Comments on: Five Money saving Holiday Tips http://www.travel-rants.com/2007/08/06/five-money-saving-holiday-tips/ Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:52:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Andy http://www.travel-rants.com/2007/08/06/five-money-saving-holiday-tips/#comment-89234 Andy Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:19:48 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/2007/08/06/five-money-saving-holiday-ideas/#comment-89234 If you get a local pay as you go sim card in whatever country you're in - then go to one of the websites like Rebtel via an internet cafe - you can set up your UK numbers through them and pay only 2p a minutes or something like that. This is the cheapest way. If you are exchanging a regular sum of money into dollars you can have a UK dollar account - send the sterling to one of the many foreign currency exchange companies who will then transfer at the best rate - they will even book a forwrd exchange rate - sticking at todays rate for up to one year - so long as you put down 10% within a few days. If you get a local pay as you go sim card in whatever country you’re in – then go to one of the websites like Rebtel via an internet cafe – you can set up your UK numbers through them and pay only 2p a minutes or something like that. This is the cheapest way. If you are exchanging a regular sum of money into dollars you can have a UK dollar account – send the sterling to one of the many foreign currency exchange companies who will then transfer at the best rate – they will even book a forwrd exchange rate – sticking at todays rate for up to one year – so long as you put down 10% within a few days.

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]]> By: Maya http://www.travel-rants.com/2007/08/06/five-money-saving-holiday-tips/#comment-83495 Maya Thu, 21 Feb 2008 12:36:30 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/2007/08/06/five-money-saving-holiday-ideas/#comment-83495 If the holiday is an all inclusive package, try to eat at the hotel and not waste money going to other place that will serve teh exact same food!!! espceially in developing coutries! unless a place has been recomended, then you can splurge! after all you are on holiday! If the holiday is an all inclusive package, try to eat at the hotel and not waste money going to other place that will serve teh exact same food!!! espceially in developing coutries! unless a place has been recomended, then you can splurge! after all you are on holiday!

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]]> By: Diane http://www.travel-rants.com/2007/08/06/five-money-saving-holiday-tips/#comment-73203 Diane Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:22:26 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/2007/08/06/five-money-saving-holiday-ideas/#comment-73203 I completely agree with your comments about leaving the mobile phone at home. People seem to attached to them though. My hint to add though is be nice to the holiday reps available and ask them where is cheap to go, or ask at tourist information. They will have loads of info on cheapo places to visit to save money and even have money off deals with some attractions. Don't forget that the beach is probably the cheapest place to go if you limit the amount of icecream you eat - so pick a spot away from the icecream vendors! I completely agree with your comments about leaving the mobile phone at home. People seem to attached to them though.
My hint to add though is be nice to the holiday reps available and ask them where is cheap to go, or ask at tourist information. They will have loads of info on cheapo places to visit to save money and even have money off deals with some attractions.
Don’t forget that the beach is probably the cheapest place to go if you limit the amount of icecream you eat – so pick a spot away from the icecream vendors!

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]]> By: Dee Edwards http://www.travel-rants.com/2007/08/06/five-money-saving-holiday-tips/#comment-60960 Dee Edwards Mon, 19 Nov 2007 12:51:31 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/2007/08/06/five-money-saving-holiday-ideas/#comment-60960 Re foreign currency, I agree (about not necessarily shopping around for relatively small amounts) when it's countries like anywhere in the EU, USA etc. I normally just get it at my bank as my bank account includes foreign currency transactions with no fee and the rate's not much different to anywhere else when you take the fees into account. So I find it's not worth the hassle (to me anywhere). However, in more developing countries, there's sometimes a local want for foreign currency. In Thailand for example, you can get off the plane and in the arrivals hall with zero hassle, you can exchange pounds sterling into the local currency at a rate that's often 10% better than you'd have got in a UK bank the day before. Again, it depends what sorts of amounts you want to exchange on whether this is worth it for you. For security, you might want to take money out of ATMs as you go instead, but then you have to factor in bank charges (although I understand this is not an issue with Nationwide). On sun lotions etc, depends where you're going. Definitely cheaper in the US, France etc but Italy can be pricy due to the pharmacy 'cartel' . Might seem like 'rip off Britain' but unbranded aspirin in Italy is more like 4 euros instead of 16 pence like it is in Tescos or Boots..!! Re the US/UK thing as well as the exchange rate, don't forget that it's a lot more expensive for companies to do business here. Re mobile phones, I'd say take it. BUT divert it before you get on the plane in the UK, preferably using network settings. If you wait till you are in the other country, the UK network will try your phone in the other country so even it's switched off, there will be a small charge. So you won't get charged for any incoming calls. You don't get charged for incoming texts anyway. And you have your phone in case you need to make any phone calls. Or just use it to text, but bear in mind texts sent abroad aren't included in standard plans and also cost more thant the standard text price. Dee Edwards Tell Tale Travel Re foreign currency, I agree (about not necessarily shopping around for relatively small amounts) when it’s countries like anywhere in the EU, USA etc. I normally just get it at my bank as my bank account includes foreign currency transactions with no fee and the rate’s not much different to anywhere else when you take the fees into account. So I find it’s not worth the hassle (to me anywhere).

However, in more developing countries, there’s sometimes a local want for foreign currency. In Thailand for example, you can get off the plane and in the arrivals hall with zero hassle, you can exchange pounds sterling into the local currency at a rate that’s often 10% better than you’d have got in a UK bank the day before. Again, it depends what sorts of amounts you want to exchange on whether this is worth it for you. For security, you might want to take money out of ATMs as you go instead, but then you have to factor in bank charges (although I understand this is not an issue with Nationwide).

On sun lotions etc, depends where you’re going. Definitely cheaper in the US, France etc but Italy can be pricy due to the pharmacy ‘cartel’ . Might seem like ‘rip off Britain’ but unbranded aspirin in Italy is more like 4 euros instead of 16 pence like it is in Tescos or Boots..!! Re the US/UK thing as well as the exchange rate, don’t forget that it’s a lot more expensive for companies to do business here.

Re mobile phones, I’d say take it. BUT divert it before you get on the plane in the UK, preferably using network settings. If you wait till you are in the other country, the UK network will try your phone in the other country so even it’s switched off, there will be a small charge. So you won’t get charged for any incoming calls. You don’t get charged for incoming texts anyway. And you have your phone in case you need to make any phone calls. Or just use it to text, but bear in mind texts sent abroad aren’t included in standard plans and also cost more thant the standard text price.

Dee Edwards
Tell Tale Travel

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]]> By: Holiday Money Saving Ideas http://www.travel-rants.com/2007/08/06/five-money-saving-holiday-tips/#comment-48691 Holiday Money Saving Ideas Thu, 13 Sep 2007 11:04:02 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/2007/08/06/five-money-saving-holiday-ideas/#comment-48691 [...] I came across this excellent post from Darren Cronian, editor of Travel Rants, discussing 5 Holiday Money Saving Tips. [...] [...] I came across this excellent post from Darren Cronian, editor of Travel Rants, discussing 5 Holiday Money Saving Tips. [...]

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