If you’re jetting off to Croatia or travelling to Nice this summer, this one’s for you. Here, we highlight six travel money hacks you need to know when going abroad, especially if you’re a Starling customer.
1. Don’t exchange cash at the airport
Some of the most rip off exchange rates can be found at airports. If you do want to take a little cash abroad, you could use a high street Exchange bureau that you’ve researched first (compared rates with others), or wait until you’ve arrived at your destination and withdraw cash from a bank ATM.
There are no fees from Starling when you withdraw cash abroad or spend, but local ATM operators sometimes do have fees, so best to keep a lookout for that.
It is, however, worth considering how much cash you really need. Making the most of your payments abroad with a debit card is a lot safer than carrying around stacks of cash.
2. Car hire: A tip for Pay at Pump
If you’ve hired a car and want to fill up on fuel using Pay at Pump, it helps to know that a certain amount on your account could be temporarily frozen to authorise the payment. This process applies to everyone, regardless of who you bank with, and can be between €100 and €150.
Make sure you have sufficient funds in the account you pay for fuel with, as it can sometimes take a few days for the money to be unfrozen.
Paying at a kiosk is often more straightforward as you simply pay for what you’ve put in the car.