Four simple switches to boost your holiday budget by over €500 this summer
Holiday costs are rising for Irish
1
Planning holidays often leaves jetsetters going over their budget
Due to EU consumer protections like Roam Like at Home and the Single Euro Payments Area, you can travel within Europe without paying extra mobile roaming fees.
However, heading to destinations like the United States, Canada or
Research from price comparison experts
One of the biggest drains on your budget is mobile roaming charges, especially if you frequently use data for maps, music streaming or sharing videos on social media while away.
READ MORE IN TRAVEL
Irish mobile data passes tend to offer limited data at high prices, with the average cost for a 10GB roaming pass at about €153.
Switch to an E-SIM
The first tip is to switch to an eSIM which allows you to purchase cheaper data plans from providers like Airalo, Halofly, Nomad or
This simple change can save you up to €133, freeing up cash that you can put towards other holiday essentials.
Travel insurance is another area where costs can vary and financial experts say it is worthwhile shopping around to find the best deal for the coverage you need.
Most read in News Travel
SHOP AROUND
For example, a couple travelling to the US for two weeks might pay around €100 for a single-trip insurance policy, but prices can differ by as much as €91 between providers.
Discounts of around 10 percent are common if you book your policy online and looking at a multi-trip policy could save you even more if you have several
Ryanair launches new flights to cheap holiday hotspot
Using your debit or credit card abroad also comes with fees and many Irish banks charge around 2 percent per foreign transaction and high fees for ATM withdrawals.
TRANSACTION FEES
If you use your card multiple times a day over two weeks, these charges can add up to around €56 on transactions and up to €87 on cash withdrawals.
Prepaid travel cards from companies like Wise, Revolut or N26 get rid of these fees entirely and offer better exchange rates which helps you to stretch your
If you prefer to carry cash, you can also compare exchange rates beforehand because airport currency kiosks usually offer poor rates and higher fees.
Up next, flights often end up the biggest single expense on a holiday, but being flexible with your travel plans can lead to major savings for families.
FLEXIBLE FLIGHTS
For example, a direct return flight to
Using websites like Skyscanner to set up price alerts, browsing in incognito mode to avoid dynamic pricing and considering alternative airports or midweek flights can also help reduce costs.
He said: 'Holiday costs can spiral quickly, especially outside the EU, but with a few simple switches, you can keep more money in your pocket without cutting back on the holiday fun.
'Whether it's avoiding eye-watering roaming charges with an eSIM, swapping your bank card for a prepaid one, or shopping around for travel insurance, these small changes can add up to big savings.
'A little bit of planning can go a long way, and the more you save on the basics, the more you have to spend on the things that make your holiday memorable."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
13 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
'Devil is in the detail' of tariff agreement with US
A tariff rate of 15 per cent is 'challenging' but avoids a rate of 30 per cent – which would have 'closed the market' in the US, Ireland's enterprise minister has said. Peter Burke said that the EU-US deal avoids both a trade war and EU counter-measures, which would have had an effect on the north-south economy. He said 'the devil is in the detail' of the trade agreement finalised on Sunday by Donald Trump and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland. 'We had a lot of modelling carried out on the various different options, and some were very perverse, that would have closed the market if you had over a 30 per cent tariff with a stacking mechanism,' Mr Burke told RTÉ Radio. 'The key thing is that there will be a number of carve outs. Obviously, aviation has been cited as zero-for-zero, but also in relation to agrifoods and potentially spirits.' Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke (Image: Collins) The bloc is set to face 15 per cent tariffs on most of its goods, including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals entering the US and 'zero for zero' tariffs on a number of products, including aircraft, some agricultural goods and certain chemicals – as well as EU purchases of US energy worth $750 billion over three years. Mr Burke said it was his understanding that the 15 per cent tariff on the pharmaceutical sector would be a maximum rate. He added: 'I think the president of the Commission has been very clear that 15 per cent will be a ceiling.' It is still unclear from the deal, agreed five days before Mr Trump's threat of a 30 per cent tariff would have come into effect, will mean Ireland will need to invest in US energy, he added. 'This all has to be worked out yet, as you can appreciate, I'm only hearing this for the first time last night, and we have nothing on paper.' Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris welcomed the agreement struck on Sunday, saying that while Ireland 'regrets' the baseline tariff of 15 per cent, it welcomed the certainty for businesses. Mr Harris said further detail was needed around how tariffs would affect sectors including pharmaceuticals. Ireland remains vulnerable to a slow down in trade with the US economy, due to exports of products such as alcohol, dairy and beef. The Irish government has also expressed concern at how tariffs could affect pharma multinationals based in Ireland, which employs about 45,000 people here, as Mr Trump had signalled he intended to target that industry. In addition, 65 per cent of all aircraft are leased through Ireland globally. Business group Ibec said although the uncertainty may be dissipating, the agreement was 'punishing' for Europe. The group's chief executive Danny McCoy said 'Europe has capitulated on this' and 15 per cent is 'very substantial'. 'I don't think it's a great deal if I'm really honest,' Simon McKeever, of the Irish Exporters Association, said. He said the deal was not a good one for Irish businesses and said the EU was negotiating with 'one if not two hands tied behind our backs' because of the EU's reliance on the US in relation to defence and security. He said questions remained about the effect it would have on Northern Ireland given the UK had a lower tariff of 10 per cent in place. 