Money

NatWest and RBS most expensive for foreign cash withdrawals

lovemoney.com — 2013-05-17T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland customers are charged the most for using their debit cards to withdraw money abroad.

Customers of the two banks pay both a card transaction charge of 2% of the amount withdrawn, from a minimum of £2 up to a maximum of £5 per withdrawal, and a cash conversion charge of 2.75%.

Country charges
Research from Norwich & Peterborough Building Society found that holidaymakers using fee-charging debit cards in the top 10 foreign holiday destinations pay an average charge of £5.99.

Here's that top 10 in full.

Country	Average amount withdrawn per ATM withdrawal	Maximum amount in fees and charges for average withdrawal
1. Spain	£143.37	£6.81
2. France	£126.99	£6.03
3. Australia	£106.96	£5.08
4. Thailand	£162.77	£7.73
5. United States	£122.13	£5.80
6. Portugal	£117.36	£5.57
7. New Zealand	£99.43	£4.72
8. Italy	£129.67	£6.16
9. Greece	£149.85	£7.12
10. Germany	£101.64	£4.83
Average	£126.02	£5.99

What the banks and building societies charge
Other banks' charges vary but some international ones, such as Santander, offer fee-free withdrawals from their cash machines in their home countries, in Santander's case Spain.

Are you wondering what your current debit card will charge you for cash withdrawals abroad? Here's a breakdown of what to expect from some of the big names.

Bank/Building Society	Cash Conversion Charge	Card Transaction Charge
Barclays Bank	2.99%	£1.50 (free if you're using an ATM that's part of the Global Alliance - see here for more on which banks are included)
Bank of Scotland	2.99%	1.5%: min £2, max £4.50
Lloyds TSB	2.99%	1.5%: min £2, max £4.50
NatWest	2.75%	2%: min £2, max £5
Royal Bank of Scotland	2.75%	2%: min £2, max £5
First Direct	2.75%	2%: min £1.75, max £5
Santander	2.75% (free if using a Santander ATM in Spain)	1.5%: min £1.99 (free if using a Santander ATM in Spain)
HSBC	2.75%	2%: min £1.75, max £5 (free for Premier and Advance account holders)
Halifax	2.75%	£1.50
Clydesdale Bank	3.75%: min £1.50	Nil
Ulster Bank	2.65%	2.25%: min £2, max £5
Nationwide BS	2.00%	£1
Metro Bank	Nil	Nil
Norwich & Peterborough BS (Gold Classic and Gold Light accounts only)	Nil	Nil

Free alternatives
Norwich & Peterborough offers a fee-free debit card with their Gold Classic and Gold Light current accounts. Metro Bank also charges no fees on the debit card included with its current account.

Norwich & Peterborough's Gold Classic current account requires you to pay in at least £500 each month or you have to pay a £5 'underfunding charge'. Alternatively, with the Gold Light account you have to have a balance of at least £5,000 or make five transactions in and out of your account each month. If you don't, you'll pay a 'low usage' fee of £5 a month.

If you don't want to use the account as your main one, you'll probably be better off with the Gold Classic - just make sure you transfer the £500 over a month by setting up a direct debit from your main account.

For an account with no strings, Metro Bank's current account is perfect. There's just one catch - you need to visit a branch (or store, as they prefer to call them) to open one. At the moment, all of its branches are in the south-east of England, with the majority in London. But if you're planning a trip to the capital anyway, you could spend half an hour opening an account and then manage it online.

Another charge to watch out for
When you're looking for somewhere to withdraw your cash, make sure you avoid ATMs charging a withdrawal fee.

When a debit card might not be enough
You should also bear in mind that there are certain circumstances when you will need a credit card.

For example, some hotels and car hire companies insist you pay by credit card. And using a credit card mean you'll have extra spending protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

Compare the top credit cards to use abroad

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New clothes drive up holiday costs

Press Association — 2013-05-13T05:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

Women are adding more than a third to the initial cost of their holidays by splashing out on new clothes for their trips.

The average female holidaymaker spends as much as £245 on clothing, accessories and toiletries for their breaks abroad, a survey by travel agent sunshine.co.uk found.

This compares with an average outlay of £710 for flights and accommodation.

The poll was based on responses from 1,927 women aged 18 and over, all of whom had been on holiday abroad in the last 12 months.
They revealed that on average they spent £245 on their holiday wardrobe which included four pieces of swimwear, six summer dresses and five holiday tops/vests; three pairs of sandals/holiday shoes, two pairs of shorts and three pieces of holiday jewellery; sunglasses, a beach bag and sun lotion; and three pieces of make-up.

When asked why they had bought items as new instead of using what they already had in their wardrobe for holiday wear, 21% admitted it was so that they did not look the same in their holiday photos as on previous trips abroad. As many as 33% claimed they bought new items every time they went away.

Sunshine.co.uk co-founder Chris Clarkson said: "I think it's easy to forget about other costs involved in going on holiday on top of the flight and accommodation spend.

"More often than not, people only budget for their flight, accommodation and spending money, but small costs for things like holiday clothes and sun protection can add up.

"My advice would be for people to really take a look at the clothes and accessories they already have, because there's no need to buy new items each time you go away."

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Rising European petrol cost alert

Press Association — 2013-05-10T04:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

Motorists will have to dig deeper into their pockets to drive on the Continent this summer.

The cost of petrol has risen in most European countries compared with a year ago, a survey by Post Office Travel Money showed.

The rise is particularly sharp, at 7.4%, in Spain, while the increase in another country where Britons often take their cars - France - is 4.7%.

Of 17 European countries surveyed, only Croatia (down 3p a litre), the Czech Republic (down 1p), Switzerland (down 3p) and Denmark (down 7p) had cheaper petrol in April 2013 than in April 2012. The least-expensive European petrol is to be found in Andorra (117p a litre), followed by Luxembourg (123p) and Croatia (124p).
Spain's petrol is 130p a litre - 9p more than in April 2012, while petrol in France is 7p up on last year at 156p.

