Wish You Were Here – Staying in Touch While Traveling

Last Updated on July 9, 2014 by Jody Halsted

Staying in touch with friends and family while traveling has never been easier.  Gone are the days when you needed to purchase a postcard the first day of your vacation just so it might make it home before you did.

Two Free Ways to Stay in Touch While Traveling + The Coolest Postcards Ever

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

Thanks to smart phones, we can take all of our friends – both real and virtual- on the road with us.  Free wifi can be found across the globe and with apps like Instagram, Facebook and Foursquare we can share those “I'm having a great time” messages, complete with pictures and video, in real time.

Note:  If you are outside your coverage area or in another country, be aware of your roaming costs.  Use a free wifi finder app to conserve that precious data!

When Only a Phone call Will Do

Using those free wifi connections or your phones 3G, you can also make free calls from your smartphone or computer.  Two great free options: Skype and the Rebtel app for your phone (available for iPhone & Android) or to your computer.  Get your friends and family to download the apps, as well, and calls from anywhere in the world are free.

Note: Making international phone calls to landlines doesn't have to break your budget, either.  Skype and Rebtel both offer affordable plans so you can call your less-than-tech-savvy family members while you are away.

The Coolest Postcards Ever Everyone loves to get postcards.  With the Postagram app (free; on iPhone & Android) you can create real postcards from the images on your smartphone and have them mailed anywhere.  Just make sure you have those snail mail addresses with you!

Note:  While the app is free, the postcards are not.  Prices begin at 99¢.

What is your favorite way to keep in touch while traveling?