Make a short list of essential apps: maps, tickets, transport, messages, banking, and accommodation. Allow those tools to use mobile data, and also save the most important information offline.

Avoid enabling broad restrictions without checking their effects. An overly aggressive saving mode can prevent a booking or message from updating in time. Selective limits work better.

Automatic photo backups, updates, file syncing, and video playback can use data without you requesting them at that moment. Set them to use Wi-Fi, or run them manually at the end of the day.

Download maps of upcoming cities, music, podcasts, and shows before a long journey. Reducing video quality on mobile data can also save a substantial amount without eliminating entertainment.

Divide your available allowance by the number of travel days to get a reference, rather than a rigid rule. A driving day may use more maps, while another day may rely almost entirely on your accommodation’s Wi-Fi.

Check which apps used the most data after the first day and halfway through your trip. If you’re above your estimate, adjust video, hotspot, and backups first. The tools that keep your trip moving should be the last to lose access.