The most expensive of the countries surveyed for petrol was Norway where prices at the pumps have pushed up 7.2% to 179p a litre.

Diesel, which is generally much cheaper in Europe than the UK, has nevertheless risen in most of the 17 countries - going up 6.1% in Spain to 122p a litre and rising 3% in France to 139p a litre. Andorra has the cheapest diesel, at 105p a litre and Norway the dearest, at 164p.

Andrew Brown, of Post Office Travel Money, said: "The disparity between what motorists pay for diesel and for unleaded petrol in Europe is in marked contrast to the UK, where diesel has long been more expensive.

"This was just one of the anomalies we picked up in this year's survey, another being a difference of up 48p a litre in fuel costs across the eurozone."

He continued: "It may not make sense for holidaymakers to plan big detours just to save a few pounds, but the higher price of motoring on the Continent this year means they should plan their routes carefully before setting out so they keep costs down."

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Easyjet starts volcanic ash tests to avoid future travel chaos

Sandra Haurant — 2013-05-09T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

Easyjet has flown a tonne of volcanic ash from Reykjavik to the UK to be used in tests designed to avoid a repeat of travel chaos caused by the notorious Icelandic volcano eruption in 2010.

The Eyjafjallajokull eruption, and the ash cloud it spewed out above Iceland and beyond, left flights grounded worldwide. Travellers were left stranded or faced gruelling overland journeys to get home in April 2010. Losses to air carriers caused by the eruption were estimated at up to £2bn when airspace across Europe was closed as clouds of ash made it too dangerous for planes to fly.

It is hoped the new technology, known as AVOID, could help to steer clear of similar scenes in the future. EasyJet is now working with its partners, Airbus and Nicarnica, on the final stages of testing the technology, which it says can be likened to "a weather radar for ash."

The budget carrier said the tests will involve two Airbus planes. One will carry the imported volcanic ash and will be capable of dispersing it in the atmosphere to create an artificial ash cloud. The second will be fitted with the AVOID technology to detect and avoid ash at over 30,000ft. It will take place when two satellites (Seviri and Calypso) are aligned so that images of the ash cloud can be taken from space to help judge just how accurate the technology is.

Dr Fred Prata, the inventor of the AVOID technology, has been working on the system for the past two decades. He said: "This is the perfect science experiment. We will know exactly how much ash we have placed in the atmosphere, and also its concentration and composition. AVOID will then measure it and demonstrate the technology."

The AVOID system uses infrared technology, developed by the US military, fitted to aircraft to provide images that would allow pilots to see an ash cloud up to 100km in the distance and at altitudes between 5,000ft and 50,000ft. As such, they would be able to adjust the flight path to safely avoid any ash cloud.

Ian Davies, easyJet's engineering director, said: "The threat from Icelandic volcanoes continues and so finalising the approval of the AVOID technology is as crucial now as ever to ensure we never again see the scenes of spring 2010 when all flying ceased for several days.

"Transporting a tonne of volcanic ash from Iceland is an important step in the final journey of testing the technology and moving towards commercial certification."

The tests are planned to take place in August, but a spokesperson for easyJet said that the location where the test will be carried out has not yet been confirmed.

Half of Brits could be set for holiday health shock

Sarah Coles — 2013-05-08T10:23:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

New research has revealed a shocking lack of knowledge about your rights to healthcare when travelling. Almost half of all people think an EHIC card will get them free medical treatment if they are sick on holiday, and one in ten think it will pay for them to be flown back to the UK if they are unwell.

If they fall ill on holiday, they'll face a horrible shock.

Optimistic

The research, for Gocompare.com, found that 47% of people think the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles them to free emergency medical care anywhere in Europe, while 9% believe that having an EHIC means they can be flown back to the UK from Europe by air ambulance for free if seriously ill or injured. It means that 6% of people don't think they need to bother with travel insurance when they're going to Europe.

Reality

In fact, an EHIC entitles you to the same level of state medical care provided to people in the country you are travelling in (as long as it is in the EEA). This means treatment may be free or cost less. However, the level of state care varies from country to country, and few countries are completely free. For example, in France you may have to pay for a consultation with a doctor, and will only have up to 70% of it reimbursed later. You may also be expected to contribute to the cost of staying in a hospital overnight.

Also, in the event of an emergency, there is no guarantee that an ambulance will take you to a state hospital for treatment, and many of the smaller hospitals and clinics found in holiday resorts are privately run. If you go or are taken to a privately run clinic or hospital your EHIC may not be of any benefit at all.

Jeremy Cryer, head of travel insurance at Gocompare.com says: "Having an EHIC may help you to access free or, more likely, discounted emergency medical services whilst abroad but it's not a guarantee that you won't have to pay anything, and it certainly won't be any help if you need medical repatriation to the UK, the costs of which can run into thousands of pounds. It's also important to consider that an EHIC won't cover you for incidents such as losing your bags or having your passport stolen, which are typically covered by travel insurance. By using an EHIC as an alternative to travel insurance, you won't be protected in circumstances like these and risk being seriously out of pocket should something go wrong on your holiday."

The cost

If you want to be completely covered you need insurance. The researchers came across some of the bills which had been picked up by insurers that weren't covered by an EHIC. They included: one night in a ward of a private Spanish hospital at a cost of £800, treatment for a broken ankle in Tenerife at £7,000, and treatment for multiple injuries after being hit by a car in Greece - at a cost of £21,000.

The EHIC may not be foolproof, but you do need one. Cryer, commented: "An EHIC is an essential card to carry with you on holiday in Europe. Having one might mean that you don't have to claim on your travel insurance and pay an excess and some insurers will even waive the policy excess for medical claims where you've used your EHIC but where it doesn't cover the full cost of your treatment." The fact they can be so useful means it's alarming that 18% of people have never heard of them.

