How to manage money while travelling

Image by Roby© via Flickr

One of the most important decision when you are about to go on a trip, at home or abroad, is to decide how you are going to pay for yourself. There are a few options, some better than others, where cash, credit or debit card and traveler's checks are best. Often the answer depends on the country you are going to, and in most cases, it might be advisable to choose a mix.

Tip 1: Browse the Internet for information and see what cards are accepted in the places that you are about to visit, not every country have the same rules and regulations. See what charges and fees apply for the cards as well as the travelers' checks. Depending on the answers, you will be better equipped to make a decision.

Tip 2: It's advisable to always carry a small amount of cash, no matter what option you are choosing as you might have to tip, pay for the taxi, make a call or find that the card is faulty.

If you do decide to opt for a debit card, you have made a wise decision. By having a debit card, you won't have to bring too much cash with you. Seeing as your debit card is connected to your bank account, the money you are about to spend, is the money that you have saved and is yours. You won't get a credit card bill in the mail a few weeks after the trip. No unpleasant surprises here.

Tip 3: With the ATM receipt, you can keep track of the money you have withdrawn. If you are connected to the Internet bank, you might also be able to go and see exactly how much money is in your account and how much they have taken from the account. This is especially good if you are withdrawing money in a different currency.

If you lose the debit card or it is stolen, you will be able to call your bank and have it disconnected immediately. There is also a safety net as you are only liable for some of the loss if thieves manage to withdraw money.

Tip 4: Have someone at home help you with your money. If you only have a few hundred dollars in the account at any single time, you will feel safer. When you have used up your money, simply call home and ask them send more money into the account,

Tip 5: Never show anyone your pin number, and don't leave the card to someone and let them walk away with it. Make them bring the machine to you. That way that can't copy your card.

Tip 6: If there is a fee for using the ATM, try and pay as much as possible with the card, and plan your withdrawals carefully.

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Tips for using E-tickets

Some years ago there was only the one option to buy your travel ticket. You had to go to the travel agent and they then booked the trip for you. Whether you went in to their shop or gave them a call, the travel agent was the point of contact for your holiday needs.

With the Internet came a huge shift in the holiday and travel market. There was now a bigger, fiercer competition than ever before as the Internet sites were offering cheaper deals at a click of a button.

Rather than having a travel agent doing the booking for you, you were encouraged to take active part in the booking process and search for the bargain of your life.

For these Internet deals to be even cheaper the old reliable paper tickets, that came in the post, was soon dispensed of and the e-ticket emerged. An e-ticket works the same way as a standard ticket would, it just looks different. You will get a reference number and all the details of you particular hotel stay, flight or car rental will be described on the ticket.

Before you make that purchase, make sure that you have researched the market properly. A good advice is to check the travel agents and get a quote there. Then browse the Internet for better deals. Most search engines have reviews from customers and although they are not always telling the truth, they do give a general advice. Talk to friends and family and see how they got one and if they have any tips.

Once you have decided to make the purchase make sure that you read everything properly. As you are the one making the booking, you will be the one to pay for any misunderstandings or mistakes. A common mistake is to spell a name of a passenger wrong and then it can, at best, be dear to have the name change, or catastrophic if the passenger is declined the trip.

Depending on what kind of trip you book; flight, ferry, car rental or accommodation, you will receive an e-mail that confirms your booking. Make sure that you read this and that you are happy. Most booking is non-refundable and changes are very expensive. You will be issued with a booking reference number, print this number and write it down somewhere so that you have a duplicate. Today, most places go by your name and you don't need the reference number but you can never be sure. If there should be a problem, have a copy of the booking with you as proof of purchase.

It is easy to make the booking and most times it works without any hassle. At first it might seem suspicious and you might worry that you won`t end up getting the product that you pay for but once you have started using e-tickets, you will soon reap the benefits of cheaper holidays. If you are unsure, call the place or reservation centre and have the booking confirmed, but do check the rate at which these calls are charged as it can be an unpleasant surprise otherwise.

Booking online also puts you at risk as you pay with a credit card. Make sure that it is a secure transaction before giving away all you details.

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Venice hotel for 1 cent per night

What a mistake! Offering luxury hotel rooms for € 1 cent. Cheap accommodation have never been cheaper.

Haven't we all wanted to get hold of that bargain? Well, a few lucky ones probably couldn't believe their luck when the hotel offered a deal for €0.01 per night. Admittedly, it was a mistake but the hotel will still honour the bookings to a reported loss of over €90,000.

