My Top tips for Saving Money while Travelling Abroad (Yes, it can be done!)

Having booked and paid for your holiday – hopefully a cruise booked through me, you will then need to budget for the expenses incurred while you are actually away. Even if you have booked a luxury all inclusive cruise, there are those little incidentals that can add up to quite an amount if you are not careful. Here are a few of my favourite tips for actually saving money just by giving things a bit of careful thought.

Get the right credit card for overseas spending!
Most cards add a 3% cost to the exchange rates banks themselves get. You can avoid this by packing a specialist card that doesn’t add this ‘load’, meaning you’ll get perfect exchange rates which beat even the best bureaux de change.
Pocket one just for spending overseas, though always repay IN FULL to avoid interest. You’ll need to apply at least a good three weeks before you go, to give it time to get set up.
The Halifax Clarity* credit card has no foreign exchange fee anywhere in the world for the best rate possible. Plus we’ve a canny pre-application eligibility checker, which leaves NO credit file mark and lets you see how likely you are to get it. ALWAYS fully repay by direct debit to minimise the 12.9% representative APR.

Get the right Travel Insurance!
This is most important – Get travel insurance as soon as you book. If not, you won’t be covered for cancellation or changes. Plus if you’ll go away two or more times a year, annual policies are usually cheaper. I am always happy to quote you so please ask me. Don’t leave it until two days before you travel as I just found out is what my brother does!

Those ‘essential’ waste of time holiday accessories!
You know the ones I mean – neck pillows for the flight, eye masks, adaptor plugs, even baterries. Buy them in advance – the pound shops usually stock these items and it will be way, way cheaper than paying to over-inflated prices at the airport. Forward planning is key.

 Buy your foreign currency in advance!
You’re a captive customer at an airport or ferry terminal, so you’ll probably be lumbered with the worst rates. If you must get your travel cash from the airport, order for pick-up to get a better rate.
I’m a bit lazy with this so I always just pop into my local Sainsburys and find the exchange rate there is fine.

Minimise your luggage by wearing it!
If you’re flying with a budget airline and want to stow luggage in the hold, expect to pay a hefty whack to do this. Plus the weight allowance for budget airlines can be lower than elsewhere, at roughly 15 to 20kg. Yet there are nifty ways to get round this.
Most airlines will give you a free 10kg hand luggage allowance (except Thomson, which only gives you 5kg). It’s amazing what you can fit in – use your home scales to help.
To minimise weight, wear your heaviest clothes and shoes. If near the weight limit, put heavy gear in your pockets, then stow your jacket under your seat on the plane.

Use up last years suncream!
Many simply buy new bottles of sun lotion every time they jet off. Yet don’t shell out if you don’t need to – open bottles can still be effective for up to two years.
The British Skin Foundation told us: “The main thing to keep an eye on is the Period After Opening (PAO) number on the back of the bottle.
“This normally looks like a jar with an open lid with a number next to it (eg, 12 or 24). This is the number of months you ought to keep and use the product for before throwing it away once opened.
“Sun tan lotions may, given time, start to separate and become less effective, so it’s always worth noting down on the bottle when it was first opened.”
It also recommends storing your sun lotion in a cool, dark place, and avoiding leaving it in direct sunlight when it’s in use.

Turn off your mobile – you’re on holiday!
If you’re not careful using the web abroad on your phone could rack up a bill of £100’s or £1000’s of pounds – TURN IT OFFF!!! This is chill time and you really don’t need it do you.

and finally…… Check Your Passport!
Many places require at least six months validity on your passport so check it well in advance. Otherwise you will have to pay premium rate to renew it along with the cost of fuel driving to and from your nearest passport office! forward planning is everything as I said before.

Happy Travelling!