- The right ATM card. If your in Rio de Janeiro or Karachi, you'll likely need to pull out local currency once your in country. You do this by avoiding the high rip-off risk exchange houses, exchange men, banks, etc by getting an ATM card that allows you to withdraw funds from ANY ATM without paying an ATM fee. For example, you arrive in Bangkok, and need about $150 in local currency to get to your hostel and pay for cab fair. Use your Fidelity Visa Debit card and extract the funds from ANY ATM that is able to work on the VISA system (nearly all atms). The ATM may say you'll be charged a $5 fee. Have no fear, you'll be reimbursed. Easy and absolutely no fees to maintain an account with Fidelity, no minimum.
- Luggage Scale. Buy a luggage scale for under $11. This scale will surely save you over $50 USD by making sure your bag stays low weight when its placed on the scale before boarding a budget air carrier flight. Make sure you check load your carry on (usually not weighed) with the heaviest items.
- Filter water bottle. If your traversing the Acropolis in Athens or batteling the heat and beggers in Bangalore, you'll definately be drinking water. Bottled and safe drinking water can be a luxury and often quite pricey. Fill these bottles at your hostel and save at least $5 a day on water purchases. Note that these bottles are not your normal throw away bottle. They include filters that will keep your water clean and keep you healthy.
- Buy a phone. Get an unlocked quad band SIM card enable basic phone that will alow you to plug in a local sim cellular card a chat like a local. This wills surely save you on texts and calls to home but will also keep you at par with the locals and give you the ability to call hostels and other contacts at the local rates. A time and money saver.
