It’s probably fair to say that we’d all like a little more money in our pockets when we go on holiday. After all, all those entertainment and dinning bills soon add up! Holidays are no time for cutting corners or selling yourself short, but at the same time you have to be realistic.
Which is why it’s a good idea to arm yourself with a few tips, tricks and hacks from the experts, before you set sail for foreign shores. They might not make you rich, but they could certainly help ensure your money goes at least a little bit further!
Care with Currency
It’s largely unheard of these days for any traveller to get a better exchange rate at home than in the country they’re travelling to. That is, unless you make the mistake of using exchange offices in airports, around local tourist attractions or even in your hotel. Always change your cash on the other side, but be sure to have a little on-hand for emergency purposes when you arrive.
Clear Cookies and Enable Private Browsing
You know those cookies that ensure websites know which language to fire-up in and various other bits and pieces each time you access them? Well, they can also result in you paying more than necessary for flights, accommodation and so on. Some experts have warned that dynamic pricing models adopted by many airlines and hotels gradually increase prices, each time the same user re-visits the site in question. It’s a tactic to tempt you into buying impulsively, but can be beaten by clearing cooking and enabling private browsing.
Use the Right Cards
Traveling internationally? You need credit and debit cards that don’t charge foreign transaction fees. There are benefits when paying for flights and hotels with a credit card such as improving your credit score – you can read more information about that over at ClearScore. You might also want to consider reward/cashback schemes like Avios, which over time can lead to heavy discounts or perhaps even free airline tickets! Also call your credit card company to let them know you’re traveling, otherwise your card might well be put on hold.
Tell Your Bank
One of the best ways of getting a great exchange rate and never ending up with too much foreign currency is to withdraw as you go using your bank card. However, you’ll need to speak to your bank first as they may attach totally OTT charges to the service, rendering it completely unviable when looking to save money. In some instances, they may offer a facility for free international withdrawals and use of your card in general.
Use Free Stopovers
Last up, instead of planning an adventure holiday step by step, why not work in accordance with scheduled flight stopovers? For example, if you’re looking to fly to the US, you could always choose a flight that swaps in Iceland and spend a few days there, without paying an additional supplement. If you’re savvy enough, any point-to-point trip can be transformed into the holiday of a lifetime – all while paying a lower price than a comparable non-stop service.
