HOLIDAY HACK
I saved £354 on my holiday with Martin Lewis’ little known but really easy rebooking trick – and you can too
Martin's trick comes after a semi-retired couple revealed their own holiday hack
A HOLIDAYMAKER has saved hundreds on a trip to the states with a little-known Martin Lewis hack.
The founder of MoneySavingExpert (MSE) appeared on ITV chat show This Morning explaining the travel tip to viewers - and one jet-setter has taken full advantage.
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Martin has dubbed the hack "the re-book trick" - which is to cancel and then re-book a car hire or hotel if you spot it for a cheaper price than when you bought it.
For the trick to work, you'll need to make sure you still have free cancellation - or crunch the numbers if the cancellation fee is low to make sure you're coming out on top.
Prices for accommodation and car hire can be slashed closer to the date if there is less demand than expected.
In these cases, travellers would get a bulk payment back if they could cancel for free, then simply re-book at the lower price.
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Martin told the show: "If you book a car hire or hotel, go and check whether the price is cheaper now than when you bought.
"If it is, and you've got free or cheap cancellation, re-book and cancel.
"The best example is Michael (who) emailed me having followed this tip."
According to Martin, Michael wrote: "In January, I booked a two-week car rental in the USA, at a cost of $1024 (£807).
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"In May, I checked and the same deal was now $575 (£453).
"I cancelled and re-booked at the lower price."
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Michael therefore saved £354 using the hack.
Martin explained that price drops in the lead-up to dates are common with hotels desperate to sell any rooms that remain unreserved.
He advises: "So keep checking regularly, and you may suddenly find where you're going is available for a lot cheaper.
"So just book it again, and cancel the original booking where it's more expensive.
Martin's tip comes after a semi-retired couple revealed they've travelled the world with free accommodation.
How else to save money on car hire
Booking, cancelling and then re-booking is one way you can cut the costs of car hire when abroad. Here's a few other tips you can use:
Check the small print
You'll want to check the small print of your contract when it comes to picking up the vehicle.
Sometimes there can be extra insurance, mileage charges or confusing fuel policies in amongst the paperwork that can sting you.
Avoid paying too much for add-ons such as sat-navs when you could save money by using an app on your phone as well.
Bear in mind you might be with a provider that charges you to use your data abroad though.
Meanwhile, some firms charge you if you return the car without a full tank, so make sure you check for that in the contract.
Give the car a once over
Make sure you give any rental car a once over to ensure you're not charged for any previously-made damage.
Take pictures of the inside of the vehicle and make a note of its condition on the hire company's form, especially any scratches or dents.
These can be a source of dispute between you and a car hire company so if there's anything it hasn't logged, make sure you report it before taking off.
That way you won't be charged when you return it.
Steer clear of airport desk rip offs
If you're not booking ahead and waiting until you land at your holiday destination, it might be worth steering clear of companies with kiosks at the airport.
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They sometimes charge hundreds of pounds more when you could just book through a branch outside.
Sometimes they offer you a free shuttle from the airport to their branch too.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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