Sue

Going on holiday? Here’s why it always pays to pack travel insurance

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This is a hospital where you'll be taken if you fall on holiday Going off on holiday without travel insurance is just plain crazy.   Yet people still do it in their droves every year and then we read about people stuck in hospitals abroad with no money to pay the bill once they’ve come a cropper.

30% of under 25’s who’ve been abroad in the last year haven’t bought travel insurance according to insurance broker Swinton.  This compares to a ‘national average’ of 18% and just 10% for the over 55’s.

But what I think is even more worrying is the number of people who buy a policy but lie on their application to get a ‘cheap’ quote.  Why?  Crazy stuff!   This way, if you need to make a claim you run the risk of it being rejected and you could be done for fraud; so a double whammy and why?   Just to save a couple of quid?

You’ve only got to look to the headline  hitting stories about the number of holidaymakers who have medical claims rejected each year due to ‘pre-existing medical conditions’ which they ‘forgot’ to mention on the form to know how costly getting things wrong can be.  And while when it comes to medical conditions, I know it can be hard to decide how much to tell your insurer; but if in doubt tell them everything and let them decide what they need to include.

And when it comes to the cost of travel insurance; we’re not talking heaps of money.   An annual travel policy typically cost £33 a year, according to the British Association of Insurers; yet the ‘average’ medical claim is £1,200 and the ‘average’ cancellation comes in at £800.

And while an annual policy can save you money if you’re planning a couple of trips; even a stand alone one week policy for a typical beach holiday in Europe comes in at under a tenner.  That’s the price of a couple of drinks but peace of mind for everything from medical cover to your luggage, passport and cash and cards.

 

Easy ways to get a free breakfast

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Free Breakfast - Photo of some Fruit & CerealWant Free Breakfast? Breakfast is always reckoned to be the most important meal of the day, yet half of us skip it and that usually includes me.

But let’s be honest if you’ve got an early start, who wants to be trying to force down a bowl of cornflakes at some hideously early hour when you’re in a rush to leave the house?   But if you skip it at home, chances are you may end up forking out on your way to work.

So here’s some easy ways to bag yourself a free breakfast.

Have breakfast with a friend

London cafe Abokado has  a free breakfast bagel offer that’s on until 10th September.

Deal is that you can buy any bagel and you’ll get the same again for free so go with a friend, and take it in turns to buy the breakfast bagels so the other one gets a freebie.

Check out new openings 

Metro Bank is known for dishing out free coffee when it opens a new branch and I managed to get a free breakfast at Bill’s  when it opened a new branch and wanted some feedback on opening day.  So keep your eyes peeled for adverts for new places opening up!

Be the perfect customer

Pret dishes out the occasional free coffee and food but no guarantees with this one, so you may strike lucky or have to cough up.  Part of a scheme from the top where staff have discretion to offer a freebie so worth being on your best behaviour and playing ‘perfect customer’ next time you’re in.

Get your car fixed first thing  

Customers of My Purple Garage in Southampton can help themselves to a free breakfast of coffee and doughnuts when they drop off their car.   So book it in first thing in the morning to get a breakfast freebie.

Want to find out more, then please feel free to contact me.

 

Selfridges opens its Christmas shop in July!

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A Christmas tree in Selfridges Christmas Shop with decorations hanging from it

Christmas seems to get earlier every year and now Selfridges has opened its Christmas shop in July.

It’s usually mid August when we see Christmas cards start to sneak on to the shelves but no, here we are, on 31st July and Selfridges is flinging open the doors to its Christmas shop.

I’ve just been chatting about this on Channel 5 News  and while I’m no Scrooge, I think July is just way too early for Christmas.  Who wants to see the same stack of cards hanging around in December that you spotted back in July?  And let’s be honest you’re hardly going to get any bargains if you start your shopping this time of year.

I’m always quite cynical about the whole Black Friday and Cyber Monday discount deals as I don’t think they’re all they’re cracked up to be; but there’s a reason the stores flog off stuff during late November or early December, and it’s simply because people aren’t buying it and they need to shift it fast and get some more cash in the till.

If I had my way all the shops,  including the likes of Selfridges, would be banned from selling anything Christmassy until at least the 1st December and it seems I’m not the only one…….

I’ve had quite a response about this on Twitter with people suggesting we start a campaign so watch this space…….

Save money on a trip to Uluru

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Uluru A photo of Ayers Rock at Sunset Taking a trip to the red centre, the spiritual heart of Australia and home of the mighty Uluru, (Ayers Rock), is beyond amazing.

I’ve been lucky enough to go there twice, and if you’re in Australia, it’s a trip well worth making even if it’s not a cheap one.

Whether you fly, drive or book a tour; here’s how to save money and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Best place for sunset and sunrise?

If you’re only going to be there once; you don’t want to miss the sunset or find you’re fighting for camera space.

Lots of tour companies run trips but check where they drop you to watch this magical moment as some ‘viewing’ areas can get pretty crowded with coach loads that can somewhat spoil the moment.

Check the viewing spots  and worth checking reviews on places like TripAdvisor from fellow travellers for their experience and recommendations.

One thing you can’t save on is the ticket price into the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park  You’ll pay $25 Australian dollars each but your ticket lasts three days.

And for an alternative view, take a walk to Imalung Lookout.  It’s in the centre of Ayers Rock Resort, a short walk from most of the apartments, and because it’s outside the popular park viewing areas you may get the view all to yourself.

Tour tips in Uluru

AAT Kings do the big coach trip thing to Uluru.  They come with fancy prices and within seconds of the sun going down most are revving up the engines and heading off, whereas smaller companies like the Rock Tour that I went on, hang around, cook dinner from the back of the truck and don’t leave until the stars are out.

Save on supplies

Prices get super expensive the nearer you get to Ayers Rock Resort so if you’re driving from Alice Springs, like we did, stock up on beers at Curtin Springs

Once you hit Ayers Rock Resort; there’s no shortage of restaurants but they’re not cheap so save money and stock up on snacks at its one and only supermarket.

Cheap sleeps

One company owns all the accommodation which means it can be tough to find a cheap deal.

Go for Ayers Rock Campground to save on cash or book a dorm bed at the Outback Pioneer Hotel & Lodge   for around £30 a night. Means big savings as double rooms in the ‘hotel’ part go for close to £200 a night, and let’s face it, if you’re going to be up in the wee small hours to see the sunrise, to my mind there’s no point paying for five star luxury.   But for the ultimate sleepover, nothing beats a swag under the stars for that a once in a lifetime experience.

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Airport Meet & Greet? Will your insurer pay up if you hand over your keys?

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Check your insurance small print before you hand over your keys or you may not be covered if  you car comes back damaged.

Airport ‘Meet & Greet’ services are becoming more popular and not just for the super rich.  Paying a little bit extra for the luxury of being able to bowl up at the airport, hand over the keys and not worry about the hassle of playing ‘hunt the car park space’ can mean a stress free start to your summer holiday.

But 50% of motor policies won’t pay out if you hand over your keys to a valet parking service.  So if your car gets damaged and the valet parking company won’t play ball; you can’t fall back on your own insurer to get any damage fixed.

Here’s all you need to know before you hand over your keys with a piece I wrote for lovemoney.com