How to Save Money on Your Phone Bill During a Business Trip
With the cost of plane tickets and hotel rooms, business travel can be expensive. However, another factor can add onto those costs in ways that may surprise you upon your return home: your cell phone bill. While communication is relatively inexpensive within the continental United States, other countries charge substantially more per minute or MB of data. You may find yourself paying more than $1 per minute for a voice call, or paying $10 for each web page you visit. This does not even begin to cover the expenses smartphones can add. Since you cannot leave your cell phone at home, you can try to save money on your bill.
Get an International Calling or Data Roaming Plan
If you travel abroad frequently and use your cell phone regularly during your travels, then ask your cell phone service provider for an international calling plan. All major carriers offer voice for about $5 to $6 per month as an add-on to your existing plan and phone. You can save around 20% on voice calls, but they are still substantially more expensive. In addition, you will need a data roaming plan if you use smartphone apps. Depending on the amount of data you need, these range from $25 to $200 per month and can save a substantial amount of money on data.
Get a Phone Just For International Travel
While an international plan can cut the cost of your cell phone usage abroad, you have other options as well, especially if you only travel abroad on occasion. By buying an international travel phone for as low as $50, you get a separate number just for your trip. Different service providers offer different options, such as international SIM cards, phone rentals and phone kits; some even offer free incoming calls throughout Europe.
Replace Your SIM Card
If you have chosen to take your cell phone abroad with you, then you may want to consider replacing the SIM card on your phone. The SIM card is the small card inside your phone that holds its memory, identity and configurations. You can purchase a SIM card at the airport to make inexpensive local calls, while using a calling card to make international calls. Your international SIM card has a different number, so remember to tell everyone at home which number to call in case they need to get in touch with you.
Use an Internet-Based Phone Service
If none of those options save you enough money, then you should consider using an Internet-based voice service, such as Skype or TruPhone. These services allow you to make calls over the Internet for as little as 2¢ per call. The only downside of this service is that it depends on your ability to find affordable or free Wi-Fi hot spots, which may be difficult depending on your destination.
With so many options, you have no excuses but to use one or more of them in order to save money on your phone bill on your next business trip. A high cell phone bill is one souvenir you do not want to bring home with you.
Get an International Calling or Data Roaming Plan
If you travel abroad frequently and use your cell phone regularly during your travels, then ask your cell phone service provider for an international calling plan. All major carriers offer voice for about $5 to $6 per month as an add-on to your existing plan and phone. You can save around 20% on voice calls, but they are still substantially more expensive. In addition, you will need a data roaming plan if you use smartphone apps. Depending on the amount of data you need, these range from $25 to $200 per month and can save a substantial amount of money on data.
Get a Phone Just For International Travel
While an international plan can cut the cost of your cell phone usage abroad, you have other options as well, especially if you only travel abroad on occasion. By buying an international travel phone for as low as $50, you get a separate number just for your trip. Different service providers offer different options, such as international SIM cards, phone rentals and phone kits; some even offer free incoming calls throughout Europe.
Replace Your SIM Card
If you have chosen to take your cell phone abroad with you, then you may want to consider replacing the SIM card on your phone. The SIM card is the small card inside your phone that holds its memory, identity and configurations. You can purchase a SIM card at the airport to make inexpensive local calls, while using a calling card to make international calls. Your international SIM card has a different number, so remember to tell everyone at home which number to call in case they need to get in touch with you.
Use an Internet-Based Phone Service
If none of those options save you enough money, then you should consider using an Internet-based voice service, such as Skype or TruPhone. These services allow you to make calls over the Internet for as little as 2¢ per call. The only downside of this service is that it depends on your ability to find affordable or free Wi-Fi hot spots, which may be difficult depending on your destination.
With so many options, you have no excuses but to use one or more of them in order to save money on your phone bill on your next business trip. A high cell phone bill is one souvenir you do not want to bring home with you.
