Europe

In Europe, tipping at restaurants is expected but the amount expected is much lower than in the United States. Generally, 10%  is more than enough.  It is not insulting to leave a little less than 10%, especially if the rounding is easier. For example, if your bill is 33 euros, 10% would be €3.3, but leaving €35 euros would suffice. Many restaurants include “table service” within the bill, so be careful to look for that. If this is included, you do not need to leave an extra tip. If anything, default to the rounding up to the next euro rule. You do not want to leave anything over 10% as this can actually be insulting. It is important to understand that, unlike in the US, waiters and waitresses are paid much better and thus do not fully depend on tips. If you leave large tips, such as a 15-20% tip as most US citizens are accustomed to, it can come off as arrogant, or as if you believe the waiter or waitress looks as if they need the extra money.

Cab drivers also do not expect large tips. There is not really a standard percentage, you generally just round up and give them the change. For example, if your fare is €8, you can simply give €10. However, if you take a long cab ride or a private tour of some sort, something closer to 10% should be given. Larger tips are also customary for any cab driver who helps you with heavy bags.

South America

The tipping expectations in South American restaurants is the same as in Europe, 10% is the most anyone will expect. South Americans can also get offended by over-tipping, so be sure to remember that they don’t depend on the tips to make their living, it is just extra money. South American countries also include “servicio de mesa” (table service) on many bills, but unlike Europe, this is not the tip. “Servicio de mesa” is the charge for bread before the meal. Unfortunately, you do not have the option to refuse this; if bread is brought to your table, you can expect a “servicio de mesa” charge and you will also need to leave a tip.

For cabs, tips are not really expected at all. Of course, rounding up and giving them your extra change can be appropriate and appreciated but it is rarely expected. Some South American countries have shortages on coins or small bills, so cab drivers appreciate when you pay in small bills and perhaps allow them to keep any extra coins that they may owe you as change. Again, this is only appreciated, not expected. However, if your cab driver helps you lug around several heavy bags, it is customary to give them a tip for their extra trouble.

Mexico

Mexico is very tip-driven; it is not simply about the amount of tip you leave but also all the situations you can find yourself in that require a tip. You will see lots of signs that mention “la propina” that are not-so-subtle hints about the tipping expectations. Right when you get off the plane you’ll have to find a cab. It is very common for men or even children to deem themselves unofficial cab hailers. You may not ask for or want their help, but once they have opened the cab door for you, a couple pesos is expected.

Cab drivers, on the other hand, do not expect large tips. Cab rides in Mexico are mildly expensive and often include a tip. However, leaving the spare change is always nice. You will also want to tip at least 10 pesos if the cab driver goes through the trouble of dealing with your luggage.

There are several other unofficial “jobs” that require tips. If you are driving in Mexico, men will often circle parking lots on foot and wave you into free spots. These guys are pretty happy with a couple pesos for their services. In grocery stores, children will often bag your groceries. The children are not employees at all, so they survive completely on your tips. You can simply leave the spare change from your bill, but if they convince you to let them carry your groceries out for you, you’ll need to give them a few pesos more. Concierges that help you find places around town and even windshield cleaners on the streets will expect a few pesos here and there. Basically, any person who helps you in any way in Mexico would greatly appreciate your spare change.

In restaurants and bars the tipping is much like the United States. At a sit down restaurant, 15-20% is customary. If the service is exceptional, you leave more, if it is sub par, you leave less. Some restaurants will list “propina” on the bill, which means you do not need to leave any additional tip. At a bar, you will be expected to leave 1-3 pesos for each trip you make to the bar.

Central America

Central America is also very similar to the United States when it comes to tipping. In restaurants, 15-20% is customary, more or less is given depending on the quality of service. However, tips are sometimes included in the bill so make sure to read your bills closely. If the tip is included it is unnecessary to leave anything additional, but if the service was exceptional, a little extra is appreciated.

Cab drivers should be tipped $1-4 US dollars, the amount depends on the length of the cab ride. You will also want to add more if the driver helps with bags.

