1. Always ask for VAT certificates when you are shopping and keep them somewhere safe together with your receipt
2. Remember that it might be more difficult to return a purchase if the store has issued you with a VAT certificate
3. At the airport, ensure that your VAT certificate, receipts, and the goods for which you are reclaiming VAT are easily accessible
4. Reclaim your VAT before checking in your luggage, because you will need to provide proof that you are taking the goods out of the country with you
5. You might have to pay an import duty on certain products, so find out your options when you reclaim your VAT

One of the best things about shopping while travelling is the chance to shop in the opposite hemisphere. If you time this right, you have a good chance of hitting the end-of-season sales in your destination country, just in time to stock up for the season coming up at home.

For example, if you leave in the southern hemisphere, try to plan your trip to the northern hemisphere for February, March or April to get a spectacular warm coat or pair of boots at an unbeatable price. If you are in the northern hemisphere, go to the southern hemisphere at the same time for beautiful spring and summer clothes just in time for summer.

Here is how to get the best out of online reviews:

• Read quite a few of them. Any mix of reviews will have a few grumpy people who are disgruntled by everything, and a few people who are happy with whatever comes their way. By sampling a number of reviews, you will get a fair idea of how good the product is overall.
• Check for reviews of reviews. This sounds silly, but sites such as Amazon allow reviews to be marked as “helpful” or “unhelpful”; those reviews which are talking nonsense are downvoted, while those with lots of votes show that lots of people had this experience.
• If you have bought and enjoyed a product, or not enjoyed it at all, it’s a great idea to contribute to online reviews and help others in the same way.

Sticking with well known brand names is a good way to get around this, as you can be sure that what you are buying is reputable and of good quality. Comparison shopping to get an idea of different prices for different products is also a good idea.

Asking a friend who is knowledgeable about the type of product you are looking at is also a good idea, and for big purchases, it might be worth going into some real shops and chatting to sales assistants to get an idea of what is available and how much it costs.

Ultimately, doing some research and making a well-thought out purchase can save you money in the long run.

For instance, if you are travelling from South Africa to the UK, the worst thing you can do for yourself psychologically is convert pounds into rands for every purchase; the amount you are spending in rands on something as small as a cup of coffee is insane, and can turn your whole trip into a financial nightmare. Rather get a feel for reasonable and unreasonable local costs, and base your judgments on these. Remember that there are still goods which are cheaper in the UK: you might find yourself astounded at how cheap electronics are, or even some food in the cheaper grocery stores.

On the flip side, if your currency is strong, have fun working out just how cheap everything is in your destination of choice!