Brits urged to avoid £27m charges

People thinking of going on a luxury holiday with their loved one this Valentine's Day should be aware of the charges they may incur for using their credit cards abroad.

This advice comes from Nationwide, in light of people wasting a collective £27 million in unnecessary foreign loading charges last February.

Around one in ten UK people decide to take their partner on holiday for a romantic break each year, according to the building society.

Jeremy Wood, divisional director at Nationwide, said: "Couples who are planning to go abroad for a romantic getaway this Valentine's Day should be aware of the hidden charges that most card providers impose, which are both costly and unnecessary."

Among the advice offered by the building society to avoid acquiring extra cost on holiday is to use debit instead of credit cards when withdrawing money from a cash point, as the latter can have charges as high as three per cent.

When it comes to presents, people in the UK are expected to spend around £1.32 billion on buying the perfect gift for their loved one, according to statistics from Direct Line.