Money & Kit
The four tools I set up before every trip
Not gear, not gadgets. These are the four services that quietly save me money and hassle on every single trip. I set them all up before I fly and barely think about them again. Here is what each one does and why it earns its place.
Money · Wise Card
Stop losing money on every payment abroad
Wise is a multi-currency account and debit card. You hold money in different currencies and spend at the real mid-market rate, the same number you see on Google. Most banks quietly add 3 to 5 percent on every foreign transaction and then charge you again at the ATM. Over a long trip that is hundreds of pounds gone for nothing. This is the card I reach for at every cash machine and every checkout.
- Real mid-market exchange rate with no hidden markup
- One small fee shown up front, no monthly charge
- Works at any ATM worldwide
- Hold and switch between 40+ currencies in one app
- Freeze the card instantly from your phone if it goes missing
Connectivity · Airalo eSIM
Land with your data already working
Airalo is an eSIM marketplace. You buy a local data plan online, install it before you fly and it switches on the moment you land. No hunting for a SIM kiosk at arrivals, no roaming bill, no swapping out your home SIM. Your phone runs two numbers at once, so you keep your normal number for texts while you use cheap local data wherever you are.
- Plans from about £4
- Five-minute setup before you fly
- Works in over 200 countries
- Keep your home number active alongside it
- Top up from the app and only pay for what you use
Insurance · SafetyWing
Cover built for how you actually travel
SafetyWing is rolling monthly travel medical insurance made for long trips and digital nomads. You subscribe like a streaming service and cancel when you stop travelling. Annual policies are expensive and assume you go home between trips. SafetyWing charges per four-week block, so three months on the road costs a fraction of a traditional plan. It covers medical treatment, emergency evacuation and trip interruption.
- Pay monthly and cancel anytime
- Medical treatment and emergency evacuation included
- Far cheaper than annual cover for trips over three weeks
- Covers you across most of the world
- Buy it mid-trip, you do not need it before you leave
Transport · 12Go
Every bus, train, ferry and transfer in one search
12Go is a booking platform for ground and sea transport across Asia. Buses, trains, ferries, minivans and private transfers all show up in one place. Buying at the station means queues, language barriers and sold-out departures. 12Go lists every operator and route, confirms instantly and sends full pickup instructions, so your seat is locked in before you even arrive in the country.
- Compare every operator and travel class on one screen
- Instant confirmation with clear pickup instructions
- Covers Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and beyond
- Pay online and skip the station queue
- Real traveller reviews on each route