London is one of the most diverse metropolitan cities in the world — home to historic buildings dating from the 11th century all the way up to ultra-modern designs that are being built every day.
Now that the country-wide lockdown is being eased, visitors are being encouraged to return to London for tourist reasons and enjoy everything that the beautiful capital city has to offer. But let’s not kid ourselves here. London is expensive!
Planning your trip is vital, but sometimes plans can go awry and you could find yourself in a situation where you need financial assistance and fast.
Plan Ahead
This could happen to anyone; you could be taking a riverside pub walk and accidentally drop your wallet, or you could be the victim of a crime like pickpocketing. It’s hard to plan for, but it’s worth knowing your options before you go.
Make sure you know what services your bank offers if you find yourself in financial difficulties when you’re visiting, or what assistance your Embassy can offer if you’re visiting from abroad.
One of the best planning tips is quite a simple one and can be used by anyone whether visiting from another part of the UK or abroad: split up your valuables. There are few things worse than losing your purse or wallet that contains all your cards and ID. Keep some cash in a different place to your wallet, and always keep your ID separate and secure (money belts are great for passports, etc.)
Quick Loans
Imagine you’re busy wandering around the city at night and you need to get home for a family emergency. The only way home is via taxi and it’s likely to cost hundreds of pounds and you know you can’t cover it right now. So, what do you do? If you’re in need of a quick loan very fast, a company like Cashlady could be a great option.
You can get a quick cash injection into your account, pay for the ride, and sort it out when you’re more stable or after your next payday. Quick loans like this are a great option for those emergency circumstances.
No ID, No Cash
What if you do have money in your account, but you have lost your card? What can you do? Losing a wallet or purse can be a huge pain, and it can be even worse if it’s where you keep your ID (such as your driving license).
Luckily, most banks allow their customers to withdraw a certain amount of money from their accounts if you are set up with mobile banking. This article from Tech and Lifestyle Journal explains how to do this using a Metrobank account, but the process will be similar for most other accounts with UK banks.
Before you leave for your trip, ensure that you’re fully signed up and logged into your internet banking in case you need to access this service. Don’t access your internet banking from a free public Wi-Fi hotspot, though. Always use mobile data instead.