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Leisure costs continue to rise

Press Association — 2013-05-04T02:43:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

The cost of leisure activities continues to rise, with Premier League tickets and train fares leading the increase, according to a report.

The Spare Time Spending study from Halifax found that the price of Premier League tickets has increased by 16% in the past year, while adult off-peak train fares are up 8%, based on a sample of six journeys chosen for the survey.
The report found 17 of the 19 leisure costs included in the study have increased over the last 12 months, seven at a faster rate than inflation. However, readers have seen the price of digital books fall by 18% and those bought off the shelf by 2%.

Football remains the highest cost in the report, with an average monthly spend based on tickets for two Premier League matches of £85.85 - an increase of 198% in a decade.

Despite the Olympics effect, membership costs for all other sports listed in the report have increased in the last 12 months, but only gym memberships have risen at a faster rate than inflation (3%) to an average £37.93 a month.

The most expensive membership cost is golf with average monthly fees of £66.08, an increase of 54% since March 2003.

And while increases in the cost of fuel and train fare costs have been well documented, those opting for camping can expect an average daily spend of £35.38 on entertainment, provisions and local services - up from £24.25 in 2003 - in addition to an average site fee of £20 per pitch per night for a family tent.

A day at a theme park costs an average entrance charge of £40.44, up 38% on 2003.

Halifax director of current accounts Anthony Warrington said: "The fact that these costs are continuing to rise, and some at a faster rate than inflation, will put even more pressure on households as they try to plan ahead for the May bank holidays and half term. Even for those who are looking to do something for free, it will be hard not to be impacted by rising fuel costs."

A spokesman for the Association of Train Operating Companies disputed the findings on rail fares, saying: "The Halifax's figures are deeply misleading. The most recent published data by the official rail regulator shows that Off-Peak fares actually fell over the last year by 1.4% in real terms."

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Cheap and free things to do this May Bank Holiday

lovemoney.com — 2013-05-03T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

With a Bank Holiday right around the corner, we've rounded up plenty of cheap and free things to do to entertain the family.

This weekend is the first Bank Holiday of the summer, but you don't need to spend a fortune. There are plenty of things you can do to have fun without having to break the bank!
Lowry Outlet Food Festival
It's the first ever Lowry Outlet Food Festival up in Manchester between the 4th and 6th May. There's more than 80 stalls, plus celebrity chef demonstrations from the likes of Gino D'Acampo, James Martin and Paul Hollywood, and even live music.

Entry is free, though you will need to buy tickets to see the demonstrations.

Magnificent Motors
Eastbourne is host to the Magnificent Motors festival this weekend, boasting more than 500 vintage and classic cars, motorbikes and buses.

It all takes place on the seafront and is absolutely free.

Watch people get muddy
The Maldon Mud Race takes place in Maldon, Essex on Sunday 5th May.

It only costs you a charitable donation to watch hundreds of crazy people run through the mud of the River Blackwater at low tide.

The scarecrow festival!
Head to Urchfront in Wiltshire this weekend and you can check out the scarecrow festival. Each year as many as 50 scarecrows are made by local families to meet a theme. You can take part in a scarecrow trail, matching the scarecrows to the cryptic clues in the programme.

Free superheroes!
If you're in Leeds, head down to the Royal Armoury this weekend and check out the Arms & Armour of the Superhero exhibition. You can learn about the armour and combat skills of your favourite heroes, take part in an art masterclass and even have your photo taken with the likes of Batman, Wolverine and Iron Man.

And it won't cost you anything!

Teddy Bears Picnic
If you head down to Wentworth Castle on Bank Holiday Monday, you're in for a big surprise!
There's a teddy bears picnic going on, featuring a teddy home-made fancy dress competition, and lots of games and activities.

Entry is free for children who bring a teddy, while adults will have to pay £5.50.

Canalway Cavalcade
If you're around Paddington in London, head down to Little Venice where you can check out the Canalway Cavalcade, a waterways festival where there's a boat pageant, shows and stalls, Morris Dancers and all sorts of activities for the kids.

Entry is absolutely free.

The Dales Festival of Food & Drink
If you're near Wensleydale, head to Leyburn for the Dales Festival of Food & Drink.

There's more than 80 exhibitors, free cookery demonstrations, displays on how farmers' produce ends up in your supermarket and even a real ale festival.

Entry is free for under 16s, while adults will have to pay £8.

The Chilli Festival!
If you love your food with a kick, then head to the Eastnor Chilli Festival at Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire.

There will be more than 40 exhibitors, offering curry sauces, pastes, pickles and jams as well as a cookery theatre and live music.

Tickets are £9.50 for adults.

Ravenglass & Eskdale Steam Railway
The Ravenglass & Eskdale Steam Railway is holding a Family Fun Weekend, featuring circus skills workships, RSPB crafts, guided walks and Roman coin rubbing.

Entry is free though some activities will carry a charge.

National Trust events
Many National Trust locations are staging special events for the Bank Holiday which won't cost you any more than the standard admission charges.

For example of Sunday 5th May at Godolphin in Cornwall you can track the Gruffalo, while Corfe Castle in Dorset is holding a siege of Wareham re-enactment each day and Kingston Lacy near Bournemouth is holding the latest season of '50 things to do before you're 11 ¾'.

English National Surfing Championships
The English National Surfing Championships are taking place this weekend at Watergate Bay in Newquay this weekend.

Star Wars!
Hamleys in Glasgow is being invaded by Star Wars characters on Saturday and Sunday, with appearances from Darth Vader, Imperial Gunner, Wookies, Jedi Knights and even R2-D2.
The event is absolutely free, though you'll be invited to make donations to the CHAS charity.

