As a full-time traveler, it helps to have the right tools in your belt.

Or, to know where to find them.

Here are my favorite travel tips to help easily and safely travel the world.

With a bit of research before travel, you can make sure you’re prepared for anything!

Long term travelers are often big fans of minimalism because owning and traveling with less stuff instantly makes your life easier.

Minimize your stuff. 

Travel carry-on only.

Add multi-functional pieces to your wardrobe.

Carry one multipurpose bag that's easy to wear on your back and easy to slide under any seat.

Don't waste time or money checking bags.

You're free to wander, explore and walk as much as you want without having to worry about, drop off, lock up, or check bags. 

Try to be the greenest, most eco-friendly human you can be because there is no second Earth. 

Take steps to aim for zero waste.

Recycle. Upcycle. Compost. 

Use zero waste items so you can easily avoid disposables. 

Make your own products.

Book smarts, street smarts and good old common sense will help lower your chances of stupid mistakes and disasters on the road. 

Take the right steps before you travel and know how to stay safe as a solo traveler and how to make travel easier.

Be aware of common scams, like the Mexican shakedown, or specific cultural customs.

Be smart in choosing attractions to visit by avoiding tourist attractions that hurt animals and look for reputable rescues or sanctuaries to support instead. 

Get the right apps to travel and more apps for finding food anywhere. 

Going out for dinner at restaurants can be pricey, so instead, go for lunch.

Lunch is almost always cheaper and often has more limited daily specials available.

Many local restaurants work until they sell out so you gotta get it while they have it.

Local marketplaces like weekly village markets and farmers markets are often only open a few hours in the afternoon.

And you can also find street vendors around lunchtime trying to catch people on their lunch breaks from work.

Street food rules.

Skip all the expensive and annoying transportation (when you can) and walk more.

It's easy, free, and doesn't require worrying about tickets or apps.

Walking also lets you slow down and explore at your own pace.

You notice the details, wander with wonder, and discover interesting things and places along the way. 

So many cities are best explored by simply walking around, especially places you can get lost meandering around in, like so many Italian cities, such as Verona.

Always have something for your brain to do during waits, delays and on long rides or flights like movies and books. 

Download books from iBooks or movies for offline viewing from Netflix. 

Get cash in the local currency and stash it in a few different places in your stuff.

This way, if your card doesn't work, if the restaurant or shop doesn't take it, if it gets lost or stolen, or if you get caught in a tourist scam or robbed, cash can save your butt.

Remember to spend it before you leave the country or all your coins will magically turn into souvenirs.

You need data to stay connected and to travel, but don't bother buying local sim cards in every country.

Get a global SIM card or get a global eSIM that you can use everywhere around the world and just recharge as needed.

Download the Talkatone app for easy international calling. 

Buy one way tickets for air travel because they're often cheaper than roundtrip, with better flight plans, and give you more flexibility in your travel.

Most countries will require proof of onward travel prior to getting approved for a tourist visa.

Even if you don't have exact travel plans, rent an onward ticket just in case.

Always research your current visa requirements.

Don’t ever overstay your visa - you risk fines, penalties, future entry bans, and jail time!

If you're traveling in Europe, you need to be aware of your Schengen visa.

It's a stupid complicated, retroactive 90/180 algorithm, but you don't have to have an aneurism constantly calculating it because you can keep track with an app.

Always be prepared for a grueling entry or exit interviews into or out of any country by having all your essential documents, personal information, and travel details ready for inspection as needed.

Read some of my travel tales entering the UK and exiting Israel for more on the interview processes.

Americans should enroll in STEP because it keeps track of your travel plans and emergency contacts just in case anything should happen while you're abroad.

Make any journey instantly easier and learn the local language.

You will find plenty of great options to learn any language you might need for your travel adventure, such as Live Lingua French.

I love using Rome2rio to plan travel.

It searches every available form of transportation like planes, trains, buses, ferries, and more - plus it even gives you approximate prices for every route and links to book through.

To easily find the best flights, I like momondo. 

It's user-friendly and lets you search lots of filters to find exactly what you're looking for.

Or, have someone book it for you.

Live like a local and care for someone's home and pets while they go on vacation.

Get started house sitting and get a discount on TrustedHousesitters.

Rent a private home with Airbnb.

It's often cheaper than a hotel, way more private, and gives you a more authentic travel experience. 

Search for hotel reservations that come with the option to change or cancel as needed.

Since travel is full of delays and cancellations, having a flexible booking saves a wasted room and money. 

You never know when you might need proof of global health insurance and immigration may ask for proof of insurance to get a visa on arrival.

Always be ready!