Sometimes bad things happen while traveling. Your credit card could get compromised. Your phone could get stolen. But if you lose your passport while traveling, that’s an “Oh shit” moment you’ll not soon forget.

Many articles exist on what to do AFTER your passport goes missing, but few tell you how to shorten the process of getting a replacement. Here’s how you can be prepared.

Documents to carry in case you lose your passport

My wife Julie is expert at splitting up documents and hiding them in various secret compartments in our luggage. I have no idea what she squirrels away and where they are hidden. Here’s what we pack in each bag (so I’m told).

1. Photocopy of current passport ID page

This is helpful for two reasons. First, you’ll want a copy of this when you report your passport as stolen or lost to the local police. Second, it can speed the process when you end up at the embassy/consulate to get a replacement.

2. Driver’s license or national ID card

The embassy/consulate will need to see a photo ID that proves that you are who you say you are! This is best demonstrated using a valid driver’s license or national ID card. Because your license/ID might be lost with your passport (you should not carry them together for this reason), it’s a good idea to have a printed copy of it.

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3. Expired passport or birth certificate

We each carry our previous invalid passport with us. While it cannot be used for travel, it can be immensely useful as proof of identity. If you don’t have your old one (or never had one before), having a copy of your birth certificate will suffice as long as you also have some other form of photo ID.

4. Extra passport photos

Passport photos are small and cheap, and you will need to bring one to the embassy/consulate to get a replacement passport. Again, you don’t want to be wasting time hunting for a place that sells overpriced passport photos just before you need to get to the embassy/consulate.

In addition, if you are from the US, make sure you know your social security number by heart! You’ll need it.

PRO TIP: If you are visiting a country that requires a visa and passport control gave you a small slip of paper or applied a stamp to your passport with an entry date, make sure you take a photo of that slip of paper or stamp! If you lose your passport, you can then show your old stamp/slip of paper to local immigration authorities to rectify the situation. Physical visas, stamps and paper slips are increasingly rare as many countries have digitized this but it still happens in some countries.

Why not just save digital copies?

Yes, you can and should save digital photos of all of these documents, especially your current passport and driver’s license! However, in the aftermath of a lost passport your stress level will be through the roof. Having physical photocopies will save you the hassle of having to hunt around town for a place to print these documents before proceeding to an embassy/consulate.

You don’t need scanned PDFs of these documents. Photos are fine. Just make sure you copy them into your cloud storage account with file names so you can easily search for them later! Otherwise they will disappear into the digital abyss of photos on your phone.

GOOD TO KNOW: If you are from the US, the Department of State will issue you an entirely new passport with a new number. It will not be a copy of your lost passport.

Traveling as a couple? Have one person carry both passports

There is always one person in a relationship who can be trusted to keep important documents safe and secure.

That’s not me.

On numerous angina-inducing occasions, my wife Julie watched me feverishly pat down pockets searching for my passport. She could take it no more and wisely appointed herself guardian of all cash, tickets and passports. After we clear immigration, she immediately snatches my passport from my hand. This counterintuitive system works for us because the risk that Julie will lose both of our passports is far lower than me losing my own passport. :-)

BEST PRACTICE: Your first order of business is to report a lost or stolen passport to the police. When you file a report, insist on getting a physical printout of the police report, not just a verbal affirmation or incident number. The physical report can be helpful for explaining the circumstance of the disappearance and will be needed to file a travel insurance claim to recover costs you incur.

What if you need to fly to get to the embassy or consulate?

One more reason to travel with physical copies of these documents. Let’s say you are on an island in Thailand when you lose your passport. You need to get to the Embassy in Bangkok but cannot fly without a passport. What do you do??

After you report your lost passport to the police, contact the Embassy in Bangkok and ask if you can get a purple “Limited Validity Passport” (Emergency Passport) so you can fly to Bangkok or home where you can secure a new permanent passport. Having a physical copy of the documents noted above will make that process a lot easier.

Is this all overkill?

Yes, if you don’t plan on losing your passport! Yet, to my knowledge 100% of people who lose their passport did not plan to do so. :-)

This exercise takes less than 15 minutes and only needs to be done once.

1. Print two copies of each document

2. Insert them into two separate clear small resealable bags so they are waterproof

3. Tuck them into the lining or a relatively obscure pocket of each bag, along with your old passport in one.

If you have the misfortune of losing your passport, it will be the best 15 minutes you’ve even spent!

About Chris

In 2026, after 25 years in Austin, Chris and Julie sold most of their possessions and decided to travel globally full time. Chris started focusing on travel writing after a long career as a copywriter and marketing executive. A lifelong learner, he focuses on what it takes to plan, sustain and love life as a long-term traveler, and associated practicalities for people over 50. Although new to travel writing, he is certainly not new to travel, with 100+ border crossings on 6 continents since 1997. Come along for the ride!

In this article we cover Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC), a deceptively innocent name for a scheme that gives you a terrible exchange rate when paying by credit card. Here’s how this racket works and how you can avoid paying this hidden tourist tax.

The currency conversion tax

Let’s say you are from the US. You’ve just enjoyed a great meal at a restaurant in Rome. The waiter brings the credit card machine to the table, runs the card, then hands the machine to you to approve the amount.

You have to make a split second decision: pay in US Dollars or Euros. You are from the US! You like knowing exactly how much is being charged to your card! Why wouldn’t you want to pay in US dollars???

The split second decision that costs you

You’re not a walking calculator. In the split second you have to decide, $120.22 seems about right. But herein lies the deception.

You are unlikely to be informed that the conversion rate will be much better if you select the local currency instead (Euros in this example). Doing so would have lowered the cost of your meal to US$114.50. If you had selected USD, you would have needlessly paid 5% more for dinner!

This is Dynamic Currency Conversion in action and according to VISA it usually adds 3% to 7% or more to your cost through inflated exchange rates. This may not seem like a big deal for one dinner but if you make it a habit you are literally throwing away hard earned money for nothing in return.

PRO TIP: If traveling outside your home currency market, use a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees. These fees often add another 1-3% on top of any DCC fees you might also pay!

Conversion anxiety? There’s a fix for that

If you have anxiety about doing quick currency conversions in your head, my advice is to turn on international transaction alerts with your credit card. I often use my Capital One Venture card when traveling (because they do not charge foreign transaction fees) and they allow me to turn on email and/or text alerts. Every time I charge something internationally, I instantly get a text from Capital One with the amount converted into USD. Chase offers similar alerts, although you can only get them for all transactions over a certain amount you specify.

Why isn’t DCC more transparent?

Because the restaurant is in on the deal - they get a sizable chunk of the profits in the form of a monthly kickback.

Many moons ago, the restaurant’s credit card payment processor approached the owner with a win-win pitch: Would you like to offer your customers the “convenient choice” to pay in their home currency or Euros? It will only cost the customers a small additional fee.

DCC is common in tourist areas but not all merchants buy in on the pitch. Many take a long view and know this is just another way to inflate costs and channel even more money to financial institutions beyond the normal credit card processing fees they already pay. Thus, you are more likely to see DCC deployed by gift shops, coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, and tour operators in touristy areas.

As much as you would like to cast blame on VISA or MasterCard, they are not the key players in this scheme. Third-party DCC providers - most of whom you have never heard of - are the ones who offer this “product.”

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GOOD TO KNOW: DCC is also used widely in ATM machines, especially at airports or in touristy areas. Again, always choose the local currency when withdrawing money.

How do I know I am being overcharged?

If you are concerned about a merchant overcharging you by taking advantage of your exchange rate confusion, I’ve been traveling internationally for 30 years and cannot think of a single situation where a merchant tried to pull a fast one on me in a credit card transaction. (At least that I know of) That’s not to say it doesn’t happen but it’s FAR more likely to happen when CASH is used to pay. I have definitely been screwed many times when paying cash, especially in markets.

The moral of this story is, always always always pay in the local currency. This will get you the wholesale conversion rate offered through VISA and MasterCard instead of the much worse “dynamic” currency conversion rate.

