Longer Distance

By Lisa McLaughlin

Cell phones can be fussy travelers. Most U.S. models don't work abroad. And while it's getting easier to rent cell phones--many foreign airports have rental counters where you can pick up a phone when you arrive and drop it off when you leave--the fees can get steep. If you travel internationally more than seven days a year, it might be worth buying a Mobal GSM World Phone. The Nokia 3410 model phone costs just $49 when purchased online, and can be used in 125 foreign countries as far flung as Sweden, New Zealand and Afghanistan. Calls are charged per minute ($1.75 to $9.95, depending on where you are and what country you're calling), but there are no monthly fees or usage minimums.