Travellers urged to change unused currency

As the summer holiday season begins to draw to a close, the Post Office is advising returning holidaymakers to change their unused foreign currency.

It estimates that Britons bring back around £920 million in unused holiday cash every year, much of which is stashed away in a drawer to be forgotten about.

This could be costly for some, as a fifth of travellers bring back more than £50 each.

"It's easy to stash your leftover foreign notes and coins in a drawer when you get home from your travels and forget about it," comments Kevin McAdam, head of travel services at the Post Office.

"But with one in five of us claiming to bring back £50 or more, it's shocking to discover that so much money is being wasted."

He advises consumers to change their unused currency at an independent provider and to look for the lowest rates of commission available.

However, consumers should be wary when attempting to convert travellers cheques back into cash, as a fee that varies from provider to provider could be charged for doing so.

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