About Chris

In 2026, after 25 years in Austin, Chris and Julie sold most of their possessions and decided to travel globally full time. Chris started focusing on travel writing after a long career as a copywriter and marketing executive. A lifelong learner, he focuses on what it takes to plan, sustain and love life as a long-term traveler, and associated practicalities for people over 50. Although new to travel writing, he is certainly not new to travel, with 100+ border crossings on 6 continents since 1997.

As frequent travelers, we love our Chase Sapphire Preferred card, not just for the $100 travel credit that negates the $95 annual fee, but for the many other travel perks it provides. The value of the Chase travel portal, on the other hand, is more enigmatic to me.

Chase Sapphire - like most premium travel credit cards - uses the promise of “points” to lure travelers into their digital den. Those points can be worth at least $0.01 (often more) each upon redemption. The perpetual quandary is whether it’s worth booking hotels (or other travel) through the Chase Travel portal versus booking directly with the hotel or sites like Booking.com or Hotels.com.

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NOTE: We have a Chase Sapphire Preferred card but do not receive any referral commissions or bonus points from Chase for this article. You’ll see why later. :-)

Chase Travel vs Direct: How we compared them

In September 2026, I compared 50 hotels (you can spend time doing stupid stuff like this when you’re retired) to see if there was any meaningful difference in hotel prices using the Chase Travel portal vs booking direct. The full detail of our methodology can be found at the bottom* of this article.

• 50 randomly chosen hotels

• 10 large cities* in US/Canada and Europe

• Priced a 4 night stay, checked 30 days in advance

• Refundable room rate only

• Most mid-range hotels (no super luxury brands)

Booking direct was cheaper 62% of the time, with caveats

If you use price alone as a comparison, booking directly with a hotel was cheaper for 31 of the 50 hotels (62%) we checked. Chase was cheaper for 12 of the 50 hotels (24%) and there was no difference in price for the remaining 7 hotels. In doing this analysis, one thing really surprised me: the price difference between the US/Canada and European hotels.

US/Canada hotels

We looked at 25 hotels in 5 cities total: New York City, Los Angeles, Orlando, Chicago and Toronto.

• Booking a US/Canada hotel room directly was cheaper 48% of the time (12 of 25)

• Average discount for the 25 US/Canada hotels booked directly was only 4%

European hotels

We looked at 25 hotels in 5 cities total: Paris, Rome, London, Berlin and Barcelona.

• Booking a European hotel directly was cheaper 76% of the time (19 of 25 hotels)

• Average discount for the 25 European hotels booked directly was 12%

NOTE: We are comparing the Chase Sapphire PREFERRED card in this article which is $95 per year. The Chase Sapphire RESERVE card gets you 8x points on hotels booked on the Chase portal (and 4x for general travel) but has a hefty $795 annual fee.

But wait: What about the points???!!

So this is where the mental gymnastics get tricky. By booking directly with a hotel brand that is part of a larger chain of hotels (Marriott, Choice, Hilton, IHG etc.), loyalty program members earn points for future visits. Similarly, when you book a hotel using the Chase travel portal and your Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, you earn points on your stay.

Let’s say you wanted to book a four-night stay in mid-October at the W Hotel in New York City Times Square.

Chase Travel

• Cost of stay: $2,272

• Value of points earned for using Chase travel portal ($2,272 x 5x points x $0.01 each) = $113 (or more)

• Extra points for using Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card: $0 (you already received 5x points)

• Final cost of hotel stay: ($2,272 - $113) = $2,159

Booked Direct with Hotel

• Cost of stay: $2,208

• Value of points earned for booked direct ($2,208 x 10x points x $0.007 each) = $154

• Extra points for using Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card: ($2,208 x 2x points x $0.01 each) = $44

• Final cost of hotel stay: ($2,208 - $154 - $44) = $2,010

In this example, joining the free Marriott Bonvoy program and booking directly is a better deal - enough to pay for a nice lunch for two in NYC. And who knows, you might get a room upgrade!

TRAVEL TIP: When you use the Chase portal to book hotels, you earn 5x points total IF you use your Chase Sapphire Preferred card. If you book directly with the hotel and pay using your Chase card, you’ll still earn 2x on all “travel” purchases. Savvy points pros (not me) will also tell you that Chase points can be worth far more than $0.01 each and can be transferred to airlines or other travel partners at an even higher value.

Booking hotels using Chase Travel vs booking directly

* Chase often shows hotel properties that offer a “Points Boost” which can magnify the value of points well beyond $0.01 each.

GOOD TO KNOW: If you are (somewhat) loyal to a hotel chain, points accumulated and nights stayed really do matter. For example, we have an IHG Premier card from Chase and it automatically grants us Platinum Elite status with the IHG family of hotels. For every 3 nights we book using points, we get a fourth night free and may also qualify for early/late check in/out and room upgrades. That’s a pretty compelling offer if you are willing to stick to a few chains.

What I’m doing

I went into this research with the preconceived notion that Chase would be more expensive overall. In many cases that’s true when the value of points and other perks of booking directly are factored in. However, I’m Dutch and finding a good value is part of my DNA. My “go to” formula going forward will be to:

1. Do an initial search on Booking.com where I have achieved a wildly inappropriate status of “Genius” Level 3. (I like their filters best). Narrow to 2-3 hotels.

2. Check the price of those 2-3 hotels on the Chase travel portal

3. If the hotels are part of a chain I use often (example: IHG), I will check the direct price on the hotel website then call them.

Hotels will usually match or beat a posted price elsewhere. Even if you are not a loyalty member, sometimes you can get a room upgrade or some other perk if you call a hotel and tell them the other prices you have found online. The hotels would prefer not to pay that commission to Chase Travel or other online travel agencies like Booking.com, Hotels.com or Expedia. Many also offer age 55+ discounts (such as AARP) so make sure you ask about that.

Believe me, even though I’m Dutch I’m not going to be doing all this to save $19 for a one night stay at a Super 8 Motel. I generally only put in this effort when booking 3+ nights.

What do you think?

Do you use the Chase travel portal for booking hotels? What is your strategy for getting the best overall deal in a hotel? Let us know in the comments.

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* Global Travel Lifestyle research methodology: In September 2026, we randomly selected 50 hotels in 10 popular cities in the US & Canada (Los Angeles, NYC, Orlando, Chicago, Toronto), Europe (Barcelona, Paris, London, Rome, Berlin). We checked prices on the Chase portal, and hotel websites (without logging in), within minutes of one another. We chose dates one month in advance (mid-October 2026) using a 4 night stay. All fees and taxes were included and we chose refundable fares. If the hotel offered a special rate for their loyalty club members, we chose that rate if membership was free and simple to enroll in. This evaluation does not account for other perks (room upgrades, free breakfast, early/late check in, elite status points, etc) that may be offered to you by a hotel for booking directly. Please note that we did not include Online Travel Agency websites (Booking, Hotels, Expedia etc) because - well - I love to spend time away from my screen too. :-) - Chris

About Chris

In 2026, after 25 years in Austin, Chris and Julie sold most of their possessions and decided to travel globally full time. Chris started focusing on travel writing after retiring from a long career as a copywriter and marketing executive. He specifically focuses on what it takes to plan, sustain and love life as a long-term traveler, and associated practicalities for people over 50. Although new to travel writing, he is certainly not new to travel, with 100+ border crossings on 6 continents since 1997. Chris has won no writing awards, has no fancy bylines to tout, but is pretty good at sharing insights that inspire and inform. Come along for the ride!

NOTE: I’m NOT an insurance agent but I am a frequent world traveler who feels less anxious when prepared. This article is about international medical evacuation costs (not inside the US). I did intensive research on this topic to satisfy my own curiosity and needs and I’m sharing my research because perhaps you may find it useful too. Be sure to look over the list of 20 providers toward the end of the article. Consult a licensed insurance agent before making any decisions on coverage as policies vary widely by company.

A shift in risk tolerance that comes with age

Over the last 20 years, my wife and I have traveled to remote areas of Brazil, Kenya, Turkey, Chile and the USA. Honestly, I never thought twice about what would happen if one of us were to get badly injured or become seriously ill. Now, in my 50s with a nest egg to protect, I have found that my air of invincibility and tolerance for financial risk seem to recede in lockstep with my hairline.

