ROOM FOR MORE
Woman reveals ‘genius’ hack to get free snacks and drinks at hotels every time – and all it takes is a quick phone call
The woman's mum also offered some sage advice
A TRAVELLER has revealed an easy way to snare free snacks and drinks at your hotel.
All it takes is a quick phone call with a dash of politeness, the TikToker says.
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Social media star "thejuliabaird" posted a viral video showing how to make the hack work.
Whenever you have a hotel stay, make sure you get someone to call them up to ask if they can do "something special" for you.
Julia explains: "Every time I'm travelling, my mum calls the hotel to do something special for me, even if it's, like, not a special occasion.
"I'm in Vancouver right now travelling for work, and my mum called the hotel and had them put together a little gift basket."
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She then films herself walking into her room to find a little bundle of treats including popcorn, sweets and fruit.
"Look at this - literally from my mum - for free.
"Not only did I get free snacks, but they also wrote me a little card.
"If you or your mum isn't calling the hotel every time you travel, you're doing something wrong."
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There is a technique to claiming the freebies, however.
Julia posted another video with her mum explaining how she does it.
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The unnamed mum says she calls up the hotel and it's all about building rapport with whoever is at the other end of the line.
She explains: "I tell them a little bit about myself and who I'd like to send the gift to, and just see if there is anything they can do to help make the stay a little bit more special for the person.
The mum warns not to ask for anything specific, but simply ask if they can do something - and possibly back up your case by saying it's for a special occasion.
She adds: "You don't get if you don't ask."
Hotel staff took to the comments to rave about the idea.
One said: "I used to work at a hotel and would give out the free snacks/waters to whoever asked for one or whoever was nice to me so this def works lol."
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Another added: "I worked at a hotel and we picked each day someone to build a VIP gift basket for.
"It was usually someone celebrating an event or being kind to staff."
Savvy ways to cut costs at the airport
PREPARING before you enter an airport could save you a lot of cash.
Food prices tend to be inflated in airports, so bringing your own food for your family could save you a small fortune.
You can take solid foods like sandwiches, crisps and fruit through security, so pack an airport picnic instead, but use a clear container.
Getting a lift to the airport? Avoid pricey drop-off charges — usually at least £5 — by pulling up in free areas instead. Some airports have a shuttle bus from places further out where you can park for free.
Take an empty water bottle - you can refill once you are through security at most airports.
You could take a reusable coffee cup, too - Pret for example will give you a discount if you bring your own cup.
And one key thing to remember is that Duty Free is not always a good deal, so don't be duped into buying something that you could get cheaper elsewhere.
And, crucially, don't exchange your money at an airport if you can avoid it - they tend to have the worst exchange rates.
You are likely to get a much better deal if you exchange your currency in advance nearer to your home.
If your local currency exchange doesn't have what you need in stock, you can usually order it in several weeks in advance.
By Laura Purkess, consumer features editor and consumer champion, The Sun
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