Furnished Apartment Rentals: The Best Way to Truly Experience a Travel Destination
Renting furnished apartments rather than staying in a hotel enables travelers to experience their destinations as natives of these locales do. Often less expensive and just as comfortable as even luxury hotels, furnished vacation rentals are located in comfortable residential areas that travelers might otherwise overlook. In addition, furnished apartments include kitchens and refrigerators, so travelers can experience local culture by visiting local markets and trying real local versions of native cuisine. Even a visit to a supermarket in an up-to-date shopping mall to stock an apartment refrigerator with local or international soft drinks or a cupboard with local wines or native spirits can give a tourist a glimpse of local life that he or she would never enjoy as a hotel guest whose mini-bar is refilled daily by hotel staff.
As Spacious As A House
Business travelers who need extra space for meeting clients or for comfortable use of computers and other portable office equipment will also find short-term apartments more convenient than hotels. Even if a business traveler needs a conference room, it is possible to rent one without having to stay in a hotel that features conference rooms. Landlords and agencies that offer luxury business-class apartments will often be able to assist business travelers with finding such facilities, and they will also ensure the availability of proper Internet service, international phone lines, and even proper electrical power in locations where blackouts and brownouts are common.
Agencies that specialize in vacation apartments take all of the guesswork out of finding an apartment for a short stay in popular as well as less-frequented tourist and business destinations. They either represent owners who have built or renovated apartment buildings strictly for short-term rental use, or they deal with a network of reliable private landlords who prefer to rent their furnished apartments on a nightly or weekly basis to tourists from abroad. Professional agencies provide their clients with a contact who can be reached in the event a minor repair is needed, and these agents often offer free and personalized information regarding tourist attractions and useful facilities in areas where tourist apartments are located.
Great Place To Stay While On A Vacation
Short-term vacation apartments are available in a wide variety of locations, sizes and price ranges. A tourist with a family will be especially pleased with a larger apartment that includes amenities geared to a family with children. Some tourists prefer to stay in the center of town, whereas others may prefer a residential neighborhood where few tourists usually visit. A business traveler who demands the same level of luxury as is found in top hotels, and a group of students for whom low price is the only real consideration will find what they want from various vacation apartment agencies. Many of these agencies have detailed websites where tourists can see clear pictures of available apartments and compare locations and prices before making reservations online as they would for hotels.
Furnished apartments turn a vacation into a real cultural experience, and they are often economical as well when compared to hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. If you're travelling in the Greater Toronto Area and looking for a short term rental apartment, I would recommended these following suites:
http://www.delsuites.com/locations/toronto-furnished-apartments.php
http://www.delsuites.com/locations/mississauga-furnished-apartments.php
As Spacious As A House
Business travelers who need extra space for meeting clients or for comfortable use of computers and other portable office equipment will also find short-term apartments more convenient than hotels. Even if a business traveler needs a conference room, it is possible to rent one without having to stay in a hotel that features conference rooms. Landlords and agencies that offer luxury business-class apartments will often be able to assist business travelers with finding such facilities, and they will also ensure the availability of proper Internet service, international phone lines, and even proper electrical power in locations where blackouts and brownouts are common.
Agencies that specialize in vacation apartments take all of the guesswork out of finding an apartment for a short stay in popular as well as less-frequented tourist and business destinations. They either represent owners who have built or renovated apartment buildings strictly for short-term rental use, or they deal with a network of reliable private landlords who prefer to rent their furnished apartments on a nightly or weekly basis to tourists from abroad. Professional agencies provide their clients with a contact who can be reached in the event a minor repair is needed, and these agents often offer free and personalized information regarding tourist attractions and useful facilities in areas where tourist apartments are located.
Great Place To Stay While On A Vacation
Short-term vacation apartments are available in a wide variety of locations, sizes and price ranges. A tourist with a family will be especially pleased with a larger apartment that includes amenities geared to a family with children. Some tourists prefer to stay in the center of town, whereas others may prefer a residential neighborhood where few tourists usually visit. A business traveler who demands the same level of luxury as is found in top hotels, and a group of students for whom low price is the only real consideration will find what they want from various vacation apartment agencies. Many of these agencies have detailed websites where tourists can see clear pictures of available apartments and compare locations and prices before making reservations online as they would for hotels.
