Booked your summer hols? 13 things to do NOW to save £100s when you go

- Incl FREE language-learning app
- Get PAID to bag top €/$ rates
- Get into airport lounges for free

The mercury's already risen, it's almost summer, meaning the countdown to the big holiday getaway is underway. And if you're jetting, training, sailing or driving off in the months ahead, there's lots to sort now to ensure you save when you go. So we've a planeload of tricks to go full throttle for a MoneySaving trip.

1. New. Learn the language with a FREE app to help you talk like a local. Comprenez vous? From Spanish to Swahili (and even Klingon), a free app helps you learn 29 languages - get it now to swot up. Forumite Hermia loves it: "I've learned more French than at school." span>
   
   
2. How to sort FREE access to airport lounges now. You don't need to pay a royal ransom to lounge like Harry and Meghan. Our Free or Cheap Airport Lounges guide has top tips, incl the credit card that'll get you two free visits to 700+ lounges. Zoe posted on our Facebook page: "We always use our credit card for the lounges. It's great."     
   
   
3. Apply now to get paid £20 to bag permanently cheap overseas spending. Top specialist overseas credit or debit cards are the best way to spend abroad. While most plastic charges a 3%-ish 'exchange fee', so £100 of euros costs £103, these don't, so you get near-perfect rates, though you must pass a credit check for the first two below.
   
   - Top pick: £20 cashback & near-perfect rates. New Halifax Clarity (eligibility calc / apply*) credit card customers who buy anything in a foreign currency by 30 Sep get £20 cashback within 90 days of the spend. It's 18.9% rep APR, so pay IN FULL to avoid spending interest, though you pay a little interest on cash withdrawals till paid off.
   
   - Top credit card for cash (if you don't have a Barclaycard). The Barclaycard Platinum Travel (apply) has no exchange fees on purchases or withdrawals till Aug 2022. Pay IN FULL to avoid 19.9% rep APR on spending and 27.9% on cash. IMPORTANT: You won't qualify if you've had a Barclaycard in the last 6mths. See Top Overseas Spending Cards for more options.
   
   - Top if you don't want a credit card or credit check. This debit card from app-only Starling Bank* has no fees and near-perfect rates on overseas spending and withdrawals (max £300/day cash). There's no full credit check if you don't want an overdraft and it pays 0.5% AER variable interest on up to £2k and 0.25% on £2k-£85k. It's new, but feedback's good. See Top Travel Debit Cards for more.
   
   
4. Partying in Paris, relaxing in Rome or living it up in London? Get local tips with our MoneySaving destination guides. We've loads of city or country-specific help, eg, where to find free food and the cheapest way to get to and from the airport. See our guides to:
   
   Amsterdam | Barcelona | Costa del Sol | London | NYC | Paris | Rome 
   
   
5. Get paid £100 towards your holiday + top spending rates for this summer only + 2% cashback on bills. It's far from the best long-term overseas option, but if you switch to the NatWest Reward* current account from another bank it pays you £100. There are no debit card fees on overseas spending till the end of Aug 2018 (there are hefty fees at ATMs so avoid for cash; instead use our Tra velMoneyMax comparison).
   
   While there's a £2/mth fee, there's 2% cashback on most bills paid by direct debit. On average bills you'd be up £66/yr after the fee, £135/yr on high bills. To get the £100 you must do a full switch by Fri 15 Jun, pay in £1,500+ and log in to online or mobile banking by Fri 13 Jul - the cash'll come by mid-Aug. Then pay in £1,500+/mth to get the bills cashback.
   
   It's only a short-term overseas boon but if you avoid cash and are happy to get a better card in Sep or you've no plans to go away after, it's decent given the £100 and other perks. See Best Bank Accounts for more help and options, and how switching works.
   
   
6. Book car hire early to drive a bargain, eg, save £30+/day. When hiring abroad in summer, early booking generally wins. On Tue, we found a car for £7/day in Malaga in Aug, but it can cost £40/day if booked on the day. Find the cheapest via comparisons from Skyscanner*, TravelSupermarket*, Carrentals* or Kayak*. There's full help in Cheap Holiday Car Hire, incl how to avoid stealth fuel charges and grab cheap excess insurance.
   
   
7. Check now if your EHIC is still valid - 5.4m are due to expire in 2018. A European Health Insurance Card is a must in Europe - it gives access to medical care at state-run hospitals/GPs at the price a local pays. Yet millions expire every year, so see our EHIC guide for how to check and renew for FREE.
   
   
8. Plan ahead to beat baggage fees - check if POSTING it is cheaper. The price of flying soars once you add luggage. So act now.
   
   - Check if it's cheaper to POST bags. See full info and when this wins.
   - Book hold luggage online. Don't pay up to £108/bag at the airport.
   - Pack hand luggage like a pro. Watch our packing masterclass video.
   - Weigh your luggage. See how to do it without specialist scales.
   
   
9. Driving to France? Sort an emissions sticker well ahead, or you could be fined. It can take a month to arrive and fines can hit €68 (£60). See how to get one and why.
   
   
10. Buy travel insurance ASAB - from £5/trip. Everyone should get it As Soon As you've Booked so you're protected if you need to cancel - eg, if you or a family member gets ill. Here are our top picks:
    
    

    - Going away more than once a year? Annual policies win. For no-frills policies which meet our minimum cover level a 35-yr-old holidaying in Europe can pay from £9 (£17 for a family) or from £19 worldwide (£37 family). Prices depend on age, though Holidaysafe Lite*, Coverwise Bronze* or Leisure Guard Lite* usually win. Full best buys in Annual Policies incl if you want stronger cover.

    - Going away once? Get a single-trip policy. Leisure Guard Lite* tends to win - from £5/trip - but also compare against Holidaysafe Lite*, as quotes vary with age, location and number of travellers. See Single-Trip for more.
    
    There's more help in our Over-65s' Travel Insurance or Travelling with a Pre-Existing Condition guides.

11. Slash the cost of airport parking by booking in advance. Prices can be sky-high if you wait. Turn up at Manchester long-stay car park and it's £102 for a week. Booked a day ahead it was £56 using our discounted links for airport parking comparison sites...
    
    Check Holiday Extras* (10-30% off standard prices), Looking4Parking* (20-35% off), SkyParkSecure* (13-35% off) and FHR* (12-30% off). See Cheap Airport Parking for more help.
    
    
12. ESTA and other entry requirements are YOUR responsibility and can take time to sort. If heading Stateside, even in transit, you must get an ESTA at least 72 hours ahead - see our ESTA guide. Elsewhere you may need a visa (eg, Turkey) which can take weeks, and some countries require at least six months left on your passport. See the Government's foreign travel advice for requirements.
    
    
13. Check if your hotel's got CHEAPER - the rebook trick can save you £100s. If the price of your hotel's dropped and your booking allows free cancellation, you can simply rebook for less. Check latest prices on comparison sites Trivago*, TravelSupermarket* and TripAdvisor* - see Hotel Tricks for full help. Alison tweeted: "Saved £200 when price dropped 2 days before travel."