Cut winter holiday costs with a prepaid card

22 December 2011 16:05:45

Winter holidaymakers often pay over the odds for their trip.

New research from Santander Cards has highlighted the premiums paid by Britons who go on holiday at this time of year. The card provider's study reveals that families typically pay 39% more to get some winter sun during the school Christmas holidays than they would at other times of the year. While some people may choose to save money by holidaying in the UK instead, others can still save money on their foreign trips by using a prepaid travel card for their spending.

Families pay 39% more in peak season
Families who go on holiday during the Christmas break can expect to pay almost two-fifths more than those who travel in the off-peak season, according to the latest research from Santander Cards. Researchers looked at the cost of holidays to popular destinations and found that the average family of four pays £1,287 more to travel between December 24th and 31st than they would from December 3rd to 10th. Those choosing winter sun destinations such as Florida, Egypt and Dubai face even higher premiums of up to 92%.

UK break could be more cost-effective
Santander found that families who holiday in the UK over the same period could save a significant amount of money. On average, a seven-day break in Brighton, London or Edinburgh costs about 2% less than a trip overseas, while some UK hotels offer discounts of up to 27% at this time of year.

Callum Gibson, managing director at Santander Cards, said: "The cost of jetting abroad in search of winter sun during the school holidays has simply become too expensive for many families. However, for those willing to opt for a 'staycation', our research has found some great deals right here in the UK."

Prepaid card could help determined holidaymakers
Those who insist on going overseas during the school holidays can still save money by planning their overseas spending in advance. Many people get caught out by overseas transaction charges for using their debit or credit cards while on holiday. However, this can be avoided by taking the time to compare prepaid travel cards and using one of these instead.

Holidaymakers can load their spending money on to their prepaid card, often at a favourable rate of exchange, and use it to make transactions during their winter breaks. Many prepaid card providers do not impose charges for overseas transactions or ATM withdrawals, and the cards provide the added benefit of a rate of exchange that is fixed at the time of loading. This means that cardholders can always work out exactly how much they are spending, reducing the risk of exceeding their holiday budget.

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