Keep your festival cash safe this summer

With the current trend in overseas festivals, more and more music lovers are heading abroad, tents in hand, to one of the many international music festivals.

Each year a new festival appears on the world party map. If you’re undecided on which one is best for you, Caxton FX recommends heading to originalmusictravel.com. Here you’ll find full details on venues, expert opinion and trip packages.

Once you’ve made your decision or if you’ve already ear-marked your music fest, planning the nitty gritty is next on the list. At the top should be your travel money. Cash is easy to use but there isn’t much of a safeguard for loss or theft and ultimately you are at a festival to focus on fun – not worry about whether you money is secure.

The solution? Take a prepaid currency card. Unlike the traditional English festival in a field, overseas fests are largely based in or are within reach of a town with ATM machines. This means no long queues, as there aren’t 5,000 people with access to only one ATM. To make drawing your cash out even easier, MasterCard offer an ATM hunter. Head to mastercard.com or download the app from iTunes.

James Hickman, managing director at Caxton FX says, “Prepaid currency cards are an overseas festival must have. It’s not only a hassle free way of carrying your festival cash; it is also the safest. With a Caxton FX prepaid currency card, you know exactly how much you are spending and as there are no overseas ATM fees or transaction charges, your money will go further.”

If your card is lost or stolen, a block can be placed on it immediately. Caxton FX offer a 24 hour helpline and a replacement card can be sent out to you.

Available in euros, dollars or sterling (Global card), all Caxton FX cards are prepaid MasterCards meaning they can be used anywhere you see the MasterCard acceptance mark, whether it be in store, at an ATM, or online.

Some other handy tips for overseas festival packing:

UV protection
Spending all day outside means you’ll need proper protection - nothing worse than being sunburnt in a sleeping bag! So pack some sun tan lotion. A hat is also good for preventing sunstroke and perfect for hiding greasy hair.

Footwear
Most festivallers consider wellies prime footwear, but crocs are more versatile and weigh less – which makes them much better for packing light. Team with a plastic bag if it rains!

Wetwipes
Even if you intend to queue for a shower, these handy wet tissues refresh in moments.

Bin Liners (and sticky tape)
It’s not only Glastonbury that turns into a mudfest. Packing some bin liners, sticky tape and a safety pin means you can create anything from homemade waterproofs to fixing your tent! Use the pin to cut the tape rather than carrying scissors.

Phrasebook
Get to know your fellow festival goers and engage in the culture.

Torch
Preferably a hands free head mounted device, useful for midnight toilet trips

Earplugs
Just in case the tent next to you decides to party hard, all day, all night, all festival!