If you thought all currency exchange desks offered the same rates, you thought wrong. Currency exchanges at Britain's airports offer far less generous rates than those in the high street. Why? Because travellers at the airport are a captive audience and often already in free-spending "holiday mode", so the bureaux de changes can get away with murder. In some cases you could pay as much as 11% more for your holiday cash by picking it up at the airport.

It's outrageous, but quite avoidable. Make the effort and change your money in advance; your bank may offer a special rate and commission-free services to its account holders, or you could go to a Post Office to get foreign currency without any charges.

Buying currency upon arrival at your destination is another mug's game; when you arrive in a non English-speaking country after a tiring flight, you may get charged a huge commission and not even be aware of it.

Click here to see how much you SHOULD get for your pounds...