Furnished apartments turn a vacation into a real cultural experience, and they are often economical as well when compared to hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. If you're travelling in the Greater Toronto Area and looking for a short term rental apartment, I would recommended these following suites:
http://www.delsuites.com/locations/toronto-furnished-apartments.php
http://www.delsuites.com/locations/mississauga-furnished-apartments.php
Advantages and Disadvantages of Short term Rentals
While most landlords prefer to have their tenants sign a one-year lease, sometimes they agree to short term rentals. This is because there can be a high demand for short term rentals during certain times of the year. Allowing your tenants to sign a short term lease has both its advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages
1. With a short term lease, it is easier to get rid of a tenant who is causing problems for you. Whether he is not paying his rent or trashing his apartment, it is easier to serve him a 30-day notice to vacate the premises with a short term lease.
2. Since the tenant is not signing a long term lease, you can charge him more money per month to make up for the costs. You can even raise the rent more frequently as long as you give your tenant proper notice.
3. With a short term rental, you can change the rules of the rental agreement more frequently. For example, if you decide you no longer want your tenant to have pets, you do not have to wait until the end of the lease to enforce the new rule.
Disadvantages
1. There are bound to be more vacancy periods with short term rentals. Since the tenants will be staying for less than a year, you will have to take more time to clean the apartment, and coordinate moving out and moving in dates for tenants.
2. Having short term rentals can get time consuming. You will have to spend more time meeting new tenants, showing them the property and conducting credit and reference checks. This can become frustrating if you work a full-time job or are busy with other things in your life.
3. Having tenants constantly move into an apartment can cause more wear and tear to the property. Since they are only staying at the property for a short amount of time, they may not care about keeping the place neat and clean. New tenants moving in all the time can also cause damage to the carpets, walls and furniture. Having more wear and tear on your property will ultimately mean more money out of your pocket.
4. If you have more than one tenant move in your property each year, your costs will go up. You will have to pay more for advertising, credit checks and background checks. Some of these costs may be covered by rental application fees, but you are responsible for covering the remaining costs.
Before you decide to agree on a short term lease, make sure to weigh both the advantages and disadvantages to figure out if it is right for you. If you think that a short term rental agreement will work for you, take the time to find qualified and trustworthy tenants to avoid any issues. Also, write up a formal rental agreement. Even though the tenant will be living at your property for a short amount of time, there should still be terms and conditions written down.
Advantages
1. With a short term lease, it is easier to get rid of a tenant who is causing problems for you. Whether he is not paying his rent or trashing his apartment, it is easier to serve him a 30-day notice to vacate the premises with a short term lease.
2. Since the tenant is not signing a long term lease, you can charge him more money per month to make up for the costs. You can even raise the rent more frequently as long as you give your tenant proper notice.
3. With a short term rental, you can change the rules of the rental agreement more frequently. For example, if you decide you no longer want your tenant to have pets, you do not have to wait until the end of the lease to enforce the new rule.
Disadvantages
1. There are bound to be more vacancy periods with short term rentals. Since the tenants will be staying for less than a year, you will have to take more time to clean the apartment, and coordinate moving out and moving in dates for tenants.
2. Having short term rentals can get time consuming. You will have to spend more time meeting new tenants, showing them the property and conducting credit and reference checks. This can become frustrating if you work a full-time job or are busy with other things in your life.
3. Having tenants constantly move into an apartment can cause more wear and tear to the property. Since they are only staying at the property for a short amount of time, they may not care about keeping the place neat and clean. New tenants moving in all the time can also cause damage to the carpets, walls and furniture. Having more wear and tear on your property will ultimately mean more money out of your pocket.
4. If you have more than one tenant move in your property each year, your costs will go up. You will have to pay more for advertising, credit checks and background checks. Some of these costs may be covered by rental application fees, but you are responsible for covering the remaining costs.
Before you decide to agree on a short term lease, make sure to weigh both the advantages and disadvantages to figure out if it is right for you. If you think that a short term rental agreement will work for you, take the time to find qualified and trustworthy tenants to avoid any issues. Also, write up a formal rental agreement. Even though the tenant will be living at your property for a short amount of time, there should still be terms and conditions written down.