Buyer beware is a well-worn adage. Certainly there are risks involved in any modern transaction, however it is still amazing how easily people can get stung with enormous bills for global roaming or excess data use.

This was brought to our attention by some dolt who logged onto Singapore Airlines in-flight WiFi which came at a typically gouge-worthy price of $30.00 for 30MB*. Okay, for some that’s worth the money. Good for them. However, rather than simply cut off his access to data once our hero reached the limit, the providers instead had a field day with his credit card because, you know… *excess data charges apply.

By the time he had disembarked he’s managed to burn through enough data to get stung with a bill for over $1000.

I’ve got fantastic memories of a friend who, while travelling through India, found he had an extra charge on his credit card for AUD$80.00 what was his solution? He spent half an hour talking to his bank back at home…. ON HIS MOBILE PHONE. Have fun with friends trying to imagine how far he went out the back door on that one.

Rest assured, telcos couldn’t give two good sits about your extra use of bytes. It’s a revenue stream they dearly love. It’s just so…well, delicious. There are a few tips and tricks that will save you from a similar predicament.

Turn off Global Roaming.

Now. Do this right now. Don’t think, “I’ll do it at the airport.” Jump into your Settings apps and do it now.

Every single country in the world can sell you a SIM card and the whole process will probably cost you twenty bucks and maybe half an hour of your time  - and that’s been the case for at least a decade.

Beware the wifi contract.

These days, I consider anyone or anywhere that charges for wifi something of an insult. This sort of behavior is particularly galling since the United Nations declared access to the internet to be a human right!

Still, if you have to pay, check the fine print. I realise we’re kind of repeating the whole tenet of this article, but some people never learn.

Monitor your own data usage.

Hopefully, you’re already receiving text emeages to let you know when you’ve used about 80% of your data within a month. If not, enquire as to whther you can activate such a service.

Most telcos now have their own app that will tell you when your data is getting near your cap, or you can try third party products such as My Data Manager or Data Usage. Both are available via the App Store or Google Play.

There you go. Treat your data like you would a bottle of fine wine and always be aware of how much you have left.