DON’T GET RIPPED OFF ON HOLIDAY THIS SUMMER - SIX WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

Going on holiday is supposed to be a time of relaxation and rejuvenation.

But with common holiday scams costing tourists a lot of cash each year, it could soon turn into a financial headache if you’re not careful. MoneyMagpie is all about saving money, with deals, discounts, and savvy spending tips. So, we’ve compiled this list to help you avoid the most common holiday rip-offs to save your cash.

Read the fine print

Before you go on holiday, always read the fine print of agreements, whether that’s your hotel, insurance, or even flights. Make sure you know what fees might be charged on top of the original price. Is there an insurance excess? Does your accommodation add on a cleaning fee?

More than that, you might find a restaurant bill has charged for ‘free’ tap water, the bread basket, or with an extra hidden cover charge just for seating you at a table. If a charge isn’t advertised on the menu or anywhere in the restaurant, be sure to dispute it.

Ensure your insurance is correct

If you have booked a package holiday that is ATOL-protected, you will probably find a level of travel insurance is included. Read the contract terms in detail though – it might not cover everything, such as those with pre-existing illnesses. Check your travel insurance covers most eventualities such as cancellations, illness and injury, and repatriation costs. The level of cover you have should reflect your holiday type, too.

If you’re planning an active holiday with lots of sports, your level of cover should be higher than a lazy beach vacation. Don’t do things that’ll invalidate your insurance, either. Many tourists are caught in the moped trap, for example. While they can be a great way to get around holiday destinations, helmets are often seen as optional. But if you don’t wear a helmet and you have an accident, your travel insurance won’t cover medical or repatriation costs.

Pre-book travel

Whether you’re hopping on a bus from the airport to your hotel or want to rent a car to drive around lesser-known beauty spots, plan ahead. Pre-booking your travel options will help avoid last-minute scams, either from deliberate fraudsters or because of language barriers causing confusion. You can also shop around for the best deals or discounts to save by booking ahead of time.

When it comes to taking taxis, try to pre-book using an app like Uber or Lyft. If you can’t do that, agree the price beforehand. This will help prevent drivers from taking you on the tour around the houses or charging an extortionate fee.

Use your card

Cash used to be king but these days most places accept Visa and Mastercard at the least. It’s helpful to have some local currency on you, but gone are the days of exchanging hundreds of pounds at the airport before you fly. Prepaid cards can help protect you against theft or fraud, as they limit how much a person can spend to whatever is loaded on the card.

Revolut is a useful card which allows for easy top-ups and fee-free transactions, which could save you a lot compared to spending on your usual credit or debit card.

Don’t be a pick-pocket target

While not technically a money-saving tip, this could save you a lot of hassle if your phone or wallet is stolen on holiday. Keep your belongings close to you in a bag with a zip. When standing on public transport or in crowded places, keep your hand over the zip closure.

You could also invest in a runner’s armband to keep your phone, keys, and cash strapped close on your wrist or arm, too. Make sure before you go away that you take photos or copies of important documents like your passport and save them to a cloud server like Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud.

This will be a lifesaver if your documents are lost or stolen, and could save a lot of cash on emergency replacement fees.

Only use booked guides

If you’re planning on taking a walking tour around the city, find a pre-booked tour. Check the reviews on an independent site like TripAdvisor, and book online (which might snag you an extra discount, too!).

Don’t accept the offer of a local taking you on a tour, no matter how friendly they seem to be. This is a common scam. You will either be robbed outright, or forced into shops or restaurants to spend extortionate amounts of money. A pre-booked tour guide with a good reputation is the safest and money-saving option.

2024-06-26T14:48:52Z dg43tfdfdgfd