Llandudno Transport Festival
Apparently the Llandudno Transport Festival is one of the UK's best-loved events. There's costumes, a vintage fairground and a number of attractions.

The festival includes commercial vehicles, tractors, steam engines, classic cars and bikes.
Entry is £6 for adults and £1 for children.

Southampton Maritime Festival
On Saturday and Sunday the Southampton Maritime Festival will be held at Ocean Cruise Terminal in Southampton.

Visitors will be able to visit ships that evacuated troops from Dunkirk, watch some re-enactments, enjoy live music and stage shows and watch diving displays. Admission is free for under 18s, and costs £5 for adults if you book in advance.

Oxfordshire Art Weeks
This one isn't just for the Bank Holiday, but all of May. Across Oxfordshire there's a massive arts festival with more than 500 exhibitions. And entry is completely free.

Family Fun Day at the Florrie
The Florrie is a Grade II listed Victoria building in Toxteth and on Bank Holiday Monday it's hosting a Family Fun Day, with activities, children's entertainer, face painters and even a home safari!

The British Rally Championships
On the 4th and 5th May Carlisle Racecourse will be hosting the Richard Burns Foundation Rally, the second round of the 2013 British Rally Championship.

You'll get to see more than 100 rally cars and some of the world's top racing drivers. And it won't cost you a penny!

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The railway station with just 14 passengers a year

Sarah Coles — 2013-05-02T07:53:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

The Office of Rail Regulation has published its annual list of the most and least used railway stations in the UK. And while the London mainline stations see tens of millions of passengers pass through the gates every year, there are a handful of stations where fewer than 20 people use the station each year.

So which are the least-used stations, and why are they still open?

Overall, the report showed that we are actually using the railways more - with a 6.7% increase in the number people people passing through the stations. The most used stations continued to be the London stations - with 94 million people using Waterloo, 76 million using Victoria, 57 million using Liverpool Street and 52.6 million using London Bridge.

Least-used

Teeside Airport station in Darlington took the top spot as the least-used station in the country, with just 14 passengers in the last year - this was down from the 18 passengers the year before. It is only 15 minutes from an airport which has hosted Airforce One (pictured). However, this station sees two trains a week - both of which stop there on a Sunday. It's arguable that it's not the kind of timetable that's going to increase foot traffic.

This was followed by Dorking West in Surrey, which managed just 16 passengers - down from 22 a year earlier.

Third on the list was Denton in Greater Manchester, which managed 30 - this is actually a reasonable showing given that only one train a week stops at the station - a one-way service on a Friday morning to Stalybridge.

Why?

Two of these stations are an anomaly of the promises the train companies give when they are awarded a franchise. They may be told they have to keep a line open. As a result they operate a very small number of trains, known in the business as ghost trains, which saves them the difficulty and expense of going through a formal consultation and closing the station.

The third station on the list is served well - with regular trains to London. It's just that most people in the town use the two other stations in the area Dorking and Deepdene.

There are plenty of other stations struggling with minimal passengers - including Reddish South, Coombe, Elton & Orston, Barry Links, Briech and Buckenham - all of which saw fewer than 50 passengers enter the station during the year.

Why not close?

It's arguable that given the lack of popularity of these stations, it's a waste of money to keep them open. However, The Friends of Denton Station would disagree. They are campaigning for more services to stop there, and in the interim, when a strain does stop, a member of the campaign distributes leaflets to all passengers urging them to continue using the line.

The group's website and Facebook page is a combination of the optimistic and the disappointed. Alan Jones, Chariman, wrote on the site in March: "1,000 leaflets were distributed in shops around the town centre of Denton up to now there has been no feedback whatsoever. I am beginning to despair of the people in the area nobody seems interested but I'm sure of one thing: if we did get a service they would use it and be glad of it ."

So what do you think? Are these stations set to die. or will a combination of local enthusiasm and franchise red tape save these stations?

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Best holiday rental deals revealed

Press Association — 2013-05-02T07:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

Holidaymakers should head north for the best holiday rental accommodation deals this summer, according to a survey.

Derbyshire, Yorkshire and the Scottish Highlands offer some of the best-value rental offers for the period July 13 to September 7, the survey by TripAdvisor showed.
In Europe, the best rental deals are to be found in the Canary Islands, and the Spanish mainland destinations of Andalucia and Valencia.

The average weekly cost of a bedroom in holiday rental accommodation in Derbyshire this summer is £243, with the cost in Yorkshire being £252 and in the Scottish Highlands £262.

On the same basis, the highest cost is in London, at £687, which is only 3% less than last summer when the Olympics pushed up prices in the UK capital.

London is far and away the most-pricey place to rent holiday rooms, with the next most-expensive location - Edinburgh - costing £454 on average for a one-week stay.

In Europe, the average weekly cost of a bedroom in the Canary Islands this summer is £296, with Andalucia being £310 and Valencia £321.

Campania in Italy is the most-expensive European location in the survey - at £696 - with Ile-de-France (which includes Paris) £563 , and Provence in France £561.

TripAdvisor spokeswoman Laurel Greatrix said: "Holiday rentals are a great way to keep the travel costs down, especially for families and groups.

"For the summer ahead, the best deals can be found in Derbyshire, Yorkshire and the Scottish Highlands, while those looking to head further afield will find good deals in Spain."

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CAA unveils new airport charge plan

Press Association — 2013-04-30T04:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

Air passengers received good news after aviation regulators proposed major changes in the way airlines are charged for using London's three main airports.

The proposals from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will mean airlines will be charged far less for using Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports from 2014-19 than they were for the 2009-14 period.

This will, in turn, limit the fare rises that would be imposed on passengers at these airports.

The CAA proposals, to be finalised next year, also provide cheer for the airlines which have been arguing against what they see as excessive charges.

