It’s finally summer, and I’m betting LOTS of you in Clever Girl Nation are planning a vacation! May you have smooth travels and tons of fun! And while I know you’re ALL organized and know how to get your whole family ready for a trip, do you know how to get your PHONE ready? Having a safe and great trip can often involve relying on communication. Here are 5 Tips to make sure YOUR phone is ready for your vacation, too!

1) AVOID EXPENSIVE ROAMING CHARGES: If you are leaving the country, going on a cruise, or headed somewhere out of range of cell towers, you may incur data roaming charges.   Even if you don’t think you’re doing anything with your phone, if it is on, depending on your settings, you may have third-party apps running in the background, refreshing, and roaming the heck out of your device. Call your provider to understand your options and what may apply, and research what to do about your specific device to control for it. Airplane-mode is your friend!  And if you want those books or movies on your devices for your trip, download them before you go!

2) MAKE SPACE FOR NEW PICTURES:  Plan on taking photos with your phone?  Well, sure. We all do.  But are you good at downloading photos elsewhere (to the cloud, to a computer, etc.) and then deleting photos off your phone? Don’t find yourself on a trip, taking photos of a lifetime, and then getting a “no more space” message at the most inopportune moment, and then find yourself having to make difficult choices about what to delete forever. Download and back up your phone before vacation, make some space for new photos. 

3) DON’T TELL THE WORLD YOU’RE NOT HOME: For some people, not alerting the world that you’re on vacation and their home is empty is a top priority, but they still want to use social media.  Make sure that any aspect of Facebook or other apps that feed Facebook and provide location is turned off. This may include shutting off the setting that allows for other people to tag you in photos automatically. Don’t want to tell the world you’re out-of-town with your extended family, but your brother posts a picture with you in it and tags you? Well, now everyone knows. You can control that setting. 

4) MAKE SURE A LOST PHONE CAN FIND YOU:  If you haven’t done it already, be sure to put contact information on your lock screen so that people can find your emergency contact or another way to reach you, if you find your phone. Disney World reports that over 6,000 phones are turned into the Lost and Found each year. Make yours easy to be returned! And password-protect your phone, if you haven’t already. It’s just the smart thing to do. 

5) PROTECT YOUR DEVICE FROM DAMAGE:  Vacations can wreak havoc on all of us, even our phones. Make sure you’ve got a protective case, you know, for when it comes out of your pocket when on a ride. When you’re going on a hike or a kayak ride, put it in a ziploc bag to protect it from getting wet (or by a case designed to keep your phone dry). Keep the earbud and charger entry covered when at the beach, to avoid getting sand in the device. Don’t leave a phone out in the direct sun or in a hot car; you can fry a phone! 

So, get ready for a safe and fun trip, and make sure your devices are

part of the fun, not the agony!