Six Ways For An Affordable Summer Holiday

Some Great Tips From The Post Office

Looking for summer sunshine but don’t want to break the bank? Here are six ways to head abroad and still economise on the cost of your holiday.

1. Look at your timings Transport costs are a big chunk of any holiday budget. Booking tickets as far in advance as possible can keep the costs down, as prices are likely to rise considerably as summer approaches. If you are open to travelling midweek, or to taking an early-morning or late-night flight or ferry crossing these fares can be cheaper too. You can compare prices at sites such as aferry.co.uk and skyscanner.co.uk.  If you don’t think you can afford a holiday in the peak summer months, it might be worth looking at an earlier break instead. There’s still a good chance of sun and prices are not as hiked as they would be in July and August.
2. Stay at a home from home Camping isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s not the only budget option for accommodation abroad. You could try a home exchange with a family in the country you’d like to visit. You can advertise your home online (most require a registration fee) and set the length of time you’re looking to stay at sites such as homeexchange.com, homexchangevacation.com or homebase-hols.com. Another option is to house sit for owners who need to be away from home but don’t want to leave their property unoccupied – you’ll need to provide references though. Find out more at sites such as mindmyhome.com and trustedhousesitters.com.
3. Sort your money out in advance Don’t expect to get the best rate of exchange at the airport. The bureaux based in departure lounges know they’ve got a captive audience. At the Post Office we offer great rates and 0% commission on more than 70 currencies. Order your travel money online and you can pick it up at a branch near you or have it delivered to your home for free.
4. Another way to keep on track of your expenditure is to put what you want to spend on a prepaid card such as Travel Money Card Plus from the Post Office. We offer 8 different currencies and you can hold a maximum of £5000 across your cards. If you need to check your balance or view your recent transactions visit the website or send an SMS from anywhere in the world. Find out more about our Post Office Travel Money Card.
5. Organise a group tour Specialist holiday companies are starting to tap into a previously untapped resource – you. If you’re a whiz at holiday schedules and plans and know how to organise people, then you could bag yourself a discount or free holiday from sites such as adventuresincorporated.com or adventures-abroad.com by becoming a ‘group leader’ for a trip away. This doesn’t mean you have to guide the group day to day and from place to place, instead you organise who will be going, where they will be going, and when.
6. Volunteer your skills If you’ve got a skill you enjoy and are open to sharing, volunteering abroad could be a holiday option worth investigating. Diving, teaching, nursing or aiding conservation projects in the destination of your choice is a great way to find out about a country, and all you’ll need to do is pay for your flight. Sites such as volunteerhq.org or frontier.ac.uk will give you some idea what’s available. If a break on the open seas is what you’re looking after, you could earn your working passage as part of the crew of a yacht. You don’t need to be a seasoned sailor to be taken on, sometimes cooking or mechanical skills are required. Check out the kind of roles available at the UK-based Crewseekers International crewseekers.net. A Membership fee applies.
7. Look at your travel insurance option Do you think not taking out travel insurance is a good way of cutting your holiday costs? Think again. Lost luggage and delayed flights can turn your dream trip into an expensive nightmare. If you’re travelling outside the EU taking out travel insurance is a given in case you fall ill while you’re away as you’re EU medical card won’t cover you in these countries.

Passport Pete - A Warning From The Passport Office

This article was issued by the Post Office this week:

More than 1 million people left it until the 11th hour to apply for a passport last summer and risked missing out on their summer holidays.

The message is clear - check your passport and apply early. And to remind people the Identity and Passport Service has launched Passport Pete, a man who didn’t check his passport in time and missed out on his holiday.

Figures show that parents applying for passports for their children and young people aged 16 to 20 were the two biggest groups to submit a last minute passport application.

Despite extra staff being employed by the Identity and Passport Service during summer months, there are limited numbers of appointments at passport offices for a fast track service and customers cannot always rely on a last minute call to the passport service to beat the rush.

To avoid a disappointing summer, the passport service is urging customers to apply soon to ensure they have their passport in time. They could receive their passport quicker than the advised three week period and save up to £55.50 by avoiding having to pay for premium service for a standard passport.

Passport renewal

Sarah Rapson, Chief Executive of the Identity and Passport Service, said: ‘The Identity and Passport Service works hard each year to process more than 5.5 million applications to ensure customers can travel abroad for business or on holiday.‘

‘But to ensure passports remain one of the most trusted and secure documents in the world, each application takes time to process.‘

‘All too often people plan every other part of their holiday and forget one of the most important things - their passport. They are then forced to apply last minute, running the risk of missing out on the holiday altogether.‘

‘Applying early and outside the busy summer months will help ensure customers receive their passport in good time and could even save them money.’

Passport application

Raquel Brooks was one such customer who booked a fast track appointment with IPS earlier this month after realising her son's passport had expired just days before they were due to go on holiday to Portugal.

