James Walker: Take a break, but don't let good sense go AWOL

Across the nation there was a collective sigh of relief in the past few weeks as the first payday of 2018 arrived.
Stick to one site when booking to avoid scammersStick to one site when booking to avoid scammers
Stick to one site when booking to avoid scammers

This is usually the time when consumer rights experts like me tell you to watch your finances and pay everything off, but I suspect everyone’s sick of that advice by now. It’s February, it’s cold and summer seems a long way off. So let’s talk about splashing out.

Of course, you need to make sure you’ve covered all the bills and outgoings first. But as long as you’ve done that, why not treat yourself?

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At this time of year, the number one treat that people buy themselves is a holiday. So here’s a few tips to make sure you get the best deal – and what to watch out for.

 Don’t believe the hype. Websites and airlines love to tell you there are only a few rooms or flights left, but recently, we’ve begun to question this.

“Panic selling” is an old tactic to get you to snap up a bargain. But resist. Do your research first, compare prices and book at times when people are less likely to be on the internet – then deals are usually cheaper.

 Be realistic. Booking the cheapest flight you can might be a bargain, but not if the additional costs add up. As you’ll have seen in the news lately, chances are if you want to sit together you’ll inevitably have to pay for a seat reservation. Not all extra charges are useless or unfair though. I’ve always thought priority boarding was a total waste of cash. But some airlines let you take an extra item of hand luggage for priority customers– invaluable if you’re not putting a bag in the hold but want to keep things handy for the plane.

 Stay on the website. I’ve highlighted the rise of fraudsters on booking sites such as Airbnb before. Holiday booking frauds work when genuine apartment photos and descriptions are pinched by the scammer and advertised through often genuine sites. They get around security by suggesting you go “off site” to pay. Beware – it’s a sure sign of a scammer. Pay with a credit card if you can and check for “verified” reviews from people who’ve previously booked.

 The red-eye home. That last flight of the day is cheapest for a reason. A quick turnaround of planes means the more flights a day your plane has, the more likely you are to be delayed. Factor in the cost of a taxi home if you arrive too late to get public transport.

 If your flight is delayed, then don’t despair. If the delay is over three hours you could be entitled to a refund. The rules are a little complicated but you can find out more at www.resolver.co.uk/flights. Annoyingly my least favourite people in the world – claims managers – are all over the web trying to get you to use them to get back what’s rightfully yours. Don’t trust them!

Oh, and if you’ve miscalculated and you’ve got less money than you thought, you still have options. Think about your budget and reduce it by 20 per cent to give you some breathing room if something goes wrong, and see what’s out there. Look for hotels with refundable deposits or have a think about putting aside some money each month in the run-up to your holiday (including spending money).

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If you’ve already overspent, don’t panic, ask for help. Your bank or credit provider can give you some tips – and we’ve got loads of free advice on the Resolver website.

James Walker is the founder of online complaint-resolution service Resolver.co.uk

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