How to survive your vacation on one cellphone battery

As I was planning my latest trip to New York City, I was tempted to buy a power bank to keep my gadgets charged when they ran out of “juice.” A gadget that charges other gadgets. Do I really need it?

Here’s how I conquered “extreme travel” — traveling with a cellphone, laptop and tablet with no extra power.

I charged everything to 100% while I was getting ready to leave my apartment. When I used my phone, I charged it as soon as I was done with the call. I charged my laptop and tablet and turned them off so they weren’t “leaking electricity.”

As soon as I got on the plane, I turned my cellphone off. It was at 70% by then. (I called Mom after passing through security.)

I arrived at the NYC hotel at 7 am. At that hour, I wasn’t checking in, I was giving them my luggage to store and hitting the road. I charged my phone for the 30 minutes or so that I was at the hotel. Back to 100%.

Eat at the Same Pace That Your Phone Charges
By the time I got back to the hotel at 3:30 pm, I was low on battery power, but the hour long break was enough time to charge the phone. I followed the same routine every day. I ate at a Mexican place just north of Herald Square and asked for a spot to charge my phone. At the bar were electrical sockets under each chair. I ate at the same pace as the phone charged. Brilliant, New York!

My laptop and tablet never left the hotel room, and I charged them at night and in the morning.

Keep a US SIM Card while in Israel
Another tip for frequent flyers to the US from Israel — buy an American SIM card and keep it. With T-Mobile, I only have to make a $10 deposit 3 months after my month is up, and they only take $3 of that. For my twice a year trips, it is absolutely worth it to own a US number. I pay $40 per trip. Even if I’m only there 2-3 weeks, having the same phone number every visit is a huge bonus. I just call T-Mobile 2 months after each trip and make sure they keep my number active.

What are your tips for smart travel?