Pet travel tips from 'The Privileged Pooch' author Maggie Espinosa

There's nothing like snow in April (and, naturally, on April Fool's Day) to remind us that the season is decidedly...undecided. Schizophrenic forecasts make for countless day-to-day annoyances (Coat or no coat? Do I wear the rain boots if it stops raining?). But iffy weather can be even more of an issue when you're traveling. Is it worth stuffing the raincoat into your suitcase when you run into the most maddening figure—40 percent chance of precipitation (not quite likely, but likely enough to warrant an "I told you so")? For that matter, is it worth even taking a trip if it'll rain some of the time, or most of the time (or 40 percent of the time)? Traveling in the off-season has its perks, and they're considerable ones—lower prices, fewer crowds. But there's no time like the present to consider the most obvious con—unpredictable (and likely unpleasant) weather. Take a look at this example of peak and off-peak rates at Hotel El Convento in San Juan, Puerto Rico: February Average rainfall: 2 inchesAverage daily rate: $260 August Average rainfall: 5 inchesAverage daily rate: $160 Consider the impact that a $100 per night difference can have, and a little hypothetical rain seems like small potatoes. But are you going to regret that thought when you're sitting in your hotel room instead of on the beach, spending your extra cash on yet another pay-per view movie? Are you willing to travel in the off-season? Has the risk paid off for you before? Let us know! MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL Vote now in our Readers' Choice Awards! What's your biggest language gaffe? No more waiting in line at the concession stand

The ubiquity of apps happened rapidly and quietly, ending the days when telephones were used only to converse. Suddenly, seemingly overnight, there were apps for just about everything—apps to help you locate Girl Scout cookies and public restrooms, apps to convert currency, language, and clothing size, and apps to help you organize travel plans. And now there is an app that lets you...just sit there: Next time you travel to a sporting event, skip that whole waiting in line at the concession stand business and order food directly to your seat. Yorder (previously called iConcessionStand) is a free mobile-app for iPhones and Android phones. The idea behind the app is simple: sports fans can order food, beverages, and merchandise from their seat and about 15-20 minutes later receive their order without missing a minute of the game. So far the app is only available for San Jose's Earthquakes games at the Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara. The app relies on location-aware technology to locate fans in the 10,000+ seat stadium. Fans can order from the food and drink menus at the stadium's two concession stands, and make a payment through their PayPal account. (A $1 per-transaction fee applies to each order.) The food is provided by Bon Appetit and delivered approximately 15-20 minutes later. Later in the season, fans will be able to order food from the gourmet food trucks that the team brings in for home games. Although this technology is only available at one stadium so far, the app (and its inevitable evolutionary offspring) could very well revolutionize the way we visit sports events, concerts and even theme parks. And as much as I hate the idea of missing a single moment of the game, I wonder if this technology will actually change the way we experience such outings. For me, going to a sporting event is never about just the game; I have always found the atmosphere equally intriguing: The inevitable brawl in the stands between rowdy fans, the mass crowd 'waves', and yes, even the long queues for a $10 pint of beer. Are we creating a future where a $1 surcharge lets you sit back and let someone else do the dirty work? Will we eventually be able to schedule the exact time we ride a roller coaster or use a public restroom? Will queuing in line no longer be relevant? Maybe...but thankfully, not yet. What do you think? Are apps helping too much? — Madeline Grimes MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: The Ultimate App Tool Kit iPhone: Travel apps picked by an iPhone expert The World's Best Street Food

Making calls with your cell phone while traveling abroad can be a hefty investment. Domestic carriers have a wide range of international calling plans and roaming fees that can quickly add up. But there are some alternatives coming onto the market. Canadian company Polar Wireless has come out with a "global key chip," a thin SIM card that can be inserted into most GSM (which account for more than 80 percent of the market) and some CDMA cell phones, which allows users to bypass their carrier's roaming fees. Polar Wireless' average rates are 28 cents per minute, compared to what the company claims are the average international carrier rates of $2.59 per minute. Polar Wireless subscribers with GSM devices will be able to take their phone (with their existing phone number) to 213 countries with 500 partner carrier networks. They will have access to voice, data and texting services. The company says it provides carrier grade connectivity via standard cell phone towers globally. Polar Wireless touted that one of the advantages of the global key chip over mobile services such as Skype or Google Talk is that those require Wi-fi, which is not available everywhere. Another option is getting a global phone. Tour company Big Five Tours & Expeditions has partnered with Wireless Traveler to promote Wireless Traveler's global phones, which can be purchased for between $95 and $180. With the Wireless Traveler plan, the phones work in more than 200 countries and have no monthly fees. Users are charged per call and per text. So, for example, if you're with your phone in France, an outgoing call to the U.S. costs 65 cents per minute and outgoing texts to the U.S. are 38 cents per minute. Incoming calls and texts from the U.S. to your phone in France are free. Rates vary depending on which country you're in and which country you're calling to, so it's worth comparing and doing the math compared to your carrier's calling plan. More from Budget Travel: Using Your Cell Phone in Europe What's the biggest phone bill you've ever been socked with after returning from a trip? What's the best social network for travel?

I'm not going to lie, I didn't hate "Step Up 3," the movie I selected after already watching three other not-great, not-horrible movies ("Conviction," "Never Let Me Go" and "Going the Distance," if you must know) on a recent EgyptAir flight from Cairo to JFK. if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('c8013b13-3c98-4123-806b-d55904003b25');Get the Poll Creator Pro widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info)But, it was also a flick I probably would not have watched under any circumstance other than being trapped in a seat, sleepless, for more than 10 hours, the ultimate captive audience member. In-flight entertainment options are a crucial part of our flying experience, and while mile-high WiFi and the rapidly increasing number of cinematic options on our portable devices is making the airline-provided movie choices less vital, for many passengers what's playing on the little screen in the seat in front of them is still the only available distraction. For the most part, there's a method to the airlines' madness. Their selections are, believe it or not, deliberate. American Airlines, for instance, has a movie polling site, vote.americanairlinesentertainment.com, on which passengers and employees can vote on the available upcoming selections. American then reviews the results and makes its final picks. American selects between 350 to 400 feature films per year for all its domestic and international flights (a feat that dwarfs any Netflix queue). Virgin America and Virgin Atlantic pride themselves on their in-flight entertainment options. Virgin Atlantic "is one of the few airlines to have their own in-house acquisitions team and much time, care and research goes into the monthly in-flight entertainment selection," the airline said in a statement. Each selection cycle begins six to eight weeks ahead of the playdate, according to Virgin Atlantic. "Our selection criteria takes into account each title's theatrical release date, box office success, critical acclaim and any award nominations. We also consider seasonal implications, for example, we program more children's movies during school holidays," the airline explained. Undoubtedly, Virgin has some pretty solid movie options. But had I flown Virgin rather than EgyptAir, I would never have gotten to watch the mesmerizing dance sequences in "Step Up 3," and consequently dreamt up my plan to become a break dancer. Do you look forward to in-flight movies, or dread them? Have you had any pleasant surprises? Let us know by voting in our poll or commenting below. More from Budget Travel: Southwest undercuts competition with $5 in-flight Internet Top 10 Beaches From the Movies: Photos Rating airlines: what factor matters most?