Hotel booked?  Travel insurance?  Sun tan lotion, sunglasses, reading books all packed? Check, check and double check.

Foreign currency? ill get that at the airport or sort out that when I arrive.

When it comes to purchasing holiday cash, many of us leave this till the last moment and sometimes completely ignore it until we have arrived at the airport.

According to a YouGov survey, the most popular choices for consumers looking to buy their holiday spending money before they went away included visiting the local high street, such as a travel agent, or alternatively visiting the Post Office.

But going to your local bank, visiting the Post Office or using your card abroad is not always the most cost-effective way of purchasing your holiday spending money.

Just as you will look for the best deals on hotels and flights, you should do the same when it comes to purchasing foreign currency.

It is a commodity which is often lumbered with poor exchange rates and high transaction fees.
'Most expensive'

Whatever you do, if you are looking to get the best rate then do not consider buying your holiday cash at the airport as it is the most expensive way.

Timing is a key issue and you would be wise to start thinking about currency at least a month before you fly off.

As a first step, taking a look at the exchange rates would be a good start as you want to maximise how much local currency you can get for your pound.

Looking at the euro, until relatively recently the single currency had maintained its strength.

We have recommended that customers purchase their euros as soon as possible whenever they saw the pound make gains against the single currency.
Pre-paid cards

The next thing to look at when buying your holiday cash is where to get it from.
Rupert Lee-Browne Bureaux de change are particularly expensive, says Rupert Lee-Browne

While going through a high-street brand or being attracted by adverts of 0% commission is an easy option, you should shop around for the best rates and look at as many currency providers as possible.

Travellers' cheques used to be the item of choice, allowing people to safely and securely buy large amounts of currency.

However, travellers' cheques are largely redundant these days and have been ousted by greater use of debit and credit cards.

Nonetheless, using your personal debit or credit card is not always the best option, both in terms of rates and security.

A modern alternative is to apply for a prepaid currency card.

You load it with money on a computer or over the phone before your trip.

Then you use it like you would use your debit or credit card back home.

Prepaid currency cards are becoming increasingly popular as they offer better exchange rates compared with debit and credit cards.

They also offer security as they reduce the amount of cash you are carrying around.

If lost, they are not linked to your main bank account back home.

They tend to be Visa or MasterCard-based products which means they can be used across the world.
Where to go?

The last piece of advice I have is about the physical act of getting your money.

First of all, ATMs are your friends while bureaux de change are generally your enemies, as their rates are often very poor.

So if you are planning to take money out at the airport - whether it is a UK or international airport - head over to the ATM and walk straight past the bureau de change counter.

Second, each time you make a local purchase using your card, make sure you pay in the local currency and not in sterling.

The merchant, whether it is a restaurant, shop or an ATM, might ask you if you want to pay in sterling and your answer should always be: No.

If you do pay in pounds, the merchant will charge you to convert the local currency into sterling and then charge you again to convert back to the local currency.

This process is called dynamic currency conversion (DCC), and in summer 2011 research by Caxton FX found that 37% of Britons were still being bitten by hidden DCC charges.

When it comes to managing money, the challenges for the current generation are quite different from previous ones.

On the one hand, in real terms people are much better off and one manifestation of this is the fact consumers possess greater material wealth in terms of cars, labour-saving devices, gadgets for entertainment and so on than past generations.

This has further been extended by the development of technology that means many of the benefits of modern living from computers to advanced medicine were not available a generation ago.

However, the sheer cost of such items has done much to offset the increased affluence they represent. Energy bills are higher partly because we now use more power to run a variety of devices that did not exist in days of yore, such as computer games.

But for children growing up now, understanding all this is a thankless task, for the idea of a world without X-boxes and Playstations, smartphones and the internet is as alien to them as a world before TV would be to their parents.

But for adults wanting to teach children important lessons about the value of money, there has to be a way. Parenting and relationship journalist Kelly Rose Bradford acknowledged that the higher cost of items like games is one factor in making it harder for youngsters to realise the true expense involved. But she noted there is also another factor - not actually seeing cash change hands as many transactions take place by card or online.

She remarked: "It is more difficult for children to actually see real money changing hands these days, which is why early shopping games et cetera are so important.

"Making children save a certain amount towards larger purchases will also help teach them [to] appreciate the value, as will setting a good example yourself, by being careful with cash and promoting the idea that it is not fine to spend beyond your means on credit cards et cetera."