My wife and I are in our late 50s and have no serious ongoing health issues…at the moment. Nonetheless, we are transitioning from our “settled” life in Austin to a lifestyle as full time nomads, and that got me thinking about potential “hit by a bus” medical situations.

Why now?

In recent years we have seen many friends and family deal with sudden and serious health issues, at home and while traveling. Handling an emergency medical situation is difficult enough where you have established medical providers nearby but imagine dealing with the aftermath of something really serious in an unfamiliar locale, in another language and without the backup of friends or family. Yikes.

• What if I break my leg while trying to artfully film a flamingo in the Atacama Desert?

• What if I face-plant after slipping on wet steps at Machu Picchu and mess up my shoulder and neck?

• What if I keel over from a heart attack after decimating the shrimp buffet for the 10th day in a row on a transatlantic cruise?

The scary high cost of medical evacuations

You’ve read this far so no doubt heard horror stories of poor souls that needed to be airlifted out of a ravine, or transported from a remote island…at a cost of $100,000, $200,000 or more! For obvious reasons, social media and insurance companies amplify these true stories. But it begs he question: Should you buy coverage for the rare chance that you will be injured enough to require a $250,000+ flight? In short, yes.

In a 2025 article with Forbes, a spokesperson from Allianz Global Assistance quoted the following prices for an air ambulance flight back to the US:

• From the Caribbean or Mexico: $15,000 - $25,000**

• From Europe: $65,000 to $90,000**

• From Asia, Australia and Middle East: $165,000 to $225,000**

In a 2023 interview with a CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh, Clif Carothers, CEO of Air Ambulance quoted the following prices for an air ambulance flight back to the US:

• From Europe: $80,000 to $100,000*

• From Africa: $130,000*

• From Asia: $200,000*

Keep in mind that the averages cited above are across ALL medical evacuation claims handled by these companies. Sometimes an “evacuation” consists of transport via local ambulance followed by a commercial first class ticket home after someone has been medically stabilized. Sometimes - and these are often the examples used by insurers - it’s a private jet or helicopter equipped with advanced medical capabilities and a small team that may include a paramedic, nurse and/or doctor. So, yes, the cost CAN exceed the numbers noted above!

To get some further context, I reviewed hundreds of comments in travel-related Facebook Groups from those who actually used (or knew someone who needed) international emergency medical evacuation. Many examples were in line with those noted above but sometimes higher.

GOOD TO KNOW: At least one insurer specifically excludes coverage if you engage in alligator wrestling, bull riding, base jumping, train surfing or (my favorite) wing suit flying. Avoid those activities. ;-)

Why does emergency medical evacuation cost so much??

The cost of medevac services can be shocking and many people wonder why it is so expensive. There are many factors that impact the cost of medical evacuation by air, most of which do not apply to ground/water transport:

• Aircraft base fee (before it even takes off)

• Aircraft per mile/km charges

• Aircraft fuel

• Aircraft flight permits, landing fees and logistics

• Advanced medical equipment on aircraft

• Distance it must travel empty from its base

• Distance it must travel to hospital/airport after pickup

• Aircraft pilots/ground crew

• In-flight nurses/paramedics/doctor

• Staffing for 24/7/365 on-call availability

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REMEMBER: Most medical evacuation policies are designed to get you to the nearest qualified medical facility where you can be treated. This does not mean they’re going to fly you back to your home country. Some companies do offer this benefit. Read the fine print carefully if this matters to you.

Sequence of events in a typical scenario

Let’s say you break numerous bones in a scooter accident on an island in southern Thailand. You are in bad shape.

1. Local emergency services take you via ambulance to the nearest hospital or medical facility on the island for initial treatment and stabilization. The initial emergency transportation is normally covered under your emergency travel medical coverage.

2. At this point it is ESSENTIAL to contact your medical/medevac insurance provider. The local doctor will then work with the insurers medical team and determine whether you need to be transported to a hospital in Bangkok via medevac helicopter or airplane. The doctor and insurer’s medical team will make this determination (not you). Your medical evacuation insurer will pay the medevac provider directly!

3. Once at the Bangkok hospital, the local attending doctor will assess your condition and continue treatment. Unless your specific insurance allows you to request transfer (or it’s medically necessary) to a hospital in your home country, Bangkok is where you will receive most/all treatment until you are well enough to fly home on a commercial airline.

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PRO TRAVELER TIP: Your mobile phone has an emergency SOS trigger built in. Understand how it works. Also, remember 112. Similar to 911 in the US, it will connect you with emergency services in Europe, UK, India, Australia, New Zealand and other countries.

Risk factors that influence how much coverage you should get

Most travel insurance policies or standalone medevac membership plans provide anywhere from $100,000 to $1,000,000 in coverage. Although the cost of these policies is not huge, the financial impact of a medical emergency surely can be. If you look at the table below and are solidly in the green low risk category, you might feel comfortable with less coverage. If you are in the moderate or high risk category for any of the factors below, higher limits may be right for you. Ultimately, insurance is a game of odds based on the factors below and it comes down to how much you want to pay for peace of mind.

GOOD TO KNOW: If you are not in great health and have some serious ongoing issues, you may not be covered for incidents related to that condition. Read your policy very carefully.

Two additional factors that play a role

1. Would a $200,000 medical emergency bill ruin you financially? If you do not have liquid assets or credit lines to come up with a six figure amount of money very quickly, definitely make sure you get adequate coverage.

2. Are you generally anxious about medevac costs? If you are someone like me that generally likes to be prepared (after all, who would write an article like this???) and it reduces the stress associated with travel, go big.

GOOD TO KNOW: Travel medical insurance (care) is different from emergency medical evacuation (transportation) coverage. Many travel medical policies include medevac coverage but not all medevac plans include coverage for medical care. Make sure you have both!

Companies that provide medevac coverage and maximum limits for transport and care

The following companies are popular among those who frequently travel internationally. This list is NOT an endorsement (list is in alpha order) and we do NOT receive any compensation from any of them. Most limits in USD.

Allianz
Emergency EVACUATION: Up to $1,000,000
Emergency CARE: Up to $75,000

AXA
Emergency EVACUATION: $1,000,000
Emergency CARE: Up to $250,000

BCBS Global Solutions
Emergency EVACUATION: $500,000
Emergency CARE: Up to $1,000,000

BHTP (Berkshire Hathaway)
Emergency EVACUATION: Up to $750,000
Emergency CARE: Up to $75,000

Emergency Assistance Plus (EA+)
Emergency EVACUATION: Unlimited
Emergency CARE: Not offered

Faye
Emergency EVACUATION: $500,000
Emergency CARE: $250,000

Freely
Emergency EVACUATION: $1,000,000
Emergency CARE: $500,000

Gallagher | Heymondo
Emergency EVACUATION: Up to $500,000
Emergency CARE: Up to $200,000

Generali
Emergency EVACUATION: Up to $1,000,000
Emergency CARE: $250,000

Genki
Emergency EVACUATION: €1,000,000
Emergency CARE: €1,000,000

IMG Global Rescue
Emergency EVACUATION: Up to $8,000,000
Emergency CARE: Up to $8,000,000

International SOS
Emergency EVACUATION: $1,000,000
Emergency CARE: $50,000

Medjet
Emergency EVACUATION: $1,000,000
Emergency CARE: $75,000

Mondial
Emergency EVACUATION: Unlimited
Emergency CARE: Not offered

Safety Wing
Emergency EVACUATION: $100,000
Emergency CARE: Up to$1,500,000

Seven Corners
Emergency EVACUATION: Up to $500,000
Emergency CARE: Up to $1,000,000

Tin Leg
Emergency EVACUATION: Up to $1,000,000
Emergency CARE: Up to $500,000

Travelex
Emergency EVACUATION: Up to $1,000,000
Emergency CARE: Up to $250,000

Travel Guard
Emergency EVACUATION: Up to $1,000,000
Emergency CARE: $50,000

Trawick International
Emergency EVACUATION: Up to $1,000,000
Emergency CARE: Up to $1,000,000

In addition, aggregators like Squaremouth and InsureMyTrip, allow you to compare multiple companies simultaneously. Did we make a mistake? Leave a comment so we can fix it.

