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Have you ever checked into a hotel and made your way to your room, only to discover that you forgot to pack your phone charger along with the rest of your travel gear?
Most of us have done that at one time or another, and the natural instinct is to head to the nearest store and buy a replacement charger.
Well, there’s a simple way to avoid having to buy a charger the next time you accidentally leave yours at home…
If you’re going to be staying at the same hotel every night during your trip, simply stop by the front desk and ask for a loaner!
As luck would have it, most recent mobile phones use the same microUSB-style phone chargers, and they are all pretty much interchangeable. If you have an Apple device it probably uses a charger that has that connector on it.
Virtually all hotels have a “Lost and Found” box containing items that are accidentally left behind when guests check out and leave in a hurry.
Occasionally a guest will contact the hotel and ask to have the forgotten item shipped to their home, but most people simply write it off and buy a new device, especially if they only cost a few bucks.
As it turns out, the items that tend to get left behind most often are phone chargers (both the microUSB and Apple varieties), and most hotel desk clerks are more than happy to provide a “loaner” charger from the “Lost & Found” box when a guest requests one.
Of course if you’re going to be staying in multiple hotels during your trip you’d probably be better off buying a charger to carry along with you as you travel from place to place. After all, replacement phone chargers are quite inexpensive these days.
But if you’re going to be staying in the same hotel for several nights, it makes sense to save your cash and ask for a loaner. After all, the charger you forgot to bring with you will be waiting for you when you get back home!
Bonus tip: This post explains how to make you smart phone or tablet charge faster than it usually does.
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