Money hacks Tips to take the heat off your holiday spending

When packing for your summer holiday, don't forget to pay attention to your plastic.

- Rupert Jones

Pack the right card Pick the wrong card to use abroad and you will end up spending more than you need to.

Unless your trip is imminent, it is not too late to apply for a card that won't charge you a penny in foreign exchange fees, or other bank fees, while abroad, whether you are spending in a shop, restaurant or hotel, or withdrawing cash from an ATM. Often it will take just a few days for your card to arrive.

Consumer group Which? has looked at the best debit and credit cards to use abroad. On debit cards, its recommended providers that are "truly fee-free to use abroad", include First Direct and app-based Starling Bank. With both, you get Mastercard's exchange rate, with no added fees or charges on top.

When it comes to credit cards, its best buys include Halifax Clarity and Barclaycard Rewards, both of which have no foreign transaction or cash withdrawal fees, and use Visa's exchange rate.

Other options worth a look include travel debit card Currensea. Sign up, connect your existing bank account, and pay with the card, though you are spending directly from your current account. There are three price plans, including Essential, which has no annual fee but there's a £4.95 delivery charge.

Know what the deal is If you can't face applying for a new bank account or credit card, or are running out of time, don't just do nothing before you go.

"Check what your existing card provider(s) will charge for each purchase and ATM withdrawal," says Andrew Hagger, founder of financial website MoneyComms. "That way, you can try to spend accordingly to minimise the impact of charges."