Travelsmart
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Comedian Katherine Ryan stars in new Barclaycard campaign to help credit card users understand the best ways to pay abroad, and how they could avoid charges.
Delivered in her trademark confident and hilarious style, the videos show Katherine making comical holiday blunders, in order to teach Brits how to make smart decisions when using their credit card on holiday.
Katherine enthusiastically applies layer upon layer of sun cream in one clip, comparing it to an invisible army protecting her at all times. She likens the sun cream to how your credit card can help protect your purchases between £100 and £30,000 with Section 75*.
In the second clip, Katherine shows that sometimes we make poor choices, demonstrated by her choice of an ill-fated toucan lilo with a hole in its side, which slowly sinks. As she descends into the pool, she explains that picking the local currency when making purchases on your credit card is often the better choice, as otherwise retailers do the conversion and rates can be more expensive (so making the smart decision when you travel can save you cash).
Keen-eyed holidaymakers can also find travel advice from Barclaycard on bespoke ‘Travel Smart’ cards in the seatback pocket of every easyJet flight departing the UK to Europe across the summer. In a first-of-its-kind partnership, the cards feature top tips and smart suggestions on the best ways to pay abroad, so travellers can avoid fees and help stay protected while making purchases.
Alex Naylor, Marketing Director at Barclaycard said: “We are really excited to work with top talent and deliver real media firsts – to help engage with customers about important travel spending tips. We’re delighted that Katherine has collaborated with us on this campaign. Thanks to her trademark comedy style, she has helped bring the key messages to life in a hilarious way.”
Katherine Ryan said: “I know how confusing spending abroad can be. It’s so important to learn about this stuff, but it can often be boring or difficult to understand. I think it’s great that Barclaycard is helping to teach Brits the do’s and don’ts in a really fun way and I’m thrilled to be a part of the campaign.”
Katherine Ryan and Barclaycard’s Top Travel Tips
Katherine has also worked with Barclaycard to compile top tips for how to spend smart on holiday.
Make the better choice – pay in the local currency
If the assistant in the souvenir shop or the friendly waiter asks whether you want to pay in pounds sterling or local currency, it’s often best to say ‘local currency’. Otherwise the retailer does the currency conversion and the rates can be more expensive.
Your credit card has your back
Say you booked a ride in a luxury speedboat, but you get there and it’s just a rubber dinghy with racing stripes. If you paid for the trip with a credit card, you could be covered. Just like at home, if you buy an item or service between £100 – £30,000 on holiday and it’s proven to be faulty, not delivered, or you were given misleading information, with Section 75 you could be entitled to compensation or a refund. This protection comes as a standard on all UK cards.
We all scream for… that’s right, sun cream!
Blistering heat leads to blistered skin, and rest assured there is no Instagram filter that can heal the peel. Sun cream is your best friend, and invest in a hat that complements your best holiday persona, be that Audrey Hepburn in a fedora or Fred Durst in a snapback.
Learn some phrases in the local lingo!
’Please’, ‘thank you’, ‘one bungee jump?’, ‘where is the hospital?’… You may not be able to respond to a reply, but locals will appreciate your effort (usually).
Hunt around for the best exchange rates
You’re unlikely to find the most competitive rates at the foreign exchange bureaus in airports, shopping centres or tourist areas. That’s because they know you might be desperate for cash to pay for a taxi, sun bed, or that third ice cream. Consider exchanging your money online or on your local high street for a better rate.
Never take a holiday from your finances
An occasional glance at your online banking while you’re away will save you tears, heartache and living off baked beans until your next pay check. Always stay savvy.
Keep your contact details up to date
It’s a good idea to check your contact details are up to date with your bank and credit card company before you jet off. That way, if they spot something suspicious on your account while you’re away, they can contact you and get to the bottom of it.
Sleep easy – don’t leave your precious holiday slumber to chance
Pack an eye mask. Pack earplugs. You can never knowingly screen for bad curtains, a crying infant, or amorous neighbours. Sleep is precious!
Bum bags are in – that’s a fact
You had better believe it. They are all over the catwalks, the high street, and National Trust ramblers. Serendipitously, they are the also one of the most fail-safe way to guard your cash and cards.
Don’t ignore the post-holiday balance
Don’t let your credit card become like that suitcase that’s been cluttering up your hallway since your last holiday, because you still can’t face unpacking it – the sooner you can pay off the balance, the less you’ll pay in interest, so focus on clearing it as soon as possible. For those struggling to pay off their balance in one go, the free Barclaycard Repayment Calculator can show you how paying back a little more each month could help you clear your balance sooner than you think, and pay less in interest.**
*Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 is a legal Act that could protect you when spending on your credit card, both at home and abroad, as long as the value of the goods purchased is between £100 and £30,000. Cardholders can make a claim under Section 75 if the product or service is faulty, if the company they bought the product or service from breaks their contract, including if they go out of business, or if the company does not deliver what they promised. This applies as a standard on all UK cards.
** T&Cs apply
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