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The cheapest holiday resorts

lovemoney.com — 2013-04-29T06:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

A new survey finds the Algarve is the cheapest of the major resorts many of us will be heading to this spring and summer.

Portugal's Algarve is the cheapest major holiday resort for UK holidaymakers, according to new research by Post Office Travel Money.
It took top spot from Spain's Costa Del Sol. The Spanish resort had come out cheapest in the Post Office's Worldwide Holiday Money report back in January.

It's now the second cheapest major resort, with the Costa Blanca in third.

How the Post Office calculates the cheapest resorts
To compare prices in the resorts, the Post Office researched the cost of the following ten items:

Cup of coffee
Bottle of local beer/lager
Bottle/can of Coca-Cola
Glass of wine
1.5l bottle of mineral water
English tabloid newspaper
Suncream (200ml)
Insect repellent
Pack of 20 Marlboro Lights cigarettes
Three-course evening meal for two, including a bottle of house wine

It's something of a clichéd list, but at least it gives a ballpark idea of how expensive a destination will be.

The ten cheapest major holiday resorts

Country/Resort	Total price of ten holiday items
Portugal: Algave	£46.34
Spain: Costa del Sol	£46.50
Spain: Costa Blanca	£47.14
Bulgaria: Sunny Beach	£47.32
Balearics: Mallorca	£55.46
USA: Orlando	£58.16
Turkey: Marmaris	£58.84
Egypt: Sharm el Sheikh	£62.83
Greece: Corfu	£64.45
Cyprus: Paphos	£65.13

The price of the items has fallen over the past 12 months in all but three of the destinations: Bulgaria, Turkey and Cyprus.

Sadly, it's no surprise to see price rises in Cyprus given the economic situation on the island.
The good news is that prices are falling in many Eurozone and American resorts, which helps as the pound has been falling against both the euro and the US dollar.

If you're heading to or considering Dubai, be aware that prices in Jumeirah have gone up by a whopping 66% in the past year.

For ways to cut the cost of going on holiday, take a look at the likes of How to get a cheap flight, How to get a bargain hotel room, and The best websites for bargain holidays.

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How to get a cheap flight

lovemoney.com — 2013-04-29T06:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

From shopping around to paying with reward points, there are loads of ways to cut the cost of flying.

Whether you're flying for business or pleasure, there are plenty of ways to save money.

Shop around
There are number of flight comparison sites out there, so make sure you use them to do the hard work for you. Try the likes of Kayak, Skyscanner, Momondo and Fly.com.

Once you've done that, take a look at the cheapest airlines' own websites, as they may have special deals on offer or a sale. If you're going to a popular holiday destination, check charter airlines such as Thomas Cook and Thomson, as well as scheduled airlines, as they may be cheaper.

Play around with dates
It can often be cheaper to fly mid-week, so if you're not restricted by dates, see if you can cut the price even further by changing when you go.

Compare the total price
If you're comparing so-called full-price airlines with budget ones, make sure you compare prices accurately. Budget airlines are notorious for levying extra charges for everything from checked-in luggage to paying by credit card.

Play your cards right
There are several credit cards that will offer you free flights, or enough reward points to pay for one. Ryanair's credit card offers you a European return flight (you just pay taxes and fees) if you spend £100 in the first 90 days after you take the card out. Spend £1,500 over a six-month period and you'll receive another return flight or spend £3,000+ and you'll get two return flights.

The Flybe card offers one return flight (again you just pay taxes and charges) to select UK and European destinations as soon as you spend on the card (you can spend as little as you like).

Apply successfully for the Lloyds TSB Duo Avios credit cards (you get an American Express and Mastercard), spend a minimum of £500 a month for the first three months and you'll receive 15,000 Avios - enough for a return flight to Western Europe (you'll have to pay £30 on top).

Meanwhile, the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold charge card will give you 20,000 Membership Reward points if you spend £2,000 in the first three months you hold the card.

These points can be converted into Avios, Nectar points or frequent flyer points for 15 airlines.

Note that this is a charge card so you have to pay off the balance in full each month. And there's normally a £125 membership fee, which is currently being waived for the first year.

Use points to pay
If you're a member of a reward or loyalty scheme, either directly or via a credit card, you could use the points to pay for flights. Here are the top general schemes.

Avios: formerly Aimiles, this scheme divides the world into zones based on distance. The Avios required to pay for them increases correspondingly. Return flights from the UK to other UK and Western European destinations cost 9,000 Avios and then the cost increases incrementally up to 100,000 Avios for a return flight to Australasia. However, all flights have taxes and fees added on to them, from £30 for European flights to a whopping £600 for Australia. As such, it's now only really worthwhile redeeming them on shorter flights. You can earn points via a variety of reward credit cards and by shopping online via the Avios store.

NatWest/Royal Bank of Scotland YourPoints: you can use these points to pay for flights from both easyJet and online travel agent ebookers. It costs around 11,000 points for a return UK flight (compared to 9,000 Avios), but that does include taxes and charges. You can collect these by spending on a NatWest/RBS Your Points credit card.

Nectar: 500 points is worth £2.50 off easyJet flights. Note that admin and credit card fees apply for all bookings made via Nectar. You can earn points at a host of retailers, including Sainsbury's, and via Nectar credit cards.

Tesco Clubcard: £10 in Clubcard vouchers is worth £15 of rewards tokens on Monarch flights; £2.50 in vouchers is worth 625 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles, 600 Avios or 600 BA Executive Club Avios.

Many airlines also have their own loyalty schemes which reward frequent flyers. Some, such as FlyBe's Rewards4All and Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club, also allow you to earn points if you spend using their branded credit cards (Virgin also rewards you for making online purchases via its shopping website).

