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New tool. Which of your cards is cheapest abroad?
The wrong plastic can add £100s | Tell it your card(s) and it'll let you know if they're from heaven or hell
Paradoxically, the cheapest way to spend abroad is on the right debit or credit card, the most expensive is the wrong card. Our new Overseas Card Checker tool shows your cheapest & how to use it. Here's what you need know:
 Your exchange rate depends on the 'load'. All cards (except the specialists, see below) add a LOAD to every currency, typically this is around 3%. So spend £100 of euros and they'll charge £103. Worse still, this load isn't itemised in your statement so you never see it.- It's cheaper to spend on card than withdraw cash. Use a credit OR even debit card at an overseas ATM and withdrawal fees are about 2.5% or £3 (whichever's higher). Fewer, larger withdrawals are cheaper than regular, smaller ones, but using the card to pay with avoids those fees (except cards from hell).
- Beware the DEBIT cards from hell. The worst chargers aren't credit but some debit cards (though, of course, credit card interest trumps even this). They load, have ATM fees, and some eg Halifax, Lloyds & Natwest (check yours in the Overseas Card Checker) charge up to £1.50 each time you spend. Don't use these overseas. Instead get a specialist card below, or for speed use the TravelMoneyMax.com to find cheap foreign currency.
- The CHEAPEST way to spend overseas. Certain specialists incl Halifax Clarity, Post Office* & Saga* credit cards are load-free worldwide so you get PERFECT exchange rates. They also largely have lower ATM fees. Set up a direct debit to repay in full each month to avoid the 12.9%, 16.9% or 11.9% representative APRs & you'll be holstering the big dog of spending overseas - full pros & cons in Top Overseas Cards.
Updated Guide: Cheap Travel Money (see Official APR Examples) Compare Holiday Cash: TravelMoneyMax.com Related: £17 Annual Travel Ins
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New. Top graduate bank accounts 2011/12
Get huge 0% overdraft boost and cashback on all spending - even two years after graduating
Don't stick with your student bank account. Switching to specialist graduate deals, even up to 2yrs after graduating, may gain you £100s. Banks see graduation as a trigger to fight for lucrative customers. We've a new Top Graduate Accounts 2011/12 guide; here are some highlights. All accounts require you to pass a credit check.
 Big 0% overdraft and 2% cashback. The top graduate account if you're overdrawn this year comes from RBS which gives a guaranteed 0% overdraft of £2,000 in the 1st year after uni, £1,500 in the 2nd and £1,000 in the 3rd. Plus, for six months, you get 2% cashback on all debit card spending (max £125).- Wean yourself off the overdraft. Use the 0% time to clear the debt by repaying some each month (see guide). NEVER go beyond overdraft limits as charges are hellish.
- Top account if in credit. If you're always in credit & earn £14,000+, forget graduate deals, you're better off with the Top Bank Accounts. Switch to Santander* for a free £100 plus 5% in-credit interest on up to £2,500 for a year, though its customer service rating is poor. Alternatively, Halifax's* Reward account pays a flat £5/mth or, earn over £23,300, and top service rated First Direct* gives a £125 bonus.
Full info & help in the 2011/2012 Guide: Graduate Accounts 2011/12 Related: Best Bank Accounts, Your Credit Rating. Student Accounts Coming Next Week
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Cheap hotels - pay less for the same room abroad
Find the cheapest price for specific hotels | Beat comparisons' cheapest with 5 star secret rooms
If you're looking to get away in the run-up to the year's busiest hotel booking day, 10 August, here's how to keep costs to a minimum and luxury to the max ...
- Know what hotel you want? Cut the price. A few sites now let you compare prices for specific hotels rather than an area. Tripadvisor* (click 'compare prices' by its review) now has a new higher-function wider-searching rival Trivago. Savings can be huge, eg, Paris's Royal Magda ranges from £153 to £255 for the same room, same night.
 Just want a dirt-cheap night? Start with comparison sites such as Travelsupermarket*, Trivago and HotelsComparison, then search the winners' Tripadvisor* reviews to see if they're palaces or pigsties (ignore the best & worst 10% of reviews).
- Find secret super-discounted 3-5 star deals. If you're staying in a big city, both Lastminute* and Hotwire* sell secret hotels, where you aren't told the name till you've paid, but get massive discounts. We've a host of tricks to uncover the hotel's identity first, letting you check if it's a real bargain, eg, Sheraton Dubai 3 nights for £190, not £300 (see Secret Hotels for full help).
- Priceline US hotel loopholes, eg, Sheraton NYC £55/night, not £200. Giant US site Priceline lets you name your price and see if any hotels accept. You're only supposed to be allowed one bid per day but our Priceline Bidding guide has legal multiple bid techniques so you can finesse the price. Fiddly but devastatingly profitable.
Lots more info & tips in the Updated Guide: Cheap Hotels Related: Car Hire, Travel Money, Flights, Package Hols
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