NOTE: Some of these companies combined have a combined maximum for all claims. Many also have maximum trip length requirements. Read the fine print before purchasing.

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GOOD TO KNOW: The insurance you have at home may provide basic emergency medical coverage abroad, but is very unlikely to provide medical evacuation coverage outside your home country.

No, you probably can’t get reimbursed or pay later

Okay if this fact alone doesn’t make you want to get some medical evacuation coverage I’m not sure what will: Unlike traditional medical insurance, medevac services are usually “pay at time of service.” That means if you are unlucky enough to need medical evacuation, and even more unlucky to lack insurance coverage, you’ll need to cough up a lot of money on the spot. That’s true for medical treatment as well! And to address what you might be thinking: no they are not going to accept your promise to wire the money after you get home.

Keep in mind that even if you maintain health insurance in your home country it often does not extend beyond your borders. For this reason, it is absolutely essential that you get insurance and DO NOT try to arrange emergency transport yourself. You must contact your insurer who will determine whether medical evacuation is necessary, and coordinate everything including where you will go. They will also pay the medevac provider directly.

Your credit card probably does not provide enough (any) coverage

Many travel credit cards tout their coverage for trip delay, lost luggage, rental car coverage and even travel accident insurance. But details matter. Read the fine print and you’ll see that very few offer medical evacuation coverage. A few exceptions: the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve cards offer up to $100,000 in medevac coverage…IF you used the card to pay for your trip. The American Express Platinum card also provides coverage and has no upper limit, but the card is expensive. Even if you have one or both of these cards, I’d be nervous about relying on them as my only source of medevac coverage.

PRO TRAVELER TIP: Always carry a physical card with your insurance contact information. You or your travel partner may be too shocked to look up who to contact in an emergency.

$500,000 works for us

How much coverage should you get? There is no right answer. If you are in the low risk category noted earlier and carry a Chase Sapphire or Amex Platinum card, you might be perfectly comfortable with $250,000. We travel internationally a lot but are still in good health so I am comfortable with a policy that has a cap of $500,000. It’s really a matter of your personal health profile, where and how you travel, and your tolerance for risk. In the end, these policies are not expensive so getting higher limits is not going to break the bank. Buy it!

Thanks for reading!

Researching and writing this article (no AI writing here!) took me 20+ hours. If you derived some value from it, please “heart” it as this will help make it available to more people like you on Substack. Thank you!

About Chris

In 2026, after 25 years in Austin, Chris and Julie sold most of their possessions and decided to travel globally full time. Chris started focusing on travel writing after retiring from a long career as a technical writer and marketing executive. He specifically focuses on what it takes to plan, sustain and love life as a long-term traveler, and associated practicalities for people over 50. Although new to travel writing, he is certainly not new to travel, with 100+ border crossings on 6 continents since 1997. Chris has won no writing awards, has no fancy bylines to tout, but is pretty good at sharing insights that inspire and inform. Come along for the ride!

You’re enjoying lunch at a Parisian cafe when out of nowhere a thief snatches your iPhone off the table. In an instant, he vanishes down a side alley. What do you do next?

For full time nomads, losing a phone is much more than an inconvenience - it’s the gateway to text messages, upcoming travel bookings, mobile tickets, maps, bank accounts, file access, etc.

When a phone is stolen, victims often go into full freakout mode which impairs their ability to think clearly about what needs to be done immediately thereafter. Most people immediately fear the worst:

• Can a thief lock me out of my phone and access all of its contents?

• Can they get access to my bank apps and drain my account(s)?

• Will they have access to two-factor authentication codes?

• Can they change my email password?

• What about my photos? And my phone!!!???

The “good” news is that, in most cases, a thief only wants your phone so they can sell it for quick cash.

Think like a thief to protect yourself

Thieves are opportunistic. You should be very careful about using your phone in public spaces in a manner that would make it easy to snatch from your hand or view your passcode. Phone thieves have been known to:

• Grab phones by coming up from behind using electric bikes (quick getaway)

• Snatch a phone off an outdoor dining table or bar (you are seated and cannot react quickly)

• Steal it from an extended arm taking a selfie (easy pickings)

• Deftly lift it from the back pocket of an unsuspecting tourist on the metro (you advertised it…)

If someone grabs a phone out of your hand while you are using it, that’s especially bad because your phone is unlocked. Tech-savvy thieves can also “shoulder surf” and watch you input your passcode. Either way, things can get ugly.

What you need to do immediately after your iPhone is stolen

First things first, your phone is gone and you’ll probably never see it again. Get over it. Pivot your anger and focus on cutting off access to its contents.

1. Visit www.icloud.com/find

Do this from any other device you have quick access to.

2. Log in to your Apple account

Make sure you always know your Apple password!

3. Select your phone from the list

Check the location to make sure it is your current phone and not an old one sitting in a drawer somewhere!

4. Erase your phone

If your phone was stolen when unlocked or you had NOT switched on Stolen Device Protection (read how to do so below), erase it. If you have enabled iCloud, you should be able to restore most/all contents later on your replacement phone and you’ll still be able to track your stolen phone using Find My on another device.

5. Or mark your phone as Lost

If the phone was locked when stolen and you are sure the thief does not have your passcode, mark it as lost. Generally you do this when you have accidentally left your phone somewhere, not when it has been stolen. Doing so will lock the phone and display a customizable message on your phone like: “This iPhone has been lost. Please contact Chris at +1-512-234-5678 if found.” Apple Pay will be suspended so you won’t have to worry about a thief using your credit cards even if they do have the passcode.

6. Contact your phone carrier

Log on to your account (or call them) to report your phone as stolen/lost. This will prevent a thief from porting out (transferring) your phone number to a different SIM they control. Ideally, you should do this before traveling.

7. Change passwords for any banking apps

If you had any financial apps installed on your phone, change passwords as a precaution.

Speed is essential. You really need to follow the steps above as quickly as possible. Not after lunch, not back at your hotel. Try to do steps 1-4 right there on the street where it happened…if you have access to another phone to do so. If you are traveling solo, or your partner does not have a phone, see if you can pop into a nearby hotel that has a business center, or maybe a library or co-working space.

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What you can do right now to protect yourself

If you travel frequently - and especially if you travel full time - you should take extra precautions with your phone. Take 2-3 minutes and do the following right now.

1. Make sure you have Find My enabled

Go to Settings and tap on your name then scroll to Find My. Turn it on and click the Share My Location toggle.

iPhones have a feature called Activation Lock that is automatically enabled when you turn on Find My. This means that a thief would need to know your Apple password in order to turn off the Find My setting on your device, sign out of iCloud or erase your phone.

2. Require Face ID for important apps

This is my favorite iPhone security feature and one of the easiest to implement! Simply press and hold any app icon on your phone and then select “Require Face ID.” I do this for Gmail, Messages, Venmo, Chrome, credit card and other apps. It gives me the added peace of mind to know that even if a thief snatched my unlocked phone out of my hand, they would not be able to open these apps.

3. Make sure Face ID is required to unlock your phone

Once you have done that, navigate to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and make sure Face ID is required to unlock your phone rather than relying only on a passcode or only requiring this for apps. I also recommend doing so for Contactless Payments and Password Autofill. After doing so, cover your camera with your finger and try opening your text messages app. A message should pop up saying Face ID is required.

4. Require Face ID for Wallet and Control Center

Now keep scrolling down on this page until you see the “Allow Access When Locked” section. Disable wallet (if not already disabled). Most importantly, disable Control Center so a thief cannot swipe down from the top right corner and turn on Airplane mode. This disconnects your phone from cellular and wifi, making live tracking the phone on the map impossible. It is still possible to track the phone using Bluetooth, using the same technology as AirTags.

5. Enable Stolen Device Protection

Ok, after you have done this, stay on Settings > Face ID & Passcode and enable Stolen Device Protection. This one is a biggie. Switching this on means that certain sensitive actions (like turning off Find My) will require biometric access. Also, critical changes (like changing your Apple account) will trigger a one-hour Security Delay which gives you time to mark your phone as Lost or Erase it remotely before a thief can make your day even crappier than it already was.

