If you are travelling outside the UK on holiday or on business do not rely solely on your plastic to see you through, Take at least some cash and some travellers’ cheques for emergencies.

Britain’s largest building society, Nationwide Building Society, changed its policy on its Flex Accounts about a year ago and now no longer allows cash to be drawn via ATMs outside Britain. Instead, it has issued a new ‘Cash +’ card, which it claims can be used just like a debit card for purchases abroad but not to draw cash from ATMs. Unfortunately, you will frequently experience difficulties when trying to use the card.