How a smear test got me a £10 trip to Paris
I’ve done some bizarre things to save cash. But having a smear test to get a cheap trip to Paris is a contender for the top of the list.
Before we start, to do this trick you need to be a PruHealth insurance member. I get it free through my other half’s employer.
PruHealth gives customers “vitality points” for healthy activities, such as quitting smoking, hitting the gym and even walking.
As you clock up points, you move up status levels, which determine your rewards. Hit platinum level, and you can grab three Eurostar returns a year for £10 each.
One of the best ways to clock up points is taking a smear test.
Smear tests pick up changes in cells that might develop into cervical cancer, which kills three women every day in the UK. Screening and early treatment can prevent the disease from developing in up to three-quarters of cases (depending on age), according to Cancer Research.
So hats off to PruHealth for inventing a scheme that gets people excited about going for a potentially life-saving, but, let’s face it, unpleasant check.
It’s not worth paying for the insurance just for the Eurostar discount, as the premiums’ cost would dwarf the savings. Though if you have PruHealth, it’s well worth investigating.
Even if you don’t get a trip to France for a tenner out of it, a screening is free and could save your life. For more, see Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.
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