Personally, I like to set this to Always because we travel frequently but if you have a home base, “Away from Familiar Locations” is fine as well.

6. Turn on two-factor authentication

This is a second layer of defense that prevents unauthorized access to your Apple account, blocks stolen password exploits, secures Apple Pay and more. Open Settings > Sign-In & Security > Two Factor Authentication and then enabled it.

In busy tourist areas, use a street phone

In urban tourist areas where pickpockets abound (Barcelona, Paris, Buenos Aires, etc.), I pull out my backup iPhone 13 mini. I love it because it’s tiny and lightweight. Generally, I only use it for mapping and looking up information when out and about.

My backup phone…

• Is preloaded with local Google offline maps so I have mapping without wifi or cellular

• Doesn’t have any sensitive apps installed (banking, Venmo, etc.)

• Doesn’t have email installed on it

• Has nothing loaded in Apple Wallet and is not connected to my Apple account so if I lose it, I don’t have to worry

I keep my “new” phone tucked away safely in my bag. Having backup is especially important for solo travelers. If you have your previous iPhone (or any Android phone) sitting in a drawer, strip it down and bring that as a backup! Or, you can easily get an unlocked phone on www.swappa.com for under $200.

Parting thoughts

I want to reiterate that this article is meant to make your feel prepare, not paranoid! Overall, the chances are low that a thief is going to steal your phone and drain your bank accounts…and far lower if you take simple precautions noted above.

Have you ever had a phone stolen while traveling? What did you do immediately after? Let us know in the comments.

You’ve seen the YouTube videos. A confident, newly retired couple sells their home, cars and belongings to travel the world full time. For many that sounds like a dream come true, and it is…if both partners agree on the path forward.

But what if you or your partner are not 100% positive you’re going to like traveling full time? Common anxieties…

• Will we miss our comfortable house/condo?

• Will we lose our connection with friends and family?

• How could we possibly live out of a suitcase?

• Will I regret selling my favorite belongings?

• Can we actually afford to travel full time?

• What about healthcare overseas?

• How do I spend 24/7 with my spouse/partner without killing them?

You don’t have to push your chips “all in”

Why not rent your house for months and use the money to offset the cost of your nomad test drive? It’s an affordable way for you to see if you like traveling full time while having someone look after your home.

We have rented our house in Austin for 3 months at a time on several occasions and had good luck doing so. We appreciated having someone occupying the property full time and the extra income that came along with doing so.

If the cost of a three month trial run is one factor holding you back, renting your house should offset some/all of the following costs:

• Accommodations - If you can get $2,000 per month for your house, that reduces your travel costs by $6,000 over 3 months.

• Food - Sure, you’ll eat out a lot when traveling but you’ll be (most likely) staying in an apartment with a kitchen so you’ll buy groceries too. Food costs are generally lower outside the US so you may be able to keep your overall dining/grocery costs about the same (or lower) as you spend in the US even if you eat out more than you would at home. If you choose southeast Asia for your 3 month sojourn, dining out is really affordable.

Renting your house

As for how to go about renting your house for 3 months, here are some common options:

• Short term rental platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking etc)

• Medium term rental platforms (Furnished Finder, Sabbatical Homes, etc)

• Home exchange and house sitting platforms (Trusted Housesitters, HomeExchange, etc)

Because you’ll be renting your house for only 3 months, this article will focus on medium term rentals as this is your best option if you want to offset the cost of your trip.

FurnishedFinder.com

This our #1 recommendation for this particular situation. This online platform focuses exclusively on medium term rentals (MTR) of 1 month or more and their average length of stay is 102 days. A sizable segment of their clientele include traveling healthcare professionals who typically move from city to city seeking out lucrative 90 day assignments at hospitals. Furnished Finder’s clients also include:

• Corporate travelers (consultants, engineers, insurance adjusters, etc) on temporary assignments who have been given a monthly allowance for accommodations.

• Families relocating to an area for a job who need a place to land before buying/renting a home.

• Grandparents who want to spend 2-3 months in your area to visit family or escape harsh weather (winter or summer heat!) where they live.

• Academics on temporary assignment with local universities.

Personally, we have used Furnished Finder to rent our home on numerous occasions, ranging from 1-6 months. The process is straightforward: take nice photos of your home, write a listing, field inquiries, vet candidates, sign a short-term lease and collect rent. Just keep in mind that you will be renting your home (not doing a home swap) so if your home requires a lot of maintenance (outdoor animals, garden to water, etc.) a renter is probably not going to want to do this.

FurnishedFinder charges an annual $199 fee to maintain an account but does not charge any transaction fee to you or the renter. You keep 100% of the rent you collect. Furnished Finder offers a free ebook for first time landlords. Download it here.

NOTE: We are not sponsored by FurnishedFinder and do not receive a commission on bookings. We simply like their business model.

Airbnb.com

What about Airbnb? As former Airbnb Superhosts for 5 consecutive years, and long time users of the platform, we have a solid understanding of its pros and cons. Yes, theoretically you could list your home on Airbnb but it probably does not make sense if you are looking to rent your house or condo for only 3 months. Most Airbnb clients are looking for short term stays of less than a week and sometimes up to a month. Also, many cities are overrun with Airbnb rentals and have implemented licensing requirements which can be expensive and time consuming to procure.

Although we do not recommend using Airbnb to list your home for 3 months, you absolutely should use it to find places to stay! When searching, adjust your length of stay to 28 days (4 weeks) or more. Staying 4 weeks or more will usually get you a discount of 30-50%, especially during low or shoulder season. Shown below is what a host sees on the back end when setting their prices which is why 7 or 28 days are the magic thresholds to yield discounts. There are certainly many other platforms to search including VRBO.com and Booking.com.

What about a home exchange or pet sitting?

Another popular option is a home exchange or pet sitting, but we do not actually recommend these options. Here’s why. If your goal is to see how you will like full time travel, then you need to experience what it is like to pack up everything and transition to a new city. You need to experience the pleasures and stresses of sleeping in a different bed every month, learning how to use the local transportation all over again, finding a grocery store you like, locating a pharmacy….and do it over and over again. Change is part of the full time travel experience and if you are not energized by change, being nomadic will slowly wear you down.

You’re NOT going on vacation for 3 months!

While some full-time travelers are considered “fast travelers”, most people age 50+ cannot sustain that pace long term, nor can they afford to. Slowing down has numerous benefits. It lowers your accommodation and transportation costs substantially, and because travel days are always the most stressful, parking yourself in one place for a week or month will lower your blood pressure.

If you’re going to do this, mentally prepare yourself to avoid vacation planning. This is a trial run for your new lifestyle and you need to focus on replicating what your future life will actually look like. This is really important if one spouse/partner is hesitant about the whole idea of full time travel.

We recommend that you stay in 3-4 different places over the course of your three month sojourn, preferably on the same continent so you are not taking expensive (and grueling) long-haul flights over multiple time zones.

You can do it

Remember, there are only so many “somedays.” Pick a date, plan it and do it! You won’t regret it.

Are you thinking about doing a full time travel test run? Tell us more about how you plan to do it in the comments.

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Financial institutions, banks, insurance companies, tax offices - they all end up sending physical mail at some point, no matter how diligent you are about signing up for so-called “paperless” delivery. You’ll never be 100% free of legitimate First Class mail so how do you ensure you don’t miss important documents that might not be available online or via email?

Why you need to think it through

A mailing address is not just a physical location where you receive mail. It can be the legal residence where you have established domicile (more on that later), where you are registered to vote, determine health/automobile insurance rates, and more. In addition, many entities legally require a physical mailing address.

• Banks and other financial institutions

• Drivers license renewal and vehicle registration

• Health insurance and Medicare (if applicable)

• Federal/state/county/city correspondence

• Passport/visa renewal and government ID

Get your mail figured out many months before departing

Believe me when I say that you do NOT want to wait until the last minute to set up mail forwarding/handling. Here’s what we did. About 4 months before departing I started keeping track of how much FIRST CLASS mail we received and from whom. You can do this using a simple notepad, your phone or a spreadsheet. Keep track of this for a few months and you’ll have a good sense of how many letters you receive monthly. This will help you determine which level of virtual mailbox service you need.

