Post: #1

So, I realized that when you go away for a month or more, there are some things you can do to save money. And other more admin/paperwork type shit you need to handle.

I searched a travel checklist, planning, etc and found this thread for ultimate travel gear /thread-33116.html

Timoteo pointed out this travel checklist http://www.flight001.com/checklist

You can save money by:
1) Rent out your place
2) Turn your gas heater down
3) Make sure all the water it turned off tight - knobs are tight
4) PC off, fridge shut tight (lowest setting), cable box power off, unplug alarm clock (I am not )
5) If you are leaving your car in the garage, call your insurance company to reduce your mileage - can save decent amount of coin
6) Vacation freeze - cable, internet, gym membership, newspaper (if you are still into the physical news) - Make sure you plan ahead on this - some places will not let you freeze the days between monthly billing - in other word you get billed on the 15th - you call on the 16th, they won't freeze those 29 days - it will start on the next billing period. So PLAN!
7) Buy GC at a discount if you are buying new clothes


Other things:
1) Mail hold
2) Pay you CC balance off - even load some cash in advance - I did it to avoid just having to use private info over internet
3) Get skype, google chat/voice (very useful) - drop a low amount of cash in it - very convenient (for more info /archive/inde...44805.html)
4) Mail forwarding, Banking, Phone - read this guy's thread (he seems ok just kidding 262) /thread-47239.html

He (and NomadofEU) also have a podcast and may drop planning info in future podcasts. So placeholder link /thread-55512.html

5) CS is getting close it seems to making the move so I imagine he will start dropping info - so I am putting this link in for future wisdom /thread-50615.html
6) Sounds weird - but if you are going away for a while - make a giant to do list and as shit comes up you need to do - put it on your list and strikethrough when done. Some things are time sensitive (needs to be done so many days in advance of when you need it)
7) Determine your method of getting money (262 discusses his method in his link)
8) Find out if you have any critical items that you can't get easily or cheaply in your destination country
9) Pay your rent in advance/make arrangements
10) Plants and pets, if you got them
11) Cancel any appointments like dentist, etc if you won't make it - courtesy is appreciated by everyone
12) Give keys to place and car to someone you trust - in case someone needs to get into your place to find something, etc.

Feel free to add shit.

Edit: Some of this stuff may be overkill - but I figure if it helps one jackass on this forum - time well spent.

Post: #2

Change your voicemail to let callers know that you're out of the country and to contact you by e-mail.

Post: #3

(05-24-2016 11:25 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  3) Get skype, google chat/voice (very useful) - drop a low amount of cash in it -

Google Voice is great when moving/traveling abroad. It lets you keep your local number and its free.

Other things:
Have a solid medical insurance that covers your need when abroad.
Have a credit card/debit card without international fees. This quickly adds up.

Quote:11) Cancel any appointments like dentist, etc if you won't make it

I would try to go to the dentist just before the trip to make sure the teeth are in great shape. Nothing will ruin a trip like severe tooth ache!

Post: #4

I am in this very process right now, however I am relocating permanently to another state, so I am following your lists and plus a few extra things to add if moving for good:


Getting in advance:
-Get Air Ticket to your destination (for cheap/convenient I like google flights)
-Get A room to stay at your destination

Cancel Utilities:
-Garbage
-Water
-Gas and Electric
-Cable (if you like brainwashing) and Internet

-Checkout local laws

-If you have a dependent on school, get their records and call the school to let them know the name of the new school

-Clean your apartment

Post: #5

I agree with the idea to steer people to email, but I would not say in voicemail that you're out of the country.

You can simply say something like at the current time those who wish to contact you should do so via email for a quicker response.

Or, set call forwarding in your cell to forward your calls to a google voice number, you can then check the voicemails on your computer.

I have it the other way around- I only give out my google voice number, it s my primary number, everyone calls that, only close friends and family have my cell phone number, and even then I tell them to use GV number. I can choose to forward calls to my cell phone or just collect voice mails on google voice. You can also make groups, people in this group get forwarded to cell, that group gets straight to voicemail etc.

Post: #6

Charge any devices you'll bring. Mainly thinking of Kindle, which I sometimes don't use for a couple of months but will want to use on the plane. Have a few new books ready to go.

You mentioned the fridge - bonus points if you do a sweep through it and toss any perishable items before you travel.

Laptop and phone. I like to get my important files reviewed and backed up. Imagine you're on the trip and suddenly find your laptop or phone gone. Think about what goes through your mind at that moment:
- Are there any files you absolutely can't do without? Have you made recent copies of those files to the cloud?
- Are there any files that mustn't be seen by others? Are they properly password protected?

Post: #7

Get a small portable battery charger. Something like this.

http://www.amazon.com/Anker-PowerCore-Li...172&sr=1-1

Depending where you are - getting access to juice may or may not be easy.

Going off of Tigre's comment. It is easy to get a dropbox account, or google docs account.

Post: #8

- download movies, tv shows, podcasts if you have a long flight coming up

- bring one of those sim card needles that are needed to change your sim card for some phones

- backup the contacts on your phone/make sure they are stored on your phone and not your sim card