Go as a courier
Many moons ago, this used to be a good way of getting a cheap flight in exchange for carrying some documents. Sadly, now the only route operating is from London Heathrow to Tokyo Narita with British Airways. The return fare starts at £532 in the low season, which is up to half the normal cost. For more information, call British Airways World Cargo on 0870 320 0301.

Look for age discounts
If you're a student, or under 26, it's worth checking out STA Travel. Not only will they help you tailor your journey, but they also have fares especially for younger travellers.

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Holiday funding by parents revealed

Press Association — 2013-04-26T04:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

It is not just younger offspring that are relying on the "bank of mum and dad" to finance their holidays, according to a survey.

Adults aged 35-44 are just as likely to get their parents to pay for their trips as those aged 25-34, the poll by Aviva showed.

Based on responses from 2,000 adults, the survey revealed that as many as 35% like to go away in groups with friends and family.

Of these big-group tourists, 20% end up being treated to their trip, with those from East Anglia and south-east England the most likely to go away with others just so they can get a "freebie".

The main reason given for taking breaks as part of large parties was spending quality time together, followed by the chance to engage in exciting activities. Around 15% said group trips helped spread the childcare responsibilities.

The favourite trip for these group travellers is a beach holiday, followed by a cultural city break. Hotels are the most popular form of accommodation.

The survey also showed that those holidaying with the same group of friends and family have been doing so for an average of almost seven years.

Aviva business development director Simon Warsop said: "It seems the days of rushing off to escape home life are behind us with friends and family now an integral part of our holiday plans."

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Mid Easterners pay for most hotels

Press Association — 2013-04-23T10:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

Middle East visitors pay the most for hotel rooms in the UK, according to a survey.

Guests from the Middle East forked out an average of £172 per room per night in 2012.

This was well ahead of second-placed Brazilian visitors who spent an average of £138 in 2012, the poll by Hotels.com found.

The figure for the Middle East was also well above the average figure of £100 paid last year by international visitors for UK hotel rooms.

Japanese visitors paid an average of £132 last year, with visitors from Mexico and Argentina both paying £130.

Of the 39 nations surveyed, 34 paid less for rooms last year than in 2011, four paid the same and only Japan paid more, with a small rise of 1%.

London was the top destination for overseas travellers last year, followed by Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow.

Kate Hopcraft, from Hotels.com, said: "It seems that Middle Eastern visitors have the most expensive tastes when visiting the UK, ahead of American, Chinese and Japanese tourists.

"Despite average prices paid dropping for many nations, continued high spending from international visitors is good news for the UK hotel industry."

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Med resort prices 'plummeting'

Press Association — 2013-04-22T09:45:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

Prices have plunged in popular Mediterranean resorts, according to a holiday cost-comparison report.

The tumbling prices mean favourite spots in Portugal and Spain are more affordable for Britons despite the weakness of the pound against the euro. But Italy is still proving an expensive place to visit, the report from Post Office Travel Money showed.
The report looked at in-resort prices, such as meals and drinks, at 20 locations, including Bournemouth and Blackpool in England.

Judged on 10 items, Albufeira in the Portuguese Algarve had the lowest prices, with the items costing £46.34. This was fractionally cheaper than in Torremolinos in southern Spain, where the items cost £46.50, and Javea on Spain's Costa Blanca (£47.14)
Prices at these three resorts are between 15% and 20% lower than this time last year.

Blackpool, where the items cost £65.96, was the 11th least-expensive resort in the 20-strong list, with Bournemouth (£78.01) 14th.

Most expensive resort in the list was the Jumeirah region of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates where the items cost £103.23. Sorrento in Italy (£101.79) and the Italian region of Tuscany (£94.92) were the next dearest destinations.

While a three-course evening meal for two, with wine, was just £20.56 in Albufeira, it was as much as £70.09 in Tuscany.

A cup of coffee in a bar or cafe in Albuefeira was 93p, but as much as £3.91 in Dubai.

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: "The pound may be worth less in Europe than a year ago but fierce competition means that lower prices in several of the resorts we surveyed can easily offset the falling value of sterling. Taking some time to check out resort costs and add them to package prices to find the best overall deal will pay dividends this summer."

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Strike-hit Lufthansa axes flights

Press Association — 2013-04-22T03:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

German airline Lufthansa has cancelled dozens of flights to and from the UK and Ireland on Monday due to strike action.

Around 100 flights - including departures and arrivals - have been cancelled at airports in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dublin.

The German airports affected by the strike are Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf and Hamburg.

The one-day strike, which is due to a pay dispute, will result in only about 20 of more than 1,650 scheduled short-haul flights operating.

The airline said many long-haul services will also be hit , with only six of 50 planned flights operating at its main Frankfurt hub, and only three of 17 in Munich.

Passengers affected by the cancellations can re-book for free, Lufthansa said.

The ver.di trade union announced the one-day "warning strike" - a tactic commonly used by German unions to raise pressure in wage talks - on Friday.

Last Wednesday, Lufthansa rejected the union's demand for wage increases of 5.2% over the next year as well as job guarantees.

Last year, the airline and a union representing cabin crews called in an arbitrator to settle a pay dispute after the union staged a series of short-term stoppages that caused numerous flight cancellations.

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easyJet: claim back the difference if prices fall before you fly

lovemoney.com — 2013-04-18T07:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

If the price has fallen on your easyJet flight since you booked it, don't get mad - get a refund!

Booked an easyJet flight? Check fares before departure as you can get a refund if seats have fallen in price.
I've just flown home from a lovely trip to Kos with an unexpected holiday souvenir; a £64 refund from easyJet. The budget airline stumped up under its little known 'price promise' when I challenged the fact that its previously rising fares were suddenly 20% cheaper just before departure.

Way back in November I booked three return flights from Gatwick to Kos over the Easter break. As we're restricted to school holidays in our family, I try to book early to bag the best fares and having seen prices nudging their way up I went online and booked our flights five months in advance.