Ms Brooks said: ‘The Identity and Passport Service gave a very good and quick service and I would definitely recommend applying at this time of year.

‘I would also encourage people to check their passports are valid before booking, especially if they have children, as we could have missed out.’

From September 2012 it became even cheaper to apply for a passport with a standard adult passport dropping in price by £5 to £72.50 or £81.25 using the Post Office's Passport Check & Send service.

This service ensures the form is filled in properly and sends it by Special Delivery to the Identity and Passport Service (IPS). It also checks that the photographs meet the passport service's strict criteria and the correct documents are enclosed. Using Check & Send is usually faster than posting your own application. IPS may still need to contact either you or your countersignatory to check details.

Under 16s need their own passport, and applications for child passports must be made by someone with legal parental responsibility for the child.

Applicants who are either the child's mother, the child's father who is married to the child's mother, or the adopted parent of the child, automatically have parental responsibility.

A child's passport costs £46 to receive by post or £54.75 with the Post Office Passport Check & Send service.

Original identity documents must be sent as photocopies are not accepted.

International Driving Permit

It’s a little known fact that not all countries will allow you to drive on their roads just because you hold a UK Driving Licence.

This is pertinent in non- European Countries where most will not accept a UK licence without an IDP and most other countries have certain conditions where an IDP will be required at some stage. For example, most US States will accept a UK licence, but usually only for a limited period. However, various Car Hire Firms have their own regulations, some of which may require an IDP.

We strongly recommend that you check the AA Website for a list of those countries that require an IDP.

An International Driving Permit is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

Recognised internationally, an IDP normally allows the holder to drive a private motor vehicle when accompanied by a valid UK driving licence.

Most countries require a 1949 Convention IDP but for certain countries, a 1926 Convention IDP is necessary.

·         The AA is authorised to issue both the 1926 and 1949 Convention IDPs to applicants 18 years and over who hold a valid UK driving licence, or can obtain such a licence on the basis of a valid pass certificate.

·    IDPs cannot be issued to a holder of a UK provisional driving licence without the test pass certificate and provisional driving licence.

·         An IDP is a permit for use in conjunction with your driving licence, not in place of it

·         In some countries, you risk being fined or worse for relying solely on an IDP

You can get an International Driving Permit directly from the AA,  the RAC or The Post Office

International Driving Permits cost £5.50 and you must:

be a GB or Northern Ireland resident

have passed your driving test

be 18 or over.

Please remember, however safe a driver you may be, accidents do happen. We strongly recommend that you check that you are insured for driving abroad, but also that you have full personal Travel Insurance providing FULL cover. Our Website is HERE

You could be arrested even when you have no idea that you have committed a crime.

Sampling exotic cuisine and experiencing new cultures is half the fun of vacationing abroad! But when a country’s customs and laws are unfamiliar, it’s easy for travellers to make mistakes. In a foreign country, a little blunder can turn into a big legal nightmare! Luckily, Travel Underwriters' international assistance services, including a unique 24/7 legal referral hotline, can help our customers if they find themselves in such a bind.

These real life examples show the benefits:

After buying a mask worth less than $7 Canadian dollars at a local market in Turkey, a woman was arrested while boarding her cruise ship. She had unwittingly purchased an antiquity, which is illegal in Turkey. In this case, who would she turn to for help? With a different legal system and a language barrier, the woman could have been in big trouble. But thanks to the referral service offered, the woman was able to get local legal counsel quickly to resolve the matter.

An elderly couple was given a speeding ticket while driving through Oregon, on their way to Arizona. Little did they know that state law required them to appear in court, even just to pay the ticket. Not only did the legal hotline advise them on the legal issue, but they also worked with the court to pay the fine without the couple needing to go to court.

How does the legal hotline work?

If our clients end up in a legal situation, Travel Underwriters will refer them to the 24-hour legal hotline, ensuring they have someone in their corner when they need it most, even in non-medical emergencies! 
Please do some research on some of the local customs and norms before you go.

For a list of other international assistance services, provided by Travel Underwriters, see the last page of your policy wording.

Hope this helps.

Bridges International Insurance Services 

EHIC Update

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In the news recently, you may have seen or read items regarding the non-acceptance of The European Health Insurance Card by some hospitals in Spain, who instead were insisting on either an Insurance Policy or cash. It is difficult to know how to counsel our travellers in this event as there is little that can be done at the time and, in fact, you may already be in some distress so that arguing with Spanish Hospital authorities would certainly be inadvisable.

UK Government Authorities are reinforcing the advice that Travel Insurance should always be taken out when travelling abroad in any case, as an EHIC card would only ever provide you with the Health Cover given to local residents and this may not be as full as that provided by our own NHS.

Remember, our own staff are ready to advise and our website can help walk you through your Travel Insurance choices and provide you with full peace of mind during your holidays.

You can access our Web Site HERE