About 3 months before we departed Austin, I selected a virtual mail provider and started changing all of our addresses with banks, financial institutions, insurance companies etc. Many institutions will allow you to provide your physical address (what you are claiming as your domicile) and - importantly - a mailing address.

Choosing a virtual mail service provider

We do not get paid to recommend any of these companies but these are the ones most often used by full time travelers and nomads (listed in alpha order not by preference or popularity). Most are in the $10-$20 per month range for basic needs.

• iPostal1

• Anytime Mailbox

• Escapees

• PostScan Mail

• PhysicalAddress.com

• Traveling Mailbox

• USA2Me

There are many other providers options so do some research. Here are some things to consider as you evaluate your options:

1. How many monthly envelope content scans are included in your desired plan? Additional scan charges can add up quickly.

2. Does your preferred location open and scan mail or forward all mail to a centralized location to do this? Some companies that advertise thousands of locations rely on partners that simply accept mail but do not process it. This can delay getting your mail by up to a week.

3. Is the online web and app interface clear and easy to use?

4. Does the company offer check deposits? Many do not. (We did not care about this and would simply forward the envelope to someone else if a check was received)

5. Does the company charge extra to shred your mail? Another money maker. (FYI one company admitted to me that they have a service that shreds all mail anyway so the question really is: How does your company dispose of mail?)

6. What is the cost to accept and store packages?

7. What is the cost to forward envelopes and packages?

Recommended order of operations

Step 1: Track your First Class Mail

Do this for a month or so and you’ll get a good sense of how much First Class mail you receive. Take note of how many of those letters you could also view online vs those whose content remains a mystery and need to be opened. Armed with this information, you’ll have a much better sense of which virtual mail service plan best fits your needs.

Step 2: Select a virtual mailbox service

There are MANY ”commercial mail-receiving agencies” that offer virtual mailbox services. We chose PostScan Mail. One important step here is completion of USPS Form 1583 (Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent). With this form, you are authorizing the virtual mail service provider to accept mail on your behalf. This form must be notarized!

Step 3: Complete USPS Change of Address

The USPS “Change of Address” service is a little deceiving because you cannot count on the USPS to do the tedious work of notifying all of your institutions of your new address. Instead, they will forward your mail to a new address for 12 months (extendable up to an additional 18 months) and during that time you are expected to notify companies of your new address.

When selecting when to make the service active, start it right away and not the day you plan to depart. It takes a few weeks for it to start working. For this reason, we recommend setting up your virtual address and starting USPS mail forwarding months in advance of departing. One less thing to check off your list just before departing!

If you have a sharp eye, you may have noticed that some companies print “Address Service Requested” on First Class envelopes. This service allows companies to be notified by USPS if the recipient has changed their address. Ironically, as a safety precaution, those companies will usually send a followup letter to your old address confirming the change.

Step 4: Contacting important institutions

As much as you might think the US Postal Service will forward every single first class letter you receive, they won’t. Nor will it be quick. It took months for most of our first class mail to reliably be forwarded to our virtual mail service address and even today some inexplicably slip through. This is why you want to start the transition months in advance. As a bonus, your junk mail will not be forwarded!

What about packages and PO Boxes?

Most virtual mail services accept packages from Amazon, USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc. This is important. Why? Let’s say you are traveling overseas and one of your credit cards gets lost, hacked or stolen. Your credit card company will only send a replacement card to a legal street address, not a PO Box. If you elect to get a USPS PO Box, make sure you also select a post office location that offers USPS Premium PO Box Street Addressing service. This service allows you to have an address such as 123 Main Street #456, Austin, TX 78701 rather than PO Box 456, Austin, TX 78701. It’s free with your mailbox rental but you must complete this form when you sign up for your PO Box. Keep in mind that this address cannot be used as your legal residence on legal documents. Again, virtual mailbox providers also provide a street address and far more additional services than USPS so we don’t recommend the USPS option for most full time travelers.

Using a Friend or Family address

Some full time nomads have asked a very close friend or family member to use their address for mail. While this can save a modest amount of money each month, I don’t recommend doing so unless your mail volume is extremely low.

Asking a family member to text you when mail has been received gets old (for them) very quickly. You will be asking them to open envelopes, take photos of contents, and text you the images. If they are willing to do that, then it may work for you. The bigger question is: Do you really want them reading your end-of-year tax documents and results of your colonoscopy? And are they going to toss sensitive documents containing your social security number in their recycling bin or shred them?

Will you be selling (or stop renting) your current residence?

As you consider how to handle your mail you want to keep in mind the issue of domicile, especially if you are selling your home. For example, if you decide to sell your house (or move out of your rental) to travel full time, you will no longer be “domiciled” in that state unless you take action to maintain it.

Domicile is a big deal because it is tied to US state taxes, your eligibility to vote and which courts have jurisdiction over issues such as probate or jury summons. You may only have one domicile at a time. Fortunately, states like Texas, Florida and South Dakota have more lenient residency requirements, no income tax and a robust ecosystem built around full time RVers and nomadic world travelers. This is why most full time nomads choose one of these states to establish domicile. If you were already domiciled in one of the six other states that do not have a state income tax, it may not be worth it to you to switch. Many full time travelers recommend Escapees for domicile and mail handling services (see above).

If you intend to sell your home, a simple virtual mail service may not be adequate to meet legal requirements. Some states - including California and New York - have been known to aggressively audit claimed domicile changes. Regardless of your situation ask a tax professional about any proposed changes in your domicile state, especially if you plan to keep your home and/or rent it.

Like we said, you’ve (still) got mail

Diligent as you may be, you’ll never be completely rid of physical mail but if you plan accordingly, and methodically change your address with senders, you’ll never find out too late that you missed a medical, insurance or tax bill. Happy travels!

Are you a full time traveler? How do you handle mail? Share your experience and insights with others.

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As many experienced travelers will tell you, there is a lot to be said for carrying your bag onto every flight. It saves time. It saves money. And it eliminates the possibility of your bag getting lost or delayed.

But let’s be real - carry on is not practical for every traveler or every airline. And despite the best efforts of airlines worldwide, some bags go astray.

What percentage of checked bags get “mishandled” by airlines?

While you may hear the occasional social media horror story about an airline losing someone’s bag, it’s actually far less common than you might think. According to a 2026 baggage insights study commissioned by SITA, the likelihood that your bag will be mishandled (delayed, damaged or lost) is less than 1%. In 2025, the odds that your checked bag was mishandled on a:

Domestic fight: <0.2% (1.65 out of every 1,000 bags)

International fight: >0.9% (9.12 out of every 1,000 bags)

The Air Travel Consumer Report published by the US Office of Aviation Consumer Protection in July 2026 puts the percentage of domestic (US only) mishandled bags by US carriers at 0.42%. Why are bags far more likely to get mishandled on international flights? Simple. International flights involve more transfers and tighter connections.

Either way, the odds of your bag getting delayed or lost are pretty low, and varies by airport and airline. Of those “mishandled” bags, a tiny fraction are truly lost according to SITA research:

• Delayed: 75% of mishandled bags

• Damaged: 21% of mishandled bags

• Lost: 4% of mishandled bags

These percentages have dropped significantly over the last 20 years due to better airline tracking technology, baggage sorting/transfer systems and adoption of consumer tracking devices (Airtags, etc.).

*Based on 2026 research data from SITA.

What if YOU are among the unlucky?

Ok, the odds are small but let’s imagine you are that annoyed and confused person hopefully staring at the rotating luggage carousel, your bag nowhere to be seen. What do you do?

Step 1: Make your way to the airline Baggage Service Office (BSO) or airline desk and file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR in airline lingo). You’ll receive a tracking code. Do this within 4 hours of arrival. If you received a checked baggage receipt, keep it.

