Make your gap year wonga last for longer

Gap year travellers could be wasting up to €300 or $400 unknowingly by having the wrong foreign spending habits. A better choice of travel money could give their budget some much-needed extra stretch.

As more gap year travellers head abroad this year than ever before, due to university deferrals and redundancies, FairFX.com, the foreign currency specialist, provides some handy tips to make the most of their money:

1) Pre-trip research: research your trip before you go - it'll be easier to work to a realistic budget. Look at approximately how much you'll need on a daily basis for food, accommodation and activities, and then multiply that by the number of days you will be away. It's often better to over-budget in case of emergencies.

2) Carrying cash: A pre-paid card is the most secure form of travel money, but take a wallet for loose change and everyday spending. Wear a secure money belt under clothing for your valuable documents and any other cash.

3) Extras: If you're planning to do any adrenaline-junkie sports or extra activities, you'll need to take this into account as they're often quite pricey. Make sure you've covered this in your pre-trip budget.

Stephen Heath, Chief Executive of FairFX.com, said: "No one likes to find out too late they could have got a better deal. Anyone heading off now on a gap year could get an extra $426 or €307 if they use a FairFX.com pre-paid currency card (assuming an average spend of £4,000)."

For more information, visit fairfx.com

Rates on 15/06/09 at 12:00pm