It is the 4 star Crowne Plaze in Venice, Italy who made the big error. Over 250 lucky guest were able to pick up the bargain before the hotel was made aware of their error and had it rectified. By then, over 1400 hotel nights were booked. The hotel has declined to comment but some would say that their big loss will turn into a profit as the hotel have got massive PR in the press and television.

As a bargain hunter, how can you seek out these deals and human errors? The best way is probably to stay tuned into all the social networking sites. Did Twitter and Facebook announce it before the hotel closed the loophole? If they did, well, then they might also be able to give you the next big bargain. If not, finding one of these again might be like winning the lotto.

Where to stay in Las Vegas

Image by SIROBERT YOUNG via Flickr

It's always hard to find a cheap hotel in a place that is as popular as Las Vegas. What makes it even harder is that a lot of the people who come here are backed with cash and so can afford to pay a bit extra. Gamblers will come all year round and so will the people who come to see the spectacular shows but there are periods when the tourist won't come and that is when the great deal might present itself.

Decide what you want with your trip; whether it is looking at a particular show, gambling or just to soak up the atmosphere. Then decide how close you need to be to the main strip. The further out you go, the cheaper the hotels. If you intend to make this a once in a lifetime event, then maybe you should pay that bit extra to be in the middle of everything.

In a place like Las Vegas there are always going to be cheap accommodation that won't live up to normal standards, as there will be 5 star hotels with everything you ever dreamed of. When you have this much of a variety, the best thing to do is to decide what standard you want and what extras, if any, you are requiring. Then go on the Internet and check for good deals that match what you want and what you are prepare to pay. Some of them might include drink or dinner vouchers, gambling credit etc. If they do, decide whether or not you think this is an offer for you.

A few good ones:

Riviera Hotel and Casino ~ a 3 star hotel located on the North Strip and within walking distance to the main casinos. They have a casino, a spa and dining facilities. The 2000 rooms include all modern cons and there is a safe in each room. Only downside is that you are not allowed to check in on Saturday. Prices range from as low as $70 if you choose mid-week off-peak.

Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino ~ this hotel lies 4 miles from Downtown Las Vegas but within walking distance of the Fashion Show Mall. With a price under $ 100 this might be the place you have been looking for. There is a spa and the hotel has live entertainment. Depending on season, they also have luas.

Tropicana Hotel and Casino ~ this is another 3 star hotel which offers budget accommodation under US 100. Located on the South Strip and connected via walkways to the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino this is in a prime location. The hotel boosts 7 restaurants and 2 bars. There is a five-acre garden and a pool complex as well as live entertainment. If you book on the Internet they give you special discounts and tw0-for-one admissions to certain places.

Bally's Las Vegas ~ this hotel is located on the Centre Strip and puts you right in the middle of all the action. They have live entertainment with a famous showgirl extravaganza, spas with various treatments and in the casino they have poker games, roulette, craps and blackjack tables. Prices around $ 150 it's a bit pricy but well worth it.

MGM and Grand Hotel Casino ~ if you are looking for a bit of a treat this 4 star hotel is well worth the money. Prices range from around $200. It is located on the south end of the Strip in Las Vegas and is near to a lot of action. There are 16 restaurants in the complex which also features a spa with fitness center, saunas, steam rooms and spa tubs. The hotel has over 5000 rooms and 6 nightclubs, a real treat for you.

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Free things to do in London

Image by Anirudh Koul via Flickr

With London’s great attractions and entertainment, it often feels like you can't do London on a budget, but that is completely untrue. Take a look at some of the less talked about events or sights and you will see that many of them are completely free. It is however easy to fall into the sightseeing craze where you want to see it all. In that case, it can prove very expensive indeed.

So, what do you do if you don't have much money and still want to soak up the famous atmosphere?

You join in on all the fun, the only exception, you won't have to pay. Whatever your hobby or interest, London offers a great variety of freebies and it's there for your taking.

1. Head over to Buckingham Palace and watch the changing of the guards. Note that in winter this occurs every other day rather than daily like in the summer. Not only is it free but every visitor to London will eventually turn up here so you get plenty of atmosphere. Once you are here, walk around the palace, take some photos and then stroll over to Harrods for some window-shopping.

2. Walk around the lovely parks; Hyde Park, St James's and St Regent's park. The Speaker's corner is an area in Hyde Park where public speaking is allowed. Sit down, relax and enjoy whatever the subject might be of today's speakers. A few blocks away you have Oxford Street with all of its shops. If you like browsing through the merchandise, this might be a place to stop.

