by Chris Malone
Savvy caravanners already know that their way of holidaying is often more cost effective than travelling abroad.
However, they could save even more cash by being careful about using plastic to pay for goods and services.
Research from Which? Money found that using a debit or credit card can add as much as 200 per cent to the cost of a transaction.
It gave the example of buying a £1.70 ticket on thetrainline.com, which would see the purchaser pay an extra £3.50 in charges if paying by card.
Most retailers cite their own costs for adding surcharges, but the study found that the typical charges for credit and debit cards – five per cent and 3.5 per cent respectively – are much higher than the merchant service fees charged by banks, which are usually 0.8 per cent and 0.1p respectively.
Brits hate paying these extra costs, especially when they know that the retailer is actually profiting, explained Which? chief executive Peter Vicary-Smith.
“There can be no justification for high card surcharges as all too often they just seem to be an excuse for ramping up costs,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Sun has revealed that EastEnders character Kat Moon is to get a fright this week when her caravan is lifted into the sky by a crane with her still in it.
