Travellers warned over credit card fees

Travellers from the UK have been warned that they could add to their debt management problems by spending large amounts while on holiday.

According to the Post Office, the average charge levied for using a credit card overseas stands at 2.75 per cent of the relevant purchase and around 2.4 million Britons are likely to go on holiday over Christmas.

With millions of British consumers already dealing with debt management issues, using a credit card regularly outside the UK could lead to further financial problems for many in the new year, the Post Office insists.

Post Office director of lending Gary Fitton said: “For many people, going abroad for Christmas is a great way to relax and not have to worry about cooking Christmas dinner.

“However, with 49 per cent of UK holidaymakers planning to use their credit card when shopping abroad many people could be returning from their Christmas break with a lot more than just ‘memories and mementoes’ due to hidden card charges.”

Apacs, the UK’s payment association, expects to see around £11.7 billion added to the country’s credit card debt total over the course of this month.