Step 2: Get actual receipts (not credit card statements) of your expenses after you leave the airport. Depending on how long your bag is delayed, the airline may reimburse you for:

• Essential clothing (a few outfits) while you wait

• Toiletries

• Medications or medical supplies

• Laptop/phone chargers (but probably not a new laptop or camera!)

Keep in mind that if the loss occurs on your return trip home, the airline will probably reject the expenses noted above because you will have all these things at home. If your bag ends up being lost, that’s a different story.

When is your bag considered lost?

The Montreal Convention is an international treaty that covers international air travel. It has been adopted by the vast majority of countries you would ever visit. This treaty says that a bag is considered “lost” if it has not been located within 21 days (or sooner if the airline has formally admitted it is lost). After that you are entitled to file a claim for the value of the bag and contents.

According to the Montreal Convention, you are entitled up to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) which convert as follows at the time of writing in August 2026. The amount fluctuates daily.

• USD = $2,110

• Euro - €1,860

• UK Pound = £1,600

The limits above are for international flights. The US, for example, has higher maximum limits for domestic flights.

If you leave your Kindle or iPad in the seat back pocket, that’s on you and not considered a “lost” item. Sadly, I did this… :-(

The good news and the bad news

Ok so it’s been 21+ days and the airline has no clue where your bag is. It’s officially deemed lost. Despite the fact that you already filed a PIR, you’ll need to file a loss claim with the airline. Let’s say the total new cost of the contents in your bag (including the bag) is $2,500.

• 40L wheeled backpack - $400

• 2 pairs of travel pants: $75 each

• 3 pairs of shorts/dresses: $50 each

• 6 Merino shirts: $75 each

• 3 other shirts: $50 each

• Undergarments (various): $200

• 6 pairs of Merino socks: $25 each

• Rain jacket shell: $200

• Long sleeve pullover: $100

• Hiking sandals: $150

• Toiletries/accessories: $150

• Other travel accessories: $250

The good news is that you’ll have brand new stuff. The bad news is that the airline is NOT going to pay 100% of the replacement cost of your stuff. In our example above, the airline will depreciate clothing using a proprietary formula. So, your $2,500 loss might only net a $1,500 payment from the airline depending on age and condition of the items. According to the SITA study, the average compensation paid out by airlines for a lost bag is $425.

What is not covered

There is an important difference here. Airlines set their own exclusions for items they will not cover for checked bags on domestic flights. This generally includes:

• Laptops and tablets

• Cameras, lenses, drones

• Fine jewelry and watches

• Collectibles and artwork

• And other items

However, Article 17 of the Montreal Convention does not allow for exclusions. So, if flying internationally, yes, you could theoretically be reimbursed for that laptop, Rolex watch or $1,000 in cash (up to the limits) you stashed in your checked bag. But we also know you’re not that careless. If it’s valuable, keep it in your carry on bag.

Pro Tip: Before you pack your bag (if checking it), lay all contents out on a bed and take a photo of it. If expensive clothing, take a photo of each piece inclusive of its brand label. Save digital receipts of pricier items for future reference.

Will my credit card make up the difference?

Probably not much. Numerous travel-focused credit cards like the Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire cards advertise Lost Luggage Reimbursement protection. The problem is that the coverage is secondary coverage and they use Actual Cash Value to calculate the payout much like the airlines.

Using the earlier example, your bag and contents cost you $2,500 new. The payment from the airline was $1,500. Yes you can submit a claim to your credit card to see if they will pay some or all of the difference but don’t expect a $1,000 check. Nonetheless it’s worth a shot to see if you get some additional payout. You’ll need to show proof that you filed a claim with the airline and their settlement/denial letter (plus all receipts) before the credit card will consider your claim. Oh, and if you did not pay for your ticket using that credit card, you’re outta luck.

Bluetooth trackers: the best baggage insurance you can buy

If you use AirTags or another Bluetooth tracker, and you see that your bag is at another airport, you can help speed the process of retrieving your bag by doing the following:

1. Open the “Find My” (iPhone or Mac) or “Find Hub” (Android) app on your phone

2. Select the tracking device that’s in your lost bag

3. Copy the link and share the item location when submitting the Property Irregularity Report with the airline

Sharing this information can dramatically increase the odds of getting your bag back sooner!

Has an airline ever lost or damaged your bag? What happened next? Share your experience with others.

When my wife and I decided to rent our house and travel full time, we had to tackle the literal elephant in the room: What do we do with all of our furniture and stuff???!!! Sell it? Store it? Donate it?

We knew that being full time travelers was something we were committed to doing for 5+ years, so the idea of spending thousands of dollars to store bulky furniture and personal items was a non-starter.

No doubt, you too are considering selling some belongings and wondering if Facebook Marketplace (FBMP) is a good option. Let’s get to it.

Is FBMP Right for You?

You have plenty of ways to offload your belongings and make some money in the process, including:

• Specialty/focused Facebook groups

• Craigslist

• eBay

• Professional auction

• Professional estate sale

• Garage/moving sale

• Consignment shops

• Pawn shops

• Specialty apps/sites

• Family and friends

• And more….

Of these, Facebook Marketplace may be a good option if you have:

• Time - You should have at least a few months before you plan to depart

• Patience - To list all of your items and respond to insipid inquiries from people who only look at the photo and headline and don’t read the description.

If you have neither, stop reading and consider other options.

What I Sold on Facebook Marketplace

By American standards, our house in Austin was not large at 1,465 sf (136 m2). We had no garage and no basement so (fortunately) we did not accumulate a huge amount of stuff over the 24 years we lived there. Nonetheless we had plenty to purge!

I considered the options above and decided to use Facebook and eBay to sell many of our belongings due to the long runway of time before we needed to move out of our home. Ultimately, we sold 106 items on Facebook which included everything from armoires to vases and everything in between.

Lest you need proof that ANYTHING can be sold on Facebook, behold the 35 year old black toilet that someone gladly paid $20 to take off my hands.

How Much We Made and How Much Time It Took to Sell Our Belongings

We made $8,000+ selling 100+ household items and furniture on Facebook. If you add the older car we also sold on FBMP, the total is north of $12,500. All told, I estimate that it took me an average of 30 minutes per item to sell. This includes the time to list an item, take photos and video, respond to inquiries, and schedule a time for the buyer to stop by. Excluding the car, selling those 100 items took about 50 hours and netted $8,000. That’s $160/hour. Worth the “hassle” to you? That’s for you to decide. I did this mostly in the evenings and weekends over a 9-12 month period.

How to Get Started Selling Your Stuff on Facebook Marketplace!

If selling on Facebook Marketplace seems like a time consuming hassle, it’s really pretty easy. My suggestion is to get started selling a few items and see how you like it. Here are the steps to list an item on FBMP. I have not used Facebook’s new “Seller” app so it may differ. This is how to do it natively within the Facebook app.

Tip: When creating a new listing, you’ll have an option to hide the listing (screenshot 6 above) from your Facebook friends and family. If you have not already told them of your plans, you might want to do this!

What to Expect Next

Once you have listed your first item, Facebook will review it and it will be active soon thereafter. Assuming you have listed something people want, priced it appropriately and added a video and good photos, the inquiries will come!

1. The majority of inquiries will happen in the first few days. Facebook prioritizes new content in their feed and that’s why you may get several new non-serious inquiries initially. That’s also why many of those inquiries are garbage. You want people who are actively searching for your item, not inquiries from impulsive shoppers.

2. Expect some impulsive “window shoppers” with hair-trigger thumbs. These people will send Facebook’s canned inquiry of “Is this still available?” My experience has been that even if you reply immediately, less than half of people will follow up. Don’t bother trying to follow up twice.

3. You may get some lowball offers. If you are asking $100, the occasional low baller may reply with “$30.” These people are often resellers who go through listings and make absurdly low offers, a few of which will be accepted by people in a time crunch. Resist the urge to post snarky replies. Delete and move on.

