You’ve planned your dream trip, saved up working three jobs (taking every hour of overtime you can), cut back on luxuries and stayed home almost every night, in order to enjoy yourself on holiday. You’ve finally bought the ticket and booked the hotel when all of a sudden…

The economy turns upside down, the currency exchange-rate is a joke, and your travelling companion decides to cancel and go camping instead.

Here are some of the survival strategies that I have tried and tested over the past five years, and would now love to share in the hope that if you ever do get into my situation, you will learn to appreciate the joys of being bravely poor – or richly foolish – enough to feel the fear, and get on the plane anyway.

S