bills and income tax while cycling international??

[colorondo]

hello-

i'm hoping to do an international trip longer than i've done before (did 2mos in central america in '99 and 2mos in spain, portugal in '05) and i am looking for tips about handling bills/income tax while on the road for a longer period.

i'll limit my bills and bank stuff (visa, atm, storage unit, health insurance) and will try to do as much as possible online thru online statements and online bill pay.  and perhaps have a family member keep an eye on things too.

however, i'm wary of checking acc'ts at internet cafes - recommendations on this?  carry a "mini laptop" or palmtop?  automatic payments?  what do others do?  

the other big paperwork issue is doing income taxes if gone in springtime.  what do folks on the road for a yr+ do about this?  

seems there's a lot to consider for a long trip besides which tent and tires to choose!

any input is appreciated!

-ron

[RussellSeaton]

Also do searches, research on ex patriate living.  Americans living/retiring in Mexico, Central America, etc. and spending most if not all of their time away from USA.  They usually deal with the same issues with finances, banks, etc.  They likely have a computer in their house/apartment whereas a bicyclist likely would not.

[John Nettles]

While I have no experience in biking while responsible for major bills for an extended time, I have traveled for 4 months at a time so hopefully this would apply.

I had a sizeable checking account built up prior to the trip.  I had all bills that could be auto-debited done that way.  If not, I either prepayed and/or prepared a SASE with a prepayment given to a relative who has given a list of when to mail what letter.  This way I never had to rely on a public computer to do bill paying, something I personally would avoid if possible.

As far as taxes go, I filed in October as I knew I would be getting a small refund.  YOu must have a "good" reason as to why you could not file but it is almost always allowed.  However, you must pay any taxes due prior to April 15th or you might be subject to penalty and interest.  However, if you are gone a year, your tax situation might be pretty easy and you could have someone file on your behalf.

I would give a trusted family memeber/friend a limited power of attorney so they could discuss stuff with the bank, credit card company, etc. if need be.

Finally, you might want to ask those over at CGoaB who have done extended tours what they have done also.


Happy trails and may the wind be at your back!

TulsaJohn