Boost your Travel spending money.
Rather than leave your travel money planning till the last minute a little bit of forward planning could save you a lot.
Airports, ferry terminals and railway stations usually offer the poorest exchange rates and the highest commission charges and most major banks are often not much better.
Much better deals can be found online with a little bit of research. For example Travelex will allow you to secure an exchange rate up to 60 days in advance of travel. If the currency you are purchasing is on an upward trend against your currency, it could save you a considerable amount by ordering it early.
Generally you pay up front when you order and then collect your money at the place of departure for example an airport the day you depart.
The five main methods of spending abroad are: cash, credit card, debit card, pre pay card and travellers cheques.
Most of us don�t want to carry around large amounts of cash when abroad so another option is needed to withdraw cash.
Traveller�s cheques are not always convenient when abroad as it is necessary to have your passport with you and if you were travelling to remote areas it might be hard to find an exchange outlet. You will also be charged a commission on each transaction.
Credit cards can work out expensive when buying foreign currency, as the lender often regards this as an ATM transaction, leaving you subject to higher interest rates and extra charges.
Debit cards offer a cheaper option but are not free to use, most banks will charge for each overseas transaction, so if choosing this option when abroad it is best to check with your bank first to see what their charges are.
A new trend currently rising in popularity for travel spending are pre-paid travel cards.
These allow you to spend the fixed amount you choose to put on the card before you travel, so you are less likely to go over budget whilst away.
These cards are standalone and not linked to any bank account in your name, they bear similar symbols to debit or credit cards and offer charge free transactions when shopping abroad, although there is a charge for cash withdrawals.
Whatever you do before you travel a little bit of research before you depart should make your money stretch a lot further, especially with the fluctuating currency markets at the moment.
About the Author
Mark Carter Lives in North Lincolnshre in the UK. His main Interests are Travel and his websites are listed below all Travel related.
http://www.tapirtravel.com/ (Online Budget Travel booking) http://destination.top-site-list.com/ (Free topsite Directory for Travel sites) http://capybara.proboards52.com/ (Greek Islands and Mainland Message Board) http://worldwidetravelblog.blogspot.com/ ( A Travel related blog)
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