Mums Finance

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Just leading on from the previous articles about holiday time; many of you ladies out there will probably be trying to shift those extra few pounds before you head off to stun in the sun. But are you going about it the right way?

We all know that the best way to lose weight is sensible eating and exercise but when you only have a few weeks to go before you leave and are getting desperate it is natural that you turn your thoughts to something more turbo-charged. There’s been endless articles written about the diet pill industry and it is the easiest thing in the world to go online and purchase anything which promises to turn you into a supermodel.

But tread very carefully. Even though I am sus about diet pills myself, (the majority work simply by giving you the runs and turning you into a quivering insomniac), you are best to judge for yourself. At least check them out first. You can do this by having a look at this site which focuses on diet pill reviews; they are all priced in $US so are relatively reasonable cost-wise, but health-wise? judge for yourself.  But take care and let your doctor know before you take them.

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Holidays are a time for fun, relaxation, new experiences and a general recharging of the batteries. However they are also synonymous with accidents, tummy bugs, long miserable hours on the loo and in some cases ‘the worst’.  As a Mum who holidays with small kids I stick to a course of action which sees us safe and healthy throughout our trip - a few other tips here could help do the same for you.

Health Insurance:

Need I say more? don’t tempt fate and go without it - just don’t risk it - and if you travel to the USA without health insurance then you deserve everything you get.

Start off on the right foot:

Going away next week or soon after…? deal with any coughs, runny noses, temperatures, eczema outbreaks, etc NOW!  I always pack a supply of child paracetemol (the box of individual sachets of calpol are great) as I am a bit sus of buying foreign medications for the kids. My young son suffers from eczema flare-ups so I bombard his skin with creams in the weeks before we go; and I make sure I have a fresh supply of his cortisone and moisturiser cream from the doctor to take with us - once again I prefer to use our own familiar medications.

Girls - buy your tampons/pads from your usual outlet and take them with you; some countries have very inferior alternatives.

A bit of advice from a mother in the hotel industry: if you or hubby, or especially one/all of the kids starts with a fever, temperature, severe cough within 48 hours of getting on the plane then have a really good think about things. Is it wise to go at all? - now I understand that many would say “what about the money we would lose if we cancel?” - I prefer to think about it this way. Such symptoms can take on epic proportions once on a plane/train or in a new environment and the results can spell anxiety and sheer misery for everyone concerned. I have seen this happen believe me - parents arriving with fevered distressed kids who were already ill when they left home. If it were me I would prefer to postpone/cancel rather than risk a hospital stay in a foreign country. The kids matter more than the money.

Girls (once again) and guys - pack those contraceptives; the one’s you know and trust.

Vaccinate:

Update those tetanus shots and I’d be inclined to consider a hepatitis shot as well - do this at least a month before you leave, not at the last minute.

Fill those cavities and treat any problems:

Ever wondered what it would be like to visit a dentist in far-eastern Turkey or Bangkok…no? thought so. Get to the dentist in good time and ensure any little issues are fixed before you leave, that goes for the kids too. I am not talking about major reconstruction of course, but just one abcess or cracked tooth could spoil your entire trip. Given the NHS waiting list though spend some money and go private if you can - could save you a lot of hassles when you are away.

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As the holiday season is coming up it would pay to take a quick look over your finances now and see where you could make some adjustments which could see you save some money while you are away. If you are off somewhere in a week or two then maybe it’s a bit last-minute but if you are a month or so away from flying off to catch some sun acting now could certainly work to your advantage.

Which cards will you take?

I am often amazed at how many people do cash advances on their credit cards without any idea of the interest they will be paying. One card we would never be without when we go away is our Nationwide Flexaccount. There are no charges at all for cash withdrawals overseas - having said this, check the machine you are withdrawing from first to see if any independant charges apply, but Nationwide will not charge you themselves for your withdrawal.

If you are going abroad try to have at least one Gold version of one of your cards. Having a Gold Card ensures you protection if your card gets lost or stolen with 24 hour replacement.

Heard about people whose card gets blocked whilst they are overseas leaving them without cash/credit for days? one way to safeguard is to have this formula: one Visa card, one Mastercard and one spare card for emergencies. To take just one card and rely solely on it for spending is asking for trouble if your bank blocks it for security reasons. Bear in mind that many countries do not accept Visa and some do not accept Mastercard - have one of each and be prepared for lifes little emergencies. Don’t forget as well to go for your bills to be issued in the local currency - converting to your home currency (DCC) could cost you extra.

Renting a car?

We always recommend Holiday Autos for the cheapest car hire which is just about world-wide. They are not a car hire firm as such but rather they contract from different agencies and pass their discount onto you. Whenever we use them we almost always get a vehicle from EuropCar. They offer an all-in price which is pre-paid but you get benefits like one-way drop offs for free; have a look at the site and consider them.

Getting your first cash injection:

Believe it or not but the best place to withdraw your cash on arrival at your destination is the airport. The terminal cash machines carry few if next to no charges at all for cash withdrawals so fill your wallet when you get off the plane.

Phoning home:

Taking the mobile? assuming your phone is unlocked (get it done if not) go and buy an international sim-card and stick it in. You will find your calls will be so much cheaper doing this.

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