By Jonathan Russell
Parents with children heading off on gap year adventures may find the peace of mind offered by a prepaid credit card appealing, it has been claimed.
Using a prepaid card can mean easy saving for wannabe intrepid explorers, while parents will be reassured by the direct debit-style instant payment system offered by such cards in case of financial emergency, according to credit card company Caxton.
Managing director of Caxton James Hickman states: "[Prepaid cards offer] stress-free, seamless spending overseas.
"Considerable savings and security on gap year spending [are] an attractive prospect for parents whose offspring are heading off on a year abroad."
Faster payment to cash-strapped youngsters is possible with a prepaid card scheme because there are no delays, such as the need to validate bank details, the company claims.
The average gap year costs approximately £5,000, while a typical round the world plane ticket for travel enthusiasts costs approximately £1,000, according to gapyear.com.
