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Your Money > Retail Bargains Articles > 10 Hidden costs...
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By Sarah Modlock
Just in time for many of you to start boozing again after a 'dry' January, 10 ways that a night out can cost you dear. Here's what to avoid... 1. Leaving your credit or debit card behind the bar I have done this once, years ago. The only thing worse than waking up with a head that feels like there are roadworks inside it and mouth with more fur than a kitten is the gut-wrenching realisation that your card is still behind the bar at the pub/karaoke bar/night club/lapdancing club (delete as applicable). Of course the added fun is that you have to wait until the bar opens again before you can even get through on the phone let alone collect the card. There are several risks here. At one end of the spectrum, you retrieve it but are presented with a much bigger bill than expected. Did your pals charge more rounds to your tab than you realised? Or could it be down to an unscrupulous member of staff? How much you want to debate this will depend on your recollection of the night before and the level of pounding in your head. It could be hard to prove one way or another with a relatively small amount. Chris Holloway is a founder of CardsSafe, a company that has produced a lockable unit for customers' cards, for use in pubs and restaurants. He says: "When you think that the average number of cards behind the bar could run to 20 or 30 on a busy weekend night, with some pubs sticking cards in glass jars behind the counter, you can see how easily card fraud can occur. But no amount of security can protect you from a corrupt staff member and even if you don't spot any withdrawals at first, cloning could reveal them later. The safest move is to cancel the card straight away. Banks and card issuers expect you to keep your card with you at all times. If it is not and your card is lost or used fraudulently, you could be held responsible and will not be refunded any lost money. The Royal Bank of Scotland provides an emergency funds to customers who have had their debit card lost or stolen. It's a cardless method of accessing funds in an emergency from any cashpoints for Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest, Ulster Bank and Tesco Personal Finance. You just call RBS's Lost and Stolen Helpline (if you have the number in your wallet or programmed into your mobile) and after lots of security questions staff will give you a unique Pin to withdraw up to £300. A £5 charge applies. 2. Running a tab I read recently that we spend an extra 30% to 50% if we run a tab when we go out. Although there was no source for this figure it sounds perfectly feasible. After all, it's so easy to order more, stay longer or just be more generous when you don't have to part with cash. If you're trying to save or want to stick to a budget, just take cash out with you. A whip round keeps things fair and you also avoid leaving your card behind the bar. 3. Lending money to friend No one minds lending a mate some cash in an emergency or once in a while. But there is often one person who comes out with an empty wallet and guilts you into 'lending' them money that you never see again. Taking out just the cash you need should help avoid this - you can say you honestly don't have any to lend. You could also say no. Research from online payment company PayPal shows that we lent friends a total of nearly £17 billion last year. And about £5 billion of it still hasn't been paid back. No wonder you're feeling so skint. PayPay has even created a 'tongue in cheek' email to send friends that owe you money, along with a link to repay you instantly using PayPal. 4. Rip-off drinks and snack food If you are sticking to a budget it can easily be de-railed by unexpected costs at a concert venue, theatre or even cinema. We know they don't like glass bottles but many places don't let you bring in your own drinks or sweets and will even take away your plastic bottle of water so they can charge you £2.50 for a smaller one inside. The answer is to tuck your goodies out of sight on the way in. Another one to watch is bars adding service charges to bills, even you get your own drinks from the bar and have to wait. Keep an eye out and don't be guilted into them. 5. Ticket surcharges I could write 1,000 words just on the risk to your cash with some ticket providers. If you're about to book then I suggest you look at the Radio 4 'You and Yours' website for the latest list of dodgy companies that take cash and fail to deliver. Meanwhile, assuming you use a reputable company that does send the tickets, watch out for administrative costs and surcharges which could add as much as 30% to the cost of the seat. You may also face several pounds for postage and up to 25% commission on top. Ouch. If you can book direct with the venue, you should find that you can avoid some of these charges. 6. Drunken dialling and texting OK this is likely to cost more in shame and regret than phone bill unless your ex lives in Australia. Actually, the Australians have a great service for mobile users which locks certain numbers on request until you are sober. There is also an email system which holds onto to that message to your boss/the girl in accounts which seemed like a good idea when you popped back to the office to collect your gym gear after a long one in the pub. The system saves anything you try to email until the next day to ensure you really want it sent. Meanwhile, hang onto your phone or face the cost of replacement (unless you have insurance). You may also get no sympathy from your provider over covering the costs of the five hour long distance call made after you lost your handset. 7. Valentine's night It falls on a Saturday this year so is probably set to be even more popular as a night out. But watch out for inflated costs in restaurants and bars for anything pink or with the words 'love' or 'Valentine' involved. Expect to be bothered a LOT by people hassling you to buy a 'flower for the lay-dee'. It's cheaper to go out on just about any other night of the year. 8. The minimum spend Previously the preserve of swanky private members' bars and clubs, the ridiculous minimum spend is now creeping in elsewhere as bars try to up their profits and it usually applies when there is a group of you and/or you want some seats or tables reserved. The problem comes when you don't make the minimum spend or when the bar is so busy that staff probably haven't been paying attention to how much your group has spent. If you're booking an event, get the minimum spend confirmed in writing in advance and keep tabs on the tab during the night so there are no nasty surprises. 9. Premature drink clearing I've seen this soooo many times. It's not even just in the run up to closing time or when you go to the loo, it's all through the night. You go to sip your drink only to find that the half-full glass has gone. Sometimes even half empty bottles of wine disappear. The annoying thing is that this is usually in bars where you cannot attract the waiting staff when you want to order. The only solution is be vigilant and pounce if they do then avoid a return visit. 10. Cost to the nation Government figures put the national crime hangover - the amount it costs to clear up after vandalism and criminal damage as a result of booze - at £15 billion a year. It says that our late starts and time off because of hangovers costs businesses £7.4 billion a year. And then there's the £2.7 billion a year the NHS spend on drunks (810,000 people needed drink-related hospital treatment). So now you know. Useful links: |
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