Unlike Mexico, you will not run into spontaneous tipping situations. Central America includes the common jobs that depend on tips such as house cleaners (~$1 a night), hotel concierges ($2-$5) and bell hops (less than $1 per bag) and bar tenders (15-20%).

Asia

Asia is perhaps the most complicated area when it comes to tipping. Each country differs slightly and the currencies can be very difficult to understand. Many countries in Asia do not having “tipping cultures” so they will not expect tips in any situation, but any “Westernized” establishment will have a Westernized attitude and expect 10%. This 10% is often included in the bill, so be careful to read your bill closely. Local restaurants, taxi drivers, bar tenders, etc. will rarely expect a tip or anything more than your spare change. You really only need to worry about establishments geared towards tourists, as these places are well aware of the tipping customs of the US and will expect you to carry on the custom within their establishment. When in doubt, attempt a 10% tip, they may be confused and think you have accidentally left extra money, but it is rarely offensive to offer a tip.

Australia

Waiters are paid very well in Australia so tips are not expected in restaurants at all. Of course, you can always leave a little extra in high end restaurants or when you have especially great service.

Tipping is not expected for cab drivers, bar tenders, bell hops, etc. either. Australia is a very relaxed country, which can sometimes come off a little odd for visitors. US citizens are used to being doted on constantly by service staff, but you should expect such royalty-like treatment in Australia. Australian service personnel will do their job well but will not go over the top, as they work for a standard wage and do not need or expect your tips. Usually, allowing service workers to keep the change is all that is necessary.

• Read the reviews. Legitimate hostel booking sites will have user reviews. These review can really save you from some unpleasant experiences. Guests can rate hostels and leave brutally honest comments, so make sure you don’t end up booking a place that every reviewer has hated.
• Make sure linens are included. Some hostels will charge you extra for towels and even sheets. Nothing is more unpleasant than arriving at your bed, weary from travel, and discovering you have no sheets.
• Search out free breakfasts. Good hostels offer some sort of breakfast every morning. It is usually pretty limited, something like bread and weak coffee, but when you are working with limited funds, free bread in the morning can help you cut costs.
• Check for free internet. Internet cafes may not seem expensive at first, but when you check your email a few times a day, those costs can really add up. Try to find a hostel that offers free wi-fi or, at the very least, computers with internet access. The internet will probably be almost unbearably slow and the computers will look like they should come with Frogger and Oregon Trail, but it is better than nothing.
• Look at a map. You don’t want to book a hostel that is a 40 minute bus ride outside of the city. You will be depending on buses, trains, and walking to get where you need to be, so try to get a hostel that is near the area you plan to spend the most time in.
• Read up on security. We would all like to believe fellow budget travelers would not bother us or our things, but that is not always the case. See if the hostel offers a locker for each guest to store valuables such as passports for when you leave the room. This is especially important if you book a shared room. Also, make sure the hostel has security to ensure only registered guests will be allowed within the building.

However, when you tire of big buildings and crowded buses, Montevideo also offers a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean and the charm of small town life. Horse drawn carriages clop through the cobblestone streets functioning as the trash pickup in place of large dump trucks. If you take some time to explore the streets you will be pleasantly greeted with boldly painted buildings and eclectic cafes. If you are looking for natural beauty, you can walk to Cerro Arco, the highest point in the city. You will have to walk through some pretty shady towns to get there, but the view is certainly worth it.

Montevideo may not be as non-stop and crazy as many other large cities across the world, but no one could say it lacks personality. This city is definitely worth a few days of your time. Bring a good book, a camera and comfortable walking shoes so you can get the full experience of the relaxed exploration of Montevideo.

Iguazú Falls

Puerto Iguazú is definitely a tourist town and lacks night life. It is a great place to spend a couple of relaxing days and treat yourself to a hotel instead of a hostel. The hotel are pretty nice and there are plenty of affordable options. Most of the hotels have excellent restaurants and do not require that you be a guest to dine with them. Puerto Iguazú may only have food and waterfalls to offer tourists, but they do both very well.

