Be sure that when you use a public computer you avoid accessing sites (like your bank) that house sensitive information and require a password. You may also want to change your passwords when you return from the holiday just to be safe.

4. Text instead of talking. You may have to carry your cell phone with you no matter where you go, but ask people to text instead of calling and keep any replies (or conversations) short and sweet.

5. Have friends and family contact you in the hotel. Landline charges will usually be much cheaper than cell phone charges.

6. Purchase a SIM card to use during the holiday. A SIM card can allow you to receive incoming calls and text messages for free. Look around for a SIM card that will work with your existing phone and that will provide you with the best service for your holiday.

7. Send a postcard. Not only are postcards a great and inexpensive way to stay in contact with home while on holiday, but postcards can also provide a wonderful record of your holiday adventures. Purchase postcards in the different locations that you visit or use your digital camera to create postcards at a photo shop. The cost of stamps may have gone up, but postcards are still an inexpensive and fun way to stay in touch.

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