Many of us are thinking about travel again. Whether it's a day trips within the city walls, long weekends somewhere in the country, or long distance adventures abroad; there's a sense of keeping travel simple, from what we pack in our suitcase to how we pay with our cards or phone. If you want to adopt a slower approach when exploring the world, there are a few ways to make travel simple.
Streamline Essentials
Important documents can be a stress to keep safe. One way you can make travel easier is by streamlining these essentials. I use my phone for almost everything when I travel, from tickets to transport. There's not much you can do about passports and paperwork but you can make money management a whole lot easier. I've been using the Curve card for a few years now. It's meant I can leave my wallet at home, and not worry about money when I travel.
What makes the Curve card so special is that it turns your entire wallet into a single card. All your debit, credit, and loyalty cards are combined into one so it's the only card you'll ever need to carry. Put the Curve card in your pocket and leave your wallet at home. You can choose which card you pay with via the Curve mobile app, or it'll default to your last used card.
You can go totally card-free by connecting your Curve card to your phone, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. The best thing is, any card you add to the Curve app will work with them-even if your bank doesn't. Even better, any card without contactless payment becomes contactless through the Curve card.
Curve has three plans available: Curve Blue (free), Curve Black (£9.99 per month), and Curve Metal (£14.99 per month). Each one has its own different rewards and perks, from cashback from selected retailers, travel and mobile insurance, fee-free foreign ATM withdrawals, and even airport lounge access and rental car insurance.
There are a few other neat features like the 'anti-embarrassment mode' that saves you from awkward moments if your card is declined. Curve automatically uses your selected backup card to process the transaction if the first one fails. If you accidentally pay on the wrong card, you can switch payments from one account to another up to 90 days after the payment was made with Curve's 'Back In Time' function.
One of the most important features, particularly when travelling, if you lose your card is being able to lock it in the Curve app (and unlock it again once you find it) without having to cancel and replace all your cards. It's one of the many reasons Curve a safer option than carrying a wallet.
Using your Curve card earns you money through cashback offers, promotions, and referrals plus any money sent to you from other people. You can see what you've spent at a glance with a timeline of what you bought and where. The app breaks down your spending into categories, ideal for keeping track of spending and budgeting.
I've written about Curve before working on this article for them, and have been using my Curve card ever since. I really like Curve and think you might too. Sign up via this link, you'll get a £5 reward on your first transaction.
Stick To A List
A travel checklist is useful if you're planning a trip and want to make packing quick and easy. It'll help you to travel light and reduce waste too. I keep the list on my phone and check things off as I pack them. Create your own packing list by writing down everything you take with you on a trip that you used, wore, or needed (and anything you didn't!) So that you can create your own personalised travel checklist for the next trip you take.
Simplify Personal Items
Making travel simple starts with simplifying the items you pack. Creating packing lists with a travel capsule wardrobe will keep what you carry to a minimum while maximising outfit options. Packing cubes are one of my favourite travel accessories that help keep everything neat and easily accessible in my bag. I pack an extra one for storing dirty laundry in too. When it comes to personal products, include only the essential beauty items, keeping makeup, skin care, and hair care to a minimum.
Pack Reusables
Having a zero waste kit makes travel easier, more convenient, and less wasteful. Even though they take up precious space in your travel bag, having a water bottle, napkin, and cutlery to hand proves very useful when time is limited or you want to keep moving. It's important to me that I'm a responsible traveller, and part of that involves preparing to have a zero waste trip.