4. Lazy people will drive you bonkers. Even if you put “YES IT’S AVAILABLE” (which I recommend) at the beginning of each listing, someone (several people) will ask “Is this still available?” because this response is the default initial reply and they are too lazy to actually read and ask a specific question. Deep breaths, happy thoughts…

Pros and Cons of Using Facebook Marketplace to Downsize

FBMP is definitely not for everyone! Again if you have little time, patience or need for extra money, consider donating your belongings to various charities. For every item I sold, we gave away at least 2-3 items which translated into carloads of clothing and smaller household items.

Pros:

• You end up meeting lots of wonderful human beings who are excited to obtain the item you are selling and give it a new home!

• No commissions! You keep 100% of the proceeds

• No hassles associated with shipping

• Easy to list items for sale

• You can hide your listings from friends (if desired)

• Large local audience

• Often easy to search for comparable items to price appropriately

Cons:

• People come to your house (read safety tips below)

• Low ballers are annoying!

• People don’t read your description and can be flaky

• Majority of people will not follow up on initial inquiry

• Can take time to sell more expensive items

That’s not going to fit in our carry on bag! We did not sell any clothing on Facebook and this is just a sample of what we donated to Austin Pets Alive and other worthy charities.

Tips for Success Selling Your Belongings on Facebook Marketplace

Facebook will allow you to add up to 10 photos and one video. Use both to your advantage because most people don’t. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen someone trying to sell a nice piece of furniture but only post 3 crappy photos and no video. The video is especially important. Here are some other tips.

DO:

• Make sure to take good photos and always, always add a short video!

• Be patient! If you are in a hurry to unload your stuff, FBMP will add more stress than the money you make.

• Be realistic about pricing. If you think you are going to sell that “almost brand new” sofa for 75% of what you paid for it 1 year ago, think again.

• Set up a Venmo account. This is the preferred payment method.

• Accept only cash and Venmo.

• Mark your listing as Sold immediately after sale but NOT before the buyer shows up and pays for it.

DO NOT:

• List anything for free. You will be inundated with hoarders who have no “skin in the game” and no urgency or real motivation to show up. Donate it instead.

• Accept Zelle unless you know the person - Venmo is widely used and preferred.

• Deal with people that seem to be in a huge hurry to buy items that have no urgency.

• List anything way below market value. You may think this would help you get rid of it faster but you will be inundated with inquiries and then stuck hoping the first one you agreed to sell to actually shows up quickly.

• Offer to hold something for more than 24 hours without a small Venmo deposit (unless it’s been sitting forever).

• Provide your address until the buyer has committed to a pickup time. I usually added the general location in the listing.

• Allow someone inside your house when you are alone unless you feel good about it or must do so (furniture and large pieces).

• Mark your listing as Pending until the person is on their way to pick up as this effectively stops any future inquiries.

Would I Do It Again?

Yes, with caveats. Overall, if I had a do over, I would use Facebook to sell items that I deemed to be worth $40+ and donate the rest. For me, half of the 106 items I sold were $40 and up, half less. The 53 items under $40 netted us less than $1,200. The 50+ items priced at $40 and up netted $6,900. Same amount of work. However, as my wife says, it’s nice to know that our stuff - regardless of value - went to a good home with someone who will love and cherish it. Ok, maybe…

Have you tried - or are considering - selling some personal items on Facebook Marketplace? Share your insights with others.

After 29 years of travel to 40+ countries, I still see loads of oblivious tourists embarrassing themselves (and me if they are from the US) while on vacation. Many of these behaviors stem from simple cultural ignorance or hedonistic hubris. I cobbled together this list because these mistakes are all preventable, and at one time or another, I have been guilty of some of these myself! Have others to add? Let me know in the comments.

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1. People who COMPLAIN

We have all heard the naysayers who, despite the incredible privilege of being able to travel, always find something to complain about when they go abroad. The people who…

• Bitch about having to pay €14 for a coffee at a cafe in Piazza San Marco as they absorb one of the most beautiful public squares in the world…for as long as they like

• Moan about the weather when it’s NOT sunny and 75° every day

• Leave a snarky online review about a local Thai restaurant food being “too spicy” or a FREE walking tour being “boring”

• Grumble about the lack of AC in northern locales experiencing unusually warm weather

• Are impatient about the perceived lack of urgency related to restaurant service, especially when getting their bill or desiring another drink

• Expecting all street or market vendors to accept “tap to pay”

• Get upset about not getting ice in their water or “sauce on the side”

2. People who COMPARE

Why do people feel compelled to keep score on everything as it relates to their life in their home country? The people who…

• Make a point of comparing the size of US homes/cars/anything to what’s typical locally

• Assume their own customs are the “normal” or “correct” way of doing things

• Cast negative judgments on local cleanliness, streets/sidewalks and infrastructure

• Always say “Back in (my country) we…” in a manner that positions their home country/way of doing things as superior

3. People who skip CONSENT

Just because everyone has a high quality camera in their pocket does not mean they know how to wield it appropriately. The people who…

• Enter a restaurant or small business with cameras rolling to capture the “authentic experience”

• Take intimate portraits of individual people without their knowledge

• Walk into an artisan workshop and start handling hand-made pieces without asking

• Fondle fruits and vegetables in public markets without any intention of buying anything

• Point their camera inside someone’s home fronting a narrow street

4. People who CLAMOR

It never ceases to amaze me how some people treat sacred monuments and scenic sights like a Disney theme park. The people who…

• Treat sacred sites as exotic photo backdrops or playground structures without any respect for their delicate construction or revered status

• Quickly jump inside cordoned off areas so they can get the best Instagram shot

• Rush to get to the front of the line so they can get the best seat on a bus

• Use selfie sticks on the edge of cliffs or climb out on dangerous outcroppings, causing anxiety and anger among all who see them

5. People who (over) CONSUME

One behavior sure to elicit eye rolls is someone who is all about gratuitous consumption while on vacation. The people who…

• Overtly advertise their wealth with expensive watches, handbags, jewelry, clothing, etc.

• Order insane amounts of expensive food at a restaurant and then end up not eating a significant portion of it

• Leave the air conditioning on while out all day sightseeing

• Spread out on beaches/parks or at outdoor music events when space is limited

• Disregard urgent pleas from local authorities to conserve water during local droughts

• Get too close to wild animals so they can get a selfie

• Place their bag on the seat next to them on a busy metro or airport gate

• Over tip (most common for Americans) or under tip based on local custom

• Fly drones in busy areas where the sound could be disruptive or the privacy of onlookers is a concern

  

6. People who are COMBATIVE

Nobody likes an a**hole and I’ve seen plenty of them while traveling. The people who…

• Are rude or condescending to restaurant or service workers

• Aggressively haggle with local vendors over an amount that accounts for less than 0.0001% of their annual salary

• Challenge tour guides on facts about a person or place

• Get aggressive about queues or personal space

• Complain about how food is prepared to a server or send food back if not to their liking

7. People who are CRASS

Continuing with the theme of #6, nothing irritates me more than people who are generally obnoxious. The people who…

• Talk loudly in churches, museums or at restaurants

• Talk on speakerphone within earshot of others (my #1 pet peeve)

• Play music or videos in their earbuds too loudly on an airplane

• Get drunk and rowdy in a quiet residential area late at night

• Shout or wave down a server to get attention

• Never bother to learn basic phrases in the local language

  

8. People who are CLUELESS

And sadly, the biggest category of them all. The people who…

• Walk while scrolling through their phone and nearly head butt the person coming toward them

• Waddle four abreast on a sidewalk at glacial speed, creating a human zamboni everyone else must dodge

• Stand at a gelato stand and ask for three samples (one at a time, of course) while a line four deep grows behind them

• Take a cheerful selfie in front of a somber memorial site

• Even better, those walking while looking at mapping who suddenly stop, causing someone behind them abruptly swerve to avoid a collision

• Ride an escalator side-by-side with their luggage, preventing anyone from passing

• Wear inappropriately skimpy clothing inside a church or sensitive site where there is a social expectation of respect

• Don’t remove their shoes when entering a mosque, Japanese home, or display the bottom of their feet disrespectfully (Asia, Middle East, North Africa)

• Do inappropriate poses or gestures while taking photos with statues

What are some behaviors you have seen that make you want to smack someone upside the head?

Share it with other Substackers in the comments.

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