Using a budget planner may be a useful way of passing on such lessons to kids. By showing that money is a scarce resource and that items like computer games cost a lot of it, parents can help teach their youngsters how hard choices have to be made - while at the same time using the planner to help set their own budgets more carefully and sustainably.

Online commerce within the UK is predicted to grow at a faster rate than in the United States and China, according to researchers at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Britain’s web economy contributes 8.3 per cent towards the overall UK economy, a bigger share than for any other G20 major countries. The internet economy was said to be worth £121bn back in 2010 and experts predict continued growth at a rate of 11 per cent per year for the next four years, almost doubling in value to £221bn by 2016.

This certainly compares favourably with projected web economy growth rates of 5.4 per cent in the United States and 6.9 per cent in China.

The study therefore provides a reliable indication of the UK public’s growing love affair with the internet. The BCG found 13.5 per cent of all consumer purchases were made over the internet in 2010 and this figure is projected to rise to almost a quarter (23 per cent) by 2016.

Back in January BCG researchers discussed the emergence of a “new internet” in which web access would no longer be a luxury to consumers. Meanwhile 80 per cent of all internet users would begin to access the web from a mobile device, with social patterns changing to allow customers and companies to engage with each other.

Fortunately our Pockit MasterCard can be used online to take advantage of fantastic online promotions with some of the UK High Street’s most popular stores and earn cashback in the process.

If you are interested in earning regular cashback on your online shopping sign up to our pay monthly Pockit MasterCard today and save a bundle on everyday items and that special occasion.

Travelex have just launched a new addition to their cash passport range to now include a rand currency card.

The Cash Passport card is an alternative to buying travel money or travellers cheques and have become a popular alternative for loyal travelex users.

The new rand currency card is now available and was launched to increase their range of currency cards, there are now 6 currency cards available with more to follow

Todays Foreign Exchange Rates

EURO/USD 1.4525-1.4657   

GBP/USD 1.6233-1.6317   

GBP/EURO 1.1112-1.1188

The USD becomes slightly stronger today, ahead of important data on all fronts today. Continued speculation that improved data from the U.S. will allow policy makers in the United States to move away from the ultra low interest rate policy (Fed two day meeting starts today). This positive data will also continue to support the USD exchange rate.

In the UK, the Pound was trading around its technical levels, with resistance against the USD at 1.6300. Now above the  €1.1150     (broken resistance at 1.11). The Euro under pressure over continued fears on Greek economic and fiscal woes. Add to this news out this morning on an Austrian bank being in difficulty.

EUR/USD currently  1.4547. Support 1.4500, resistance 1.4800.

GBP/USD currently 1.6253. Support 1.6000, resistance 1.6300.

GBP/EUR currently 1.1173. Support 1.1100, resistance 1.1350.

Stock Markets

Dow +0.3%     FTSE +1.0%     Nikkei -0.2%

Oil $ 69     Gold $ 1121

Consider
Do you have any other long term contracts as some lenders like to see at least some evidence long term relationships and stability.
Also check out if there any negative effect of just keeping the card open?
Do you have to pay a dormancy fee?
if not then I would keep the Vanquis card for at least a year. It is not costing you anything if you pay in full each month (minimum finance charge excluded)

With nearly all high street banks are charging a premium monthly fee to get more from your bank.

Do you think this is right?

What are your thoughts and comments on being charged a monthly fee?

Does this really compensate from banks reducing their charges?

The O2 Cash Manager Prepaid Card became officially available this year and has set to simply to blow the competition out of the water by offering it as a free card loaded with Freebies.

Set up by Natwest and O2 Money as a Chip and PIN prepaid Visa card, the O2 Cash Manager Prepaid Card can justifiably claim to be the "This years visa card" as it is available absolutely free of charge to O2 Customers. It is free to get, free to load, free to withdraw cash at ATM's too.

Even if you are not a prepaid card holder but have an O2 mobile, this is the one card you should really be looking to getting.

Being a VISA card, it can be used at over 14 million locations worldwide that accept VISA in addition to allowing ATM withdrawals at 1.5 million ATM's worldwide.

It is available to anyone above the age of 13 as long as you are an O2 Customer. UK residents only

O2 Cash Manager Card -  Good Points
Free prepaid Card, Free Loading, Free Usage, Free ATM withdrawals, O2 Customer Service and Natwest Service delivery.

Cash Manager Card -  Not so Good
You can not pay on ebay or as a paypal payment, not accepted as a down payment for hotels.