All well and good. So why did I discover those one-time spiralling fares had actually come down in price just before departure?

I originally paid £96.99 for each seat on the outward journey and £68.65 on the return leg, but ten days before departure the outbound fares were advertised as £75.66 - over £20 a seat less - while the return leg had gone up in price.

Why do easyJet prices fall before departure?
Now I always thought the whole ethos of budget airlines was that the earlier you book, the cheaper the fare. I've occasionally lost out myself on some of those rock bottom rates simply because I haven't booked fast enough and found the price has gone up a few days later.

However easyJet's website wording is actually very clever claiming, 'in general our fares increase as the departure date gets nearer'. So no cast iron guarantee that this is what actually happens.

I rang easyJet's press office who immediately agreed that, 'the earlier you book the cheaper the fare', but went on to explain that the airline carefully monitors demand. So if you get close to departure and the plane's not full, then seat prices may be reducedto shift the tickets.

Ryanair by comparison say its lowest fares are always sold on a 'first come first served' basis. It doesn't offer any form of money back price promise.

easyJet's price promise
I was feeling a bit put out over the price drop until I discovered a useful nugget of information way down on the easyJet website. In a long list of over thirty terms and conditions I found 'Article 26' and the easyJet 'Price Promise'.

This says that if you book a flight through its website and later find the fare's fallen before departure, providing the reduced rate isn't part of a sale, you can claim a credit voucher towards your next flight.

Each leg of the journey is treated separately so the fact that my 'return' leg had since gone up didn't matter; I was still due money back on the outbound fare.

OK so any money back isn't cash in your hand and admittedly you have to jump through a few easyJet hoops to secure your credit voucher, but it can be done.

Claiming a refund
If you spot a lower fare before departure get on the phone quickly as you can only claim your credit voucher by calling the customer service team (0843 104 5000) so forget emails or writing in.

Claims can only be made while the lower flight price is still on sale, so if you don't act promptly you risk fares climbing back up and missing out. Credit vouchers can only be claimed by and issued to the person who made the original booking, but any price refund will cover everyone in the party.

Then there's the call centre charges; these are 5p a minute, (plus network rates), and be warned you can face a lengthy queue. On the day I rang there was a recorded message warning of lengthy delays due to high call volume as a result of bad weather. But as hanging up meant those flight prices could go back up I persevered and ten minutes later got through.

The prices were checked and I was given a reference code to quote against future bookings.

Write this down and hang on to it as although I was promised email confirmation this didn't arrive. On checking back, I was later told it's that all important reference that's key to securing your future discount.

Using your credit voucher
If you're in possession of a credit voucher it's up to you how you spend it and there's no obligation to travel with the same group again to benefit.

Vouchers can only be honoured on bookings made via the call centre, not those booked online, although you will still qualify for the discounted web rate.

And they're not open ended; credit vouchers expire six months from the date of issue, but providing the booking's made within this time you can travel anytime up to one year.

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Fun on a budget: Nine things to do for £9

Emma Sleight — 2013-03-29T03:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

As low wages and soaring tax rates take hold it seems like everyone is tightening their belts and spending less on entertainment.

People are turning more and more to cash saving websites like ebay, Quidco and myvouchercodes for shopping, but what about nights out and restaurant trips?

Museums and galleries may still be free (for now!) but what else can you get for under £10 in London? Here are nine things for £9 that you can indulge in guilt free, without breaking the bank.
1. High notes for low costs
If you thought that opera was reserved for the moneyed elite then think again. The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden offers tickets to its world-class performances from as little as £6. These seats might not be the best in the house - you'll be stuck up in the slips either standing or on padded benches - but if you don't suffer from vertigo and all you care about are acoustics then these are a steal. If you manage to grab a £6/£7.50 ticket then you've got enough change left for a scoop of luscious gourmet ice cream from artisan chocolatier Venchi in Covent Garden market - we recommend the 56 per cent dark chocolate or cappuccino flavours.

2. Cheap cinema
It's hard to find a decent cinema in London that doesn't charge over a tenner for a ticket, however, the fantastic Prince Charles cinema in Leicester Square still offers lunchtime and matinee showings of the latest blockbusters for £8 and classic films for £6.50 a ticket. Become a member for the paltry £10 annual fee and that price drops to £4, which leaves plenty of spare change to smuggle in some childhood favourite sweets from aquaterof.com where you can get 50 flying saucers and a quarter of blackjacks for £3.94 - how could you resist?

3. Splashing out
It's Saturday evening and you've got £9 left in your pocket. If you're going to have a drink then you'd better make it a good one. Bar nightjar - a prohibition-style jazz bar hidden away on the fringes of Shoreditch - has an excellent menu of weird and wonderful alcoholic concoctions. Try the Chrysanthemum: vodka, champagne vermouth, yellow blossom infusion, Benedictine and absinthe jelly or the London Mule: Gin, ginseng spirits, limes, Rhubarb and Korean pear, Galangal beer and stout bitters.

4. City swap
It's possible, if you get in there early enough, to get train tickets to major UK cities for under £10. Check thetrainline.com website and book up to three months in advance. An advance standard ticket to Birmingham costs £6 and there are loads of free things to do once you're there. Wander to Birmingham's oldest church, St Martin in the Bull Ring, visit the Symphony Hall and catch a free concert or relax in the beautiful grounds of Eastside City Park with a sandwich from one of Birmingham's best and most reasonably priced eateries, The Lord Clifden, where a huge BLT will set you back £2.95.

5. Taste of the unknown
Always wanted to take up ballet and photography or kickboxing and rock climbing or even salsa dancing, French and sailing but never had the time or the spare cash to commit to lengthy courses? Tasterlab.com has a huge database offering taster classes and sessions covering a plethora of activities in London and around the UK. Some are completely free and you can search by keywords dependent on your mood so there's guaranteed to be something for everyone from the cultured, like singing lessons and wine tasting, to a parkour class for the adventurous.