'There's a huge amount of this that is extremely uncertain,' he said. Last week, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said the Irish government would spend €9.4 billion on its budget in October, based on a zero-tariff scenario for next year. He and Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers said these estimates would need to be revised if there was a shock to the Irish economy. Mr Burke said it was not naive to base the government's economic scenario on a zero-for-zero trade agreement with the US. 'No it wasn't because we didn't know what we were to be faced with,' he said on Monday. 'We do need to find out what happens in other areas, because this is very complex. 'It depends what happens with China, that's a very significant market that a deal hasn't happened yet. 'It really impacts what happens with our exporters here in Ireland as well, because so much product is in danger of being redirected into EU market. 'We also don't know what separate carve outs are going to emerge for the different sectors that are so vulnerable from an Irish perspective. 'Until we get flesh on the bones and all those areas over the coming weeks, we'll be in a better position then to really put forward what budgetary parameters (we) will end up with.' Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Irish Independent
14 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Temu accused by EU regulators of failing to prevent sale of illegal products
The preliminary findings follow an investigation opened last year under the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA). It is a wide-ranging rulebook that requires online platforms to do more to keep internet users safe, with the threat of hefty fines. The European Commission, the 27-nation bloc's executive branch, said its investigation found 'a high risk for consumers in the EU to encounter illegal products' on Temu's site. Investigators carried out a 'mystery shopping exercise' that found 'non-compliant' products on Temu, including baby toys and small electronics, it said. Temu said in a brief statement that it 'will continue to co-operate fully with the commission'. The commission did not specify why exactly the products were illegal, but noted that a surge in online sales in the bloc also came with a parallel rise in unsafe or counterfeit goods. EU regulators said when they opened the investigation that they would look into whether Temu was doing enough to crack down on 'rogue traders' selling 'non-compliant goods' amid concerns that they are able to swiftly reappear after being suspended. In its preliminary findings, the commission found that Temu could have had 'inadequate mitigation measures' because the company was using an 'inaccurate' risk assessment that relied on general industry information, rather than specifics about its own marketplace. 'We shop online because we trust that products sold in our single market are safe and comply with our rules,' Henna Virkkunen, the EU's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said in a news release. 'In our preliminary view, Temu is far from assessing risks for its users at the standards required by the Digital Services Act.' ADVERTISEMENT Temu has grown in popularity by offering cheap goods – from clothing to home products – shipped from sellers in China. The company, owned by Pinduoduo, a popular e-commerce site in China, has 92 million users in the EU. The company will have the chance to examine the commission's investigation files and respond to the accusations before the EU watchdogs make a final decision. Violations of the DSA could result in fines of up to 6% of a company's annual global revenue and an order to fix the problems.
Irish Examiner
43 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Temu accused by EU regulators of failing to prevent sale of illegal products
Chinese online retailer Temu has been accused by European Union watchdogs of failing to prevent the sale of illegal products on its platform. The preliminary findings follow an investigation opened last year under the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA). It is a wide-ranging rulebook that requires online platforms to do more to keep internet users safe, with the threat of hefty fines. (We) will continue to co-operate fully with the commission The European Commission, the 27-nation bloc's executive branch, said its investigation found 'a high risk for consumers in the EU to encounter illegal products' on Temu's site. Investigators carried out a 'mystery shopping exercise' that found 'non-compliant' products on Temu, including baby toys and small electronics, it said. Temu said in a brief statement that it 'will continue to co-operate fully with the commission'. The commission did not specify why exactly the products were illegal, but noted that a surge in online sales in the bloc also came with a parallel rise in unsafe or counterfeit goods. EU regulators said when they opened the investigation that they would look into whether Temu was doing enough to crack down on 'rogue traders' selling 'non-compliant goods' amid concerns that they are able to swiftly reappear after being suspended. In its preliminary findings, the commission found that Temu could have had 'inadequate mitigation measures' because the company was using an 'inaccurate' risk assessment that relied on general industry information, rather than specifics about its own marketplace. In our preliminary view, Temu is far from assessing risks for its users at the standards required by the Digital Services Act 'We shop online because we trust that products sold in our single market are safe and comply with our rules,' Henna Virkkunen, the EU's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said in a news release. 'In our preliminary view, Temu is far from assessing risks for its users at the standards required by the Digital Services Act.' Temu has grown in popularity by offering cheap goods – from clothing to home products – shipped from sellers in China. The company, owned by Pinduoduo, a popular e-commerce site in China, has 92 million users in the EU. The company will have the chance to examine the commission's investigation files and respond to the accusations before the EU watchdogs make a final decision. Violations of the DSA could result in fines of up to 6% of a company's annual global revenue and an order to fix the problems.
