Having looked at the half term travel market Abbey National has found that prices can be as much as 80 percent higher than when the children are in school, meaning credit cards will be used to take some of the strain.
It came as no surprise to find higher holiday costs when the schools are off but 80 percent was quite extreme thought the Abbey National, especially when the economic climate is such that parents are looking to save money where they can, whilst still doing the best for their children. Scottish parents will fare better than their English counterparts thanks to their school holidays being at different times.
Abbey National found that Spain will offer the best value for families and also suggested ways to save money, including booking in advance, finding the best offer on currency or perhaps using a credit card that saves foreign exchange costs.
Compare the Abbey National credit card rate for yourself at Moneygossip.co.uk.
Barclaycard is acknowledged as being the most powerful credit card brand in the UK according to an independent study of the market.
The survey, carried out by the ACG, looked at the number of people having a card, how often it was used, customer thoughts on quality and how the brand is perceived. Having taken all these factors into consideration Barclaycard came out on top, thanks to it being the best known credit card in the country and also the second most used.
A spokesman for ACG, commenting on the results, said that Barclaycard would stand out strongly in the current economic climate since consumers look to the best known names in times of difficulty, feeling that there is less to worry about with a credit card brand they know and trust.
Sainsburys Bank would like credit card deals made easier to understand to help customers find the best option to suit them.
A study carried out by Sainsburys Bank found that over half of credit card holders have access to a reward scheme, though less than a quarter of them have actually claimed any of the rewards. This figure is made worse when it is considered that the number of credit cards offering rewards has gone up to 190, from just over 120 three years ago.
The people who responded to the Sainsburys Bank survey gave the main reason for not claiming rewards on their credit cards as it just not being worth it. Over 40 percent of people claimed that the effort needed to get the reward simply was not worth it.
