The trip test
Is the basket worth
the boarding pass?
Compare up to five saved purchase scenarios against buying at home. Include the full trip cost. Check customs once on the combined category total.
Basket rows must use the same currency and destination. Saved rows keep their original inputs and dates. Combine any customs assessment into one adjustment below to avoid repeating a traveler allowance or transaction fee.
Before you book the trip.
When a shopping trip pays for itself: break-even math with trip costs
The saving on your basket is the most the trip can cost in extra spending before it stops paying. In the example, a 300 saving less a 150 flight and 80 of other costs leaves 70.
Duty-free allowance: do you pay on the full amount?
£400 of goods against a £390 allowance does not mean tax on the £10 above it. Under the Great Britain rule, the 20% VAT applies to all £400, which is £80.
Is buying electronics abroad worth it? A decision checklist
A 1,000 home price against a 900 overseas shelf price looks like a 100 saving. With an example card fee and an assumed import charge counted, the saving falls to 33.