Martin Lewis reveals little-known suncream tip that could save YOU money – and it's all about a three digit number

The Sun

18 hours ago

MARTIN Lewis has revealed a little-known sun cream tip that could help you save some cash.
As temperatures of 34 degrees hit some parts of the UK today, a clip from the financial guru's hit podcast has been recirculated.
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Martin shared a hack with listeners of his self titled podcast to help them get more longevity out of their sun cream.
When shopping for the lotion, which protects you from sunburn and skin damage, the money pro encouraged customers to turn the bottle around.
He said there should be a PAO number on the back of the bottle which details "how long the sunscreen is still going to give you protection for once you've opened it".
The guru added that customers should make a note of when they open it so "you'll know if you try to use it in a year's time, whether it's still valid or not".
'Hopefully, if you've got 24 months, you won't need to buy a new one thinking, 'Oh, I'd better chuck that away — it's too old,' because it'll still be valid.'
PAO stands for Period After Opening and can often be indicated by an open jar icon on the back of sun cream and other toiletry products.
Inside the icon there will usually be a figure - such as 12 months - to show how long the product is effective after opening.
It comes as the UK has welcomed another weekend of warm weather, with many stocking up on sun cream to protect their skin.
For example, the Hawaiian Tropic Factor 30 sun cream has a PAO of 12 months.
And with the summer holidays well and truly underway, Martin has shared a number of hacks to help Brits jetting off on their holidays.
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The brains behind MoneySavingExpert has also shared a quick tip to save money while overseas.
Martin Lewis said: 'When you go abroad and you pay on plastic and the overseas cash machine or shop asks you: Do you want to pay in pounds or euros? What do you do?
'Well, the correct answer is you should always pay in euros or whatever the local currency is.'
Martin said that by choosing to pay in euros your credit card company or bank works out the currency exchange rate for you.
But if you choose to pay in pounds then the calculations are left up to the overseas bank, shop or restaurant's bank.
This is known as dynamic currency exchange and could mean you end up paying a much worse exchange rate.
Martin Lewis added that the best situation would be if you had an overseas debit or credit card that gives you a near perfect exchange rate.
MORE SUMMER HACKS
With summer in full swing, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the weather without spending a fortune.
If you have children, why not avail of the range of free activities available for kids up and down the UK.
That includes Pets at Home "My Pet Pals" summer workshop.
These events will run until Sunday August 17 in Scotland and Northern Ireland .
And will run until Sunday August 31 in England and Wales.
These workshops focus on the five needs of animal welfare, with a different theme each week of the holidays.
Kids will receive a pocketbook full of activities, a My Pet Pals certificate, and have the chance to meet some animals.
Families can also head to the cinema for £1 per person at Cineworld locations.
These movies are not the latest releases but include big hits from the past year or so including Paddington and the Minecraft Movie.
How to save money on summer essentials
SUNNIER days and warmer weather will leave many of us wanting to kit out gardens and outdoor areas.
Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to get a great deal on summer essentials…
It pays to know how to bag big savings on the likes of hot tubs paddling pools, egg chairs and outside bars.
Many retailers have flash sales across entire ranges – often this ties into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends.
Sign up to the mailing lists of your favourite brands and you'll be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
Keep a close eye on the specialbuys at Aldi and middle of Lidl drops which drop a couple of times a week and usually mean great value seasonal items such as beach gear and paddling pools.
If you are not in a hurry to buy an item, try adding it to the shopping cart and leaving it for a couple of days.
Sometimes big brands will try to tempt you into the sale by offering you a discount.
Always check if you can get cashback before paying. It's especially worth using sites such as Topcashback, Quidco and app Jamdoughnut when buying bigger ticket items such as garden furniture as you'll get a nice kickback.