With the Christmas holidays just around the corner, many people will be travelling abroad to spend the festive season in the sun. But with the cost of living crisis hitting everyone hard, saving money where you can is crucial.
Travel money providers eurochange has come up with several handy tips for travellers going abroad this Christmas. Charles Stewart, managing director at eurochange. shares his top tips on how to avoid getting ripped off whilst travelling abroad this season...
Daily Budgeting
It is strongly recommended to make sure you have a budget for each day (that accounts for extra expenses) and set it aside in cash, which will better ensure you don’t overspend as you are using physical currency. It’s also important to think ahead, like having a bigger daily budget for the first day when you will probably need taxis or public transport from the airport to your hotel.
Using Public transport
Getting yourself familiar with the local public transport could save you a lot of money as it is always cheaper than taking taxis. Many tourist hotspots offer better deals when booking in advance and provide discounts of up to 20 per cent when booking as a family.
Busses and trains are almost always much cheaper to use, but depending on where you are going, sometimes taxis are the only option. When that's the case, it is best to ask your hotel reception which services are best to ensure you avoid paying over the odds. When it comes to trains, Rail Europe is a great planning and booking service that provides daily deals for holidaymakers.
Research on restaurants and amenities
Turning up on holiday and not knowing where to eat or what activities to do can end up costing you more in the long run. By researching and planning where to go you can budget your money better as you will already have an idea of prices before you sit down to eat, so there will be no surprises when you get the bill.
Avoid exchanging money at the airport
It’s always best to exchange currency before travelling to your destination as airport and ferry port exchange rates are usually well below the best value. This is because exchanges at the airport know that it is the last resort for getting your currency, so they will often have the lowest rate possible. Travellers should also pay in the local currency whenever possible to avoid the non-EU cash fee of 2.5% that some machines charge when withdrawing.
Hidden fees
There are some other hidden fees that you will want to avoid when travelling such as;
Hotel Wi-fi - some do have an extra charge for using their internet during your stay so be sure to read the terms and conditions.
Exchange and translation fees - Sometimes using cash isn’t always an option, particularly with bigger purchases you might make abroad. So if you do have to use your card, make sure you read your banks' individual transaction fees for purchases abroad to make sure you’re not faced with any unexpected charges.
Hiring cars - Although you probably will have budgeted for car hire, it's worth remembering that accidental damage to the vehicle may result in not getting all of your deposit back, so it's good to account for that when budgeting.
