Travel Deal of the Day (August 30, 2010)

Clark Howard recently gave a rundown of the competitive landscape for broadband internet to go.  You can pay Verizon Wireless $60 for a limited plan with a contract, or you can save money.  How about $40/month unlimited with no contract - that is the current best offer with Virgin Mobile.  If you are paying for Verizon Wireless or a competitor, you are paying too much. 

If you do not currently have broadband and you are traveling to hotels charging you $10-$20/night for internet access, you should strongly consider broadband.  You may be able to earn back the money quickly, and with new service at a low price point and no contract, there is very little reason not to try it out.

Travel Deal of the Day (May 11, 2010)

AirTran is offering free wifi on all flights through May 23, 2010. For a list of full terms and conditions or for more information about the deal, go to the AirTran Free Wifi Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (July 29, 2009)

If you travel frequently and are looking to avoid expensive nightly/hourly internet charges at hotels, note that Verizon is now offering free access to the internet at Verizon wi-fi hotspots (if you already pay for participating Verizon wired broadband service plans).

Internet access at hotels or at other office/equipment stores can be extremely expensive. If you qualify for the offer, you now have access to additional locations with free internet access - so investigate whether you qualify for this offer, as the fees for internet access at many hotels can add up, and this offer can potentially save you money. For more information, contact Verizon or see articles such as this article.

Travel Deal of the Day (April 10, 2009)

I am constantly amazed at how much some hotels charge for internet access. If you are routinely paying for internet while traveling, you should be aware that there are now quite a few establishments offering free internet (sometimes free with a purchase). You can often save the $10-$20/day that hotels charge for internet by going to one of the following establishments to use the internet:

(1) Starbucks: Starbucks offers two hours of free internet per day as long as you purchase one item with a Starbucks Card every thirty days.

(2) McDonalds: Some McDonalds locations free internet, sometimes requiring a purchase.

(3) Panera Bread: Panera provides unlimited free internet in its stores.

(4) First Watch: First Watch offers free internet at participating restaurants.

This is just a partial list. Before you pay a hotel $10-$20/day, be sure to check around - you may be able to save money by taking a short walk from your hotel to a location with free internet.

Travel Deal of the Day (June 19, 2008)

Here is a non-traditional travel tip dealing with internet usage – get free internet at Starbucks.

The Deal:
It is often quite expensive to access the internet when traveling. In fact, many hotels charge $10-$20 a day to access internet. But there is now a way to obtain free internet when on the road – at Starbucks.

Starbucks has begun offering two free hours of daily internet usage at its stores if you have a Starbucks Card. Starbucks requires that you have a properly registered Starbucks card that has been used and/or reloaded within the last 30 days (restrictions apply – see this link for the restrictions). When you are on the road, the two free hours of internet access can save you a lot of money versus using the internet at a local internet café or in a hotel room.

How:
Go to the Starbucks Card Reward Program.