When I moved to the US I was faced with a problem. How do I transfer my money from my UK bank accounts to my newly opened US account? Banks charge excessive fees for transfers and when transferring large sums of money, there was no way I was going to pay more than I needed to. My current UK bank (Halifax) charges £9.50 for any international transfer, plus a £12 US "correspondent bank fee".  There's also a 3.20% markup between the exchange rate they give me and the actual wholesale exchange...

Paris was once the undisputed capital of dining but there has been a big shift over the past few years, with countries like Spain, Italy, and the United States holding highly coveted spots on the World’s 50 Best list (Eleven Madison Park in the heart of New York City currently holds the top spot). Multiculturalism, variety between regions, and a growing interest in health, aligned with purchasing power, mean that the U.S. is leading the way in many innovative concepts that are resonating with the demands of increasingly savvy diners. Food...

If you’ve got plans to travel to the United States anytime soon, then you’ll likely be grateful for some words of advice and travel pointers. If this is exactly what you’ve come looking for, then you’re in luck as below are four great tips for exploring the USA. Find yourself some maps of desired spots you’d like to explore, and take a sensible pair of shoes with you, especially important if you’re going to be on your feet and going to see some of the National Parks. Before...

Long favoured by Europeans over planes (although this has changed recently), the act of riding the rails is a cultural experience in itself. This is especially true in Central Europe, as many locals continue to rely on this mode of transport for business and pleasure. In this blog, we’ll share several tips which will help you enjoy train travel in this part of the EU with minimal issues. 1) Book as you go with national railroad companies Many travellers choose to plot out all their movements well ahead of time. In...

You’ve made your mind up – in the near future, you’ll be visiting Scandinavia, filling in a big empty spot on your travel map. When it comes time to plan a travel itinerary, though, there are so many tours to Scandinavia available that it can be tough to pick the one which will satisfy you and your travelling companions. In this blog, we’ll brief on our favourite places to visit in this cool European region so you’ll know which destinations are right for you. 1) Copenhagen Once a humble Viking fishing village...

I was first introduced to Mealpal by my buddy and fellow travel blogger Nomadic Matt, who is a budget travel expert and the author of "How to Travel the World on $50 per day". Over oysters and wine with friends he gave us the sales pitch about how awesome the app is and how it allows him to get lunch for less than $6 per day. At first I was a bit skeptical because I work from home so I don't usually go out for lunch - instead I...

Schoolies are always looking for new places to celebrate after a hectic exam week. After all who doesn’t love to spend a good time after some boring and tough weeks have passed. Fiji is becoming a popular place for schoolies celebrations and there are several reasons for that. Parents Are Concerned Many parents are not choosing Gold Coast as a place for spending holidays; instead they are sending their kids to locations like Fiji. The concern is due to the crackdown on underage drinking in Gold Coast. It was obvious that...

8.5 million people live in NYC. It's one of the busiest and most exciting cities in the world and you'd think that it would be easy to make loads of friends, right? Well initially it seems that way. It's not hard to run into people of all walks of life in New York. The city has this fast-paced energy and coming from a place like London, where people are much more reserved, east coast Americans are much more forward. On my first week in NYC I had no shortage...

New York City is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in. My rent in Chelsea, Manhattan is $1700 per month and that's just for a room. If you want to have your own 1-bedroom apartment expect to pay around $3000 and up. Then, with all the socialising you're going to be doing (that's why you're in NYC right?) things can soon add up. $15 cocktails on a weeknight, $50 meals at dinner time...