Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
4.
We would recommend Travelex cash passport, especially if you are travel;ing
through countries in quick succession and need access to variety of currencies. You
can log in online and find out a list of recent transactions and gain access to your
money at the current bank exchange rate.
It's useful to give parents or relatives/friends at home a second card so they could top the
card up with money left at home. This is a great tip it also allows you to budget from coun-
try to country and not get carried away.
Travelex also has a 24/7 helpline where you can cancel your card at anytime and they will
issue a replacement to your location within 24 hours - a life-safer when you are miles from
home.
Raising the money
There's no doubt it's harder to raise money for gap travel in tougher economic times, when
the competition for even low-skilled or part-time work is likely to be intense.
But, aside from the lucky few who can call upon major financial help from their families
or wherever else, most people will have to go out and earn the money, so it may be case of
taking whatever is out there. It will be worth to pay for your 'once in a lifetime' trip.
If you already have a job look at how much of your salary you can realistically put aside
each month for your travelling fund. It may mean six months or so of not having quite so
many cocktails each week, or not being able to buy the latest iPhone, but it will be worth
it! You can set up a separate account for your travelling fund and arrange a standing order
to move money each month, which is really simple to do through internet banking.
There are other ways to raise some money however, such as a car boot or sponsored run
bike ride or swim
etc
(donating half to charity half to travel funds). And the internet is a
great source of money-raising ideas, from selling on eBay and Gumtree to new initiatives
such as crowd-funding. Have a look at this website:
www.fundmytravel.com.
With a little
imagination you could really lighten the financial load.
Sponsorship may be an option and local businesses may be interested if they think they
can get some mileage out of it. You may able to get local media interested if you are doing
something exceptional on your travels, and then you can give your business sponsors the
free advertising they deserve.
Community groups, charities and religious organisations may well be interested in what
you are doing and they may be willing to help in some way - particularly if you promise to
give them a talk about your travels when you get back.
