While traveling, the expenses of long-distance communication can be difficult to handle. Spending $20 for a call that is less than five minutes is absurd, but without the use of outside apps and tools, is often the case when abroad. Luckily there's Viber, a 100% free mobile app that allows you to talk, text and share photos without spending a cent.

I learned about the mobile app during a backpacking trip in Argentina. Eating lunch in a Buenos Aires cafe, I noticed my travel companion sending texts and uploading photos without abandon, while my phone sat turned off and untouched in my bag. Unfortunately for me, calls from Argentina to the United States cost $5 per minute with texts being $1 each. When I asked her how she was able to communicate so freely without worrying about the costs, she told me about Viber. As long as you're in a Wi-Fi zone and the person you're communicating with uses Viber, the communications are completely free. Moreover, even when using 3G, you will only be charged the rate of your 3G plan and not for roaming.

"Viber-to-Viber mobile calls and texts will always be free and ad-free," explains Daniel Twigg, PR Consultant for Viber. "We plan to offer premium services for even more customization, such as inexpensive calls to people who don't yet have Viber, as well as ringtones and wallpapers."

Filed under: Budget Travel, Internet Tools