Dayana Brooke | Founder & Editor

With our handy guide, a few mobile apps and some preparation, you will be ready and confident to travel paperless for your next trip away. Pick one tip at a time, or do them all at once and see how you go.

1. Use your smartphone

We all have one (or maybe two) in our pockets when we travel, which makes the smartphone a very useful travel accessory.  They are designed to be used for everything, from phone calls and messages, emails, web, apps for travel, languages and city guides and a sophisticated camera for taking all-important photos and videos. 

2. Take a Picture

Photograph or take a screenshot of important travel itineraries and documents. Add them to a travel folder that you can access on any mobile device or computer. Photos can easily be shared as well.

3. Travel Apps

There are numerous mobile apps for just about anything travel-related which makes it easy to go paperless. Try TripIt, Tripcase or AXUS to store your itinerary details such as hotel confirmations, airline flights, travel vouchers and more. These apps also have built-in weather details, maps, itinerary notifications, live airline gate change updates and they can be used with or without WiFi. Airline apps are ideal for online check-in, seating, schedule changes and boarding passes can be saved directly to your phone for scanning at boarding time.

4. Store on iCloud

Sign up to iCloud, DropBox or any other cloud software to securely store documents, images, video content and large files. Ideal for storing copies of your passport, business cards, videos and any emergency contact details. It's also a great way to stay connected to others and share files with them.

5. Cashless

Gone are the days of traveler's cheques and carrying wads of money. Now you can use debit and credit cards almost everywhere you go. Travel prepaid cards are also handy and offered by many banks and foreign exchange outlets. They allow you to transfer money onto the card at a counter, online or via a mobile app. It keeps money separate from any bank accounts too.  

Bonus tip

Remember to always charge your mobile devices and switch your phone to airline mode to save on battery life and avoid a flat phone.

Conclusion

Try one of these tips, or do them all at once and get use to where everything is stored on your mobile or software. With a little preparation and practice, you will become a Paperless Traveler 

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Photo credits | Meghan Schiere, Sebastian Hietsch, Clay Banks, Charisse Kenion, Nigel Tadyanehondo, Will Porada on Unsplash