With the economy in a downturn, keep in mind that many hotels are willing to negotiate on price, especially the smaller hotels and inns.  When making a reservation, ask if there are any deals…because sometimes all it takes is asking!

Many countries, especially in Latin America, require tourist to pay a departure tax at the airport before boarding their plane……and this tax always must be paid in cash.

So remember to do your research and see if where you are going has a departure tax….so that you can put money aside for it.  

Wouldn’t it be sad if you got stuck in Nicaragua because you spent your last cordoba on candy for the flight!

When traveling make sure to leave a copy of your credit cards with a relative or friend back home.  Also, don’t forget to copy the back so that you have phone numbers to call the companies, in case your cards are stolen.

Being a pimp is cool and all, but traveling like one is not suggested.

When traveling make sure to keep small change in your pocket so that when you go to buy something, you are not pulling out a wad of cash….and receiving unwanted attention.

For-shizzle my-nizzle…..

Shopping in a foreign currency can seem like an elementary school math test at times…..and pulling out a calculator in a posh store can make you feel like the school dork.

To solve these dilemmas, I found the answer at Staples in the form of a mini calculator key chain.  I attached the calculator to the zipper of my daypack and was able to discretely convert prices into my home currency whenever necessary.

These keychains are usually available in a bucket at the checkout counters of Staples, but just in case I have included a link to an amazon store that has a similar product….