19Aug

    Saving Money in the Airport

    August 19, 2015 by

    travelTraveling can get expensive really fast. Between getting to the airport, checking your most likely overweight bags, and the flight in general, your bill has already grown quite a bit before you even get off the plane for your vacation. I have been traveling around the world since I was a child and have traveled professionally as well. Since my personal and professional travels have ramped up in the past few years I have come up with a few tips on how to save money in the airport whether you’re going on your vacation or you’re returning. The list below should help you and your wallet so feel free to share with everyone else.

    Pack Snacks & Empty Water Bottles:

    Let’s face it, buying food at an airport is expensive when it’s just you traveling and even more expensive when you’re traveling with others. The prices are much more inflated than anything I have ever seen and there’s all the temptation in the world to buy a burger or something delicious because it’s all right there and there’s a ton of options. My best tip for you is to pack snacks and even pack empty water bottles. The snacks should keep you full until you get more free snacks on the plane and the water bottles allow you to fill them up for free from the water fountains at each terminal.

    Check Credit Card for Extra Perks:

    Make sure to check with your credit card company to see if by being a loyal customer you are entitled to certain perks. You may or may not be entitled to any perks but it’s definitely worth a try because it could mean an upgrade to first class, saving money on checked bag, or even free food. This is a definite must in my opinion and something I do each and every time I travel.

    Use Coupons:

    If you absolutely have to buy something at the airport make sure you bring coupons. A lot of the stores and restaurants in airports are chains so most likely they will honor a coupon you have with their establishment. Before leaving for the airport make sure you check online which stores or restaurants are at your airport and check their pages for available money saving coupons.

    Bring Entertainment With You:

    Something I always make sure to do when traveling is packing entertainment and not buying it at one of the magazine huts or convenience stores. Make sure to have your laptop, tablet, phone, or other technology completely charged and already preloaded with television shows or movies incase you get bored, your flight is delayed, or there is no on-flight entertainment. I also bring a magazine or a book in addition to my technology just incase I want to unplug from the world of electronics. If you are a parent I strongly suggest you bring coloring books for the children if they’re young, just to keep them busy.

    Thinking ahead of your travel will save you money and ensure that you dont become fixated on costs that could have been avoided. Hope you enjoyed this article and be sure to check back again soon for more travel pieces.

    Thank you for reading!

    William Mungall

    22Jul

    Digital Wallets & Traveling

    July 22, 2015 by

    Iwilliam-mungall-digital-wallet tend to travel a lot. When I say a lot, I mean a lot. Whether its for work or pleasure I feel I am always on the go. When I am traveling there’s a lot to keep track of and not lose. Where’s my wallet? Wheres my passport? There’s too much to keep track of sometimes. One thing that is helping travelers from each and every country, is the digital wallet. A digital wallet is exactly what it sounds like, a technologically advanced and secure way to keep your cards and information all in one place without carrying around a wallet in your back pocket or your purse.

    The world is evolving and becoming more and more advanced and technologically dependent. It only makes sense to make your wallet part of the future. There are tons of apps out there that allow you to input your credit card information and make cash a thing of the past. More and more people are adopting this new trend and I for one am excited to see it grow. According to a recent survey, more than 3,800 travelers from Australia, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, the U.K., and the United States who took 4 or more trips a year, stored their wallets information on their smart phone.

    Although some people are still hesitant to put all their personal information on an app or their smartphone, the numbers are growing little by little. The global average at this moment is around 22% in favor of using the digital wallet as opposed to their leather one. Since Apple Pay’s launch and the Google Wallet’s inception more business travelers are using these technologies as they are backed by reputable brand name companies. The numbers are highly expected to grow in coming years.

    Take a look at the graph pictured below to get a better idea of how the digital wallet is viewed among other countries across the world.

    william-mungall-travel-wallet

    With new technology coming out each day to make phones run longer, more efficiently, always have service or wifi, and be more protected among countless other factors, the digital wallet will become a staple product for everyone. I for one am extremely excited about the evolution of this industry and can’t wait to see how the landscape changes in coming years.

     

    Thank you for reading!

    -William Mungall

    27May

    Best Gadgets for Travel

    May 27, 2015 by

    With the weather warming up and prime vacation time approaching, everyone need a few techie gadgets for the travels. Whether you’re going to the beach, the mountains, or the rivers in-between the gadgets you’ll learn about below will help you where you need it most.

    BlueTooth Speaker:

    Invest the small amount of money on a reliable and energy efficient portable bluetooth speaker. Bringing music with you on your adventures will definitely liven things up and it sure to keep you excited. The connectability between devices and bluetooth electronics nowadays is really fantastic and is definitely something to look into if you love music.

    Noise Canceling Headphones:

    Noise canceling headphones are an absolute must when it comes to traveling. The last thing you’ll want when you board a plane is to hear a screaming baby, and that’s the beauty of noise canceling electronics. No longer will you be forced to hear anything you wish not to and you’ll be able to focus on whatever movie JetBlue is streaming or catch all the z’s you can before arriving in your new location.

    USB Battery Pack:

    Now these come in all shapes and sizes and are amazing. One of the biggest and best players in the game is Mophie and they make amazing products. Having another battery that is 100% portable and will charge up your most important devices is critical when it comes to connect-ability with the rest of the world and the ability to share your latest Instagram post. Pick up one of these devices at your local Best Buy or Walmart for a great value.

    USB Car Adapter:

    For all the cross country trekkers and road warriors out there, this one’s for you. Ever have your phone die on you mid-drive? I sure have and it’s no fun when the music shuts off and you cant call your friends. A USB car adapter will allow you to keep your phone juiced up the whole drive so you can rest assured you’ll have a full battery when you need it.

    Go Pro:

    These wonderful, small cameras are some of the favorite gadgets for today’s action sports stars and have come a long way since their inception and first model. Go Pro’s will allow you to film all of your adventures and remaster them into a cutting edge, Spielberg-esque travel film. Your family and friends will love to see first hand footage of you cliff diving, four-wheeling, or even bungee jumping, if you’re into that kind of thing that is.

    Thanks for reading!

    -William Mungall