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6th February 2017
We all love to treat ourselves while we’re on holiday. After all, it’s what we’ve been saving hard for all this time. A little splurging on souvenirs and dining can quickly add up.
But there are a few things you can do before and during your holiday to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
Before Your Holiday
Load Up On Foreign Currency
The more foreign currency you take with you, the more you’ll have to spend on your holiday. So before you go, we recommend doing your homework and finding the best exchange rate possible.
If you start looking a few weeks (or even months) before your trip, you’ll give yourself time to shop around and compare rates to make sure you get the best deal possible.
If you leave your foreign exchange to the last minute, you may be stuck with a rate that isn’t so hot.
Avoid Exchanging at the Airport
If you want to start with the most foreign currency possible, then try to avoid exchanging your money at the airport.
Exchange rates at airports are often less favourable than what you could get elsewhere, because you pay for the convenience of this last-minute exchange through worse exchange rates and additional fees.
You’ll likely get a better rate if you exchange your cash before heading to the airport, or by locking in a rate with a prepaid travel money card.
Arrange Stopover Money
While you’re pre-organising your exchange, take some time to think about any stopovers you might have. If you’re stuck in the airport for a while, how nice would a good meal, a coffee, and maybe a spot of duty-free shopping be?
You might spend less in the long run if you take some of your stopover destination’s currency with you, rather than paying by card or exchanging at the airport.
Understand the Local Currency
Before you leave, we recommend doing some research into the country you’re visiting and their currency. Know your rate of exchange, and understand the local customs.
Will you need to tip while you’re there? Will you pay less for a coffee if you take it away instead of drinking it in the café? Does the price you see include or exclude tax? Knowing these things will ensure you can either budget for extra things – like tipping – or know where you can make some savings.
Travel Money Oz has some handy destination guides on our website that you can read to help you with just this kind of information!
Get your travel insurance sorted
First, check if you already have travel insurance. Maybe you have a long-forgotten annual policy already in place? If you do: awesome. If not, it’s something to add to your to-do list. Because while the initial outlay may seem like a lot, should something happen while you’re on holiday, having travel insurance will mean you won’t need to dig into your spending money or other savings to cover those medical expenses or delayed travel costs.
While You’re On Your Holiday
Have a budget in mind
If you take the time to sort out a spending budget before you go, it will help you keep your travel money in check while you’re away, and help you avoid returning home to a scary credit card bill!
We have a budget planner available in our stores to help you work out how much you might need to spend and on what.
Avoid Travel Money Fees and Charges Where You Can
If you plan to use your bank card while overseas, you could find your spending money getting eaten away by fees and charges.
When using your bank card internationally, you’ll get the exchange rate available at the time, and you may get hit with a currency conversion fee. This could be a total of 3% of your transaction. Multiply that by however many times you might use your card, and that could amount to a substantial chunk of your travel money.
Minimise International ATM Withdrawal Fees
If you use your everyday bank card to withdraw cash while you’re overseas, you should be aware you could be hit with a few fees for doing so.
Your card provider may charge you a fee for the international conversion, and the owner of the foreign ATM may charge you a fee for using their machine. It’s just money down the drain, and costs that could be avoided or minimised by taking foreign currency with you – either as cash, or on a prepaid travel money card, or both.
Always Pay in the Local Currency
If you’re given the choice to pay in AUD or in the local currency, we recommend choosing the local currency. The local merchant is able to set their own exchange rate for offering you the convenience of paying in AUD, and the rate won’t always be favourable.
Look For Ways to Save Money
While you’re on holiday, you may find plenty of ways to save your travel money so you can make it stretch further.
If your accommodation includes breakfast, take advantage rather than eating brekky out. Visit local supermarkets to stock up on snacks and drinks for while you’re on the go. See if you can save with public transport passes rather than buying individual tickets. And make use of free Wi-Fi spots rather than using your own data (international roaming and data costs add up very quickly!).
These are just a few of the ways you can avoid unnecessary expenses and enjoy some extra spending money while you’re on holiday. Every bit saved means more money for you to spend on the fun side of travelling (like that bottle of wine with dinner, or that handmade wallet at the markets).
For more advice on your travel money, get in touch with the FXperts today.
This blog is provided for information only and does not take into consideration your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether the information and suggestions contained in any blog entry are appropriate for you, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs. While we take reasonable care in providing the blog, we give no warranties or representations that it is complete or accurate, or is appropriate for you. We are not liable for any loss caused, whether due to negligence or otherwise, arising from use of, or reliance on, the information and/or suggestions contained in this blog.
