How to Avoid Hidden Costs While Travelling

HOW TO AVOID HIDDEN COSTS WHILE TRAVELLING PHONE CHARGES £ £2.50 PER MINUTE Make sure you're aware of any charges your phone company might apply for using your phone overseas. This is particularly important with data roaming as this can really add up! Ensure that you factor any of these phone costs into your budget before you travel and even consider taking a pay as you go SIM. CREDIT + DEBIT CARD FEES AROUND £4 PER TRANSACTION Try to ensure that you take enough currency to wherever you are going, as ATMS will often charge an extortionate amount of money (approximately three percent of the withdrawal amount) for you to take money out. WASHING CLOTHES £ £8 PER SHIRT If you plan to be away for a long time, it's worth packing some washing powder with you so you can do your own laundry. Some hotels charge an extortionate amount just to wash one shirt, so it's well worth packing your own detergent just in case. HOTEL COSTS £18 PER NIGHT FOR 'RESORT FEES' Ensure that you read the fine print when booking your hotel, as they can often try to charge you for 'resort fees' which include checking out early, housekeeping visits, and payment for gym or pool access which is not always optional. AIRPORT BOREDOM SHOPPING £ AROUND £20 If you know that at the airport you're likely to buy a couple of books, a few magazines, that giant Toblerone bar that you've been excited about getting for months, and a couple of coffees, then make sure this is all budgeted in to your travel expenses. WIFI £ CAN BE £20 A DAY Even though you want to be able to use free Wi-Fi wherever possible, always make sure you check whether it's free or not. In an airport they'd probably ask for your payment details, but in a hotel this could easily just be added to your bill when you checkout. TAXI FARES 75% OFF THE PRICE OF THE FARE With regards to taxis, the most expensive ones are often the most convenient. Walk a little way from the airport or train station to find a taxi, and you could save as much as 75% off the price of the fare. Or even better, perhaps decide that you'll walk instead. SOUVENIRS + GIFTS USUALLY AROUND HALF £ THE COST OF THE ITEM YOU WANT TO BUY While you may not have much space (or money!) for too many souvenirs or gifts, it's inevitable that you'll probably see something you'll want to buy. Sellers will almost expect you to haggle so make sure you don't pay their overpriced up front costs! II FREE ATTRACTIONS £25.95 TO GO UP THE SHARD We realise that with some destinations there are sights you're always going to want to see, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris. However, it's worth doing a bit of research as there are often a few museums or sights that are free to see or that offer concessions. AIRPORT CHECK-IN £45 FEE FOR CHECK-IN AT THE AIRPORT FOR RYANAIR If you're travelling with a low-cost airline always remember that they may charge you for any additional extras. Therefore, it's not only more convenient time-wise, but also might save you some money if you check-in online, rather than at the airport. LIQUIDS AT THE AIRPORT £50 OR SO DEPENDING € ON WHAT YOU HAVE TO THROW AWAY Ensure not to waste money by throwing any liquids away at the airport. In your hand luggage, you can only usually take something that is 100ml or less, so make sure that anything over this is packed safely away in your hold luggage. DRINKING WATER AROUND £70 FOR A SHORT TRIP Make sure you do your research about whether or not you can drink the tap water where you plan to travel to. If you can't, remember to factor in money for enough bottled water, and possibly even invest in a water purification system such as a SteriPEN. TRAVEL TIMES 35% OFF YOUR ORIGINAL PRICE TUESDAY Always check when it's cheapest to travel; Which? research found that it was 35% cheaper to fly on a Tuesday than a Friday. Therefore if you're thinking about booking a long weekend somewhere, consider Saturday - Tuesday rather than Friday - Monday. FLIGHT LUGGAGE AS MUCH AS £80 FOR A BAG IN THE HOLD FOR RYANAIR Many airlines now charge extra for luggage that needs to be stowed in the hold, therefore try to pack as lightly as you can so that you can pack everything into hand luggage. However, if you need to pack any extra things, make sure you pay for it online rather than at the airport, as there is usually an extra charge. HIGH RENTAL CAR FEES ANOTHER FULL DAY'S € RENTAL COST, USUALLY AROUND £80 Be aware that rental car dealers will often try to catch you out with extra costs. Make sure to return your vehicle at the specified time, as even if you are half an hour past the due time, this could cost you another full day's rental cost. USE DIFFERENT AIRLINES £ AROUND £100 People always think you have to use the same airline to fly somewhere and to fly back home. This obviously isn't the case, so always check the lowest price for both outward and return flights across a range of airlines. SOURCES + REFERENCES ryanair.com currencyfair.com bankofamerica.com CXPORTA travelandleisure.com INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS FAST>> vagabondish.com travelfish.org worldtravelers.org www.exportaglobal.co.uk which.co.uk