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Travel Resources We Trust on the Road

Traveling full-time across 44 countries has taught us a simple truth: the right tools make life on the road easier, the wrong ones can bring everything to a halt.

We’ve tried it all, from SIM cards that failed at the worst moments to bank cards swallowed by foreign ATMs. Some services left us stranded, while others became non-negotiable essentials. We built this hub to share what really works. These aren’t random affiliate links. They’re resources we use, rely on, and recommend to friends who ask us how we manage full-time travel. Whether you’re planning a short trip or building a digital nomad lifestyle, this is where you’ll find tools that actually deliver.

Featured Picks

Two essentials that simplify life on the road

Some resources become non-negotiable once you’ve tried them. For us, that’s GigSky for hassle-free global connectivity and Stay22 for turning our travel guides into income through interactive hotel maps.

 

Both save us time, money, and stress — while helping us keep traveling.

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SAVE 10% on your first order over $4 with code: CLOSERLIVES10

📶 GigSky eSIM

Instant global connectivity without the SIM card hassle.

  • Works in 190+ countries worldwide

  • No need to hunt for local SIMs or top-ups

  • Share data across devices with a hotspot

  • Only the fastest networks

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Turn your content into earnings

🏨 Stay22 Affiliate Maps

Turn your blog or website into a booking tool.

  • Free to join, no upfront costs

  • Earn commissions on hotel and Airbnb bookings

  • Interactive maps keep readers engaged

  • We use Stay22 across our site to monetize content

Categories

Everything we rely on, organized for your journey

Full-time travel touches every part of life, from booking places to stay to managing money, earning online, and carrying the right gear.

 

We’ve grouped our resources into four categories so you can dive straight into what matters most for your trip or lifestyle.

Travel Essentials

Find the best ways to book smarter — from hotel stays and house sits to transport and cruises. Trusted platforms we’ve used to save money and enjoy more comfort.

Banking & Money-Saving Tools

Cut fees, stay secure, and manage money abroad with ease. From Wise to VPNs and travel cards, these are the tools that keep our finances running smoothly worldwide.

 Shopping

The products we actually carry on the road. From eSIMs and travel insurance to our own Travel & Lifestyle Emporium, these essentials keep life simple while exploring.

Earn Online While Traveling

Turn your travels into income streams. From affiliate platforms like Stay22 to Monetag and print-on-demand, here’s how we monetize Closer Lives and other online projects.

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Need Connectivity? Compare the Best eSIMs

Find the right eSIM for your travels

We’ve tested multiple providers on the road — GigSky, Saily, Holafly, and more. To help you choose, we built a full comparison page covering features, pricing, and our personal picks.

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Find Hotels for Your Next Trip

Book smarter with our interactive hotel maps

We’ve partnered with Stay22 to bring you hotel and apartment options close to the places you actually want to be. Our maps compare prices across platforms so you can find the right stay at the right price — without endless searching.

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Free Country Guides

Plan smarter with our growing library of guides

Every destination has its quirks, from SIM cards and transport to customs and currency. Our free country guides bring all the essentials together, plus our stories and tips from the road.

Helpful Reads From Our Blog

Learn how we use these tools in real life

We don’t just list resources — we share how they fit into full-time travel. These posts go deeper into our experience, from monetizing a blog to making passive income and the apps we use every day.

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Full-Time Travel With Print on Demand

See how we use Printify to create and sell products while traveling — an accessible way to earn online without holding stock or handling logistics.

A graphic with a dollar sign and the word "Monetize" next to the phrase "Your Blog," written in both typed and cursive fonts, with a fountain pen writing the word "Blog.

How to Monetize a Travel Blog

Discover step-by-step ways we turned Closer Lives into income, from affiliate links to partnerships that support our full-time travel lifestyle.

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15 Top Apps & Websites for Full-Time Travel

From money-saving apps to booking tools, here’s our curated list of resources we’ve tested and loved across 42 countries.

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Stay Connected

Get travel tips, deals, and behind-the-scenes stories

Our fortnightly newsletter is where we share new blogs, resources, and offers — plus a peek into our life on the road. No spam, just genuine inspiration and tools we trust.

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Work With Us

Partner with Closer Lives and reach a global audience

We love working with brands, platforms, and services that help travelers live better.

 

From affiliate partnerships to sponsored features, let’s create something that inspires our readers and supports your goals.

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means if you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you.

We only recommend resources we’ve personally used or genuinely believe will add value to your travels. These partnerships help us keep Closer Lives running, so thank you for supporting our journey.

ℹ️ Read our Affiliate Disclosure

Jenn & Leon at Closer Lives

We plan to see, learn, love and share as much of the world with others as possible.


That is why we created Closer Lives, to create a community for like-minded individuals and to help bring the world a little closer together through poetry, history, storytelling, healing, art, purpose and togetherness.


If you'd like to join us please sign up to our website; the social part is still in the process of being developed but currently you are able to post, share and interact. We'd love to have you here with us!


PLUS when you sign up you will receive a welcome bonus of 20% off ANYTHING from our Travel & Lifestyle Emporium.


Shop our inspirational range of suitcases, backpacks, phone cases, clothing and more, exclusively designed by us, with worldwide delivery.

At Closer Lives, We Explore More Than Maps - We Journey Through Mindsets

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