Apply O2 Cash Manager Card

Get Free O2 Sim Card

Cashplus have been busy over the past several months listening to customers. After feedback from its existing customers and by a poll done by the general public they have updated the following features.

- New website, designed to make the customers experience easier
- Updated the online account management system
- Now 5 payment plans instead of 2  ranging from
    -  Cashplus Activeplus (fixed monthly fee with creditbuilder)
    -  Cashplus Deluxe (monthly fee with no atm charges)
    -  Cashplus pay as you go card (for occasional users)
    -  Cashplus Premier (Application fee only and no transaction charges)
    -  Cashplus Freedom account (monthly fee but designed for wage payments)

In addition Cashplus have been working hard on building their cashback partners which now offers regular discounts when you shop online and earn cash credited directly on to your card

All payment plans comes with payment protection and is a gold card

Cashplus Prepaid Card

Vanquis credit cards are specifically designed for people who have poor credit ratings. Whether you have CCJ's against your name, bad credit history, or on a low income, the Vanquis Visa Credit Card could be an option for you.

The Vanquis card has features which make the product practically viable for those in difficult financial situations or those who would like access to a credit card but who's circumstances make this harder to achieve. there is no annual fee for the card with free fraud monitoring.

(Typical 39.9% APR Variable)

- No annual fee
- Up to 56 days interest free on purchases
- Free additional cardholder
- Free fraud monitoring
- Chip & PIN technology
- Visa is widely accepted in the UK and abroad
- Convenient for paying online and over the phone

Online application process is straightforward. Please see below for more benefits of the Vanquis Card.

Vanquis credit card

Natwest Bank Account is available to anyone for free and over the age of 18 years old. Account holders can enjoy free everyday banking with various ways to access and manage funds including telephone, internet and branch banking. Natwest Bank Account comes with all the standard current account features such as a visa debit card with chip and PIN technology. But no overdraft.

Applying is quick and easy and the Natwest account is free.

Natwest offers customers a ‘green option' with their current accounts which minimises paper usage to provide a more environmentally-friendly method of banking. For more information on the Natwest Bank Account or to apply online please click on the links below

Natwest Bank Account

One of the first travel money cards - FairFX

Suddenly there was an opportunity to shake up the travel money marketplace and quick-thinking online currency specialists FairFX.com jumped right in and gave the public exactly what it needed – a great value travel money card.

Until fairly recently if you were going abroad, most people ordered travellers cheques. Travellers cheques were what many people used without question when they were on holiday – until banks made it easier to withdraw cash from foreign ATMs.

And thanks to the internet and money saving expert type websites like Compare prepaid, the general public have become more aware of the significant differences in charges that different banks levy on cardholders.

However, one of the reasons that many banks charge high ATM and exchange rate fees is that they have high overheads. For example, most banks have lots of high street based branches which all cost a lot of money to maintain.

To begin with FairFX released 2 travel money cards – one in US dollars and the other in euros. Those cards charged roughly 1% on exchange rates, had no purchase fees and ATM fees were very low at just $2 or €1.

The way that the FairFX euro and dollar card work is that when you load the card you lock-in whatever currency exchange rate you get at the time of loading. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. These cards are still available today.

FairFX Anywhere Card

FairFX decided that too many people were still not getting it – too many people were still getting ripped off by high charges for using their bank card when abroad.

They decided that people needed a card which they could use anywhere – anywhere in the world without fear of being charged an arm and a leg. Step up the FairFX Anywhere Card.

So how much does it cost to use the FairFX Anywhere Card?

The FairFX Anywhere Card has ZERO loading fees, ZERO ATM fees and ZERO exchange rate fees. The only charge is a 1.5% transaction fee, making it according to our research the cheapest travel money card available to UK residents.

At the time of writing the card is free to order as well – all you have to do is make a minimum initial load of just £10. However, there may be a card purchase fee in the future, so it’s probably best to order your card now while it’s completely free.

The FairFX Anywhere Card

Virgin Money have offered Compare Prepaid Exclusivity to promote the Virgin Pay as you go card through this site and its partner sites.

Raffick Marday from Compare Prepaid says "We have been working very closely with Virgin Money for a number of years, as we specialise in prepaid cards we have been inundated by people asking why the Virgin pay as you go is not on offer, due to public demand we now have it back"

Virgin have commented they are looking at increasing their promotional offers to existing and new Virgin Prepaid card customers next year.

Virgin Pay As You Go Card