3. London's museums are often free and very interesting. If not all the time, there are times and days when you get in without having to pay. Take a look at the British museum, Sir John Soane’s Museum, the Natural History and Science museum, Victoria & Albert Museum and the Imperial War Museum. There are plenty of interesting things in these museums to occupy you on a rainy day.

4. Take a stroll around Covent Garden and sit down and enjoy the free street entertainment. This place always drags a crowd of tourists so you won't be the only one there. The place has a terrific atmosphere and the crowd is always enthusiastic whatever the entertainment. There is usually a market as well and a few local shops. A stroll away is Leister Square which comes alive at night.

5. Visit the various markets around London. Most famous are the Portobello market, the market in Camden Town and the Notting Hill market. Why not try and find the blue door from the film Notting Hill?

6. Walking is as always free and a stroll along the river Thames is a great way to pass away a few hours. See the Globe from the outside; they sometimes act parts of the play outside. Take a closer look at the Tower Bridge and listen to the men and women entertaining the pedestrians.

7. Trafalgar Square is one of those famous places in London you shouldn't miss. Lord Nelson is
raising high above street level and the birds are being feed all around you. Sit down and look at the people passing by or try and climb up on one of the lions underneath Lord Nelson. It is great fun for all ages.

8. Piccadilly Circus is another landmark that people tend to take a look at. Walk down there and join the crowds. There are a few good restaurants and bars in this area if you are feeling hungry or thirsty.

If you do feel like spending a few pounds, I suggest that you jump on one of the busses and take a trip around London. It's a great way of seeing a lot without paying much. It's nearly as good as those tourist busses driving around. It's also good for your bearing. London is so big that you sometimes lose track of where you are and how long to get from A to B. Try and do everything in one area at the same time so that you don't have to go back and forth too much.

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How to avoid paying Ryanair’s credit card fees

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Ryanair is one of the world’s cheapest airlines. This low-cost airlines offers amazing value tickets for flights within Europe, starting at € 0. However, as always there is a snag. You will have to fork out substantially more than the flight price to actually be able to book the ticket. If you do decide that you don’t need much luggage and that the handbag allowance of one bag is sufficient, you will still need to pay to check-in. On top of that, you will have to pay a credit card fee unless you are the lucky holder of a VISA Electron. In the end, the free ticket could cost you a good bit more than you expected.

So, is there a way of getting around this? Well, if you could get your hands on a VISA Electron card which Ryanair doesn’t charge for using, I’d say; go for it. However, that seems to get increasingly hard to do so, especially if you are an adult. There is another option that I have heard about but not yet tried . It won’t be free, but it will cost you less than the €5 single fare credit card fee that Ryanair charge you if the ticket price is low.

Entropay is a company that offers virtual credit cards for a small fee. This fee is currently 4.95% of the amount you load your virtual card with. If you only load it with €10, the fee will be €0.495. As I haven’t used it myself, I can’t vouch for it to actually work but plenty of people swears by it. There is a snag though. When you choose your account currency, you need to pick GBP. That is the only way at the moment to get Ryanair to pick up on this card as a VISA Electron. So, once you have signed up to Entropay and created your virtual credit card, you need to pick VISA Electron when you are paying Ryanair and they credit card fee should be € 0.

Has anyone heard of this before or tried it?

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Why only one piece of hand luggage?

This week I travelled on the low-cost airlines Ryanair and EasyJet. I assume that most of you have heard of these no-frills companies that make their money from anything but the flight fare itself. To avoid having to pay the hefty baggage fees, we all have to make do with the 10 kilo hand luggage that we are entitled to. This didn’t use to be an major problem as your 10 kilo will see you trough a long weekend but in order to, I can only assume, make even more money, these companies decided that these 10 kg could had to be contained in one single bag.

So, rather than having one bag with about 10 kg and then a laptop bag, a hand bag and the duty free bag, they now want us to fit all that into the one single bag. A nearly impossible task. I tell you, there were many travellers with open bags trying to re-pack and reshuffle their items. I wonder what the duty free shops think about this? Especially with us buying less than before as it is with the recession.

I often buy a drink and a book to enjoy on the plane. I used to have it in a separate little bag so that I could easily place my luggage in the overhead locker and then sit down and let the rest of the passengers find their seats. But not this time. Now I had to fit that into my already overcrowded bag and once in the plane, I then had to open the bag and search for the items that I wanted. That took a while and the queue got longer and longer as more people had to do the same. I wonder what Ryanair and Easyjet accomplished here. Any thoughts?

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