Avoid Hidden Extras in the UK

There are hundreds of things to embrace in the UK, like Big Ben, royal guards and a pint of Guinness. But there are also things to avoid, like winter rain, too much Guinness, and fees hiding around the place. We’ve put together some handy ways you can avoid the nasty winter freeze from fees and keep getting the most out of your money. You’ve put a lot of time into your budget, so let’s keep hidden costs from budging it.

1. Using Cash
Great British pounds (GBP) may sound like a heavy currency, but it’s light in your pockets and is a convenient way to pay exact values.

2. Using a Card
The UK is well-equipped to cater to all kinds of cards – we definitely recommend you have one safely on you at all times. But some credit cards may charge high transaction fees for overseas purchases or provide an unclear fee sheet for your currency exchanges. The Multi-currency Cash Passport lets you lock in the exchange rate+ when you load GBP funds into your account, with the app you can also check your spend 24/7 and reload when you're ready.. and it's accepted everywhere Mastercard is! Bonus. 

3. Tipping
Just because you have cash handy doesn’t mean you have to tip (unless you’re sophisticated and feel the need to tip your top hat). The practice of tipping is very rare in the UK, with most bars, cafés and restaurants not expecting it from their customers. In some cases, a restaurant may have already incorporated a service fee into the cheque anyway. So if your budget is tight, don’t feel obliged to pay the extra pounds. But if your meal was marvellous or you’ve accumulated too much change, giving the waiter a tip is always appreciated.

4. Timing
If you’ve heard that a museum is free to get into, be careful when you time your visit. Some attractions and accommodation may charge different prices for different days, depending on tourist traffic. Planned timing also goes for buying train tickets outside of London. Either purchase the tickets a couple of days in advance, or consider getting a rail pass. This keeps the fares from rising considerably.

5. ‘All Aboard’ Cheap Fares
Wherever you are in the UK, you can always go… downtown. But you’ll want to have the cheapest fares when you do. Like in Australia, it pays to have the right transportation card with the price of fares changing depending on how they’re purchased. Travelling through London, the fairest fares come with using the Oyster card. But you actually don’t have to fork out the extra cash to buy the new card. The Multi-currency Cash Passport is a Mastercard product that has all of its benefits. This means it can be used just like an Oyster card (and it also gets you priority queuing for the London Eye).

For your return ticket, beware and be prepared for the departure tax. It can rise up to 150GBP (that’s one way to shed off those extra holiday pounds).

If you’d like more travel tips on avoiding hidden extras in the UK, contact the Travel Money NZ experts 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. The Multi-currency Cash Passport is an unsecured debt security issued by Travelex Card Services Limited, a member of the Travelex Group. Multi-currency Cash Passport is not guaranteed by any member of the Travelex Group or any other entity. Before you make a decision to acquire a Multi-currency Cash Passport card, we recommend you to read the Multi-currency Cash Passport prospectus which is available free of charge from www.cashpassport.co.nz. MasterCard® and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated. Before you load or reload foreign currencies onto the MCCP, please check www.cashpassport.co.nz for the latest currencies supported. Any advice does not take into account your personal needs, financial circumstances or objectives and you should consider if it is appropriate for you. +The prevailing exchange rate is locked in for the initial load value only. Subsequent card reloads will be processed at the then prevailing exchange rate on the day of the reload transaction.