MILLIONS of Brits have suffered a financial mishap on holiday including losing foreign currency, realising at the end of a meal they were short on the bill – and not taking the opportunity to haggle.
A survey of 2,014 adults found more than one in 10 (12 per cent) have gone somewhere without understanding exchange rates and ended up wildly overpaying for something.
Another 11 per cent have had currency stolen from them – or lost it themselves – and 22 per cent got caught out paying hotel rates for excursions, that were cheaper elsewhere.
In all, 65 per cent of travellers admit to financial issues that have cost them cash abroad, with six in 10 of these incurring fees for withdrawals and debit card transactions overseas.
This research was commissioned by HSBC UK, to launch its new account, Global Money, which allows its customers to spend abroad (withdraw cash or make card purchases) without the bank charging fees.