6. Michelin style working lunch
It's easy to spend £10 buying a sandwich, drink and coffee from a chain restaurant. Even if all you're after is a quick desk break, there are tastier things to spend your lunchtime budget on. Hereford Road restaurant in Westbourne Grove houses super chef Tom Pemerton, previously the head chef at St John Bread & Wine, and offers the cheapest, quality set lunch I've ever come across. Their express lunch includes a main course, glass of wine or beer and a coffee for £9.50. The menu changes daily but on last inspection it was offering mussels, cider and thyme and a London lager, bon apetit!

7. Thrifty theatre
Avoid hanging around the box office for return tickets and the relentless ticket touts in London's West End and instead try lastminute.com for bargain price tickets to musical theatre productions, Shakespeare's Globe and comedy nights. Prices range from £6-£15 and while the selection can be a bit hit-and-miss - there are currently tickets on sale for Shakespeare's As You Like It performed in the Georgian language - some are real finds like tickets for The 39 Steps at the Criterion Theatre for £12.

8. Lazy Sunday
Is your idea of sunday morning heaven buying a coffee, reading the sunday papers and catching up on the latest magazines? Re-create it at home for a fraction of the newsagent and cafe price with a subscription to your favourite sunday paper or magazine with isubscribe.co.uk. They offer huge discounts on subscriptions to every magazine and newspaper out there, like a 12-month subscription to The Guardian Weekly for £56.10 (that works out at £1.12 per week) and one month of The Times for £26.00 (92p per day) as well as 12 month subscriptions to Elle magazine for £18 (a measly £1.50 a month) and Empire for £30 (£2.50 per month). Combine it with some exceptionally good, hand-ground coffee from squaremilecoffee.com, where you can buy a 12-month subscription for £115 - 34p per day - and each month they'll send you a 350g bag of single origin coffee handpicked by the coffee aficionados in store.

9. Bank it
The only sensible option for the true scrimper and saver would be to invest the £9 a week in a high-yield ISA. The Coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk offers an online ISA with a 60 day notice withdrawal period and an impressive 2.80 per cent AER that can be opened with as little as £1. If you saved £9 a week for a year you'd have the tidy sum of £481.10 (including interest). Compare more savings accounts here.

Have you got any suggestions or money-saving ideas for days out? Tell us in the comment box below.

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Pay-as-you-weigh air fares urged

Press Association — 2013-03-25T05:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

It may only have a slim chance of succeeding but a pay-as-you-weigh airline pricing scheme has been suggested.

Heavier passengers would pay more for their plane tickets and lighter ones less under plans put forward by a Norwegian professor.

Writing in this month's Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management publication, Dr Bharat P Bhatta said weight and space should be taken into account when airlines price their tickets.

Dr Bhatta, of the Sogn og Fjordane University College in Norway, has put forward three proposals.

Fare according to actual weight: Charging passengers according to how much they and their belongings weigh, fixing a rate for kilograms per passenger so that a person weighing 60kg (132lbs or nine stone 6lbs) pays half the airfare of a 120kg (264lbs or 18 stone 12lbs) person;

Base fare minus or plus an extra charge: This option involves charging a fixed base rate, with an additional charge for heavier passengers to cover the extra costs. Every passenger could have a different fare according to this option;

Same fare if the passenger has an average weight, but discounted/extra fare for low/excess weight below/above a certain limit. This option results in three types of fares: high fares, average fares and low fares.

Dr Bhatta, who thinks the third option is most suitable for implementation, said: "Charging according to weight and space is a universally accepted principle, not only in transportation, but also in other services. As weight and space are far more important in aviation than other modes of transport, airlines should take this into account when pricing their tickets."

Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management editor Dr Ian Yeoman said: "For airlines, every extra kilogram means more expensive jet fuel must be burned, which leads to CO2 emissions and financial cost.

"As the airline industry is fraught with financial difficulties, marginally profitable and has seen exponential growth in the last decade, maybe they should be looking to introduce scales at the check-in."

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The Fixer: Timeshare resale scams

Jess Bown — 2013-03-21T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Holidays

Have you been left out of pocket due to poor service or sharp practice? Do you have a money problem that won't go away?

It can seem impossible to get a fair result when you are battling a financial issue alone. But never fear! The AOL Money Fixer is here to help.

Dear Fixer,
I bought a timeshare in Spain about 15 years ago and have been paying £200 a year in annual fees every since - despite never visiting the property.

Now, I have been contacted by a Spanish company called Platinum that claims it can sell my timeshare on if I send it £950 to arrange the sale.

I am very keen to get the timeshare off my hands, as the contract seems to run forever otherwise.

But I am a bit nervous about sending a company I know little about almost £1,000 - even though the man I have been speaking to seems to know what he is talking about and says he has a buyer lined up.

So I would like your advice about whether this is a legitimate offer to sell my timeshare on to someone else.

D Wright, Cardiff

Dear Mrs Wright,
Whatever you do, do not send any money to this company. It is almost certainly lying about having found a buyer for your timeshare and breaking the law by asking you for money upfront.

There are lots of dodgy timeshare resale companies around. And as of February 2011, an EU directive bans resale companies from levying charges until an actual sale has taken place or a contract has been otherwise terminated.

What's more, the fact that it contacted you out of the blue to offer you this great opportunity is very fishy indeed.

My advice would therefore be to politely but firmly decline the company's offer and to contact your timeshare company to see if there is a way you can get out of your contract - even if that means handing ownership back to it free of charge. Good luck!

The Fixer

Whatever your financial problem, write to themoneyfixer@aim.com and The AOL Money Fixer will get on the case.

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Pay-as-you-weigh air fares urged

The Fixer: Timeshare resale scams