Wi-Fi hot spots are a blessing for any traveler. You can connect your laptop, tablet or smartphone to the Internet with little hassle. Plus, you won't be using up your data plan and risking overage charges.

The trick is finding a hot spot, and preferably a free one. You often see people walking from place to place looking for a connection. Instead, I recommend planning ahead.

Before you set off, pay a visit to JiWire's Wi-Fi Finder. It lists more than 680,000 hot spots worldwide. That makes it a great site for international travelers, too.

You can find free and paid Wi-Fi hot spots in the database. Of course, free spots are always your first choice. But you'll want to look at the paid hot spots, too, and find out who offers the cheapest choices. It's good to know for when you find yourself in an area without free options.