Public transit is very well organized in Buenos Aires. Buses, trains, and subways all work together to make basically any part of the city and the outlying suburbs accessible. The subway (or “subte”) is definitely the fastest of the three but closes early, so the weary and perhaps intoxicated traveler will have to take the buses (or “colectivos”). While the bus routes can be a bit daunting, you can always ask basically anyone on the streets and they will be more than willing to suggest a bus and explain where to catch it.

The street markets in Buenos Aires have something for absolutely everyone. You can find handmade jewelry, instruments and even dinosaur figurines. Many merchants target their goods to tourists so they make them easy to fit inside an overstuffed suitcase. All merchants will be ready to haggle, so make sure you are as well. It is not uncommon for merchants to jack up prices for foreigners, so be ready to talk them back down to a fair price. Even if you don’t buy anything, the markets are fun and interesting to stroll through. Almost every area of Buenos Aires has its own markets, usually on the weekends. The most popular market, however, is the San Telmo market. Catch a bus on a Sunday and check out all the merchants have to offer.

If you are a foodie, this city will have plenty to offer you. Unlike many other cities in Argentina, Buenos Aires truly embraces foreign cuisine. When traveling through Argentina even the biggest meat fanatics will tire of the parillas (grills) that boast high quality yet unseasoned or spiced meats. Argentines are not particularly fond of spices of any kind, which just makes the authentic foreign food of Buenos Aires that much more desirable. Within the city you can find Indian, Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Armenian, Italian, and more. As for local gems, everyone should definitely stop by a local panadería (bakery) for a freshly baked medialuna (croissants, but sweeter and much more delicious than the American version) and pick up an empanada on the streets.

The nightlife in Buenos Aires is nothing like Americans are used to. If you catch a cab home before 5am, everyone will know you are not a local. It is not uncommon to eat dinner at 10 or 11 and begin drinking at midnight. Around 3am most people head to a boliche (dance club) and dance right into the early morning.

This city is a great place to explore. You can spend days just wandering the streets and stopping whenever you see an interesting cafe or intriguing bookstore. While strolling through the streets you will inevitably encounter street merchants, dog walkers wrangling 10 dogs at once, and many other unfamiliar yet somehow refreshing sights.

South America may not be as tightly packed with famous cities as Euope, but it certainly has some destinations worth seeing and, more importantly, it’s incredibly cheap and easy to find great travel deals.

Bus travel in South America is very common and not that expensive. You can book multi-city trips online through various companies. Every big city has a large bus depot full of several different bus companies so if you are feeling a little spontaneous you can walk in, scope out the deals and buy a ticket right there.

Tips:

• If you are going to book online, try to find a company that speaks English. Language barriers are not as easy to overcome via email and your reservations may not be exactly what you wanted
• If you go to a bus depot, make sure you shop around. Different companies will have different specials depending on the day, so don’t just go for the first one you see. Walk through and see what each company has to offer.
• Book multiple cities at once. A lot of bus companies will give you discounts if you book several trips with them. Just make sure you get a clear print out of your itinerary and double check it. If they make a mistake on departure dates/times, you could get stuck in another city without being able to contact the agent who handled the reservation.
• Be economical without being uncomfortable. Buses offer a few different levels of comfort–make sure you choose wisely. You can get as fancy as to have a seat that fully reclines into a bed or as cheap as a completely stationary, cushion-less seat. While saving money is great, back pains are not. For long trips try not to go below “semi-cama”, which involves a small but comfortable seat that reclines a little and has a leg/foot rest so your legs don’t fall asleep and go numb during your trip.

The features that make the iPhone such an amazing device are the same features that can make the iPhone the most expensive phone to take out of the country. All of the apps that exist on the iPhone are data intensive, and they can eat up hundreds of megabytes without you even noticing. An iPhone owner traveling out of the country could easily find that he or she owes thousands of dollars to AT&T if the correct preparations are not made in advance.

This Associated Press article outlines some of the key preparations iPhone owners should make before traveling abroad.

Some of the suggestions include, setting your iPhone to flight mode, using wireless internet hotspots as often as possible and using skype for phone calls. Check the article for more tips to be sure you don’t overpay next time you leave the country.