Slow Travel Non-Negotiable Essentials

As a couple who’s all about taking it slow and soaking up every moment, we’ve figured out a few tricks to keep our remote work gigs stress-free while we trot the globe. We’re here to spill the beans on the essentials and must have that keep our work and travels smooth. We must say that we honed our craft through trial and error, learning invaluable lessons along the way.

David and I will show you how to harness the power of photo online drives to keep your memories safe and your devices clutter-free. Then, we’ll dish out the deets on fee-free cards that make managing finances on the go a breeze. And of course, no digital nomad’s toolkit is complete without a reliable VPN to keep your online activities private and secure, no matter where you roam.

BANK DEBIT CARDS

Amidst the excitement of exploring new destinations, there’s one aspect of international travel that often flies under the radar: managing your finances on the go.

As seasoned nomads who’ve crisscrossed the globe in search of adventure, we’ve learned firsthand that not all bank cards are created equal, especially when it comes to traveling abroad. While some countries boast a plethora of perks and benefits for globetrotters, others may leave you scratching your head at the lack of options.

Take the United States, for example. With its array of travel-friendly bank cards offering perks like zero foreign transaction fees, lucrative rewards programs, and robust travel insurance coverage, it’s no wonder many travelers hail America as a haven for financially savvy globetrotters.

We can’t speak for each country but generally speaking for us based in the UK we use the following. Also, Wise and Revolut are available in many countries. Spoiler Alert: we love Chase!

WISE: Formerly known as TransferWise, Wise has become synonymous with borderless banking, offering a suite of features designed to simplify international transactions and currency exchange. Here are some of the standout perks of Wise: With Wise, you’ll get the real exchange rate—often much cheaper than what traditional banks offer—plus transparent, low-cost fees. We started to use it many years ago, way before getting their debit card, when we just needed to move money from one country to the other in different currencies.

Wise lets you hold and manage over 50 currencies in a single account, making it easy to send, receive, and spend money abroad without the hassle of conversion fees.In fact, it also works well in several countries if you work as a seasonal worker around the world. 

Seamlessly link your Wise account to a Wise debit card and enjoy fee-free spending in over 150 countries.

REVOLUT: As one of the pioneers of digital banking, Revolut has earned a reputation for innovation and flexibility in the realm of international finance. 

Similar to Wise, good to have an extra card if you run out of the withdrawing monthly limit.

Similar to Revolut and Wise but for UK only, are also Starling Bank and Monzo.

Moreover, CHASE which is available in USA too but the following info is for UK:

They apply the current Mastercard exchange rate for transactions in local currencies. Paying in the local currency can help you avoid conversion fees. You can manage your card settings through the Chase app, including enabling payments abroad and location sharing for added security. 

We love it because has 1% cashback on all spending and if you get your card cloned no problem, the card does not have a number printed on it so you can issue a new card number directly from your Chase mobile app! How convenient? You won’t need to have a new card dispatched to the other side of the world. We think this is such a great genius idea which also helps fight plastic waste.

Withdrawal amounts are higher than the other banks as Daily and monthly withdrawal limits are up to £500 per day from any ATM worldwide and £1,500 per month from your Chase current account while travelling.

TRAVEL MEDICAL INSURANCE

SafetyWing travel medical insurance offers a range of benefits that make it an attractive option for frequent travellers, including the recent removal of the deductible amount. We have been using them for the past 3 years and when we say we used them, we used them for real after David’s had a motorcycle accident which was no fun!

Besides the recent deductible removal, another good thing is that the claim process is now really fast. A very nice upgrade especially considering that long-term travellers need to know fast if they have the right to be covered for that particular situation. Over the years they have been working hard to improve the policy and the features that can be added on, go and take a look at their travel medical insurance! 

We strongly encourage all readers to thoroughly read and comprehend the policy documentation, including terms and conditions, before making any decisions. We, as ambassadors, are not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and our perspectives should not be considered as a substitute for professional advice. Our aim is to share our personal opinions and insights as a starting point for your research.

NORDVPN

A reliable tool ensuring your online safety and privacy, especially when you’re on the move.

NordVPN stands out for its robust security features, including military-grade encryption and a strict no-logs policy. These ensure that your browsing activities remain private, shielding your sensitive information from potential threats, whether you’re accessing public Wi-Fi in a café or a hotel.

You know, as you travel the chances you can get cloned, hacked, you name it increase exponentially, so you must get a VPN to get the peace of mind your details and important info will remain private.

One of NordVPN’s key benefits is its ability to bypass geo-restrictions, granting you access to region-specific content and services wherever you are (hello Netflix lovers).

What sets NordVPN apart is its user-friendly interface, making it accessible to users of all levels of technical expertise. With easy setup and one-click connection, you can enjoy the benefits of enhanced security and privacy without the hassle of navigating complex settings.

PHOTOS / DOCUMENTS ONLINE STORAGE

You know the fear of losing those precious pictures, videos and memories? We think travellers don’t talk about this enough. Online Storage are key when travelling. Having your photos stored online means you can access them from any device with an internet connection. This is especially handy if you want to show your photos to friends and family while you’re still on your trip or if you need to access them for any other reason while you’re away from your main devices. 

The ones we use:

• Mega 20 GB free (used to be 50 GB)
• Google Drive 15 GB free
• Degoo 100 GB free (app only, used to be Desktop too)

TO-DO / Project Management Tools:

Asana, Trello, and Slack are effective tools for updating tasks, commenting on tasks, and managing to-do lists due to their intuitive interfaces, collaboration features, and integration capabilities with other productivity tools. They streamline communication, improve visibility, and help teams stay organized and productive.

At the moment our personal order of preference is Trello, Asana and Slack but it depends on the use you need to make of it as they are different! Overall they help us with all those deadlines, travel wise too from visa applications to planning our upcoming months and travelling!

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